Kansas City
14-15,8-6Summit League
Omaha
14-16,7-8Summit League
Late Game Heroics Lift Roos to Senior Night Victory
2/24/2024 11:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kansas City extended its win streak to four games behind 22 points from Jamar Brown
KANSAS CITY - On the night of his Senior Night celebration, Khristion Courseault shook off a slow start and stepped up big for Kansas City Men's Basketball (14-15, 8-6 Summit) tonight for a 63-58 win over Omaha (14-16, 7-8 Summit). Courseault scored six points on the night, all in the game's final 20 seconds, including the go-ahead free throws and the game-sealing dunk.
It was a rock fight the whole way through, as Kansas City had to erase an early double-digit deficit in order to stay in the game. The Roos blew a double-digit deficit of their own in the second half, but Courseault's calm shooting, along with a pair of enormous defensive plays from Allen David Mukeba Jr., allowed KC to win despite shooting just 23.8% from three-point range on the night.
Jamar Brown brought the Roos back into the game after falling behind, finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds while playing the full 40 minutes. Mukeba dropped 14 points and pulled down seven boards as well, coming up with a block and a steal in the game's waning moments as the Mavericks tried to go ahead. Jayson Petty was the only other Roo in double digits, scoring 11 points and pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1H - 10:26 / 10-17 | Omaha jumped out to a dominant start, going ahead by 12 points. Back-to-back buckets, first a three from Babacar Diallo, then a long two by Brown, allowed the Roos to draw back within single digits.
- 1H - 7:30 / 19-21 | Mukeba got up for a block that started a fast break run-out, with Brown finishing a put-back on the other end to force an Omaha timeout. Mukeba got a second chance bucket for himself coming out of the timeout to tie things up.
- 1H - 0:10 / 31-27 | Brown knocked down a deep three-pointer late in the first half to go ahead by four, but Omaha's Frankie Fidler made a three of his own as time expired and drew back within a point at the break.
- 2H - 15:04 / 43-35 | Mukeba found Brown for a layup at the rim in the middle of a 12-point run that put the Roos ahead by 10. However, Omaha responded with 12-straight of their own to reclaim the lead.
- 2H - 9:41 / 47-47 | Melvyn Ebonkoli set a screen for Courseault and then rolled to the bucket for a wide-open slam dunk, ending the Omaha run.
- 2H - 3:08 / 55-53 | Kansas City was held without a field goal for over six minutes, staying in the game at the free throw line. The Roos got back in the board as Brown banked in Kansas City's lone three-pointer of the second half and put KC back in front.
- 2H - 0:02 / 63-58 | Omaha reclaimed the lead from the free throw line with 36 seconds left, but Courseault drew a foul and knocked both free shots down to go back ahead. On the ensuing Maverick possession, a Grant Stubblefield shot attempt was erased by Mukeba and Courseault extended the lead to three from the foul line. Omaha had one more chance, but Mukeba stole the in-bounds pass and got the ball out to Courseault for a slam as time expired.
STATS TO NOTE
- The game was contentious throughout, with 13 lead changes and 11 ties. Kansas City led the game for just 13 minutes, compared to 21 minutes in the lead for Omaha.
- The Roos owned the paint, outscoring Omaha 32-14 inside the lane.
- Mukeba's 14-point night is his sixth double-digit game off the season, and his seven rebounds are tied for his most since Dec. 16. In addition, he ended with a plus/minus of plus-22, by far the best of any player on the night.
- The win extends KC's season-best winning streak to four games, the longest of Head Coach Marvin Menzies' tenure. It also puts the Roos two games above .500 in league play and positions KC in a tie for third in the Summit standings.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Coach Marvin Menzies | Allen Mukeba/Jamar Brown
UP NEXT
Kansas City closes the regular season on the road next week, beginning with a game at Denver on Thursday.
