Kansas City
3-3,0-0Summit League
Southern Illinois University
3-1,0-0MVC
Johnson's Big Night Not Enough Against SIU
12/17/2020 8:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Jonaie Johnson finishes with 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the loss
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Despite another high-scoring night from Naomie Alnatas and a stat-stuffing performance by Jonaie Johnson, the Kansas City Women's Basketball (3-3) team could not overcome a high-octane SIU (3-1) team on Thursday evening, falling 79-68.
"Our turnovers on the offensive end and fouls on the defensive end really made it hard for us to ever get into a rhythm," Head Coach Jacie Hoyt said.
Southern Illinois jumped on the Roos in the first quarter, garnering a 15-5 lead in the first five minutes and holding KC to just one field goal. Then, Kansas City got going. Johnson found her stride, scoring eight first-quarter-points on 3-of-3 shooting. Two Taylor Larson buckets at the end of the quarter helped the Roos chip away at the SIU lead with an 8-2 run, entering the first break trailing by four.
Kansas City opened up the second quarter with another run, grabbing a 29-26 lead, but then both offenses went stagnant. Just one field goal was made over the next four-plus minutes, a lay-in by the Salukis' Adrianna Katcher. SIU moved ahead on a pair of free throws with 3:13 remaining in the half, never surrendering the lead again.
The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with the Roos drawing as close as three points, but never being able to reclaim the lead. Seven third quarter turnovers plagued Kansas City, which finished the game with 19 giveaways.
Alnatas turned up the heat in the fourth quarter, dropping eight of her 19 points. The Roos shot 50% from the field in the final frame, but were never able to get a key stop, and the Salukis came away with the victory.
Alnatas led Kansas City in scoring for the fourth-straight game, finishing with 19 points and four rebounds. Over the four-game stretch, she is averaging 18 points per contest.
Johnson reminded Roo fans why her nickname is "The CEO," as she commanded the Salukis' attention from beginning to end. She finished with a season-high 16 points, adding seven rebounds and seven assists. It is the first time in her Kansas City career that she finished with double digits in a loss.
"Jo fought really hard," Hoyt said. "It was great to see her get back on track offensively."
The next games on Kansas City's schedule will not come until the calendar moves to 2021, when the Roos travel to North Dakota on Jan. 2 & 3 for their first conference games since returning to the Summit League.
