OMAHA, Neb. - Omaha Women's Basketball erased an 18-point halftime deficit, taking a one-point lead on a
Regan Juenemann 3-pointer with 8.6 seconds left.
But following a timeout, Kansas City's (7-15, 4-5 Summit League) Emani Bennett drove the lane and made a game-winning layup with 4.3 seconds remaining as the Mavericks (2-22, 0-9) dropped a 60-59 heartbreaker Saturday at Baxter Arena.
On Omaha's final possession, a half-court shot hit only the backboard as the Mavericks dropped a second straight nail-biter to Kansas City.
On New Year's Eve in Kansas City, Omaha lost by nearly the identical score, 61-59.
Head coach
Jamie Carey said she was proud of the collective fight her team showed in the final 20 minutes.
"If we keep competing at that level, we'll accomplish some things the rest of the way," she said.
Juenemann (Crosby, Minn.) led the furious second-half comeback when she scored 22 of her game-high 27 points. It's the third time this season the freshman has scored 27 in a game, and her six 3-pointers were a career high.
Juenemann's threes in the third quarter provided the spark for Omaha's comeback.
The Mavericks trailed 39-21 at halftime as they were held to four points in the second quarter. But Omaha came of the locker room with renewed energy, starting the third quarter on a 19-5 run.
That run was capped by four consecutive 3-pointers - three by Juenemann and one by freshman
Elsa Vedral (Omaha, Neb.) - in a two-minute span. In those two minutes, Omaha's deficit went from 16 points to 44-40.
Kansas City maintained its lead and was up by seven with less than eight minutes to play. Omaha scored the next eight points, grabbing a 53-52 lead when Juenemann banked in a short jumper with 3:20 left.
The Roos broke a 56-56 tie with two free throws with 18.5 seconds left. But then Juenemann answered again, this time catching an inbounds pass in the left corner and draining her fifth three of the second half with 8.6 seconds to play.
Kansas City, though, came through with the final response on Bennett's layup.
Omaha's only other player in double figures was
Avril Smith (Omaha, Neb.), who scored a career-high 11 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and blocked four shots. The freshman from Millard North, who is in the top 10 nationally in rebounding and blocked shots, came into the day averaging 2.5 points per game.
Omaha will remain at home this week as it hosts North Dakota on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m. CT for Black History Night and Saturday, Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. CT for National Girls and Women in Sports Day and Spirit Squad Senior Night. Tickets are available at
OMavs.com/Tickets or by calling 402-554-MAVS.
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