Kangaroos Resume Summit League Play Against IUPUI On Thursday
1/1/2008 2:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Setting
The UMKC men's basketball team will open the new year against IUPUI in a Summit League showdown on Thursday night at Municipal Auditorium. The Kangaroos and Jaguars will tip-off the game at 7:05 p.m., and it will be broadcast live on Metro Sports.
On The Tube
Thursday's game will be broadcast live on Metro Sports. Neil Harwell will call the play-by-play, while Doug Elstun will serve as the color commentator.
On The Air
All UMKC men's basketball games can be heard on Sports Radio 810 WHB AM or 97.3 FM. Fans can also hear the games online at www.810whb.com. “The Voice of the Kangaroos” Danny Clinkscale will call the play-by-play action for UMKC for the seventh straight season. Former Kangaroo Michael Watson will provide color commentary.
On The Web
Fans can watch all UMKC home games and all league contests live on SummitTV. Fans can access SummitTV through www.umkckangaroos.com or www.thesummitleague.org. More than 275 men's and women's games will be featured as part of the $49.95 annual subscription package.
Live Stats
Fans can follow the action as it happens via live stats at www.umkckangaroos.com
A Look At IUPUI
The Jaguars enter Thursday's contest with a 9-3 overall record and a 1-0 mark in Summit League play. On Saturday, IUPUI had its eight-game winning streak snapped at Saint Louis by a 66-57 scoreline. Three players scored in double figures in the defeat with Gary Patterson leading the way with 18 points.
Four Jaguars are averaging in double figures on the season. Guard George Hill is pacing the team with 19.8 points on .567 shooting to go along with a team-highs in rebounds (6.6), assists (4.3) and steals (2.3). Reserve forward Jon Avery is second on the team with 13.7 points on .623 shooting, while guards Austin Montgomery and Gary Patterson average 13.6 and 11.5 points, respectively.
IUPUI is +6.5 on the glass this season (33.7-27.2), and the team is superb at the charity stripe, as it is connecting on .805 (210-261) of its attempts. The Jags also have 21 more assists than turnovers on the year.
IUPUI Game Facts
- IUPUI was ranked 25th in the Mid-Major Top-25 that was released on Dec. 31. The Jaguars were the only Summit League team in the poll.
- Guard George Hill, who took a medical redshirt last season due to a foot injury, is the Preseason Summit League Player of the Year.
- IUPUI is either first or second in the league in 11 statistical team categories. The Jaguars are first in scoring margin (+13.8), free throw percentage (.805), field goal percentage (.494), rebounding defense (27.2), rebounding margin (+6.5), turnover margin (+3.00) and assist/turnover ratio (1.13).
- As of Dec. 16, IUPUI was leading the nation in free throw percentage with a .812 clip. The Jaguars are currently shooting .805 from the charity stripe.
IUPUI vs. UMKC - The Series
The Jaguars lead the all-time series over UMKC, 10-9. IUPUI also holds a 5-4 advantage over the Kangaroos in games played in Kansas City. UMKC won the last meeting in the series, 85-72, last February. Prior to the win, the Jags had won the previous three meetings.
Last Contest
Despite holding Central Arkansas without a field goal for the first 17 minutes of the second half, the UMKC men's basketball team dropped a 64-57 decision to the Bears last Saturday at the Farris Center. The Kangaroos limited UCA to just two second half field goals, which tied an NCAA record, but the Bears made 22-of-28 free throws over the final 20 minutes to pull out the seven-point win.
Notes From The UCA Game
- The difference in the game came at the free throw line, where UCA made 24-of-32 attempts. UMKC, meanwhile, was just 7-of-16. The .438 free throw percentage was a season-low for the squad.
- The Kangaroos committed just seven turnovers in the game, while forcing the Bears into 14 miscues.
- UMKC had a season-high 17 offensive rebounds, which led to a 14-3 advantage in second chance points.
NCAA History
The Kangaroos held Central Arkansas without a field goal for the first 17 minutes of the second half last Saturday in Conway. The Bears made just two field goals the entire second half, which ties an NCAA record for fewest makes in a half. Central Michigan made just two field goals against Ohio on Jan. 14, 2006.
Taking Care Of The Basketball
The Kangaroos have been doing an excellent job of taking care of the basketball over the past four games. The squad has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in each of the past four contests and in a total of five games on the year. UMKC finished with a season-low seven turnovers against Central Arkansas last Saturday.
Double Digit Dane
Junior Dane Brumagin has scored in double figures in each of the past six contests for the Kangaroos, and in nine of the past 10 games. The forward narrowly missed his first career double-double at Central Arkansas, as he finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
On the year, the Montgomery City, Mo., native has reached double digits in 12-of-14 games, which includes five games with 20 or more points. Brumagin has been UMKC's high scorer in eight games on the year.
Brumagin's most prolific games of the season, and his career, came during a two-game stretch in early December when he scored 75 points in two games. The forward netted 40 points at Oakland on Dec. 6 on 12-of-17 shooting, and he followed it up with 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting at IPFW on Dec. 8. As a result, he was named the Mid-Majority Baller of the Week on Dec. 10.
More Than Just A Scorer
Junior Dane Brumagin has been UMKC's most consistent scorer this season, but the forward has also been one of the team's top rebounders. The Montgomery City, Mo., native has led the team on the boards in each of the last five games and in a team-best seven contests on the season. His 5.4 rebounds per game are tops on the team. Brumagin has finished with eight or more rebounds in three games this season, and he posted a career-high nine boards against Central Arkansas on Dec. 29.
Blackwell Coming On Strong
Senior Tim Blackwell has scored in double figures in each of the past five games. During the stretch, he is averaging 17.2 points on .451 (23-51) shooting from the floor and .578 (11-23) shooting from long range. The guard has also been getting to the free throw line frequently, as he's made 29-of-39 attempts.
Balance Is Key
The Kangaroos had four players score in double figures in the victory over Loyola Chicago on Dec. 22. It was the fifth game this season for the team to have at least four players with 10 or more points. On Nov. 24, UMKC had a season-high five players score in double figures in the 90-82 victory over Arkansas Tech.
UMKC now has four players on the year that are averaging 10 points or more per game. Dane Brumagin (18.9), Reggie Hamilton (12.1), Brent Stephens (11.5) and Tim Blackwell (10.5) are all in double figures.
Buckling Down Defensively
The Kangaroos have been playing their best defense of the season over the past four games. UMKC has been extending its defense out past the three point line, as its opponents have connected on just .250 (18-72) percent of its attempts. The squad has also has forced 60 turnovers over the course of the four games.
