UMKC Heads South To Face Houston Baptist On Saturday Night
12/11/2009 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
THE SETTING
The UMKC men's basketball team will head to the Lone Star State for a Saturday night showdown with Houston Baptist. The game between the 'Roos and Huskies will be played at Sharp Gymnasium in Houston, Texas, beginning at 7:35 p.m.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 1740/1760 AM (Steven Davis - p-b-p)
Television: None
Web: None
Live Stats: www.HBUHuskies.com
LAST TIME OUT
The 'Roos dropped their 2009-10 Municipal Auditorium debut, falling 73-52 to visiting Wichita State on Wednesday night in Kansas City. The Shockers went on a 12-0 run midway through the first half to build their lead to double digits and they never looked back in the 21 point victory. Three UMKC players reached double digits with junior Jay Couisnard pacing the team with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
THE COACHES
Head Coach Matt Brown is in his third season with the UMKC men's basketball program, where he has compiled an 22-49 overall record and has coached three players to all-Summit League recognition. Former forward Dane Brumagin was a second team all-league honoree and Reggie Hamilton was an all-newcomer team selection in 2007-08, while Brumagin earned an honorable mention all-league nod in 2008-09. Last season, Brown guided the 'Roos to a pair of wins over Missouri Valley Conference foes Wichita State and Bradley. It was just the third time in school history for the team to beat two MVC teams in the same season.
Ron Cottrell is in his 19th season as the head coach of the Houston Baptist men's basketball program, where he has compiled a 379-208 overall record. Before making the move to Division I, Cottrell guided the Huskies the NAIA National Tournament in 10 straight seasons.
SCOUTING HOUSTON BAPTIST
Houston Baptist enters Saturday's game with a 1-7 overall record on the season. Last week, the Huskies picked up their first win of the 2009-10 campaign when it topped Fairleigh Dickinson (92-77) in Houston. The squad, however, followed it up with a 79-67 loss at New Orleans.
Three HBU players are averaging in double digits with forward Andrew Gonzalez pacing the squad with a 16.1 per game clip. Center Mario Flaherty is second on the team with a 15.1 average, while shooting .521 from the floor. He is also pacing the team with 9.1 boards per contest. Former Wichita State guard Wendell Preadom rounds out the double figure scorers with a 11.8 average to go along with a team-best 14 steals.
Houston Baptist is getting out scored 76.4 to 65.0 this season, while shooting just 38 percent from the floor and 23 percent from long range. The Huskies have held their own on the glass, averaging 40.2 boards per game, but turnovers have been an issue for the squad, as it has 53 more TOs than assists.
HBU GAME NOTES
• The Huskies are in year three of the transition back to the NCAA from the NAIA ranks.
• Head Coach Ron Cottrell is also the Associate Athletics Director at HBU. Before assuming his current position, Cottrell served as the school's AD for 15 seasons, where he was a driving force in the school's transition to the NCAA.
• HBU competes as a member of the seven-team Great West Conference along with Chicago State, NJIT, North Dakota, South Dakota, UTPA and Utah Valley.
• Guard Wendell Preadom played three seasons at Wichita State before transferring to HBU. During his time with the Shockers, Preadom was a teammate of UMKC graduate assistant Ryan Martin.
THE SERIES
Saturday's game will be the first meeting in the series between UMKC and Houston Baptist.
QUICK HITTERS
• Alex Bazzell opened his collegiate career by playing 108 minutes before committing his first turnover. Bazzell now has a 5.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (22-4), which is tops in the league and the nation.
• UMKC shot a season-low .347 (17-49) from the floor against Wichita State. The squad also was just 2-of-9 from long range, which are also season lows. The 'Roos also had just five assists on the 17 field goals.
• The 'Roos allowed their first dunk of the season when WSU's Garrett Stutz threw one down late in the second half on Wednesday night. In contrast, UMKC has eight dunks on the season.
• Junior Bakari Lewis grabbed a career-high seven boards against the Shockers. He is the first player not named Spencer Johnson or LaTreze Mushatt to lead the team in rebounding this season.
• UMKC had four players reach double digits in the road win at Centenary. The squad is now 2-0 when four players reach double figures.
• The 'Roos are shooting .453 from the floor and .317 from long range at home and .433 from the field and .308 from long range on the road.
• UMKC is struggling from the free throw line this season, as it is shooting .640 (110-172). Opponents have had a higher free throw percentage in 7-of-8 games on the year and they have attempted more free throws in five straight contests.
• The 'Roos have forced 140 turnovers in eight games, while committing 95 TOs. This includes just four turnovers in the road win at North Dakota. The squad, however, has 35 turnovers in the last two games.
