Dec. 21, 2013
San Jose, Calif. - Sophomore center Riana Byrd score 10 of her season-high 19 points in the last five minutes and led the San Jose State women's basketball team to an 81-76 victory over the Kangaroos of Kansas City (UMKC) on Saturday afternoon on Walt McPherson Court.
Byrd also ripped down a season-best 18 rebounds and recorded her third double double of the year. Four other Spartans (6-5) were in double figures. Rebecca Woodberry had 15 points and seven rebounds. Ta'Rea Cunnigan scored 14 points. Classye James added 13 points and had five assists and four steals. Jasmine Smith chipped in 12 points.
Byrd was 9-for-13 and Smith 6-for-12 from the field, but the rest of the Spartans struggled shooting hitting just 17-of-57 (29 percent). For the game San José State shot 39 percent (32-for-82). But fortunately, the `Roos were also off the mark, hitting just 37 percent of their attempts (27-for-73).
Despite poor shooting, San José State led throughout the majority of the first half. They built their biggest lead of the game, 11 points, on the first made basket of the second half and still had a nine-point advantage, 50-41, with 15:04 to play.
UMKC's Eilise O'Connor scored 12 of her 19 points over the next 11 minutes. After a Kim Nezianya 3-pointer with 3:47 left, Kansas City (4-8) had it first lead since early in the first half at 70-69.
Byrd and Smith then took over scoring 10 of the Spartans final 12 points. SJSU held the Kangaroos to a layup and four free throws over their final six possession while scoring on six of their final seven capped by a layup from James with 12 second remaining for the 81-76 win.
O'Connor and Nezianya, who each scored 19 points, led the UMKC offense. Calli White, 11 points, and Grace Mitchell, 10 points, were the other `Roos in double digits in the scoring column.
San Jose State wraps up its non-conference schedule with six wins for the first time since the 2004-05 season. They open Mountain West Conference play on January 1, 2014 at Nevada. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Kansas City vs San Jose State
12/21/13 2:40 p.m. at San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
At San Jose, Calif. (The Event Center)
SAN JOSE STATE 81, KANSAS CITY 76
KANSAS CITY (4-8)
O'Connor, Eilise 6-15 7-8 19; Nezianya, Kim 7-16 2-2 19; White, Calli 4-12
0-0 11; Mitchell, Grace 5-12 0-0 10; Leathers, Taylor 1-4 4-4 6; Barnwell,
Kelsey 2-8 0-0 5; Strickland, Taylor 2-4 0-0 4; Dudding, Lauren 0-2 2-4 2;
Evans, Jordan 0-0 0-0 0; Houser, Hailey 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-73 15-18 76.
SAN JOSE STATE (6-5)
Byrd, Riana 9-13 1-2 19; Woodberry, Rebecca 6-14 0-0 15; Cunnigan, Ta'Rea
5-14 4-4 14; James, Classye 3-11 7-8 13; Smith, Jasmine 6-12 0-4 12; WEST,
Rachol 2-8 0-2 5; Hall, Britta 1-7 0-0 3; Baird, Paris 0-3 0-0 0. Totals
32-82 12-20 81.
Kansas City................... 35 41 - 76
San Jose State................ 44 37 - 81
3-point goals--Kansas City 7-18 (White, Calli 3-8; Nezianya, Kim 3-5;
Barnwell, Kelsey 1-2; Dudding, Lauren 0-1; Leathers, Taylor 0-1; O'Connor,
Eilise 0-1), San Jose State 5-30 (Woodberry, Rebecca 3-10; West, Rachol 1-5;
Hall, Britta 1-5; Baird, Paris 0-1; James, Classye 0-3; Cunnigan, Ta'Rea
0-6). Fouled out--Kansas City-Nezianya, Kim, San Jose State-None.
Rebounds--Kansas City 45 (Leathers, Taylor 10), San Jose State 49 (BYRD,
Riana 18). Assists--Kansas City 14 (Barnwell, Kelsey 5), San Jose State 18
(James, Classye 5). Total fouls--Kansas City 18, San Jose State 17.
Technical fouls--Kansas City-None, San Jose State-None. A-1388