UMKC Blisters Nets in Summit Opener over IPFW

Thursday, December 1

Memorial Coliseum

7:30 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

2-3, 0-1Summit

UMKC

4-4, 1-0Summit

UMKC

IPFW

Photo by: Lucas Carter

UMKC Blisters Nets in Summit Opener over IPFW

12/1/2011 10:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The UMKC Kangaroos made 27-of-45 of its shots from the field (60 percent), topping IPFW 81-66 despite the Mastodons out-rebounding the guests by a 40-to-21 margin in the contest.

IPFW falls to 2-3 on the season, and now 0-1 in league play while UMKC evens its record at 4-4, and 1-0 in Summit League action.

Frank Gaines, the country's sixth leading scorer, poured in a game-high 22 points, while Trey McCorkle added 18. John Peckinpaugh scored seven for IPFW, while adding two assists and a game-high-tying two steals. Gaines pulled down a game-high seven rebounds, as Jonny Marlin dished out five assists.

The Mastodons seemed to take control of the game early, jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead, holding the 'Roos scoreless for nearly the first three minutes of the contest. the eight-point lead at 17:26 would be the largest of the game for IPFW. UMKC responded with the 8-0 run with a 7-0 streak of its own, but could not get over the hump and take a lead until Kirk Korver hit a jumper with 10:24 on the first-half clock, giving the 'Roos an 18-17 lead.

Trailing for the first time in the game at 19-17, IPFW scored seven straight points on back-to-back lay-ups by Gaines followed by a Kibiloski three-pointer to give IPFW at 24-19 lead. The Kangaroos then went the next five and a half minutes without missing from the field, turning the five-point deficit into a seven-point lead at 31-24.

IPFW fought back, closing to within two on a McCorkle lay-in with 18 seconds left, but a Nate Rogers three-point basket at the buzzer send the Kangaroos into the locker room with a 40-35 advantage.

A 5-2 run to open the half cut the deficit to two at 42-40, and IPFW trailed by four at 48-44 following another McCorkle lay-in, before UMKC ran off eight straight points to lead by a dozen at 56-44.

IPFW twice closed to within single digits over the final ten minutes, each time, however, was countered by a UMKC basket on the next possession, as the 'Roos iced the game by hitting 10-of-13 free throws over the final three minutes in the 15-point Mastodon loss.

Reggie Chamberlain scored a team-high 21 points for UMKC, leading four players in double figures int he category, while Nate Rogers tied for the game-high with five assists.

The Mastodons return to the court on Saturday, December 3, when the squad plays host to the Coyotes of South Dakota, who fell 101-83 to the Oakland Grizzlies this evening. The game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum.

~Dons~