Continuing WAC road play, the Utah Valley University women's basketball team faces Kansas City on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 1:00 p.m. MT, in the Swinney Recreation Center.
Utah Valley (7-13, 1-4 WAC) enters the contest after a 60-55 loss delivered by Chicago State on Thursday night at the Jones Convocation Center. Paris Williams connected for 28 points for the Cougars leading all scorers on the night. Sam Loggins led UVU with 16 points while Mariah Seals had 14.
UMKC (3-17, 1-4 WAC) was last defeated, 65-59, by Grand Canyon on Jan. 29, in Kansas City, Missouri. Grace Mitchell led the Kangaroos with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Aries Washington finished with 12 and Samantha Waldron and Kiana Law each finished with 11 points. Law tallied a double-double of her own with 10 boards.
"Hopefully we can get out of our heads and into our hearts and play the game that we love and put it together. We just need to compete," head coach Cathy Nixon said. "I believe this team has it in us. We are young and inconsistent right now, but we have been good defensively, and we need to take better care of the basketball and hit the open shots we have."
Kansas City is led by Calli White averaging 12.2 points per game and Law on the boards with 7.1. White also leads in assists with 2.9 per game and steals with 1.1 per contest. In league play, White leads with 12.4 ppg, with Mitchell right behind with 12.0 and Law adding 10.4 points per contest. Law also leads on the boards in WAC play with 10.2 per game.
Rhaiah Spooner-Knight leads the Wolverines with 12.8 points per contest overall, with Mariah Seals close behind with 11.2 points. Karlee Norris leads on the boards with 7.7. Seals leads with 3.1 asists per game and 1.2 steals per game. In WAC play, Sam Loggins leads UVU with 9.8 points per game, with Seals adding 9.2 per game. Spooner-Knight rounds out the top three with 8.2 points per contest. Loggins also leads on the boards in league play with 6.6, while Norris tallies 6.4 rebounds.
The Wolverines and the Roos split the series, 1-1, with Utah Valley claiming the last victory, 49-43, in Orem on Feb. 22, 2014.
The contest will serve as UMKC's annual Pink Out game to raise awareness for breast cancer with all proceeds benefitting Susan G. Komen of Greater Kansas City.
The matchup will be broadcast live on the WAC Digital Network, and live stats will also be available with links on UVU's website.