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UMKC Heads South For WAC Showdown With UTPA
2/4/2015 9:43:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ON THE AIR AND ON THE WEB
Date-Time: February 5, 2015 - 7 p.m. CT
Site: Edinburg, Texas/UTPA Fieldhouse
TV: none
Radio: 102.9 FM/1140 AM
Online Audio: KCXL.com
Talent: T.J. Jackson (p-b-p)
Live Stats: UTPABroncs.com
Webcast: WAC Digital Network
Twitter: @UMKCWBB @TheUMKCRoos
Hashtags: #RooUp #WACHoops
Series: UMKC leads 3-1
Home: 1-0
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 1-0
Last Meeting: UMKC won 87-84 on Feb. 15, 2014 in Kansas City.
The Game
The Missouri-Kansas City women's basketball team (4-17, 2-4) embarks on its penultimate regular season road trip of the season when it heads to Edinburg, Texas on Feb. 5 to take on Texas-Pan American (11-10, 4-2). Tip-off between the 'Roos and the Broncs is slated for 7 p.m. on Thursday at the UTPA Fieldhouse.
The Opponent
Texas-Pan American (11-10. 4-2)
PPG: 63.9
PPG Allowed: 62.4
Leading Scorer: Shawnte' Goff - 15.3
Leading Rebounder: Rickell Preston - 6.2
Assists Leader: T'Ondria Nolen - 4.2
The Series
Texas - Pan American (3-1)
D1, 1989 (N) W, 50-35 Agler
J30, 1990 (A) W, 46-42 Agler
J16, 2014* (A) L, 50-65 Frese
F15, 2014* (H) W, 87-84 Frese
Last Time Out
Utah Valley cut a 19 point deficit down to one with under a minute to play, but Aries Washington and Samantha Waldron combined to go 7-of-8 from the free throw in the final minute of play as the UMKC women's basketball team knocked off the Wolverines 61-58 on Saturday afternoon at the Swinney Recreation Center in a game in which it never trailed. With the win, UMKC ups its record to 4-17 overall and 2-4 in the WAC, while Utah Valley falls to 7-14 on the season and 1-5 in the conference.
As a team, UMKC connected on 22 of its 24 free throw attempts, led by Washington who knocked down all 10 of her attempts en route to a career-high 22 points, to go along with seven rebounds, three assists and a steal. Grace Mitchell, meanwhile, narrowly missed her second straight double-double after finishing with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Waldron was the final 'Roos in double figure, as the freshman notched 10 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. On the glass, the Kangaroos dominated UVU, outrebounding the Wolverines 34 to 21, while finishing with 13 assists on its 19 field goals.
The Coaches
Nationally known for her top-notch recruiting classes, Marsha Frese enters her third season as head women's basketball coach at UMKC. Frese brings 16 seasons of experience as a Division-I player and coach to the UMKC campus. During her first two seasons in Kansas City, Frese began to establish her vision for a championship culture while guiding the 'Roos toward excellence, both on the court and in the classroom.
In first season with the Broncs, Larry Tidwell tied program records for wins in a season (14) and conference wins in a season (eight), led the Broncs to a final RPI of 248, the lowest in program history and recorded a 9-3 record at home, tying for the second most home wins in program history.
Up Next...
The 'Roos will open up the second half of WAC play on Saturday when they head to Las Cruces, N.M., to take on New Mexico State at the Pan Am Center on Feb. 7.
A Win Would...
• Give the 'Roos their third WAC win
• Even the 'Roos WAC road record at 2-2
• Put the 'Roos on a two-game win streak
Last Time Against The Broncs
The Kansas City women's basketball team picked up its third straight victory after holding off Texas – Pan American in an back and forth WAC contest, beating the Broncs 87-84 on Feb. 15 at the Swinney Recreation Center.
Eilise O'Connor and Kim Nezianya paced the 'Roos in the victory, as O'Connor finished with 31 points, including hitting 15-of-17 free throws, and five rebounds, while Nezianya picked up her third straight and 13th overall double-double with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Grace Mitchell was the final 'Roo in double figures, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds, while Calli White and Taylor Leathers each added eight.
Defensive 'Roos
When the 'Roos hold teams to 59 points or less this season, they have won four games, while dropping only one contest.
Washington Goes Off
On Jan. 31, freshman Aries Washington had her best game as a 'Roo, scoring a career-high 22 points, with seven rebounds and three assists, while knocking down all 10 of her free throws, including four in the final minute.
