'Roos To Host Bison On Tuesday In SRC Finale
1/25/2010 2:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
THE SETTING
The UMKC men's basketball team will close out its season long three-game home stand with a Tuesday night match-up against North Dakota State at the Swinney Recreation Center. The game, which will be the final game on campus for the 'Roos this season, will begin at 7:05 p.m. and be televised live on Metro Sports.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 1140/1160 AM (Steven Davis - p-b-p; Steven St. John - color)
Television: Metro Sports (Neil Harwell - p-b-p; Doug Elstun - color)
Web: Roo Vision (UMKCKangaroos.com)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
LAST TIME OUT
The 'Roos dropped a heartbreaking 65-64 decision to IUPUI on Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium. UMKC led by 11 points with 12:45 to go in the game, but the Jaguars held the 'Roos to just 10 points for the remainder of the contest, as they came from behind to claim the one-point victory. Three UMKC players finished in double digits with Jay Couisnard pacing the squad with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting.
THE COACHES
Head Coach Matt Brown is in his third season with the UMKC men's basketball program, where he has compiled an 27-55 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.
Saul Phillips is in his third season as the head coach of the North Dakota State men's basketball program, where he has guided the Bison to a 48-32 overall record. Last season, Phillips led NDSU to a 26-7 record and NCAA Tournament berth before bowing out to Kansas in the first round.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE
The Bison enter Tuesday's game with a 6-12 overall and a 3-5 Summit League record after dropping a pair of home contests to Oakland and IPFW last weekend at the Bison Sports Complex. Overall, NDSU has lost seven of its last nine game after starting the season with a 4-4 record.
Three North Dakota State players are averaging in double digits on the year with forward Eric Carlson leading the way with 15.6 points on 47 percent shooting. Carlson is also the team's top rebounder, pulling in 7.2 caroms per contest. Forward Michael Tveidt and guard Josh Vaughan average 15.4 and 14.7 points, respectively, while also averaging 5.7 boards. Vaughan is the team's top long range threat with 43 treys, while also pacing the squad with 77 assists.
The Bison shoot .436 from the floor and .335 from long range en route to scoring 71.8 points per game. NDSU does a good job on the glass, as it has a +3.3 rebounding margin, and it also averages 14.5 assists per game, which are the second most in the league.
NDSU GAME NOTES
• Tuesday's game will be the first of three road games in five days for NDSU. The Bison and 'Roos, meanwhile, will meet for a second time in just nine days (Feb. 4) in Fargo.
• Carlson, Tveidt and Vaughan have started all 18 games this season for the Bison. All three players rank among the top-10 in the league in scoring.
• NDSU is 2-6 away from Fargo this season with victories at UC Davis and at Western Illinois.
• The Bison surrender 74.1 points per contest, which is the second most per game in The Summit League this season.
THE SERIES
Tuesday's meeting will be the seventh in the all-time series between UMKC and NDSU with the Bison holding the 5-1 advantage. The 'Roos won the first ever meeting, winning 80-67 in Kansas City on Jan. 10, 2005, but the Bison have won the last five match-ups, including a 65-60 overtime win at Municipal Auditorium last season.
'ROO TIDBITS
• UMKC is 3-1 in games played at the Swinney Recreation Center this season. The squad is shooting .495 from the floor, .377 from long range and .663 from the charity stripe en route to averaging 75.2 points per game.
• Jay Couisnard has played 78-of-80 minutes over the past two games. The forward played all 40 minutes for in the win over WIU.
• In league games, UMKC is third with 50 three-point field goals, while NDSU is last with 32 long balls.
• UMKC limited Western Illinois to a .373 field goal percentage on Jan. 21. The mark was the lowest shooting percentage for a Division I opponent this season.
• Sophomore Trey McKinney-Jones is fifth in The Summit League in field goal percentage at .526 (71-135). He is one of just three guards among the top-10 in the category.
• UMKC has either won or been even on the boards in each of the last three games. The 'Roos are 6-1 this season when they out rebound their opponents.
• UMKC has committed fewer than 10 turnovers in four contests on the season.
• The X factor? UMKC is 7-3 this season when junior Spencer Johnson reaches double figures.
• UMKC is leading the league in turnover margin (+2.5). The squad is also third in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0), fifth in steals (6.5) and fifth in assists (12.3) per game.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has moved into the top-15 in UMKC history in career rebounding, ranking 13th with 362 caroms. He also ranks 27th in the record books in career scoring with 566 points.
• Freshman Kirk Korver has made two or more three pointers in five games on the season. The 'Roos are 3-2 in such contests.
• Foul trouble has been consistently plaguing junior Jay Couisnard, as the forward has had four or more fouls in 11 games with four disqualifications.
• The 'Roos are 6-1 on the year when attempting more free throws than its opposition with its lone loss coming at IPFW on Jan. 16.
