Kansas City
9-7,1-0Summit League
South Dakota
9-7,0-1Summit League
Kansas City Stifles South Dakota in Summit League Opening Win
1/2/2025 9:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Roos held the 14th-highest scoring offense in the nation 32 points below its average
KANSAS CITY - Kansas City Men's Basketball (9-7, 1-0 Summit) rang in the 2025 calendar year in resounding fashion, taking down South Dakota (9-7, 0-1 Summit) in its Summit League opener, 68-54. The Roos controlled the pace from beginning to end, holding the nation's 14th-best scoring offense to just 54 points on 29.8% shooting and shooting 52.6% in the second half themselves.
After opening up a five-point lead going into half, the Roos locked in defensively and put a stranglehold on the Coyotes in the second frame. South Dakota shot just 4-of-21 from the field (19.0%) and were 0-of-7 from three point range. To put things in perspective, USD entered Thursday's game shooting 46.4%, one of the best marks in the Summit League. That, combined with dominance on the glass, paved the way for a Kansas City victory.
Jamar Brown did what Jamar Brown does, playing all 40 minutes, going for 19 point, 11 rebounds and three steals. Cameron Faas followed with 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting and Jayson Petty battled through foul trouble to score 11.
KEY MOMENTS
- 1H - 12:39 / 10-9 | With the shot clock winding down in the game's early stages, Brown eyed down a long three and knocked it home for the Roos' first points in nearly three minutes. Brown scored eight of KC's first 10 points on the night.
- 1H - 8:19 / 21-17 | Babacar Diallo went cross-court, finding Petty for his second triple of the game and giving the Roos nine-straight points from long range.
- 1H - 0:02 / 31-26 | South Dakota had an inbounds with five seconds remaining in the half, trailing by five. Head Coach Marvin Menzies checked Ring Nyeri into the game and he defended the ensuing three-point shot, forcing and air ball and preserving the Kansas City lead.
- 2H - 16:17 / 40-33 | Brown knocked the ball loose for a steal in early second half action and Melvyn Ebonkoli found him in transition for an easy layup.
- 2H - 13:17 / 49-38 | Davontae Hall whipped an overhead, one-handed pass to a wide-open Faas in the lane to give KC its first double-digit lead of the game.
The visionnnnnnn ??@Lilticket_ ?? @cameron_faas pic.twitter.com/mZfI8zAImr
— Kansas City Men's Basketball (@KCRoosMBB) January 3, 2025
- 2H - 5:55 / 59-45 | Brown pulled down an offensive rebound and put it back to cap a six-point Roo run and officially seal his double-double.
- 2H - 0:59 / 68-54 | Faas pinned a Coyote shot against the backboard in the game's final minute, putting the finishing touches on the KC win.
STATS TO NOTE
- Brown's 19-point, 11-rebound performance is his second double-double of the year and the ninth of his Kansas City career. The Roos are 5-4 when he goes for a double-double.
- South Dakota entered the game averaging 86.6 points per game, the most in the Summit and 14th in the NCAA. Tonight's 54-point output was their lowest of the year by 23 points and their 29.8% field goal percentage was their lowest since a loss to Mississippi State on Nov. 17, 2022.
- Kansas City was dominant on the glass, out-rebounding the Coyotes by 20, 45-25. That marked the Roos' largest rebounding margin against a Division One opponent since a Dec. 31, 2023 game against St. Thomas.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Coach Menzies | Jamar Brown/Cameron Faas
UP NEXT
The Roos continue Summit League play against Oral Roberts on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
