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Western opens up road conference schedule at UMKC

January 28, 2008 on 9:35 pm | In Athletics |

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois women’s basketball team plays its first Summit League road game of the 2007-08 season when it travels to Kansas City, Mo., to face UMKC, Saturday, January 5 at 4 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium.

About UMKC
The Kangaroos are 7-6 overall and 0-2 in The Summit League after a non-conference victory over Newman, 81-32, January 2.

Chazny Morris and Alysa Klein are the only two members on the UMKC roster that are averaging double-digits in the points column so far this season. Morris garners 17.4 points and adds a team-leading 6.6 rebounds per game, while Klein is netting 13.2 points and 6.1 boards per outing. She is also tallying a 51.8 (72-139) shooting percentage. The player with the most points behind Morris and Klein is Sierra Radke with 7.3 points per game.

Like Western, the Kangaroos average around a 40 percent shooting mark from the filed. However, the Westerwinds own an advantage from beyond the arc as UMKC averages only 27.9 percent to Western’s 35.2 percent from three-point land.

The Kangaroos play at three different arenas when in Kansas City this season. So far the team is 5-0, but has only played one game at Municipal Auditorium so far this year. UMKC’s other four home games have been played at Swinney Recreation Center.

Against the Kangaroos
In the two-game series during the 2006-07 season senior Gina Hugelier had one of her best series of the year. The Elmhurst, Ill., native garnered a career-high 28 points in the 64-61 overtime loss to UMKC, February 26, 2007. She also added a career-best 12 free throws made out of 14 attempted. Hugelier ended the series with 38 points, nine rebounds, and five steals.

Junior Amanda Walker and Nicole Myers tallied 13 and 10 points each in the Westerwinds 50-38 victory, January 27, 2007. Walker also added a career-best eight rebounds.

Klein and Morris were the top performers for the Kangaroos last season. Klein netted 27 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, while Morris added 25 points and nine rebounds.

The Series
The Westerwinds currently owns a 17-12 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to the 1990-91 season. The series with UMKC is one of four conference opponents that Western has an advantage in the all-time series.

The Kangaroos and the Westerwinds have been trading road victories for the past two seasons. UMKC earned a 64-61 overtime victory during the last meeting, February 23, 2007 in Macomb.

Rebounding Minded
As a team the Westerwinds tallied 17 offensive rebounds against Kansas State, January 2, 2008. Western also added 17 defensive boards and tied the Wildcats with 34 total rebounds in the game. It was the second game this season that Western had the same amount or more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds in a game.

Hugelier led the way on the offensive rebounding side with a personal season-high six offensive boards. Fellow senior Stephanie Lovingood added four offensive rebounds, while junior Sarah Miller netted three.

Among the Nations Best
Western ranks 36th in the nation and leads the league in three-point field goal percentage. The Westerwinds have connected on 37.2 percent of their shots from beyond the arc. Western is also ranked 94th in steals per game (9.8).

Lovingood is currently 75th in the country with her 8.7 rebounds per game. She also leads the conference in offensive rebounds per game (3.44).

Walker
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