'Roos Begin Final Road Swing At IUPUI On Thursday
2/17/2010 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
THE SETTING
The UMKC men's basketball team will hit the road for its final trip of the regular season beginning with a Thursday night tilt at IUPUI. The game between the Jaguars and 'Roos will be played at The Jungle (IUPUI Gymnasium) in Indianapolis beginning at 6 p.m. (CT). IUPUI is in second place in The Summit League with an 11-3 record, while UMKC is seventh with a 5-9 mark.
ON THE AIR
Radio: 810 AM WHB (Steven Davis - p-b-p; Nick McCabe - color)
Television: None
Web: Summit TV or IUPUIJags.com
Live Stats: IUPUIJags.com
LAST TIME OUT
The Kangaroos dropped an 83-71 home contest to Oakland on Feb. 13 at Municipal Auditorium. The Golden Grizzlies shot a blistering 63 percent (29-46) from the floor and 52.9 percent (9-17) from long range en route to the 12-point victory. Three UMKC players finished in double figures with Trey McKinney-Jones and LaTreze Mushatt going for career-highs with 22 and 21 points, respectively.
THE COACHES
Head Coach Matt Brown is in his third season with the UMKC men's basketball program, where he has compiled an 29-59 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 Hunter is in his 16th season as the head coach of the IUPUI men's basketball program, where he has compiled a 267-203 overall record. Hunter, who is the all-time winningest coach in Jaguar history, has twice been named the Coach of the Year.
UMKC-IUPUI - FIRST MEETING - JAN. 23, 2010
The 'Roos dropped a heartbreaking 65-64 decision to IUPUI on Jan. 23 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. A duo of IUPUI players reached double figures with Robert Glenn leading the way with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
SCOUTING IUPUI
The Jaguars bring an 18-9 overall and a 11-3 Summit League record into Thursday's game. IUPUI enters the contest having dropped two-of-four contests with the two losses coming by a combined three points.
The Jaguars have three players averaging in double digits on the season. Forward Robert Glenn is pacing the squad with 19.1 points on .588 shooting to go along with a team-best 6.5 boards and 35 blocks. Guard Alex Young is second on the squad with 18.0 points with a .472 field goal percentage and a .404 clip from long range. Young has a team-high 61 three-point field goals. Fellow guard Leroy Nobles adds 13.0 points per outing, while shooting .445 from the floor and .430 from three-point land.
IUPUI shoots nearly 50 percent (.499) from the floor and .401 from long range en route to averaging 74.0 points per game, which ranks third in the league. The squad averages a league-best 15.6 assists per game, while holding a +2.1 margin on the glass.
IUPUI GAME NOTES
• The Jaguars are 9-2 at home this season, but the squad is a perfect 7-0 at The Jungle. IUPUI's two home losses - vs. Ohio and IPFW - both came in games played at Conseco Fieldhouse.
• IUPUI's Robert Glenn collected his fifth Summit League Player of the Week honor of the season on Feb. 15 after averaging 25.5 points for the Jaguars last week.
• Robert Glenn (19.1) and Alex Young (18.0) are one-two in The Summit League in scoring this season. Jon Avery (.605) and Glenn (.588), meanwhile, are one-two in the league in field goal percentage.
THE SERIES
Thursday's game will be the 26th meeting in the all-time series between UMKC and IUPUI with the Jaguars holding the 16-9 advantage. IUPUI has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the two squads, including six straight. The 'Roos' last win came on Feb. 17, 2007, in Kansas City.
'ROO TIDBITS
• Junior Jay Couisnard made 10-of-13 free throws in the victory over IPFW on Feb. 11. When Couisnard gets to the free throw stripe eight or more times in a game, the 'Roos are 7-2.
• UMKC finished with more offensive (14) than defensive (13) rebounds in the loss to Oakland. It is the second time this has happened this season, as it also occurred in the road win at Centenary on Dec. 5.
• UMKC forced 21 turnovers against the Golden Grizzlies, which were the most forced TOs for the squad in 11 games. It was also the sixth time forcing 20 or more turnovers this season. The squad is 4-2 in such games.
• Oakland shot 63 percent from the floor and .529 from long range against UMKC. The 63 percent field goal percentage was a season-high for a UMKC opponent.
• Bakari Lewis reached double digits for the first time in six games against IPFW, finishing with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting. It was the guard's ninth game in double figures this season.
• UMKC limited IPFW to a .293 field goal percentage on Feb. 11, which is a low for a Division I opponent this season.
• The nine-point win over IPFW was UMKC's largest margin of victory in league play this season. All the other wins were decided by four points or fewer.
• The 'Roos out rebounded IPFW, 42-28. The +14 rebounding margin was the largest for the squad this season and the fourth double-digit margin on the year. The 42 rebounds were also a season-high.
