Winning Streak Snapped in Kansas City

Saturday, November 28

Kansas City, Mo.

noon

South Dakota State University

6-1

Kansas City

4-2

South Dakota State

UMKC

11/28/2015 4:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – South Dakota State trailed in the second half for the first time this season on Saturday at Kansas City, and even though the Jackrabbits came back to tie the game a couple of times in the half, they could never regain the lead, and fell for the first time this season with a 64-57 loss against the Kangaroos.

The loss snaps SDSU's season-opening winning streak at 6 to drop the Jacks to 6-1, while the Kangaroos improve to 4-2, with a 3-0 mark at home in Municipal Auditorium.

“I was concerned about energy before the game, and you could see from the start that we just didn't have it. The players tried to get it, but it never really came,” head coach Scott Nagy said. “We talked after the game about the responsibility of being a good basketball team and having a target on your back and getting everybody's best game, and when you show up and mail it in like we did today, you're not going to beat teams, because they're always going to play with a ton of energy and we have to match that level. We weren't even close to that today and I think you have to give them a lot of credit.”

Tied at 7-7 with 13 minutes, 39 seconds left in the first half, SDSU used a 12-3 run to take a 19-10 lead on a George Marshall 3-pointer with just under 10 minutes left in the frame.

Leading 22-14 with 7:55 on the clock, UMKC used a 15- 3 run to regain the lead at 29-25, before Marshall snapped the run with a triple from the right wing with 3:11 remaining in the half. SDSU got the lead back on a Deondre Parks layup and added a Mike Daum layup late to give the Jacks a 32-31 lead at halftime.

Down one at the half, the Kangaroos opened the second half on a 6-0 run to take a 37-32 lead, a lead that would grow to as many as eight points midway through the second half.

The Jacks used a 7-0 run later in the half to tie the game at 50 on a Daum free throw with 6:27 remaining, but the 'Roos scored the next five points, and held the Jacks at bay until a Parks layup tied the game at 57-all with just over a minute left.

UMKC's Martez Harrison took over from there, scoring the game's final seven points from the free throw line to finish with a game-high 25 points, the Kangaroos only player in double figures.

Marshall led a pair of Jackrabbits in double figures with 14 points. Jake Bittle added 10 in his return to the starting lineup after missing the last game due to illness. Bittle also tied for game-high honors with seven rebounds and added five assists to lead the Jacks.

Their season-long five game, 11 day road trip in the books, the Jacks look to start a new winning streak, and extend their home winning streak to 20, on Wednesday, when they host Wayne State (Neb.) at 7 p.m.

NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series with UMKC 12-6 … the loss snaps a six game winning streak against UMKC … the teams played in front of 911 fans at Municipal Auditorium, where SDSU holds a 4-2 series lead … at least four Jackrabbits did not score in double figures for the first time this season … Saturday's game marks the first time this season that SDSU did not lead by at least 20 points … UMKC outscored SDSU 30-16 in the paint and scored 16 points off 11 SDSU turnovers, compared to SDSU scoring 8 points off of 9 UMKC turnovers … SDSU led at the half of all seven games this season