10+ Two Straight
In the games at Chicago State and Bakersfield, the 'Roos starting frontcourt of Kiana Law and Grace Mitchell each grabbed 10+ rebounds. Law finished with 13 against the Cougars and 10 versus the Roadrunners, while Mitchell grabbed 10 in each game.
Perfect At The Line
This season, Calli White has finished perfect from the line in 12 games, including one game each finishing 8-of-8, 7-of-7 and 6-of-6. Overall, White is tops in the WAC at 87.0 percent, while sitting 22nd in the NCAA.
White Lights Up Bakersfield
At Bakersfield, Calli White scorched the nets, going for a career-high and UMKC season-high 27 points. In the game, the sophomore tied her career-high with six made threes on 10 attempts.
Mitchell's Hot Stretch
Grace Mitchell has turned up her game over the 'Roos last five WAC games, as the sophomore is averaging 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds, while shooting 63.8% from the field, all team-high's, during the stretch. Over that time, she scored a career-high 20, recorded her fourth and fifth career double-doubles, scored 10+ in four games and grabbed 10 rebounds in three games.
Double-Doubles
In the 'Roos game at Chicago State, the starting frontcourt of Kiana Law and Grace Mitchell each tallied double-doubles, marking the first time since Feb. 8, 2014 at Chicago State that two 'Roos notched double-doubles in the same season. Three games later, the duo accomplished the feat again against Grand Canyon. Mitchell now has four for her career and three this season and Law has three on the year. In her career, Taylor Leathers has two double-doubles as well.
Freshmen Contributions
This season, the 'Roos regular rotation has featured six freshmen, with the group averaging 30.2 points (54.7%), 17.2 rebounds (48.5%), 5.0 assists (45.3%), 2.6 steals (55.1%) and 1.6 blocks (68.0%). The players make up four of the top five scorers on the team.
Overall, the 'Roos second in the NCAA in minutes per game per player by freshmen at 50.4% of total minutes, trailing only Clemson.
Defensive Improvement
This season, the 'Roos have stepped up on the defensive end, as UMKC is allowing 9.8 less points per game (65.6 to 75.4) compared to last season.
On The Glass
The 'Roos are currently limiting teams to just 34.3 rebounds per game, the fewest amount in the WAC.
Good From Three
At the arc the 'Roos are third in the WAC in 3-pt. FG% at 33.1% and first in 3-pt. FG% defense at 29.1%.
White From Deep
Calli White has continued to be a top threat from long range as the sophomore has knocked down 41 threes this season, giving her 114 in her career, the fifth most in UMKC history. Her 37.0 percent clip, meanwhile, is also seventh best.
Law's Debut Campaign
In her first season in the Blue & Gold, Kiana Law is sitting fifth in the WAC in rebounds at 7.1 per contest, while ranking ninth in field goal percentage (44.7%), 15th in blocks (0.4) and 23rd in scoring (8.3).
White Against The WAC
Currently, Calli White ranks as the sixth best scorer in the WAC at 12.4 points, while sitting first in minutes (36.9) and free throw percentage (87.0), sixth in assists (3.10), fifth in three-point field goals made (1.95) and 11th in three-point field goal percentage (36.0%).
WA-WA WAC
In the WAC, Samantha Waldron is sixth in three-point field goal percentage (38.6%), eighth in minutes played (32.0) and 25th in scoring (7.7) and Aries Washington is fifth in field goal percentage (48.4%), seventh in free throw percentage (76.4%), 13th in assists (2.0) and 21st in scoring (9.0).
Iron Women
Calli White and Samantha Waldron have been staples in the UMKC lineup this season as the duo have each started every game and is each topping the 30 minutes per game mark. White leads the WAC at 36.9 mpg, while Waldron is eighth at 32.0 mpg.
In the game against North Florida, meanwhile, Waldron (45), Lexis Hardiek (41) and Kiana Law (25) all played career-high in minutes, while White (42) and Taylor Leathers (37) all played season-high's.
40 Minute Beast
Kiana Law is averaging 8.3 points and 7.1 rebounds, but playing just 19.2 minutes, as the freshman is adjusting to collegiate defense. If her stats were pro-rated to 40 minutes, however, she would be on a pace to average 17.4 points and 14.8 rebounds per contest.
