Kansas City
10-10,1-4Summit League
Omaha
4-15,0-6Summit League
High-Level Offense Leads Roos to First Summit League Win
1/20/2024 5:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kansas City dished 23 assists on 34 made field goals, claiming a dominant win over Omaha
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Needing its first win of Summit League play, Kansas City Women's Basketball (10-10, 1-4 Summit) brought an elevated energy to its meeting with Omaha (4-14, 0-6 Summit) this afternoon, sprinting past the Mavericks, 88-74. The Roos claimed the lead within the first two minutes of the game and never looked back, keeping the Mavs at an arms length for the entire game.
The Roos played one of their cleanest games of the season, dishing out 23 assists on 34 field goals while committing just 11 turnovers. They were efficient from the field as well, knocking down 55.7% of their field goal attempts and 45.5% of their three-pointers. Defensively, Kansas City forced 23 turnovers and came away with 15 steals, led by Nariyah Simmons with five.
Dominique Phillips was dominant for the Roos, going for a season-high 23 points, adding eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists. Alayna Contreras notched 15 points of her own and a career-high eight assists, nabbing three steals. Simmons and Tamia Ugass rounded out KC's double-digit scoring, tallying 14 and 11 points, respectively.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1Q - 5:15 / 18-10 | Kansas City set the tone early, scoring six-straight points to go ahead by eight. Simmons knocked down her first triple of the day to cap the run.
- 1Q - 0:44 / 29-20 | Contreras tallied her third assist of the first quarter, dishing to Ugass for aa quick layup that put the Roos ahead by nine late in the first quarter.
- 2Q - 7:32 / 33-27 | The Mavericks cut Kansas City's lead down to four, but Ifunanya Nwachukwu pulled down an offensive rebound and made the second-chance layup, extending the lead back out.
- 2Q - 3:05 / 42-30 | Kelby Bannerman knocked down her lone shot of the day, a triple that gave Kansas City its first double-digit lead of the day.
- 3Q - 6:26 / 56-43 | Simmons found Ugass inside for a quick layup, capping a seven-point KC run. Omaha responded by scoring the next six points and cut the Roos' lead to six.
- 3Q - 0:48 / 62-57 | The Mavericks were threatening a comeback, but Contreras hit a running floater to give the Roos some breathing room. An Omaha bucket to finish the quarter made the KC's lead three entering the final frame.
- 4Q - 6:34 / 68-61 | In the game's key sequence, Zaire Harrell finished through contact, earning an and-one opportunity. She missed the ensuing free throw, but a foul on the rebound kept the ball with Kansas City. Simmons drove through the defense and got an and-one of her own, pushing the Roos' lead back out to seven points.
- 4Q - 1:21 / 84-72 | Elauni Bennett found Ugass inside the lane, using a spin move and a finish to put the Roos ahead by 12 points. Ugass got a steal on the other end on the ensuing possession, putting the game on ice.
STATS TO NOTE
- Kansas City went 5-of-11 from three-point range, good for a 45.5% shooting clip. The Roos have shot above 45% from three in four games this year, and are 3-1 when doing so.
- Contreras' career-high eight assists tied a season-high for a Kansas City player this year, as Lisa Thomas went for the same number in the win over Kansas Christian on Dec. 18. It was the most assists by a Roo against a Division One opponent since Rain Green had eight against North Dakota State on Jan. 21, 2023.
- Phillips' 23-point showing was her career-high as a Roo, and was her best since her junior year at Grand Canyon, going for a career-high 29 points against Eastern Washington on Nov. 16. She becomes the fifth Kansas City player this season to notch a 20-point game.
- The Roos' 23 assists are the most against a Division One opponent since going for the same mark against Tennessee State on Nov. 11, 2022. When dishing 15-plus assists this year, the Roos hold a 6-0 record.
- Kansas City tallied 15 steals on the day, the second-highest mark this season. When going for 10-plus steals this season, the Roos are 4-2.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Coach Jackson-Durrett/Phillips/Contreras Postgame
UP NEXT
The Roos remain at home for another test next Thursday at 7 p.m., hosting preseason favorite and reigning Summit League Champion South Dakota State.
