Women's Basketball Wraps Up 2022 by Hosting Denver, Omaha

vs. Denver (WATCH | STATS | TICKETS)
vs. Omaha (WATCH | STATS | TICKETS)

Starting Five

Kansas City returns home to close out the 2022 calendar year, looking to get into the win column in Summit League play. Overall in 2022, the Roos have posted a 17-15 record.
After missing seven games due to injury, Rain Green's return gives Kansas City another scoring option and a distributor in the point guard position. In six games of play, Green has averaged 11.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, notching 21 points and five dimes in the Roos' Summit League opener against South Dakota.
In two games since joining the team, Manna Mensah has shown an ability to give the Roos a spark. She scored 13 points in her debut against South Dakota and has hit 3-of-6 three point attempts. The grad transfer from Utah State scored in double digits seven times last season.
Seeing increased playing time in recent games, Machia Mullens is proving to be a rebounding option for the Roos. In her first nine appearances this season, she averaged just 1.7 boards per game. In the last three games, she has pulled down an average of 8.0 rebounds, including a career-high 12 boards in her first start of the season at South Dakota State.
The Roos will look to close the year on a high note, playing Omaha on New Year's Eve. All-time, the Roos hold a 3-6 record in games played on Dec. 31. The most recent New Year's Eve game came in the 2016-17 season, a 64-59 loss at the hands of Stony Brook.

Denver Notes

Denver's Summit League opening matchup with Omaha was postponed due to winter weather conditions, bringing the Pios into Thursday's matchup with a 4-7 record and a 3-3 record in its last six games.
KC holds a 6-5 advantage in the all-time series, including wins in the last three contests.
Kansas City has dominated the series at home, winning 5-of-7 contests. The Roos have won the last two games played in KC by an average of 17.0 points.
DU is not afraid to shoot the three, ranking top-three in the Summit in three-point attempts (24.9; 2nd), makes (8.0; 2nd) and percentage (32.1; 3rd).
Emma Smith leads the Pioneers with a 13.7 points per game average, but was held to a season-low four points on 0-of-5 field goal shooting in their most recent game against Idaho.

Omaha Notes

Omaha enters the weekend with a 5-6 record, losing three of its last four contests. The Mavs will open league play against Oral Roberts on Thursday before Saturday's matchup.
Kansas City owns a 6-5 edge in the all-time series, winning the last four meetings between the two squads.
The Roos' lead the Mavs 5-2 in games played in Kansas City, including wins in the past three games at the Swinney Center.
Omaha is one of the best teams in the nation from the free throw line, knocking down charity shots at a 79.9% clip. That mark is best in the Summit and sixth in the nation.
Elena Pilakouta is the Mav's only double-digit scorer, averaging 12.4 points per game. Her field goal percentage of 57.7% ranks first in the Summit and 25th in Division One.