Kansas City
3-5,0-0Summit League
Grand Canyon
6-1,0-0WAC
Short Handed Roos Fall to Grand Canyon
12/3/2022 5:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball
E'Lease Stafford went for 20 points, but it was not enough as turnovers plagued KC
PHOENIX, Ariz. - A short-handed Kansas City Women's Basketball team build a lead early but were unable to hold on late against Grand Canyon this afternoon, falling 61-50. Playing without second-leading scorer Sanaa' St. Andre, the Roos were led by E'Lease Stafford, finishing with 20 points, five rebounds and three steals in 40 minutes of play.
After a sloppy first quarter that resulted in a tie, the Roos shot 7-of-13 from the field in the second quarter, building a lead as large as nine points after a three-pointer by Stafford with 1:11 left in the half. However, an 11-2 run by Grand Canyon spanning into the third quarter would bring them back into the game, and turnover problems were too much for Kansas City to overcome.
The Roos shot the ball well, finishing the game at a 47.4% clip from the field, their best field goal percentage in a loss this year. KC was held to 20-fewer field goal attempts than the Lopes, however, committing 27 turnovers and allowing 23 points off turnovers.
KEY MOMENTS
- 1Q - 6:22 / 7-4 | The teams traded buckets for the first 10 minutes, with neither team leading by more than three points. Kansas City took its largest lead of the first quarter as Zaire Harrell dished to E'Lease Stafford on the wing for her first three of the game.
- 2Q - 4:53 / 25-17 | Kansas City's defense held Grand Canyon without a field goal for over five minutes and took an eight point lead with an 8-1 run. Tamia Ugass began the run with two-straight buckets, Stafford made a three and Machia Mullins capped the run off with a layup.
- 2Q - 1:11 / 30-21 | The Lopes cut KC's lead down to four points, but the Roos' quickly extended it back out to nine after a layup by Ugass and Stafford's third three of the contest. GCU scored the final four points of the half and the Roos took a five-point lead into the break.
2Q | @eleasekstafford, as always ????? pic.twitter.com/UL5DbCmwMb
— Kansas City Women's Basketball (@KCRoosWBB) December 3, 2022
- 3Q - 6:12 / 36-31 | Grand Canyon opened the second half on a 6-2 run to draw within a point, but Stafford and Ugass brought down offensive boards on back-to-back possessions and scored second chance buckets to extend the lead back out to five. GCU would respond with a seven-point run to take their first lead since the 8:23 mark of the second quarter.
- 3Q - 2:07 / 39-38 | Ugass knocked down both free throws to reclaim the lead for Kansas City, but it would be the final time the Roos lead, as GCU would close the third quarter on an 8-0 run.
- 4Q - 8:10 / 44-51 | The Antelopes extended their lead as wide as ten points, but an inbounds play set up a three-pointer for Stafford on the assist by Dani Winslow, bringing KC back within single digits. However, the Roos scored just two more field goals over the final eight minutes and GCU claimed the victory.
STATS TO NOTE
- The Roos held GCU scoreless from beyond the arc in the first half, forcing 0-of-6 three-point shooting in the first 20 minutes. The Lopes finished 3-of-15 from three-point range, but dominated in the paint, scoring 38 points.
- During Grand Canyon's five-minute stretch with no field goals in the second quarter, the Roos held GCU to 0-of-7 shooting from the field.
- Kansas City's fortune turned in the third quarter as they turned the ball over 10 times and were able to attempt just six field goals in the third frame. The Roos committed 27 turnovers in the game, the most since committing 29 give-aways against GCU last season.
- The Roos turned eight offensive rebounds into nine points, tying a season-low in offensive boards.
- Stafford has scored 20-plus points in each of the past three games, the most consecutive 20-point performances by a Roo since Naomie Alnatas closed last season with three-straight.
- Harrell finished 4-of-4 from the free throw line, scoring a career-high six points in 17 minutes of play.
UP NEXT
The Roos continue their road stretch, but are close to home on Wednesday, traveling to Manhattan, Kan for a 6:30 p.m. meeting with Kansas State. The two teams have played three times in the past four seasons, with the Wildcats winning all three meetings.
