Kansas City
5-9,1-0Summit League
South Dakota
5-8,0-1Summit League
Pestering Defense Leads KC to League-Opening Win
12/19/2022 10:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
RayQuawndis Mitchell scored 28 points as the Roos ran past South Dakota in their Summit League opener
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A pair of runs by RayQuawndis Mitchell, alongside potent defensive play, helped Kansas City Men's Basketball (5-9, 1-0 Summit) run away from South Dakota (5-8, 0-1 Summit) in its Summit League opener. Mitchell dropped a game-high 28 points on the night, shooting 5-of-11 from three-point range, also pulling down five rebounds and dishing an assist.
Mitchell went on a 10-2 run by himself midway through the first half, giving Kansas City a lead that it would carry through the rest of the game. With the Coyotes threatening midway through the second half, Mitchell stepped up again, scoring 11-straight points to put the game out of reach.
The Roos also kept South Dakota quiet with stifling defense, holding the Coyotes to 30.2% field goal shooting, including 5-of-21 shooting from inside the three-point arc. The final field goal percentage was USD's second-lowest on the season, and their 16 turnovers were three above their season average.
KEY MOMENTS
- 1H - 12:18 / 10-9 | Tyler Andrews cleaned up a miss by Shemarri Allen, pulling down the Roos' fifth offensive rebound of the game and putting it back up to give Kansas City the lead for the first time on the night. The Roos would hold on to that lead for the rest of the game.
- 1H - 7:58 / 20-11 | Mitchell knocked down a pull up jumper that capped a 10-2 Kansas City run, with Mitchell scoring all 10 Kansas City points using two free throws, a pair of threes and the jumper. The run spanned just under four minutes, with the Roos holding South Dakota to 1-of-4 shooting with two turnovers.
- 1H - 2:36 / 25-16 | Kansas City went without a field goal for over four minutes, but Shemarri Allen scored two-straight buckets for the Roos to get them back on the right track.
- 1H - 0:43 / 30-19 | After South Dakota knocked down a triple, Mitchell responded right back with one of his own to put Kansas City ahead by double-digits. Allen David Mukeba Jr. would come through with a block on the other end to secure the lead going into the break.
Welcome to @h23_jr's World, we have a lot of fun here. pic.twitter.com/J3s29SGmp8
— Kansas City Men's Basketball (@KCRoosMBB) December 20, 2022
- 2H - 15:06 / 34-27 | South Dakota scored the first eight points of the second half to draw within three, but a pair of dunks by Jeff Ngandu and Allen pushed the Roos back out by seven.
- 2H - 5:19 / 52-35 | Kansas City held the Coyotes scoreless over a span of 5:50, going on an 11-point run over that period. Mitchell scored all 11 points, knocking down a second chance bucket, three free throws and a pair of triples.
- 2H - 3:28 / 60-39 | Mukeba came away with a steal, and Andrews found Allen in transition for a breakaway dunk that put the cherry on top of the victory.
2H | Buh-bye ?? #ROOUP | @shemarriallen23 pic.twitter.com/ZwgEEU9wnV
— Kansas City Men's Basketball (@KCRoosMBB) December 20, 2022
STATS TO NOTE
- Kansas City held South Dakota to 19 points in the first half, the third time they've held an opponent below 25 points in a half this season.
- The Roos pulled down 17 offensive rebounds on the nights, converting them into 20 second chance points.
- Kansas City grabbed 11 steals, the team's third time in double digits this season. Those 11 steals translated to 16 total South Dakota turnovers, which the Roos turned into 23 points.
- Overall, the Roos outscored the Coyotes by 22 points between points off turnovers and second chance points.
- Mitchell's 28 points marked his fourth time above the 20-point mark this season. The Roos are 3-1 in such games.Â
- Kansas City dominated when Andrews was on the court, finishing with a total +/- of plus-30.
THE ROOS, QUOTED
Head Coach Marvin Menzies
"The numbers are indicative of our play on the defensive side of the ball, we got a lot of deflections. Our goal is 35 every game, and I think we were at 36 or 37 today."
"There were different guys that had different moments. Then we had some guys that didn't get in that had some pretty good practices … Real ballers are ready when their number is called."
RayQuawndis Mitchell
"My teammates did a really good job of bringing the defensive presence that Coach Menzies has been emphasizing … The few days that we had off from games were crucial in really installing the defense into our game."
UP NEXT
Kansas City looks to stay undefeated in Summit League play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the Swinney Center, looking to break a seven-game series losing streak against South Dakota State.
