Women’s Basketball Falls to Oral Roberts in Summit League Opener

Friday, December 29

Tulsa, OK

7:00 PM

Kansas City

7-7,0-1Summit League

Oral Roberts

8-4,1-0Summit League

Kansas City

Oral Roberts

Photo by: Ryan Weaver Photography

Women’s Basketball Falls to Oral Roberts in Summit League Opener

12/29/2023 10:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Highlights

Four Roos scored in double-digits in the loss

TULSA, Okla. - Kansas City Women's Basketball (7-7, 0-1 Summit) got off to a slow start against Oral Roberts (8-4, 1-0 Summit) and a big third quarter was not enough to make up the lost ground, the Roos ultimately fell 76-61 to the Golden Eagles. Oral Roberts got to work early, going up by 12 points in the first half, but a strong performance from Dominique Phillips in the first quarter helped to keep the Roos in the game. Phillips earned eight of Kansas City's 13 first-quarter points. The Blue and Gold staged a comeback in the second quarter, drawing even with the Golden Eagles, but just two baskets from the field were not enough to make up the lost ground in the first quarter.

Kansas City came out firing to open up the second half, with the Roos knocking down back-to-back baskets on their first two drives of the quarter. The third quarter was by far the Roos' biggest with both Alayna Contreras and Emani Bennett hitting three-pointers. As a team, Kansas City put up 20 points in the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, Oral Robert's momentum proved too much and the KC could not hold on.

KEY MOMENTS

1Q — 6:30 / 2 -11 | Nariyah Simmons got the Roos on the board with a driving layup. She drove the ball around traffic up the right side of the lane to make the basket — her first in two games.
1Q — 3:31 / 7-15 | Emani Bennett put up a jumper and on the next play found Dominique Phillips. Phillips dribbled in for the layup and put the Roos on a small-scoring, four-point, streak.
2Q — 5:47 / 20-21 | Em. Bennett drew a foul for the Roos earning two free throws. She knocked down to bring the Roos within one of the Golden Eagles. Kansas City went 9-12 at the line in the second quarter. Alayna Contreras put up a jumper to tie the game, the closest the Roos came to a lead.
3Q — 9:05 / 31-39 | Ifunanya Nwachukwu opened up scoring in the second half for the Roos knocking down a jumper with an assist from Simmons. On the next Kansas City drive, Contreras found Em. Bennett, who knocked down the Roos' first three of the evening.
3Q — 1:04 / 46-53 | The Roos passed the ball around looking to make a play as the shot clock was winding down. Contreras took a step back and fired off the three just before the buzzer to keep the Roos within nine.
4Q — 5:41 / 51-65 | Nwachukwu earned three the hard way for the Roos. Contreras found Nuwachuku under the basket who put up the basket and picked up a foul on the way, ultimately knocking down the free throw. The Roos put together a handful of plays but the Golden Eagles pulled away with the game.

STATS TO NOTE

Nwachukwu earned her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 16 rebounds. Her 16 rebounds are season-high and just one shy of her career-high 17.
Em. Bennett played a career-high 40 minutes in the matchup. This was just her third appearance in which she played for more than 30 minutes. She played 39 minutes against Western Illinois on Dec. 10 and earned 20 points in the matchup.
The Roos struggled with assists tonight, putting up a season-low three assists in the matchup. Kansas City went the entire first half without an assist, Contreras led the team with two.
Along with a season-high 34 minutes and one block, Phillips extended her double-digit scoring streak to two games. Phillips was the lone player to reach double-digits against Mizzou with 14 and earned another 13 against Oral Roberts.

UP NEXT
Kansas City returns to the Swinney Center for its first home game of conference play against St. Thomas (7-6). The Roos take on the Tommies on Sunday at 2 p.m.