Kansas City
11-15,2-9Summit League
North Dakota
8-16,4-7Summit League
Roos Ride Offensive Explosion to Drubbing of Fighting Hawks
2/10/2024 5:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Emani Bennett went for a career-best 26 points as the Roos picked up a needed win
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —Kansas City Women's Basketball (11-15, 2-9 Summit) got out to a quick start against North Dakota (8-16, 4-7 Summit) this afternoon and handled business from there, taking down the Fighting Hawks, 86-71. The Roos opened the game on a 13-0 run, holding UND without a field goal for the first five-plus minutes of play, and shot 56.7% from the field en route to their second league win of the season.
The Roos entered the day needing a win, and showed that sense of urgency on the court. Kansas City dominated in the paint, scoring 42 points on the offensive end while posting eight blocks and out-rebounding UND by six on the defensive end. KC's offense played together, notching an assist on 21 of the team's 34 total field goals.
Freshman twins Emani Bennett and Elauni Bennett set the tone for the Roos, entering the starting lineup together for the first time this season. Emani scored a career-high 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting, while Elauni poured in 15 of her own, connecting on 7-of-10 field goal attempts. Nariyah Simmons went for 14 points on 3-of-3 three-point shooting, Lisa Thomas made the offense connect with 10 assists and Ifunanya Nwachuku had eight points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1Q —8:14 / 9-0 | Thomas connected with Simmons, who fired off a three-pointer without hesitation. On the inbound, Em. Bennett got a hand in the mix, coming up with a steal. She found the basket with a layup, adding to what would be a 13-point Kansas City run.
- 1Q — 1:10 / 25-9 | Em. Bennett fired off a shot that didn't fall, but followed it all the way to the basket, getting her own rebound. On the rebound, she put up a layup that fell. On the next Kansas City drive, Simmons knocked down her second three of the game to push the Roos to 25 points.
- 2Q — 6:13 / 36-16 | Dominique Phillips was held up on the floor, surrounded by two North Dakota defenders. She found a window, connecting with Raychel Jones from the ground. Jones brought the ball around for a jumper, to convert on the Kansas City offensive push.
- 2Q — 1:06 / 45-29 | To close the half, the Roos went on a Bennett sister scoring drive, assisted by Thomas. El. Bennett knocked down the first basket with an assist from Lisa. On the next North Dakota drive Thomas got a steal, connecting with El. Bennett for another two points. Then to close KC's scoring in the half, Thomas found Em. Bennett who knocked down an easy jumper, bringing the Blue and Gold to 45 points.
- 3Q — 1:39 / 65-47 | Kansas City strung together a handful of passes, bringing the shot clock to just under ten seconds. Em. Bennett finished the play with a pull-up, to put her at 16 points for the day.
- 3Q — 0:01 / 70-47 | With just under a minute remaining, Thomas knocked a floating jump shot, her second basket of the day. Kansas City put a stop to North Dakota on their drive and ended the quarter with an Em. Bennett buzzer-beating jumper.
- 4Q — 8:00 / 76-50 | The Roos passed the ball around, using nearly all of the shot clock. Thomas passed the ball to Em. Bennett with three seconds remaining. Em. Bennett fired of the nothing but net three to beat the shot clock and bring her to 21-points.
- 4Q — 2:00 / 83-69 | On a quick North Dakota break away, Thomas got in between a pass for her third steal of the game. On the Kansas City drive, El. Bennett fired off a jumper, getting her own put-back to solidify the Roos' lead.
STATS TO NOTE
- Across the first two minutes of play, the Roos made no substitutions and every player on the court notched either an assist or a basket.
- Kansas City scored 25 points in the first quarter and the third quarter, the team's highest-scoring quarters against a league opponent since the Roos earned 26 against Omaha in the fourth quarter on Jan. 20.
- Thomas finished the game with a career-high 10 assists, the most by a Kansas City player since Naomie Alnatas tallied 11 against Western Illinois on Feb. 5, 2022.
- Nwachukwu finished the day with a career-high five blocks, the most since Dani Winslow reached that mark against UTEP on Nov. 13, 2022. The Roos blocked eight shots as a team, tying a season-high.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett | Em. Bennett/El. Bennett/Simmons
UP NEXT
The Roos travel to South Dakota State on Thursday. Kansas City faces the Jackrabbits at 7 p.m.
