Women’s Basketball Back into Win Column Against Arkansas State

Saturday, December 2

Kansas City, Mo.

2:00 PM

Kansas City

3-5,0-0Summit League

Arkansas State

3-3,0-0Sun Belt

Arkansas St.

Kansas City

Photo by: Julia Kapros

Women’s Basketball Back into Win Column Against Arkansas State

12/2/2023 5:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights Thomas/Em. Bennett Postgame Coach Jackson-Durrett Postgame Photo Gallery

Kansas City got hot early and held on to start its home stretch with a win

KANSAS CITY, Mo — Kansas City Women's Basketball (3-5) picked up its third win of the season over Arkansas State (3-3) in a defensive matchup. The Roos stayed strong in the fourth quarter to pull off the 62-57 victory and earn their second win at home.

The Roos got to work early in the first quarter, with Emani Bennett earning the first two Kansas City baskets. Nariyah Simmons knocked down two free throws for the Roos in the first minute. Simmons stayed hot from the free throw line earning six free throws and shooting 100% from the line in the first half. As a team, the Blue and the Gold put up 16 points in the first quarter and another 19 in the second quarter. The Roos outscored the Red Wolves by a margin of six in the first quarter to begin pulling away.

On the defensive end, both Tamia Ugass and Em. Bennett brought down four rebounds, and Dominique Phillips documented another three in the first half. Both Lisa Thomas and Simmons documented multiple assists in the first half, with Thomas earning two and Simmons putting up four. The Roos closed the half on defensive lockdown, keeping Arkansas State scoreless for nearly the final three minutes of play.

After the break, the Roos came out with the same heat from the first quarter. Kelby Bannerman opened scoring with her second three-pointer of the season. Em. Bennett followed, putting up a jumper and another and another Kansas City three-pointer, this one off a Bannerman assist. The Roos put up their second consecutive 19-point quarter but outscored the Red Wolves by just one point. In the fourth quarter, the Blue and Gold struggled to stay hot, but were able to hold A-State to 2-of-15 shooting. The Roos were able to hold on, knocking down five free throws in the game's final minute.

KEY MOMENTS

1Q —8:11/ 4-4 | The Roos brought the ball up the court facing pressure from Arkansas State. Emani Bennett pulled up with a jump shot to tie the game and earn the Roos' first offensive basket of the day.
1Q — 5:31 / 6-4 | On another Kansas City drive, Nariyah Simmons took the ball to the bottom right corner of the court. She found Zanaa Cordis under the basket who put up an easy layup off the Simmons assist to give the Blue and Gold the lead.
1Q — 1:32 / 14-10 | Arkansas State brought the ball up the court, but Zaire Harrell was able to poke it out. Harrell knocked the ball away and got control before passing it over to Simmons. Bringing the ball up the court, Simmons went to the right on a driving layup to extend the Roos lead.
2Q — 6:55 / 22-15 | Lisa Thomas brought the ball up for the Roos. She drove to the right and found Phillips behind her on the left. Phillips went up with a jumper, draining her second consecutive jump shot on Kansas City drives.
2Q — 4:12 / 25-18 | The Roos came out hot following a media timeout. Thomas carried the ball outside the arc and began to drive in. She connected a pass to Simmons in the bottom right corner who knocked down the first three of the game.
3Q — 9:39 / 38-24 | Simmons quickly tossed the ball over to Em. Bennett, who drove it just outside the arc. Em. Bennett found Kelby Bannerman who was in the space to nail down a three, opening scoring in the third quarter.
3Q — 0:29 / 54-42 | Thomas carried the ball up the court for the Roos. She held onto it, dribbling up the left-hand side she went up for a driving layup and earned another two points for Kansas City.
4Q — 8:15 /57-42 | Ugass brought the ball across the court for the Roos, she found Phillips just outside the arc. Phillips knocked down her first three of the game and seventh of the season.
4Q — 0:37 | Kansas City inbounded the ball to Thomas, following a timeout. She was fouled almost immediately and went to the line for the Roos going 1-for-2 on free throws and consequently snapping a near seven and a half minute scoring drought for KC. Thomas knocked down five free throws to secure the game for the Roos.

STATS TO NOTE

Before today's matchup, Simmons was averaging 0.7 assists per game. She documented three assists in the first quarter alone and picked up another in the third quarter to bring her to a career-high four assists in the game.
Phillips earned a season-high seven rebounds for her second consecutive game. Overall, Kansas City outrebounded Arkansas State 42 – 29.
Jocelyn Ewell led the Roos in blocked shots with three. Ewell was just one shy of her career record of four blocks which she has earned on two occasions. Three blocks is a season-high for Ewell.
Free throws were an important piece for the Roos in their victory, Kansas City shot 77.8% from the line, their second-best free throw performance as a team this season. The Roos' best free throw shooting came against Kansas when they shot 81.3%.

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Coach Jackson-Durrett Postgame | Emani Bennett and Lisa Thomas Postgame

UP NEXT
The Roos take on Bellevue (3-4) Wednesday at 5:30 pm for the second game of their five-game home stretch.