Spring Break
UMKC knocks off Southern Utah 80-48
Dan Stroud
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: Sports
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The lopsided victory marked the largest scoring margin of victory for the Kangaroos in a league game since they pasted IUPUI 76-36 in February of 2005.
The Roos led by as many as 22 points in the first half against the overmatched Thunderbirds.
A three-point shot with two seconds to play by sophomore guard Myleka Emerson gave them that same margin for the second time, 40-18 at the intermission.
UMKC hit 58.6 percent of its shots in the first 20 minutes of action. SUU didn't do much for their own cause with 13 first-half turnovers while shooting 25 percent from the field.
The second half began with the Kangaroos extending their lead to as high as 27 points, leading 51-24 with 14:37 to play in the game. Everything seemed to go the Roos' way.
Morris, who came back from the Christmas break a day late and was sidelined for two games for a violation of team rules by UMKC head coach Candace White-Whitaker, seemed to get back in the action without missing a beat. The sophomore guard scored 16 points and was lethal from the field and the free throw line, hitting 50 percent and 100 percent respectively.
Senior center Alysa Klein was perfect on the night, hitting all 10 of her shots from the field.
Klein finished the game with a game high 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. When asked if she remembered having a better game, the 6'3" centered shrugged.
"It didn't feel any different out there than it usually does," Klein said. "I was just taking smarter shots tonight."
With the game in hand White-Whitaker had the luxury of unloading her bench with three minutes to play. It seemed a good night for all as 10 players managed to score for the Kangaroos. Five players rang up treys, including sophomore guard Tarah Cullen, who finished with five points and a rebound in seven minutes of yeoman duty.
Klein was impressed, though reserved in her assessment of the team's performance.
"We had amazing energy tonight," Klein said. "For once we were able to maintain that energy level for the whole game while maintaining the momentum. We know we've got to continue to do that if we're going to be successful."
White-Whitaker?evidently took little time to celebrate as the coach immediately left the building in route to the airport on a recruiting trip.
The Roos' (8-8, 1-4 in Summit League) next game will come Jan. 19 when they face off against North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D. SUU (3-13, 1-4) next faces off against South Dakota State on Jan. 19.
dstroud@unews.com
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