Central Michigan University
UMKC
Kangaroos Hop Past Chippewas, 75-65
11/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2005
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Chippewas jumped out to a quick seven-point lead but a 9:53 stretch without a field goal to end the first half changed the momentum in favor of the University of Kansas City-Missouri on Saturday night as the Kangaroos posted a 75-65 victory over Central Michigan University in Municipal Auditorium.
CMU (1-2) turned the ball over 19 times and shot just 39 percent in the loss while UMKC (2-0) hit 64 percent of its shots in the second half.
"We more than dug ourselves in a hole with 11 first-half turnovers," CMU coach Jay Smith said. "We had some `fool's gold' early by hitting some threes right off the bat. All the sudden we got happy and were just jacking them up without moving the ball.
"We seem to get jump started when we are backed against the wall. That's what happens with a young team."
Sefton Barrett led the Chippewas with 25 points, 22 of them coming in the second half. He also pulled in a team-high eight rebounds.
CMU hit three of its first four three-point attempts to jump out to a quick 9-2 lead. The Chippewas held that margin until the 9:53 mark when Eddie Spencer hit a layup to make it 20-13.
However, CMU would make only three free throws the rest of the half as the Kangaroos went on a 17-3 run to take a 30-23 lead into the locker room.
UMKC quickly pushed it up to a double-digit margin and held that cushion until two and a half minutes remained when Barrett hit a free throw and Chris Kellermann a trey to make it 68-62.
A CMU turnover and UMKC free throws iced the win after that.
Eddie Spencer added 12 points and six rebounds and Giordan Watson 10 points and five assists.
Quinton Day led the Kangaroos with 22 points and Tim Blackwell had 18.
CMU won the battle of the boards 33-31.
The Chippewas now travel to Cleveland State on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