• Junior Bakari Lewis has four or more assists in five of the last six games to give him a team-high 48 assists on the year.
• The 'Roos are shooting .447 from the floor and .362 from long range at home and .426 from the field and .325 from long range on the road.
• In five games at Municipal, UMKC is shooting .407 from the floor, .350 from long range and .707 from the charity stripe. In contrast, the opposition is shooting .435 from the field, .321 from three-point land and .725 from the free throw stripe.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has made 42 consecutive starts and has started 49 of the last 50 contests.
• UMKC's reserves average 18.4 points per game.
KNOCKIN' 'EM DOWN FROM LONG RANGE
Over the past four games, UMKC has made a total of 33 three-pointers or 8.25 per game. In contrast, it took the 'Roos the previous seven contests to make the same number of long balls. At Oakland on Jan. 14, the 'Roos made 10 long balls, which were the most for the squad in more than a calendar year, as it hadn't made 10 three pointers since Dec. 31, 2008, at IUPUI.
The 'Roos have made eight or more long balls in three of the last four games to give them a total of six games with eight or more treys this season. The squad is 4-2 in such contests.
'ROOS TALLY NINTH WIN; THIRD LEAGUE VICTORY
UMKC secured its ninth victory of the season by beating Western Illinois on Jan. 21. The victory was the team's third Summit League win on the year, which matches last season's total. The 'Roos have already surpassed last season's overall win (7) and road win totals (3).
COOZY NOTCHES THIRD 20-POINT GAME
Junior Jay Couisnard notched his third 20-point game of the season when he finished with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting in the tight one point loss to IUPUI. The forward also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, which tied a career-high. Additionally, the 10 field goals were a career-best for the junior and a team-high for the 'Roos this season.
Couisnard has been UMKC's most consistent scorer, as he's reached double figures in a team-best 15 games. The forward has been the team's leading scorer in 10 games and he's surpassed the 15-point mark in six contests. His career-best performance came in his return to his hometown of Houston, when he netted 24 points in the win at Houston Baptist.
On the year, Couisnard is pacing the team and ranks 13th in The Summit League with a 13.1 points per game average, while shooting .417 from the floor and .385 from long range. He also leads the team in free throw makes (60) and attempts (94).
JUST TREY-MENDOUS
Sophomore guard Trey McKinney-Jones has shot 70 percent or better from the floor in five games and 50 percent or better in 12 contests. The guard made 8-of-9 shots in the win at Centenary on Dec. 5 as the 88.9 percentage is the high mark for a 'Roo player this season. Overall, McKinney-Jones ranks fifth in the league with a .526 shooting clip, and he has the highest field goal percentage among guards in the league.
ANOTHER D-D FOR SPENCER
Junior Spencer Johnson tallied his second double-double in three games when he finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Western Illinois Jan. 21. The performance was Johnson's second double-double of the season and the seventh of his career.
The forward's first double-double came at Oakland on Jan. 14, when he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. In the contest, he connected on 4-of-6 three-point attempts.
Johnson, who has scored in double digits in 10 games, is fourth on the team with a 9.4 scoring average, while shooting .434 from the floor and .364 from long range, while tying for the team-high 20 long balls. He also is pacing the team in rebounding, pulling in 5.8 caroms per game.
BALANCED SCORING
The 'Roos have five players averaging at least 8.8 points per game this season and a total of three players in double figures. UMKC is 5-1 on the year when it has four or more players finish in double digits. The team's lone loss came at home vs. South Dakota State on Jan. 7.
THE 'ROOS ARE...
• 7-2 when leading at the half.
• 6-1 when scoring at least 70 points.
• 6-1 when out rebounding their opponent.
• 5-0 when opponent scores fewer than 60 points.
TMJ STRONG IN DECEMBER
Sophomore Trey McKinney-Jones enjoyed a breakout month in December for the 'Roos. The guard reached double digits in 6-of-8 games in the month, and he established two career highs. Overall, the Wisconsin native averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 rebounds on .563 shooting and a .500 clip from long range. He also made 28-of-33 free throws during the eight contests.
On the year, McKinney-Jones has scored in double figures in 11 games and he's averaging 10.6 points, which is third best on the team, with a .526 field goal percentage. The guard has a team-high seven games with 15 or more points and he's shot better than 70 percent from the floor in six contests.
MUSHATT SOLID IN BLUE AND GOLD
Sophomore LaTreze Mushatt has provided the 'Roos with a steady scoring option this season, as the forward has reached double figures in 12 contests on the year. In the road win at Centenary on Dec. 5, the Michigan native tallied his first career double-double, as he finished with 17 points and 10 boards.
Mushatt is averaging 10.9 points, while shooting .466 from the floor. He is also second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game, while also dishing out 37 assists, which are the third most on the team.
