Kansas City's Season Comes to a Close In Sioux Falls

Friday, March 3

Sioux Falls, S.D.

8:30 PM

Kansas City

11-21,7-11Summit League

Omaha

9-22,4-14Summit League

Omaha

Kansas City

Photo by: Francie Wilson

Kansas City's Season Comes to a Close In Sioux Falls

3/4/2023 12:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

The Roos fell in the First Round of the Summit League Championship to Omaha

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Kansas City Men's Basketball's (11-21) season came to a close in the First Round of the Summit League Tournament on Friday evening, falling to #10 Omaha (9-22), 73-61. The Roos had trouble stopping the Mavericks in the paint, allowing 34 points down low.

After keeping the game tight through 10 minutes, a run midway through the first half gave Omaha an advantage that it would not relinquish. Kansas City tried to pull closer to begin the second half, but did not have enough in the tank to complete the comeback.

Tyler Andrews had a career night to cap his freshman year, scoring 20 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, both career-highs. RayQuawndis Mitchell was the only other Roo to reach double-digits, scoring 13 points with three three-pointers.

KEY MOMENTS

1H - 10:20 / 10-10 | After pulling down an offensive board on a missed free throw, Tyler Andrews took a handoff from Jeff Ngandu and drove down the baseline, tying the game up. Omaha proceeded to go on a 15-1 run over the next four minutes to jump out to a double-digit lead.
1H - 5:20 / 14-25 | RayQuawndis Mitchell put a three through for his first points of the day, snapping Omaha's run. The Mavericks would respond by scoring six-straight points before another three by Mitchell to stop the bleeding.

1H | Beauty of a shot by @rayquawndis.
?? @MidcoSports pic.twitter.com/eZjiZ50sbF
— Kansas City Men's Basketball (@KCRoosMBB) March 4, 2023

2H - 18:49 / 28-47 | After a big run by the Mavs to end the first half, Andrews and Mitchell opened the second half by knocking down back-to-back threes. That sparked a 15-6 run to open the half by the Roos.
2H - 7:38 / 43-60 | Jevin Sullivan found Andrews in the corner for a three-pointer, ending a nearly eight minute stretch without a field goal for the Roos.
2H - 0:32 / 61-73 | Andrews dished across the court to Sam Martin for a three-pointer, his lone field goal of the night. The Roos ended the game on an 8-2 run to cut the final deficit down to 12.

STATS TO NOTE

Kansas City nailed 10 threes on the night, accounting for just under 50% of the team's total points. It was the team's first time hitting 10-plus threes in 11 games, and just the fourth time it had happened all season.
Andrews's 20-point, 11-rebound game was the first 20-point double-double by a Roo this year, and the first by a Roo against Division One competition since Josiah Allick went for 23 points and 10 boards against North Dakota State on Mar. 7, 2021.
Tonight's performance was the first time that the Roos have hit double-digit threes in a conference tournament game since going for 10 against Oakland on Mar. 5, 2007.
The Roos have now lost six-straight postseason games, with the last win coming over UTRGV in the WAAC Quarterfinals on Mar. 9, 2017.

THE ROOS, QUOTED

Head Coach Marvin Menzies
"Our younger, inexperienced guys didn't answer the bell, but they'll have more opportunities to do that in the future. I'm proud of what we're building, proud of the foundation we're laying, even though it didn't equate to the wins that we would have liked."
"This offseason is a lot more pivotal than it would be if we only had one or two freshmen. We've got seven guys that saw significant minutes during these final games when we had injuries that we were decimated with."

RayQuawndis Mitchell
"I wasn't able to hoop for the past two years, and [Coach Menzies] gave me a call and I was blessed enough to get an offer. That's one thing that I'll take away, is having a family."

THE SEASON IN REVIEW
In Coach Menzies's first season at the helm, the Roos came away with 11 total wins, including seven in Summit League play. Mitchell and Shemarri Allen were both named to the All-Summit League Second Team, with Mitchell earning a spot on the All-Newcomer Team and Allen earning All-Defensive Team honors. Every player on roster has eligibility remaining and could return for the 2023-24 season.