Kansas City
1-0,0-0WAC
Denver
0-1,0-0Summit League
Women's Basketball Outlasts Denver in Season Opening Battle
11/5/2019 9:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Kansas City women's basketball team went into Tuesday's season opener looking to start 1-0 for the first time in the Jacie Hoyt era, and knew it would be a large task. They were squared against Denver, who beat the Roos 92-75 last season, were a top-15 scoring offense, and were ranked 22nd in the CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Preseason Top-25. The Roos stifled Lauren Loven, who dropped 21 points in last season's meeting, Ericka Mattingly and Emily Ivory combined for 43 points, and Kansas City was able to take the 15th and final lead change with 9:41 remaining in the game to emerge victorious, 83-79.
"That was a really quality win," Head Coach Jacie Hoyt said. "We knew that we needed to play really well and defend really well. That was the biggest challenge that I gave to my team all week and I felt like they really stepped up to the challenge."
The Pioneers jumped on Kansas City in the first quarter, emerging with a 14-4 lead in the first 1:33 of the game. Hoyt reached to the bench early, hoping for a spark, and freshman Tajah Foster-Walker provided it. In her first eight minutes of regulation collegiate basketball, she dropped seven points and added lock-down defense to bring the Roos within three points after the first quarter.
"Tajah just plays with so much energy. She's got so much 'juice,' as we call it," Hoyt said.
Bench play would prove valuable all game long for the Roos, as they were aided by 23 points off of the bench, led by Foster-Walker with 15 on 6-8 shooting.
"That's something that we feel is a strength of ours this year, is the juice and the energy that we have coming off of the bench."
The Roos picked up momentum in the second quarter, led by Ericka Mattingly. She was able to shake off a three point first quarter and counter it with seven in the second, adding two assists and three rebounds.
Mattingly finished the game with a game-high 23 points, but perhaps the key was her ability to draw fouls. She drew six total in the game, causing frustration on the Pioneers' defensive side and playing a large part in fouling out two Denver players.
"Ericka's a really physical player," Hoyt said. "She's an explosive player, she's one of the best in the country in getting downhill and drawing those fouls."
The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair, but the Roos' offense exploded in the fourth. They shot at a 65% clip in the final frame, taking the lead on a Cristina Soriano layup just 19 seconds into the quarter and never looking back.
Emily Ivory in particular stepped up big time in crunch time. She scored five straight points to extend the Roos' lead to six with 7:45 remaining, then knocked down a huge three to give Kansas City an eight point lead with two minutes left and give them all the insurance that they needed.
"Emily has prepared herself for those moments," Hoyt said. "That's just kind of who she is now. She wants those big moments, she has prepared for those big moments and I think that's just the Emily Ivory that we're going to have all season."
Ivory, who set the Kansas City program record last season for three-point baskets made by a freshman, worked during the off-season to expand her game. It paid off early against Denver, as her first two baskets came on floating runners, which opened up the court for her to knock down the long ball.
"Last year I think I was a catch-and-shoot three-point shooter, but in the off-season my coaches really helped me develop my game to a whole different level," Ivory said.
The win brings Kansas City to 3-4 all-time against the Pioneers, breaking a two-game losing streak that spanned the past two years. Kansas City and Denver will see plenty of each other in the future, as they will be Summit League foes beginning next year.
The Roos will travel to Stockton, Calif. to begin play in the Preseason WNIT against the University of the Pacific on Friday evening at 9 p.m. CT.