The UMKC men's basketball team will close out its season long three-game home stand with a Tuesday night match-up against North Dakota State at the Swinney Recreation Center. The game, which will be the final game on campus for the 'Roos this season, will begin at 7:05 p.m. and be televised live on Metro Sports.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 1140/1160 AM (Steven Davis - p-b-p; Steven St. John - color)
Television: Metro Sports (Neil Harwell - p-b-p; Doug Elstun - color)
Web: Roo Vision (UMKCKangaroos.com)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
LAST TIME OUT
The 'Roos dropped a heartbreaking 65-64 decision to IUPUI on Saturday night at Municipal Auditorium. UMKC led by 11 points with 12:45 to go in the game, but the Jaguars held the 'Roos to just 10 points for the remainder of the contest, as they came from behind to claim the one-point victory. Three UMKC players finished in double digits with Jay Couisnard pacing the squad with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting.
THE COACHES
Head Coach Matt Brown is in his third season with the UMKC men's basketball program, where he has compiled an 27-55 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.
Saul Phillips is in his third season as the head coach of the North Dakota State men's basketball program, where he has guided the Bison to a 48-32 overall record. Last season, Phillips led NDSU to a 26-7 record and NCAA Tournament berth before bowing out to Kansas in the first round.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA STATE
The Bison enter Tuesday's game with a 6-12 overall and a 3-5 Summit League record after dropping a pair of home contests to Oakland and IPFW last weekend at the Bison Sports Complex. Overall, NDSU has lost seven of its last nine game after starting the season with a 4-4 record.
Three North Dakota State players are averaging in double digits on the year with forward Eric Carlson leading the way with 15.6 points on 47 percent shooting. Carlson is also the team's top rebounder, pulling in 7.2 caroms per contest. Forward Michael Tveidt and guard Josh Vaughan average 15.4 and 14.7 points, respectively, while also averaging 5.7 boards. Vaughan is the team's top long range threat with 43 treys, while also pacing the squad with 77 assists.
The Bison shoot .436 from the floor and .335 from long range en route to scoring 71.8 points per game. NDSU does a good job on the glass, as it has a +3.3 rebounding margin, and it also averages 14.5 assists per game, which are the second most in the league.
NDSU GAME NOTES
• Tuesday's game will be the first of three road games in five days for NDSU. The Bison and 'Roos, meanwhile, will meet for a second time in just nine days (Feb. 4) in Fargo.
• Carlson, Tveidt and Vaughan have started all 18 games this season for the Bison. All three players rank among the top-10 in the league in scoring.
• NDSU is 2-6 away from Fargo this season with victories at UC Davis and at Western Illinois.
• The Bison surrender 74.1 points per contest, which is the second most per game in The Summit League this season.
THE SERIES
Tuesday's meeting will be the seventh in the all-time series between UMKC and NDSU with the Bison holding the 5-1 advantage. The 'Roos won the first ever meeting, winning 80-67 in Kansas City on Jan. 10, 2005, but the Bison have won the last five match-ups, including a 65-60 overtime win at Municipal Auditorium last season.
'ROO TIDBITS
• UMKC is 3-1 in games played at the Swinney Recreation Center this season. The squad is shooting .495 from the floor, .377 from long range and .663 from the charity stripe en route to averaging 75.2 points per game.
• Jay Couisnard has played 78-of-80 minutes over the past two games. The forward played all 40 minutes for in the win over WIU.
• In league games, UMKC is third with 50 three-point field goals, while NDSU is last with 32 long balls.
• UMKC limited Western Illinois to a .373 field goal percentage on Jan. 21. The mark was the lowest shooting percentage for a Division I opponent this season.
• Sophomore Trey McKinney-Jones is fifth in The Summit League in field goal percentage at .526 (71-135). He is one of just three guards among the top-10 in the category.
• UMKC has either won or been even on the boards in each of the last three games. The 'Roos are 6-1 this season when they out rebound their opponents.
• UMKC has committed fewer than 10 turnovers in four contests on the season.
• The X factor? UMKC is 7-3 this season when junior Spencer Johnson reaches double figures.
• UMKC is leading the league in turnover margin (+2.5). The squad is also third in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0), fifth in steals (6.5) and fifth in assists (12.3) per game.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has moved into the top-15 in UMKC history in career rebounding, ranking 13th with 362 caroms. He also ranks 27th in the record books in career scoring with 566 points.
• Freshman Kirk Korver has made two or more three pointers in five games on the season. The 'Roos are 3-2 in such contests.
• Foul trouble has been consistently plaguing junior Jay Couisnard, as the forward has had four or more fouls in 11 games with four disqualifications.
• The 'Roos are 6-1 on the year when attempting more free throws than its opposition with its lone loss coming at IPFW on Jan. 16.
