Roos Set to Face #3 NDSU in Summit League Quarter Finals

THE STARTERS

In the first round of the 2024 conference tournament, Emani Bennett was a key player for Kansas City after coming off the bench in the second minute of play. She led Kansas City in scoring with 18 points on 80% shooting from the field.
Tamia Ugass and Zaire Harrell have both faced NDSU in the postseason before. The pair combined for 66 minutes and 14 points in the 71-64 win over the Bison on March 4, 2023. Ugass brought down a game-high 11 rebounds in the win.
Alayna Contreras was named to the All-Summit Second Team as Kansas City's leading scorer in 11 of 16 conference games and the third-highest scorer in the Summit (20.9). She scored a career-high 35 points at North Dakota on March 1, shooting 5-of-6 beyond the arc. Ana Oliveira Dias ranks second on the team in assists and first in steals, helping her secure the All-Newcomer nod.
Kansas City has kept consistent with its starting five across conference play. The Roos have stuck with two main rotations: Thomas, Contreras, Em. Bennett, El. Bennett and Bannerman (7-7) and Thomas, Contreras, Harrell, Em. Bennett and El. Bennett (1-2).
The Roos saw a two-seed improvement from last year's finish and a four-seed improvement from 2023. Kansas City enters the tournament with a 0-4 record as the No. 2 seed and a 1-6 record when facing the No. 3 seed.

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE

Five North Dakota State players reached double-digits in the most recent meeting between the two programs. The Bison were led by All-Summit First-Teamer Avery Koenen who scored 20 points and brought down nine rebounds.
The Bison enter the Summit League Tournament as the three seed and will face KC for the third time in four years. In the tournament, NDSU is 0-3 when facing the Roos and 2-2 as the No. 3 seed.
North Dakota State closed out the regular season with back-to-back wins, the first over KC, 93-67, and the regular season finale, 76-59 over Omaha.
Abbie Draper, Abby Schulte and Abby Graham all faced KC in the postseason during the 2023 conference tournament. Graham led the trio with eight points. Sophomore guard Taryn Hamling's sister Heaven was on the same team and led all NSDU scorers with 16 points and five assists.

University of Missouri Kansas City Athletics