Fourth Quarter Comeback Helps Kansas City Down Alabama A&M

Thursday, December 14

Kansas City, Mo.

7:00 PM

Kansas City

6-5,0-0Summit League

Alabama A&M

4-4,0-0SWAC

Alabama A&M

Kansas City

Photo by: Ryan Weaver

Fourth Quarter Comeback Helps Kansas City Down Alabama A&M

12/14/2023 10:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Coach Jackson-Durrett Postgame El. Bennett, Thomas and Ugass Postgame Photo Gallery

The Roos ended the game on a 13-point run to extend their win streak to four

KANSAS CITY, Mo —Kansas City Women's Basketball (6-5) advanced to a winning record with a nail-biting ending against Alabama A&M (4-4). KC overcame a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Bulldogs, 57-52.

The Roos got to work early in the first quarter making a six-point lead for themselves in the first six minutes. It was a team effort from the start, as each of the first five baskets from Kansas City were scored by a different Roo. Dominique Phillips opened the second quarter with a three and continued her hot streak, earning seven points in the second quarter. Even with a strong first quarter from KC, a 20-point second quarter from the Bulldogs allowed them to go into halftime up by three.

To open the second half, the Roos and the Bulldogs traded a handful of fouls and free throws. Kansas City took a bit to get hot from the field, but a clutch three from Simmons and a few key threes brought the Roos within two in the final minutes of the third quarter. Alabama A&M knocked down a couple of two-point shots with just over a minute left to play and ended the quarter with a buzzer-beating three to bump its lead to eight.

The Bulldogs gained an 11-point lead with just under seven minutes remaining, but the Roos would not go down without a fight. Tamia Ugass scored all eight of her points in the game's final quarter and the Roos ended the contest on a 13-point run to emerge with the victory.

KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS

1Q — 9:00 / 4-0 | The Roos found the net on their first offensive drive with a Kelby Bannerman basket. As the Bulldogs carried the ball up the court, Emani Bennett knocked the ball away and maintained control dribbling it back for another scoring opportunity. Her layup did not fall but Zaire Harrell popped the ball back up to give Kansas City an early lead.
1Q — 5:10 / 8-4 | From outside the arc, Nariyah Simmons drove the ball to the net. She got past the Alabama A&M defender and sunk the driving layup.
2Q — 5:47 / 21-13 | Simmons drove the ball from outside the arc into some traffic. She found Dominique Phillips who was wide open and knocked down a jumper, forcing a Bulldog timeout.
2Q — 1:16 / 25-25 | Phillips launched another good jumper to re-tie the game after a ten-point scoring drive for the Bulldogs. Phillip's basket was her seventh point of the quarter. Phillips accounted for more than half of the Roos' 13 points in the second quarter.
3Q — 7:42 / 28-32 | Kansas City inbounded the ball directly to Bannerman; she drove down the lane and pulled up for a quick two points. Her basket was the first of the quarter for the Roos outside of free throws.
3Q — 4:15 / 34-36 | After just over three scoreless minutes — outside of free throws — from the top of the key, Bannerman found Simmons to her left just outside the arc. Simmons knocked down a command three for the Roos to bring them back within two points.
4Q — 6:32 / 41-50 | In a bit of a dry spell, Elauni Bennett found Ugass under the basket. Ugass got off the shot to break an eight-minute scoring drought for the Roos aside from free throws. Between the two shots, KC went 5-for-8 from the line. A couple of plays later, Ugass put up another good layup this time picking up a foul to earn three points for KC.
4Q — 1:31 / 53-52 | Alayna Contreras made a crucial steal for the Roos, poking the ball away from the Bulldogs. The Roos then brought the ball down the court in full force, although the shot did not fall. Kansas City kept possession and inbounded the ball to Emani Bennett who banked the shot. On the next play, Lisa Thomas notched another Roos steal making way for a Phillips basket and putting the Roos up by three. The Roos held it together in the final minutes to bring home their fourth win in a row.

STATS TO NOTE

The Roos forced 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone. On average the Roos force 17. 2 turnovers per game and tonight they forced 28.
Going into half time the Roos trailed the Bulldogs by four points. Kansas City staged a major comeback in the fourth quarter to document their first win of the season after trailing at half.
Phillips led the team from the bench, earning nine points, seven of which came in the second quarter. The Roos bench outscored Alabama A&M 36-18.
Kansas City attempted a season-low 10 three-pointers and made two of them, the fewest makes in a winning effort since a Nov. 7, 2022 win over Westminster.

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Coach Jackson-Durrett Postgame | Elauni Bennett, Lisa Thomas and Tamia Ugass Postgame

UP NEXT
The Roos take on Kansas Christian (0-10) Monday at 7 p.m. This will be the Roos' final home game before the start of conference play.