• Junior Bakari Lewis has four or more assists in five of the last six games to give him a team-high 48 assists on the year.
• The 'Roos are shooting .447 from the floor and .362 from long range at home and .426 from the field and .325 from long range on the road.
• In five games at Municipal, UMKC is shooting .407 from the floor, .350 from long range and .707 from the charity stripe. In contrast, the opposition is shooting .435 from the field, .321 from three-point land and .725 from the free throw stripe.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has made 42 consecutive starts and has started 49 of the last 50 contests.
• UMKC's reserves average 18.4 points per game.
KNOCKIN' 'EM DOWN FROM LONG RANGE
Over the past four games, UMKC has made a total of 33 three-pointers or 8.25 per game. In contrast, it took the 'Roos the previous seven contests to make the same number of long balls. At Oakland on Jan. 14, the 'Roos made 10 long balls, which were the most for the squad in more than a calendar year, as it hadn't made 10 three pointers since Dec. 31, 2008, at IUPUI.
The 'Roos have made eight or more long balls in three of the last four games to give them a total of six games with eight or more treys this season. The squad is 4-2 in such contests.
'ROOS TALLY NINTH WIN; THIRD LEAGUE VICTORY
UMKC secured its ninth victory of the season by beating Western Illinois on Jan. 21. The victory was the team's third Summit League win on the year, which matches last season's total. The 'Roos have already surpassed last season's overall win (7) and road win totals (3).
COOZY NOTCHES THIRD 20-POINT GAME
Junior Jay Couisnard notched his third 20-point game of the season when he finished with 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting in the tight one point loss to IUPUI. The forward also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, which tied a career-high. Additionally, the 10 field goals were a career-best for the junior and a team-high for the 'Roos this season.
Couisnard has been UMKC's most consistent scorer, as he's reached double figures in a team-best 15 games. The forward has been the team's leading scorer in 10 games and he's surpassed the 15-point mark in six contests. His career-best performance came in his return to his hometown of Houston, when he netted 24 points in the win at Houston Baptist.
On the year, Couisnard is pacing the team and ranks 13th in The Summit League with a 13.1 points per game average, while shooting .417 from the floor and .385 from long range. He also leads the team in free throw makes (60) and attempts (94).
JUST TREY-MENDOUS
Sophomore guard Trey McKinney-Jones has shot 70 percent or better from the floor in five games and 50 percent or better in 12 contests. The guard made 8-of-9 shots in the win at Centenary on Dec. 5 as the 88.9 percentage is the high mark for a 'Roo player this season. Overall, McKinney-Jones ranks fifth in the league with a .526 shooting clip, and he has the highest field goal percentage among guards in the league.
ANOTHER D-D FOR SPENCER
Junior Spencer Johnson tallied his second double-double in three games when he finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Western Illinois Jan. 21. The performance was Johnson's second double-double of the season and the seventh of his career.
The forward's first double-double came at Oakland on Jan. 14, when he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. In the contest, he connected on 4-of-6 three-point attempts.
Johnson, who has scored in double digits in 10 games, is fourth on the team with a 9.4 scoring average, while shooting .434 from the floor and .364 from long range, while tying for the team-high 20 long balls. He also is pacing the team in rebounding, pulling in 5.8 caroms per game.
BALANCED SCORING
The 'Roos have five players averaging at least 8.8 points per game this season and a total of three players in double figures. UMKC is 5-1 on the year when it has four or more players finish in double digits. The team's lone loss came at home vs. South Dakota State on Jan. 7.
THE 'ROOS ARE...
• 7-2 when leading at the half.
• 6-1 when scoring at least 70 points.
• 6-1 when out rebounding their opponent.
• 5-0 when opponent scores fewer than 60 points.
TMJ STRONG IN DECEMBER
Sophomore Trey McKinney-Jones enjoyed a breakout month in December for the 'Roos. The guard reached double digits in 6-of-8 games in the month, and he established two career highs. Overall, the Wisconsin native averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 rebounds on .563 shooting and a .500 clip from long range. He also made 28-of-33 free throws during the eight contests.
On the year, McKinney-Jones has scored in double figures in 11 games and he's averaging 10.6 points, which is third best on the team, with a .526 field goal percentage. The guard has a team-high seven games with 15 or more points and he's shot better than 70 percent from the floor in six contests.
MUSHATT SOLID IN BLUE AND GOLD
Sophomore LaTreze Mushatt has provided the 'Roos with a steady scoring option this season, as the forward has reached double figures in 12 contests on the year. In the road win at Centenary on Dec. 5, the Michigan native tallied his first career double-double, as he finished with 17 points and 10 boards.
Mushatt is averaging 10.9 points, while shooting .466 from the floor. He is also second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game, while also dishing out 37 assists, which are the third most on the team.
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