Women's Basketball Begins Postseason Play Against Denver

vs. #7 Denver (WATCH | STATS)

Starting Five

The Roos enter the first round of the Summit League Championships on an eight-game skid, but took South Dakota to the wire in the regular season finale. The last time KC took a five-plus game losing streak into the postseason came in 2001-02.
E'Lease Stafford established herself as one of the best players in the Summit League this year, earning Honorable Mention All-League and Newcomer of the Year honors. Joining Brooklyn McDavid, she is the second Roo in-a-row to win Newcomer of the Year.
Manna Mensah has been a rock for the Roos since the beginning of conference play, averaging 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. In addition, she ranks second in the Summit League with a 35 minute per game average.
The Roos are one of the best shot-blocking teams in the nation, averaging 4.6 per game. that is the 28th-best mark in the nation. KC also ranks atop the Summit in offensive boards per game at 13.6.
Kansas City will be seeking its 12th win in program history in the conference tournament, logging a 11-26 record in 27 appearances. As a lower seed, the Roos have a 4-24 record.

Denver Notes

Denver enters postseason play with a 12-17 overall record and has won five of its last eight games.
Denver took a season sweep of the Roos, winning 73-60 in the Swinney Center, and 69-60 in Denver. Across the two games, Stafford has averaged 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.
The Roos trail the all-time series, 6-7, but the two teams have never met in a neutral venue.
The Pioneers lead the league in three point attempts per game at 27.1. They connect at a 30.5% clip.
Makayla Minett was named Honorable Mention All-League and Summit League Defensive Player of the Year.

Season in Review

Head Coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett picked up a win in her head coaching debut as the Roos defeated Westminster, 91-49. Four Roos entered double digit scoring in that game.
The Roos followed that up with a win over Tennessee State, pulling down 50 rebounds as a team and getting a 22-point showing from Sanaa' St. Andre.
Playing in back-to-back overtime games, the Roos got their first road win of the season at Bradley on Nov. 29, 71-68.
KC closed out non-conference play with a win over Bellevue, using a 13-point run in the fourth quarter.
The Roos opened up the 2023 calendar year on a high note, defeating Oral Roberts 65-54 for their first Summit League win. Mensah picked up her first-career double-double with 12 points and 12 boards.
Kansas City got a pair of wins in the span of three games, defeating North Dakota on Jan. 19 and Omaha on Jan. 26.
The Roos ended the regular season by honoring Mensah, Stafford and Machia Mullens on Senior Day, falling to South Dakota on a last-second shot.

Stats of the Season

The Roos have one of the best rebounding margins in the Summit League, out-rebounding teams by five-plus in ten different games.
The Roos set a shot blocking record against UTEP with 13 total blocks. KC has gone for six-or-more blocks in eight games on the year.
Stafford is one of the best three-point shooters in the league, ranking top-three in makes per game and three-point percentage.
In league play, Mensah has ranked seventh in scoring and ninth in field goal percentage.
Three of KC's seven wins on the season have come when Stafford has scored 20-plus points.
Mullens has gone for three double-doubles on the year, with the Roos winning two of those games.
The Roos have not played a neutral-court game yet this year.
All seven of Kansas City's wins on the season have come when they have out-rebounded their opponents.
When the Roos hold their opponents to under 60 points, KC holds a 4-0 record.

University of Missouri Kansas City Athletics