Kansas City
5-12,2-2Summit League
North Dakota
4-13,1-3Summit League
Harrell’s Near Career-High Powers Roos Past Fighting Hawks
1/10/2026 4:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Zaire Harrell matched her career-high in scoring, recording 22 points to lead all scorers
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – From start to finish Kansas City Women's Basketball (5-12, 2-2) put together their most complete outing of the season, racing past North Dakota 77-56 on the road Saturday afternoon. The Roos used sharp defensive ball pressure, strong free throw shooting, three individual double-digit scoring outings and a big scoring day for the bench to win their second Summit game of the season and get back to .500 in conference play.
Zaire Harrell put together a day to remember, scoring a game-high 22 points that also matched the senior's career-best scoring total. Kansas City returned to form when it came to forcing turnovers, generating 24 miscues by the Fighting Hawks. That mark is the most the Roos have forced in a Summit game since KC's 66-65 win at Omaha last season.
Both squads came out of the gate swinging as Harrell found her jumper on automatic, scoring six of the Roos first 12 points in the first quarter. North Dakota went on a 12-4 run following KC's 4-0 start but the Roos stayed level with the Fighting Hawks thanks to buckets by Elauni and Emani Bennett to close out the first only down a pair.
In the second, the Roos saw a big boost off the bench from Hallie Majoros. The grad transfer from Milwaukee opened the quarter by knocking down a quick three pointer to put Kansas City up 19-18. A minute later, Harrell connected on another mid-range jumper to put KC up 23-22 and kickstart a 10-1 run that put the Roos up double digits. Kansas City proceeded to not trail for the remainder of the contest following Harrell's basket at the 7:14 mark of the second.
Later on in the frame, Majoros kept her mojo going by nailing two more three pointers to help extend Kansas City's lead in the second. The Roos went into the halftime break up 13, holding a 40-27 advantage over the Fighting Hawks thanks to a 15 point scoring swing in the second quarter. The Roos defensive pressure was steep as UND committed double-digit turnovers in just the first half alone.
Kansas City showed no complacency in the second half immediately going on a 5-1 run to open the lead up to 16 in the half's opening minute. North Dakota baskets were answered calmly by the Roos with Harrell continuously attacking the rim and getting to the foul line for free throws. Harrell got to the line six times, going 10-12 from the charity stripe against the Fighting Hawks.
After North Dakota cut the lead to 11 midway through the third, the Roos went on a 13-0 run that put the game away, propelling Kansas City's lead up 23, the largest lead of the game for the Roos with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. El. Bennett worked her way to the basket at will in that scoring run, finishing the game with 13 points and six rebounds on 5-10 shooting from the floor.
The fourth quarter was all about Em. Bennett as the Lee's Summit, Mo. native came into the game just 19 points away from 1,000 for her career. Em. Bennett had a dozen points heading into the game's final frame but hit a late flurry of jump shots to put her up to 18 points as the junior guard came one point shy of reaching the 1,000 point milestone. Still, Em. Bennett's 18 points, five rebounds and 8-16 shooting from the field made headway in Kansas City's 21 point win over North Dakota.
The Bennett sisters both registered double figure scoring totals while combining for 31 points and shooting a combined 50% at 13-26 on field goals attempts. Harrell's last 22 point night came against St. Thomas on Feb. 20, 2025. This time, the senior from St. Louis, Mo. also recorded nine rebounds while shooting 67% from the floor and 83% from the foul line.
Kansas City wrapped up their second conference win by going 20-23 from the free throw line, good for a season-best mark of 87% vs. North Dakota. The Roos also got 20 total points from the bench, the most in a Summit game for KC this season. Majoros' nine points went a long way as did the efforts of Carleigh Andrews, who scored seven points off the bench, her most as a Roo.
KC came into the game forcing teams into a little under 20 turnovers a game, the Roos generated 24 miscues and made the most of them by scoring 26 points off of those turnovers. Kansas City shot 45% from the field for the game and dished out 14 assists as a team, also the most by the Roos in a Summit game so far. The Roos out-muscled the Fighting Hawks on the glass going plus-four on the glass as a whole and doubling up UND in offensive boards 10-5.
The Roos will look to get above .500 in conference play next Thursday when Kansas City travels to Tulsa, Okla. to face off with Oral Roberts.
