by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Once warmed up, Kansas City Kanas Community College’s No. 9 ranked women’s basketball team rolled to a 79-52 win over Des Moines Area Community College on DMACC’s Boone campus Tuesday.
The win was the sixth in a row for the unbeaten Lady Blue Devils, who are right back in action Thursday when they play host to Saint Mary junior varsity at 7 p.m. Then they return to the road, playing Metropolitan Community College on the Penn Valley campus Saturday at 5 p.m.
Big second and fourth quarters carried the Blue Devils against DMACC.
“We didn’t arrive until 30 minutes before the game and started sluggish and cold,” KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry said. “We certainly weren’t warmed up and because of that we had 13 turnovers and missed eight layoffs the first half.”
Trailing 14-13 after one quarter, KCKCC opened up a 31-21 halftime lead.
“The third quarter we played well and led by 18 points only to have DMACC go on a 10-0 run and cut the lead to eight points before we finally woke up and played the way we intended to do, outscoring them 24-9 the fourth quarter.”
Nija Collier and Lillie Moore led the Blue Devils with double-doubles. Collier had 19 points and 13 rebounds; Moore 18 points and 10 rebounds while Kisi Young added 10 rebounds, six points, three assists and three steals.
“Lillie and Nija really played well and enabled us to outrebound DMACC by a wide margin,” McKinstry said.
Caroline Hoppock was also in double figures with 11 points including a trio of 3-pointers; Lenaejha Evans had eight points and four rebounds; and Caitlyn Stewart six points and five rebounds. Brodi Byrd chipped in with six points and joined Young and Lexy Watts in the lead in assists with three.
The Blue Devils were a season low 6-of-25 from 3-point for 24 percent and 32-of-76 for the game for 41.2 percent.