Kansas City
16-16,10-6Summit League
Denver
16-16,6-10Summit League
Last Second Shot Sinks Roos in Summit League Quarterfinals
3/10/2024 12:22:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The Roos jumped out early, but were unable to hold onto the lead in the second half
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Second-seeded Kansas City Men's Basketball's (16-15, 10-6 Summit) historic season came to a close in the Sanford Premier Center this evening, falling to seventh seed Denver (15-16, 6-10 Summit), 61-60. The Roos led for a majority of the game, but a last second three by the Pioneers lifted them past KC and into the Summit League Semifinal round.
Hot three-point shooting put the Roos ahead early in the game, but the shot making would not last for long, as Kansas City ended the game 8-of-29 from three-point range, including a 2-of-13 clip (15.4%) in the second half. Despite holding the Pioneers to just 21 points in the first half, DU displayed its offensive firepower in the second frame, outscoring KC at a 40-27 clip.
Cameron Faas led Kansas City's scoring efforts, going 4-of-9 from down town and finishing with 14 points. Khristion Courseault gave the Roos 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while Jayson Petty pitched in 13 points and four boards.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1H - 16:36 / 11-2 | Faas got the Roos out to an early lead, knocking down three-straight three-pointers, the last of which forced a Denver timeout.
- 1H - 8:22 / 23-18 | The Pioneers were able to cut the KC lead to two, but Jamar Brown elevated and knocked down his lone triple of the game to extend the advantage to five.
- 1H - 1:01 / 31-21 | Tyler Andrews rose up and hit a three late in the shot clock, and on the next possession Courseault nabbed a steal and drew a pair of free throws. A 10-point run to end the half put the Roos ahead by 12 at the break.
- 2H - 14:17 / 35-32 | Denver opened the half on an 11-point run to draw within a point, but Courseault got to the rim for an uncontested layup to stop the bleeding.
- 2H - 8:34 / 48-43 | After a scramble that resulted in a pair of offensive rebounds for KC, Babacar Diallo knocked down a corner three to put the Roos back ahead by five.
- 2H - 5:23 / 53-52 | Denver claimed the lead for the first time all game, but Courseault found Faas for a three from the wing, putting the Roos back ahead.
- 2H - 0:54 / 57-56 | Denver went back ahead, but Jayson Petty came up with a steal and went the other way for a layup to give KC a one-point edge. The Roos went 3-of-4 from the free throw line in the final minute, but a triple by Denver with five seconds remaining and a block as time expired swung the decision in the Pioneers' favor.
STATS TO NOTE
- Kansas City was able to end the first half on a 10-0 run, the Roos' fourth-straight game with at least one 10-point run.
- Faas finished with 14 points and four three-pointers, his highest scoring output and most threes made since KC's Jan. 20 win over Omaha.
- The Roos finished the night 20-of-62 from the field, a 32.3 percent shooting clip. That mark was good for Kansas City's lowest field goal percentage of the season.
- Kansas City led for 31:14 of game time, including the entirety of the first half. The Pioneers held the lead for just 4:35, all within the game's final six minutes.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
Coach Marvin Menzies/Khristion Courseault/Cameron Faas
SEASON IN REVIEW
In Kansas City's second season under Head Coach Marvin Menzies, the Roos finish with a 16-16 record, a five-win improvement over last season. KC ended the regular season on a six-game winning streak, the longest the program had seen since 2004-05. Menzies earned Coach of the Year honors, while Brown was named First Team All-League and Newcomer of the Year, Petty was Freshman of the Year, Courseault was Sixth Man of the Year and Diallo was All-Defensive team. Out of the 17 players on roster, 16 will have eligibility remaining after this season.
