Roos Swept by Jackrabbits

Thursday, February 15

Brookings, SD

7:00 PM

Kansas City

11-16,2-10Summit League

South Dakota State

19-5,11-0Summit League

Kansas City

South Dakota St.

Photo by: Ryan Weaver Photography

2/15/2024 10:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Kansas City outrebounded SDSU in the loss but could not get going offensively

BROOKINGS, S.D. —Kansas City Women's Basketball (11-16, 2-10) got to a slow start from the field and were unable to find their rhythm falling 74-53 to SDSU (19-5, 11-0). Alayna Contreras was the only Roo to reach double-digits, earning 12 points. Strong defense from SDSU kept the Roos cold from the field. The Blue and Gold shot 35.7% from the field compared to South Dakota's 42.4%. By the end of the first half, Ifunanya Nwachukwu, Elauni Bennett and Contreras led the team in scoring with four points each. The Roos and the Jackrabbits each brought down 18 rebounds in the first half, but a 10-point scoring run in the first ten minutes allowed SDSU to enter the break, up 35-21.

The Roos came out ready to fight in the third quarter, putting up their highest scoring ten minutes and posting 20 points as a team, 17 of which were knocked down by the bench. In the third period, both Kelby Bannerman and Dominique Phillips led the team in scoring, earning six points each. Nariyah Simmons and Lisa Thomas backed the team with assists, notching three each in the third. Along with earning most of its assists in the third, Kansas City saw its best shooting, going 47.1% from the field and notching ten points in the paint. While the Blue and Gold got hot in the third, it was not enough to dethrone the current Summit League leaders. SDSU locked down in the fourth, holding KC to 12 points to maintain their undefeated conference record.

KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS

1Q - 6:27 / 6-6 | Elauni Bennett found room in the lane on an assist from Nariyah Simmons, tying the game up midway through the first quarter. The Jackrabbits used a 10-point run to create separation.
1Q - 1:41 / 11-18 | Alayna Contreras rose up and dropped in a three-pointer, cutting SDSU's lead to seven. It marked the last time the Roos would be within single-digits on the game.
2Q - 0:49 / 21-34 | South Dakota State expanded its lead to 16 points, but a three from Simmons on the assist by Zaire Harrell allowed KC to draw closer going into the half.
3Q - 4:47 / 31-45 | Dominique Phillips came out firing in the third quarter, scoring six of the Roos' points throughout an 8-4 run.
4Q - 0:18 / 53-74 | The Roos ended the game on a nine-point run and cut the SDSU margin of victory to 21 points, helped by seven points from Raychel Jones.

STATS TO NOTE

Jocelyn Ewell put up three blocks, tying her season high. Ewell earned three blocks against Arkansas State on Dec. 2, her two appearances with three blocks are her only multi-block appearances so far this season.
The Roos split up the minutes tonight, with no one player playing more than 30 minutes. Nine Roos came off the bench to assist in the effort, earning 35 of Kansas City's 53 points.
Contreras was the only player to score in double-digits. She had reached double-digits in 11 of Kansas City's last 15 games.
Prior to the matchup, the Roos were averaging 3.7 blocks per game. The six blocks they notched are one of seven games in which KC has earned five or more blocks.

UP NEXT
The Roos have a break this weekend before hosting South Dakota (17-8, 6-4) in the Swinney Center next Thursday. The Roos and the Coyotes tip off at 7 p.m.