Last-Minute Bomb Sinks Thunderbirds in 57-60 Defeat at UMKC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Feb. 7 - Southern Utah women's basketball suffered a last-minute 57-60 defeat at UMKC on Saturday afternoon as the Kangaroo's LeAndrea Thomas sank a 3-point field goal with 44 seconds on the clock to seal the win. SUU drops to 8-15 and 4-8 in conference with the loss while UMKC moves to 11-12 and 6-6 in The Summit League.

Sophomore Challis Pascucci had two looks at the basket in the final minute of the game, but was unable to connect as UMKC finish the final 44 seconds on a 5-0 run.

Neither team built much a lead in the first half with the Kangaroos building an advantage of 14-8 with 13:24 on the clock for their largest lead during the opening 20 minutes. Southern Utah countered late in the half with a 28-24 lead with 2:22 on the clock, carrying a lead of 30-29 into the intermission.

UMKC regained the lead coming out of the locker rooms, beginning the second half on a 6-2 run, but back-to-back 3-point field goals by Caitlyn Sears flipped the momentum back to the T-Birds favor with the 42-37 advantage.

The Kangaroos recaptured the lead late in the half, moving up by as much as six (53-47) with 7:13 on the clock. Southern Utah answered right back with a 7-0 run to regain the lead after back-to-back lay-ups by Anne Westwood Higbee and a third long distance bomb by Sears. Sears finished the night with 15 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from deep.

The Thunderbirds hit their final shot of the half on the front end of two free throws by Cassie Platt, putting the lead to 57-55 for SUU with 2:40 on the clock, but the 5-0 run by the Kangaroos stole the 60-57 win for the home team.

Higbee led the T-Birds with a game-high 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting coupled with seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal to fill out the box score. UMKC was led by a trio of double-digit scorers with Jade Tinner recording 15 points, Chazny Morris with 13 and Mariah Davis with ten.

Southern Utah will remain on the road next weekend when the Thunderbirds travel to the Dakotas to continue Summit League play.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Challis Pascucci: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

#32 Caitlyn Sears: G/F; 5' 10"; Freshman

#21 Anne Westwood Higbee: F/C; 6' 1"; Junior

#23 Cassie Platt: G; 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#24 Challis Pascucci
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F

#32 Caitlyn Sears
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: G/F

#21 Anne Westwood Higbee
: 6' 1"; Junior
: F/C

#23 Cassie Platt
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: G