Kansas City
New Mexico State
Aggies Outlast ?Roos In WAC Home Opener
1/14/2016 10:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball
(Kansas City, Mo.) – Kiana Law notched her second double-double of the season with 17 points, on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 shooting from the line, and a career-high 14 rebounds in UMKC women's basketball's 68-62 loss to New Mexico State in the WAC home opener at the Swinney Recreation Center.
“I'm proud of the way our team battled,” Head Coach Marsha Frese said. “New Mexico State is a talented and balanced team. Defensively, we did a good job of making somebody else step up and make shots by limiting Briana Freeman the way that we did. I'm looking forward to the growth of this team. We are just taking it one game at a time leading into the postseason tournament.”
As a team, UMKC made 25-of-27 from the free throw line, including hitting a perfect 14-of-14 during the third period. The 25 makes are the third most makes from the charity stripe in the WAC this season, while the 92.6 percent is the top percentage on the year. On the glass, UMKC out-rebounded the Aggies by 13, holding a 35-22 advantage, which led to a 15-10 advantage in second chance points.
Off the bench, Kristen Moore scored 14 points, shooting 3-of-4 from the field and 8-of-9 from the line, with four rebounds in just 14 minutes of action, while Samantha Waldron was the third 'Roo in double figures with 12 points, including hitting 2-of-3 from three-point range, and three rebounds.
The loss drops the 'Roos to 6-10 overall and 1-2 in the WAC, while New Mexico State improves to 14-3 on the year and 3-0 in the conference.
Kansas City went ahead 6-3 early in the contest after baskets by Sierra Bone, Law and Aries Washington, but five straight threes and a layup by the Aggies gave the visitors their first lead of the game at 20-6.
UMKC stopped the rally with two Law free throws and a layup from Moore and closed the period on a 9-2 run as Moore added two more baskets, including a three-point play as the clock expired to cut the lead to 22-15 after one.
The Kangaroos continued to chip away at the lead to start the second with three quick points from Law, but ten of the next 13 points went to NMSU as the Aggies stretched the lead back to 11 with just under two minutes remaining in the half.
Law, though, would close the second the way she began it, hitting two free throws and a jumper to pull the 'Roos to within seven at 32-25 heading into the break.
Coming out of halftime, NMSU struck first, but Law kicked off a 7-0 run that also included a three from Waldron and two bone free throws to cut the deficit to two, three minutes in.
New Mexico State would push the lead back to six twice more in the quarter, but after trimming the lead to four, Waldron hit a jumper and followed with a pair of free throws to even the score at 46-46 at the end of three periods of play.
NMSU scored the first three to start the fourth and Washington answered with a basket to cut the lead to one, but a 10-2 run by New Mexico State stretched the lead to nine.
The 'Roos would close to within five at 67-62 with 26 seconds to play, but would be unable to get any closer, falling 68-62.
The Blue & Gold will be back in action again on Saturday when they welcome in UTRGV to Kansas City for a 2 p.m. WAC contest.
