Kansas City Nearly Spoils SDSU’s Undefeated Conference Season

Saturday, February 27

Brookings, SD

5:00 PM

Kansas City

10-11,7-8Summit League

South Dakota State University

21-2,14-0Summit League

Kansas City

South Dakota St.

Kansas City Nearly Spoils SDSU’s Undefeated Conference Season

2/27/2021 8:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Final Box

The Roos enter The Summit League conference tournament as the four seed

Brookings, S.D.—Kansas City Women's Basketball (10-11, 7-8) never gave up in a battle to the end against #22 South Dakota State (21-2, 14-0). The Roos outshot the Jackrabbits 21-11 in the fourth quarter but needed a couple reviewed calls to go their way to swing the results in the 66-72 finish.

Kansas City kept it close through the first quarter, but every time they got within reach SDSU would hit a three-pointer to open it back up. Nine points unanswered with three minutes left in the second quarter gave the Jackrabbits their first double-digit lead. Mandy Willems gave the Roos the comeback spark they needed after hitting back-to-back threes going into half to draw the game within nine.

Free throw chances and points given up on turnovers prevented the Roos from making the run they needed to grab the lead until a comeback story started brewing in the fourth.

"I told our team if we could get the lead to 10 point by the five-minute mark then anything could happen," Hoyt explained. "Our players trusted in that."

Kansas City overcame a 16-point deficit at the end of the third and believed in Coach Hoyt's mission. Willems and Alnatas made that a reality combining for 12 points in the first three minutes of the final frame. A 7-0 run by the Roos capped off by a Jada Micken's three-pointer brought the game within four. Both offenses traded layups before Kansas City was forced to foul as the Roos ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Naomie Alnatas led the Roos offensively with 19 points and two assists. Paige Bradford followed closely with her fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Willems ended with 11 points on three from beyond the arc. RaVon Nero ended the night with nine points, three rebounds, and four assists in limited play.

"We had a team goal of leaving here with momentum and we did that," Hoyt said. "I was proud of our bounce back and resilience from yesterday to today."

The Roos will be the four-seed in next week's Summit League Championship and take on the five-seeded Western Illinois. The game is slotted for Sunday, March 7^th at 11:45 a.m. The Summit League Championship tournament will take place in the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.