Kansas City
13-15,7-6Summit League
South Dakota
10-18,3-10Summit League
Kansas City Takes Down Coyotes for Third-Straight Win
2/22/2024 10:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jamar Brown and Khristion Courseault played the hero for KC in the win
VERMILLION, S.D. - Kansas City Men's Basketball (13-15, 7-6 Summit) avoided a late collapse against South Dakota (10-18, 3-10 Summit) this evening, sneaking past the Coyotes on the road, 82-78. Jamar Brown led the Roos with 27 points, while Khristion Courseault put together a 22-point, 10-assist double-double to lead the Roos to victory.
The Roos took command of the game early, knocking down threes and forcing turnovers, never allowing USD to lead after the first media timeout. KC built a 12-point lead going into the half, and that lead swelled to as many as 17 points midway through the second half. The Coyotes threatened a late come back, but calm free throw shooting by Brown in the game's closing seconds helped KC prevail.
In addition to his game-high 27 points on 7-of-16 shooting, Brown added five rebounds and six steals, playing the full 40 minutes. Eight of Courseault's 10 assists came in the first half, contributing to his second double-digit assist game of the year. Cameron Faas was the only other Roo to surpass double-digits, going for 11 points.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1H - 15:10 / 12-7 | Courseault started hot early, assisting on three-straight threes, two of which came from Brown and one that came from Faas. Brown got a second chance bucket on the next trip down and extended the lead to seven, but USD scored the next seven points to tie things up.
- 1H - 7:53 / 22-15 | Coming out of the under-eight media timeout, Babacar Diallo found Brown on an inbounds pass, finishing through contact for an and-one. He converted the free throw, completing a 7-1 Roos run.
- 1H - 3:28 / 33-21 | Courseault knocked down his first three of the game to give Kansas City a double-digit lead for the first time, and on the next possession he found Allen David Mukeba Jr. in transition for a layup and his sixth assist of the game.
- 1H - 0:33 / 40-28 | Similarly to his bucket earlier in the half, Brown got another bucket on an inbounds play, this one coming from Courseault. The Roos got a defensive stop on the other end and entered the half up by 12.
- 2H - 15:33 / 48-32 | The Roos opened the second half on an 8-4 run, five of which came from the free throw line. Courseault missed a three but grabbed his own rebound, knocking down the second chance bucket for KC's first field goal of the half.
- 2H - 9:48 / 63-46 | Great ball movement led to the Roos' largest lead off the game as Diallo used a no-look pass to find Ebonkoli for an and-one bucket.
- 2H - 4:47 / 71-57 | South Dakota cut the Kansas City lead down to 10, but Courseault responded by scoring on back-to-back possessions, driving past his defender and converting on a left-handed floater.
- 2H - 0:05 / 82-78 | The Coyotes used a 14-2 run in the last two-plus minutes of the game to cut Kansas City's lead down to two points, but a foul with five seconds remaining sent Brown to the line. He made a pair of free throws, sealing the win for KC.
STATS TO NOTE
- Courseault's 22-point, 10-assist performance marks the first time since Martez Harrison went for 18 points and 11 assists against Omaha on Nov. 17, 2015 that a Roo has posted a double-double with points and assists.
- Kansas City's first four field goals of the day came from beyond the three-point line and the Roos did not slow down from there, knocking down 12 triples on the night. Faas, Brown and Courseault all hit three from long range, the third time this season that three Kansas City players have made at least three triples in the same game (Jan. 25 at SDSU; Feb. 8 at NDSU).
- The Roos forced the Coyotes into 20 turnovers, the third time this season that a Kansas City opponent has committed 20-plus giveaways. It is the first time the Roos have forced a Division One opponent into 20-plus turnovers since Jan. 17, 2022 against Denver.
- Brown finished the day with a career-high six steals, coming within one of the Roos' program record. It is the most single-game steals by a Kansas City player since Shemarri Allen went for the same mark against North Dakota on Jan. 19 of last year.
- The Roos are now on a three-game winning streak, the team's longest of the season. Kansas City has moved into a tie for third place in the Summit League, knotted at 7-6 with St. Thomas and North Dakota State.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Coach Menzies
UP NEXT
The Roos return home for their final game in the Swinney Center this season, taking on Omaha at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Khristion Courseault will be honored as the Roos' lone graduating senior.
