Roos Fall to Cardinals in Triple Overtime Thriller, 110-104

(Kansas City, Mo.) - UMKC played all the way into triple overtime for the first time in the Division I era, but couldn't pull off the upset of Incarnate Word on Saturday night, as four players fouled out and the Cardinals edged the 'Roos 110-104.

“This one hurts, but I am really proud of our effort with all the adversity we faced tonight,” Head Coach Kareem Richardson said. “We had to have some guys step up tonight, and they did.”

UMKC (4-8) nearly ended the game on multiple occasions, and did it without the services of leading scorer Martez Harrison, who fouled out with 32 seconds left in regulation. At the buzzer, Reese Holliday took a three-pointer to try and break a 74-74 tie, and he looked to have been fouled on the replay, but the referees didn't agree, and the game went to OT.

In the second OT, Frank Williams missed a jumper at the horn to win it, but it didn't fall, moving on to triple overtime. In the possession before, Holliday fouled out on a questionable offensive charge, where it looked as if the UIW (8-1) player was inside the arc.

Neither team led by more than four in any of the OT's until the third, when UIW salted it away at the line against a 'Roos lineup that was missing Harrison, Holliday, Noah Knight, and Darius Austin.

The 'Roos jumped out to an early lead to start the game, thanks to their best offensive execution of the season in a half. They had 11 assists on 16 made baskets, and turned it over only twice, the lowest total in a period this season. It built the lead to as many as 17 in the half, and went into the break up 44-31.

The second half was a different story though, as the Cardinals (ranked No. 37 in the nation in RPI coming in) shot 62 percent, while UMKC could only muster 35 percent shooting in the period. By the 9:51 mark, UIW had its first lead, but it was back and forth from there, with UMKC leading by as many as four with two minutes left.

The 'Roos finished with six players in double-figure points for the first time since 2009, while Austin (10), Knight (10), Deshon Taylor (14) and Kevin Franceschi (10) all had career-highs in scoring. Thaddeus Smith also had a career-high nine rebounds, five better than his career best. Harrison played only 24 minutes in the game, but still led the 'Roos with 17 points and four steals. Holliday tallied 12 points and had a team-best five assists. No UMKC player played more than 39 minutes amazingly.

It was the first triple OT game for UMKC in the Division I era (1987). The last 3OT game was in 1982 during NAIA days and was the third 3OT game all-time. It was also first 100-point game for UMKC since 2007 against Oakland (also in a loss). In all, the game saw 14 lead changes and 12 ties. Denzell Livingston finished with 30 points for UIW, while Jontrell Walker had 29.

UMKC will get back at it on Monday night when Tennessee Tech comes to town for another doubleheader with the women. Tipoff is set for 7:05 from Municipal Auditorium.