Dec. 19, 2007

Final Stats

GREELEY, Colo. - The University of Northern Colorado women's basketball team fell to 5-6 on the season after dropping a 61-52 decision to UMKC at Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion. The Kangaroos improve to 7-6 on the year with the win.

Freshman guard Kate Kevorken came off the bench to lead the team with 18 points and tie for the team lead with eight rebounds, while senior center Danielle Hagen scored 11 and was the other Bear to notch eight boards. Sophomore guard Lizzie Cooper also hit double digits, scoring a career-high 10 on the night. Freshman guard Courtney Stoermer led the club with four assists and junior guard Jamie Schroeder and Hagen each had four steals.

Cooper hit two three-pointers early in the game, bettering her previous high of six points with the front end of a one-and-one at the 4:17 mark in the first half. Freshman forward Lara Merritt also scored a career-high on the evening with eight points, bettering her previous high of five from Monday evening at Wyoming.

"We're a different team now without Whitley Cox (injury)," said head coach Jaime White. "We now run more of a motion offense than we were and it's going to take some getting used to."

UMKC was led by center Alysa Klein with 19 points, making her first seven shots of the night. Guard Chazny Morris scored 16, while Marta Waalen chipped in 11 points and led the Kangaroos with eight rebounds. Guard Sierra Radke led the game with seven assists and Waalen had the only block on the night.

The Bears struggled in the first half of the game, shooting just .259 from the field, but rebounded to shoot .462 in the second half, bringing the game total to .358. UMKC out-rebounded the Bears 37-33, but the teams were even in the second stanza with 18 each.

Northern Colorado heads to San Jose State on Dec. 28 and faces St. Mary's on Dec. 30 before beginning Big Sky Conference action.