• UMKC has posted a 2-2 record on the road this season, as it earned the all important split in its first league weekend. Last year, the squad went 3-13 on the road and it was 5-26 away from KC the last two seasons.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has made 31 consecutive starts and has started 38 of the last 39 contests.
A HOMECOMING
Junior Jay Couisnard will be returning home on Saturday when the 'Roos face off against Houston Baptist. The forward played prep ball at Yates High School as a junior and senior after playing his first two years at Westbury Christian High School.
MUSHATT FINALLY BREAKS THROUGH
After flirting with double-doubles numerous times in his collegiate career, sophomore LaTreze Mushatt finally broke through with his first career double-double when he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds at Centenary. The forward made 7-of-14 shot attempts in the game and five of his boards came on the offensive glass. The Michigan native is the first 'Roo player to tally a double-double this season.
Mushatt has reached double digits in six games this season and is second on the team with a 12.9 scoring average. He is also fifth in the league with a .460 field goal percentage on the season.
TMJ ENJOYS A CAREER NIGHT
Sophomore Trey McKinney-Jones made 8-of-9 field goal attempts en route to a career-high 17 points in the road win at Centenary. The eight field goals are also a career-best, while the .889 field goal percentage is a team high this season.
Over the past three games, the guard is shooting 75 percent from the floor on 15-of-20 shooting, while averaging 12.3 points per contest.
BK-LUTCH
Junior Bakari Lewis was clutch when it mattered most in the 84-83 road victory at Centenary on Dec. 5. The guard scored 10 of his team-high 18 points over the final four minutes of the contest. This included seven straight points over the final 52 seconds, which included the game-winner with 3.3 seconds remaining to lead the 'Roos back from a 10-point deficit for the victory.
The Cleveland, Ohio, native has reached double figures in each of the last two contests and a total of three games this season. The guard is averaging 7.6 points per game, which is fifth highest on the team.
COOZY RETURNS TO DOUBLE DIGITS
Junior Jay Couisnard paced the 'Roos in scoring for the fifth time this season when he netted 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the loss to Wichita State. It was the forward's seventh game in double digits this season.
The performance came on the heels of a three point scoring effort at Centenary. The game was Couisnard's first where he didn't reach double digits this season.
Couisnard is leading the team with a 13.1 scoring average, while shooting .400 (38-95) from the field.
The UMKC men's basketball team will head to the Lone Star State for a Saturday night showdown with Houston Baptist. The game between the 'Roos and Huskies will be played at Sharp Gymnasium in Houston, Texas, beginning at 7:35 p.m.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 1740/1760 AM (Steven Davis - p-b-p)
Television: None
Web: None
Live Stats: www.HBUHuskies.com
LAST TIME OUT
The 'Roos dropped their 2009-10 Municipal Auditorium debut, falling 73-52 to visiting Wichita State on Wednesday night in Kansas City. The Shockers went on a 12-0 run midway through the first half to build their lead to double digits and they never looked back in the 21 point victory. Three UMKC players reached double digits with junior Jay Couisnard pacing the team with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
THE COACHES
Head Coach Matt Brown is in his third season with the UMKC men's basketball program, where he has compiled an 22-49 overall record and has coached three players to all-Summit League recognition. Former forward Dane Brumagin was a second team all-league honoree and Reggie Hamilton was an all-newcomer team selection in 2007-08, while Brumagin earned an honorable mention all-league nod in 2008-09. Last season, Brown guided the 'Roos to a pair of wins over Missouri Valley Conference foes Wichita State and Bradley. It was just the third time in school history for the team to beat two MVC teams in the same season.
Ron Cottrell is in his 19th season as the head coach of the Houston Baptist men's basketball program, where he has compiled a 379-208 overall record. Before making the move to Division I, Cottrell guided the Huskies the NAIA National Tournament in 10 straight seasons.
SCOUTING HOUSTON BAPTIST
Houston Baptist enters Saturday's game with a 1-7 overall record on the season. Last week, the Huskies picked up their first win of the 2009-10 campaign when it topped Fairleigh Dickinson (92-77) in Houston. The squad, however, followed it up with a 79-67 loss at New Orleans.
Three HBU players are averaging in double digits with forward Andrew Gonzalez pacing the squad with a 16.1 per game clip. Center Mario Flaherty is second on the team with a 15.1 average, while shooting .521 from the floor. He is also pacing the team with 9.1 boards per contest. Former Wichita State guard Wendell Preadom rounds out the double figure scorers with a 11.8 average to go along with a team-best 14 steals.
