Kansas City
12-20,7-9Summit League
North Dakota State
19-11,11-5Summit League
Roos Smother #3 NDSU in Summit League Quarterfinal Upset
3/7/2025 5:58:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Elauni Bennett set the tone with a 20-point double-double, leading KC to the semifinal round
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - For the second time in three years, Kansas City Women's Basketball (11-21, 6-10 Summit) has pulled off the upset, ending North Dakota State's (19-11, 11-5 Summit) season in the Summit League Quarterfinal round. In 2022, the #10 Roos knocked off the #2 Bison. This time around a sixth-seeded Kansas City squad led wire-to-wire, taking down #3 NDSU.
The Roos punched the Bison in the mouth early, scoring the game's first 12 points and taking a 21-point lead into the half. The Roos battled some foul trouble in the second half and NDSU attempted to claw back, but KC came up with timely stops and big buckets down the stretch.
Elauni Bennett was the star of the show for the Roos. She finished with a career-high 20 points, adding 14 boards for her third double-double of the year. Three other Kansas City players finished in double-digits: Alayna Contreras with 14, Kelby Bannerman with 11 and Emani Bennett with 10.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1Q - 6:55 / 12-0 | Kansas City jumped out to an early lead, holding NDSU scoreless through the first three-plus minutes. The Roos made three triples along the way, one each from Bannerman, Contreras and Em. Bennett.
- 1Q - 0:28 / 25-15 | Bannerman took a drive to the hoop and finished the layup, continuing a stellar first quarter. She ended the first frame with nine points.
- 2Q - 5:28 / 35-17 | The Roos' full court press led to a steal from Ana Oliveira Dias, leading to an easy two-point bucket for El. Bennett.
The energy is ?????? rn#ROOUP | @TheSummitLeague | @MidcoSports pic.twitter.com/m9dzfJ6EK0
— Kansas City Women's Basketball (@KCRoosWBB) March 7, 2025
- 2Q - 0:00 / 39-18 | Kansas City took over possession of the ball with 57 seconds left in the half, pulled down a pair of offensive rebounds and never let the Bison see the ball again, entering the half up by 21.
- 3Q - 4:26 / 46-23 | Tamia Ugass nailed a hook shot in the lane, giving KC its largest lead of the day at 23 points.
- 3Q - 0:51 / 50-34 | The Roos called a timeout in the midst of a three-minute scoreless stretch, coming out and finding Bannerman inside for a step-through layup.
- 4Q - 4:15 / 59-47 | After the Bison drew within single digits for the first time since the first quarter, Em. Bennett responded by knocking down a three on the assist from Lisa Thomas.
- 4Q - 1:36 / 64-51 | Thomas came up with a steal on the defensive end, leading to an El. Bennett layup that sealed the game for KC.
STATS TO NOTE
- The Roos held NDSU to just three points on 1-of-11 shooting in the second quarter, the fewest points in a single quarter that KC has allowed all season. The Roos have held opponents to five-or-fewer points in a quarter three times this season, also coming at St. Thomas on Jan. 2 and against NDSU on Jan. 18.
- El. Bennett's 20-point, 14-rebound double-double was the first 20-point double-double by a Roo since Manna Mensah went for 32 points and 11 boards against Oral Roberts on Feb. 4, 2023. It was the first postseason double-double by a KC player since Kiara Bradley and Paige Bradford both went for one against NDSU in 2022.
- Today marked the first time that four Kansas City players scored in double-digits in a postseason game since the Roos took down Chicago State in the WAC Quarterfinals on Mar. 11, 2020.
- KC forced the Bison into 19 total turnovers, with 11 coming from steals. Contreras logged four steals herself, coming within one of her career-high.
- Bannerman went for a career-high four blocks, surpassing her previous best of three.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
Coach Jackson-Durrett / Elauni Bennett / Alayna Contreras
UP NEXT
The stage is set for a meeting with #2 Oral Roberts in the semifinals, tipping off tomorrow 25 minutes following the first semifinal game.
