Whitfield has 19 to lead UMKC to 80-67 win over McNeese

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Rob Whitfield nailed 5 of 8 from distance to total 19 points and lead UMKC to an 80-67 win over McNeese on Saturday night.

UMKC (4-8), which started the season 0-6, has won three of its last four and four of its last six games.

Xavier Bishop added 16 points while dishing out seven assists, Jordan Giles had 14 points and Brandon McKissic chipped in 10 for the Kangaroos.

Whitfield and Bishop nailed back-to-back 3-pointers and Jamel Allen added two dunks as part of a 15-4 run to give UMBC a 25-19 lead with 8:03 left in the first half.

McNeese's Kevin Hunt drained a 3-pointer and Jarren Greenwood hit a jump shot to tie 29-29 with 2:57 left. Bishop hit a last-second jumper to take a 31-29 lead into halftime.

A Roydell Brown layup gave McNeese a 44-41 lead with 14:20 remaining in the game before Marvin Nesbitt Jr. drove for a layup to start the Kangaroos on a 14-0 run to lead 55-44 midway of the second half. McNeese closed to 64-60 following a James Harvey layup with 4:39 left but could not retake the lead.

Shamarkus Kennedy had 14 points for McNeese (3-7).