Kansas City
12-21,7-9Summit League
Oral Roberts
24-7,12-4Summit League
Kansas City Closes the Season with Semifinal Loss to #2 Oral Roberts
3/8/2025 4:59:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Elauni Bennett dropped her second double-double in as many games as the Roos fell to ORU
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - #6 Kansas City Women's Basketball's (11-22, 6-10 Summit) Summit League Championship hopes came to a close at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center this afternoon, falling to #2 Oral Roberts (24-7, 12-4 Summit), 95-73. The Roos battled throughout, but turnovers led to 24 points for the Golden Eagles and made the difference.
Kansas City kept things tight through the first quarter, but a pair of second quarter runs allowed the Golden Eagles to create separation. KC fought to keep things competitive, ultimately running out of steam in the fourth quarter.
Elauni Bennett finished the championship with two double-doubles in as many games, going for 17 points and 13 rebounds today. Alayna Contreras scored a game-high 20 and Emani Bennett added 16 more for the Roos.
KEY MOMENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
- 1Q - 8:13 / 6-4 | El. Bennett pulled down an offensive board and went up for a second chance bucket, but ORU responded with seven-straight points to take a lead that it would never relinquish.
- 1Q - 0:24 / 16-20 | Kelby Bannerman knocked down a three-pointer on an assist from Alyssa Febres and the Roos went into the quarter break down by five.
- 2Q - 5:14 / 27-33 | Oral Roberts opened the second quarter on a 12-2 run, but KC responded with seven-straight of their own. El. Bennett went for back-to-back buckets and her sister added a triple, but the Golden Eagles ended the quarter on a 15-6 tear to gain control.
- 3Q - 5:40 / 42-55 | With both sides trading bucket to start the second half, Em. Bennett pulled down a rebound and scored a second chance layup.
- 3Q - 3:08 / 49-61 | Zaire Harrell finished for and-one opportunities on back-to-back trips down the court, bringing Kansas City within 12.
- 4Q - 7:26 / 57-75 | Ana Oliveira Dias found Tamia Ugass for a bunny in the lane to put an end to a seven-point ORU run.
- 4Q - 3:00 / 71-83 | Oliveira Dias came up with a steal and found Contreras in the fast break, bringing KC as close as they would come for the rest of the game.
STATS TO NOTE
- El. Bennett's 13-rebound game is tied for the fifth-best in program postseason history and she is the first to go for two double-doubles in the same conference tournament since Kim Nezianya in 2012.
- Contreras notched her 13th 20-point game of the season. She finishes the year with 572 total points, the sixth-best single-season scoring performance in program history.
- Oliveira Dias finished with a team-high five assists, her seventh game this year reaching that mark.
- The Roos pulled down 13 offensive rebounds on the day, led by El. Bennett with five and Bannerman with four. Those boards led to 12 second chance points for KC.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Head Coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett / Emani Bennett / Elauni Bennett
SEASON IN REVIEW
Kansas City finishes the year three under Head Coach Dionnah Jackson-Durrett after making the Summit League Semifinal round for the second time in her tenure, becoming the third coach in program history to make two conference semifinal appearances. The Roos were led by Contreras, who earned a Second Team All-League selection in her second year in the blue and gold. KC graduates three seniors: Tamia Ugass, Lisa Thomas and Zanaa Cordis.