Houston Baptist is getting out scored 76.4 to 65.0 this season, while shooting just 38 percent from the floor and 23 percent from long range. The Huskies have held their own on the glass, averaging 40.2 boards per game, but turnovers have been an issue for the squad, as it has 53 more TOs than assists.
HBU GAME NOTES
• The Huskies are in year three of the transition back to the NCAA from the NAIA ranks.
• Head Coach Ron Cottrell is also the Associate Athletics Director at HBU. Before assuming his current position, Cottrell served as the school's AD for 15 seasons, where he was a driving force in the school's transition to the NCAA.
• HBU competes as a member of the seven-team Great West Conference along with Chicago State, NJIT, North Dakota, South Dakota, UTPA and Utah Valley.
• Guard Wendell Preadom played three seasons at Wichita State before transferring to HBU. During his time with the Shockers, Preadom was a teammate of UMKC graduate assistant Ryan Martin.
THE SERIES
Saturday's game will be the first meeting in the series between UMKC and Houston Baptist.
QUICK HITTERS
• Alex Bazzell opened his collegiate career by playing 108 minutes before committing his first turnover. Bazzell now has a 5.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio (22-4), which is tops in the league and the nation.
• UMKC shot a season-low .347 (17-49) from the floor against Wichita State. The squad also was just 2-of-9 from long range, which are also season lows. The 'Roos also had just five assists on the 17 field goals.
• The 'Roos allowed their first dunk of the season when WSU's Garrett Stutz threw one down late in the second half on Wednesday night. In contrast, UMKC has eight dunks on the season.
• Junior Bakari Lewis grabbed a career-high seven boards against the Shockers. He is the first player not named Spencer Johnson or LaTreze Mushatt to lead the team in rebounding this season.
• UMKC had four players reach double digits in the road win at Centenary. The squad is now 2-0 when four players reach double figures.
• The 'Roos are shooting .453 from the floor and .317 from long range at home and .433 from the field and .308 from long range on the road.
• UMKC is struggling from the free throw line this season, as it is shooting .640 (110-172). Opponents have had a higher free throw percentage in 7-of-8 games on the year and they have attempted more free throws in five straight contests.
• The 'Roos have forced 140 turnovers in eight games, while committing 95 TOs. This includes just four turnovers in the road win at North Dakota. The squad, however, has 35 turnovers in the last two games.
• UMKC has posted a 2-2 record on the road this season, as it earned the all important split in its first league weekend. Last year, the squad went 3-13 on the road and it was 5-26 away from KC the last two seasons.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has made 31 consecutive starts and has started 38 of the last 39 contests.
A HOMECOMING
Junior Jay Couisnard will be returning home on Saturday when the 'Roos face off against Houston Baptist. The forward played prep ball at Yates High School as a junior and senior after playing his first two years at Westbury Christian High School.
MUSHATT FINALLY BREAKS THROUGH
After flirting with double-doubles numerous times in his collegiate career, sophomore LaTreze Mushatt finally broke through with his first career double-double when he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds at Centenary. The forward made 7-of-14 shot attempts in the game and five of his boards came on the offensive glass. The Michigan native is the first 'Roo player to tally a double-double this season.
Mushatt has reached double digits in six games this season and is second on the team with a 12.9 scoring average. He is also fifth in the league with a .460 field goal percentage on the season.
TMJ ENJOYS A CAREER NIGHT
Sophomore Trey McKinney-Jones made 8-of-9 field goal attempts en route to a career-high 17 points in the road win at Centenary. The eight field goals are also a career-best, while the .889 field goal percentage is a team high this season.
Over the past three games, the guard is shooting 75 percent from the floor on 15-of-20 shooting, while averaging 12.3 points per contest.
BK-LUTCH
Junior Bakari Lewis was clutch when it mattered most in the 84-83 road victory at Centenary on Dec. 5. The guard scored 10 of his team-high 18 points over the final four minutes of the contest. This included seven straight points over the final 52 seconds, which included the game-winner with 3.3 seconds remaining to lead the 'Roos back from a 10-point deficit for the victory.
The Cleveland, Ohio, native has reached double figures in each of the last two contests and a total of three games this season. The guard is averaging 7.6 points per game, which is fifth highest on the team.
COOZY RETURNS TO DOUBLE DIGITS
Junior Jay Couisnard paced the 'Roos in scoring for the fifth time this season when he netted 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting in the loss to Wichita State. It was the forward's seventh game in double digits this season.
The performance came on the heels of a three point scoring effort at Centenary. The game was Couisnard's first where he didn't reach double digits this season.
Couisnard is leading the team with a 13.1 scoring average, while shooting .400 (38-95) from the field.
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