Kansas City
11-16,3-9Summit League
South Dakota
16-10,7-4Summit League
Strong Rebounding Performance Not Enough at South Dakota
2/13/2025 9:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Three Kansas City players notched double-doubles, but the Roos fell short
VERMILLION, S.D. - Kansas City Men's Basketball (11-16, 3-9 Summit) ran into a red-hot South Dakota (16-10, 7-4 Summit) at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center this evening, falling in a 79-72 decision. The Roos were able to claim a lead midway through the second half, but untimely turnovers allowed the Coyotes to win their fourth straight.
Despite cold three-point shooting and a season-high in the turnover column, the Roos were able to stick with USD through dominant rebounding and second chance scoring. In the end, the Coyotes nabbed 17 steals and converted them to 24 points off turnovers, too much for KC to overcome.
Jayson Petty finished with a career-high tying 21 points, going 9-of-11 from the charity stripe. Three Kansas City players logged double-doubles: Jamar Brown with 15 points and 13 rebounds, Melvyn Ebonkoli with 13 points and 12 boards and Cameron Faas with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1H - 18:02 / 4-3 | Ebonkoli scored his first bucket of the night, giving Kansas City the lead for the final time in the first half. USD responded with a 10-2 run to open up a lead.
- 1H - 7:46 / 19-27 | After the Coyotes opened up a double-digit lead, Ebonkoli put a hook shot home to end a two-minute scoring drought.
- 1H - 0:33 / 34-38 | Faas sent a long-range pass that was recovered by Ring Nyeri for a wide-open dunk that took KC into the half trailing by just four.
- 2H - 19:41 / 37-38 | Kansas City came out of the break and found Faas for a three-pointer, the Roos' first triple of the game.
- 2H - 13:24 / 53-49 | Faas buried another three in the midst of a seven-point run that put Kansas City ahead for the first time since the first half.
- 2H - 9:28 / 58-53 | Faas grabbed the rebound from his own miss and scored the putback, giving the Roos their largest lead of the game. South Dakota responded with a 9-2 run to take the lead for good.
- 2H - 0:21 / 70-76 | Petty sent a three-pointer home in the game's waning moments, but it was too little too late as USD claimed the win.
STATS TO NOTE
- Petty surpassed the 20-point mark for the second time in his career. The first also came against South Dakota, in Kansas City on Jan. 27, 2024.
- This marked the first time that multiple Roos logged a double-double since a game against Bowling Green on Dec. 16, 2023. According to Sports Reference, this is the first time since at least the 2010-11 season that three KC players have logged a double-double in the same game. Only 11 other teams have had such a game this season.
- Faas went for a double-double for the first time in his career, surpassing his previous career-high of nine rebounds.
- The Roos pulled down 20 offensive rebounds on the night, the most against a Division One opponent this season.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Head Coach Marvin Menzies
UP NEXT
The Roos have a break before hosting Omaha on Wednesday of next week.