• Four players reached double digits in scoring in the win over IPFW. The 'Roos are 6-1 on the year when four or more players reach double figures.
• Sophomores Trey McKinney-Jones and LaTreze Mushatt tallied career-highs in points in the loss to Oakland. McKinney-Jones finished with 22 points, while Mushatt netted 21. It was the first time this season that a pair of players netted 20 or more points in the same game and the first time since Dec. 4, 2008, against Oakland for the 'Roos to accomplish this feat.
• Junior Spencer Johnson is tied for 10th in school history with 400 career rebounds. Johnson also ranks 26th in the record books in career scoring with 591 points.
• Sophomore Dustin Dibble has not played nor dressed during the last four games after suffering a concussion in a practice on Feb. 2.
• Junior Bakari Lewis has four or more assists in seven of the last 12 games to give him a team-high 66 assists on the year. In league games, Lewis is tied for fifth with 49 assists (3.5 p/game) and he's second in the league with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Trey McKinney-Jones is seventh in The Summit League in field goal percentage at .484 (92-190). He is one of just three guards among the top-10 in the category.
• The X factor? UMKC is 8-3 this season when junior Spencer Johnson reaches double figures.
• Freshman Kirk Korver has made two or more three pointers in eight games on the season and he is leading the team with 24 long balls. The total is the 10th most by a freshman in school history.
• Foul trouble has been consistently plaguing junior Jay Couisnard, as the forward has had four or more fouls in 15 games with seven disqualifications.
• The 'Roos are 8-2 on the year when attempting more free throws than its opposition.
• In wins, UMKC is averaging 72.0 points on .449 shooting from the floor and .354 from long range in victories. The squad has also shot 77 more free throws than its opponent. The opposition, meanwhile, shoots .417 from the field, .358 from distance and averages 16.7 turnovers per game.
• In losses, the 'Roos average 61.5 points with a .410 field goal percentage and a .338 mark from three-point land. The opposition, meanwhile, shoots .504 from the floor, .373 from long range and has attempted 119 more free throws than UMKC.
• The 'Roos are shooting .442 from the floor and .357 from long range at home and .412 from the field and .333 from long range on the road.
• In seven games at Municipal, UMKC is shooting .408 from the floor, .342 from long range and .700 from the charity stripe. In contrast, the opposition is shooting .437 from the field, .342 from three-point land and .745 from the free throw stripe.
• Junior Spencer Johnson has made 48 consecutive starts and has started 55 of the last 56 contests.
• UMKC's reserves average 18.3 points per game.
TWICE AS NICE
The 'Roos had two players - Jay Couisnard (20 pts./10 reb.) and Spencer Johnson (10 pts./11 reb.) - tally double-doubles in the 65-56 victory over IPFW on Feb. 11. It was the first time that two players recorded a double-double in the same game since Dec. 4, 2008, when Dane Brumagin (29 pts./10 reb.) and Spencer Johnson (20 pts./13 reb.) accomplished the feat against Oakland.
ROCKMANN TO MAKE HIS 'ROO DEBUT ON THURSDAY
Freshman Max Rockmann will be eligible to make his long awaited UMKC debut on Feb. 18 at IUPUI. The forward had to sit out the first 25 games of the season due to transfer regulations and NCAA rules regarding amateurism. The Germany native came to UMKC after playing for the Alba Berlin 2 team last season.
ON A TEAR
Junior Jay Couisnard has been on a tear for the 'Roos over the past eight contests. The forward has reached double figures in all eight games, where he is pacing the team with a 17.4 per game average, while shooting .495 (48-97) from the floor and .783 (36-46) from the free throw stripe. During the stretch, Couisnard tallied his first and second career double-doubles, finishing with 18 points and 13 rebounds at North Dakota State and 20 points and 10 boards against IPFW. Additionally, he scored 20 or more points in three games and 18 or more in five contests during the stretch. Couisnard has also picked up his productivity on the glass, pulling down 6.8 caroms per game.
'ROOS WIN 11TH GAME
UMKC secured its 11th victory of the season with its 65-56 win over IPFW on Feb. 11 at Municipal Auditorium. The 11 wins match the program-high total during the Matt Brown era, as the squad went 11-21 in his inaugural season in 2006-07. This season, UMKC has made a great deal of improvement, as it has surpassed last season's overall (7), league (3) and road (3) win totals.
UMKC TOP WIN TOTALS - DIVISION I HISTORY
20 wins (once) - 1991-92 (later changed to 21 wins due to NCAA violation by UTPA)
18 wins (once) - 2001-02
16 wins (twice) - 1999-00, 2004-05
15 wins (three times) - 1990-91, 1992-93, 2003-04
14 wins (twice) - 2000-01, 2005-06
13 wins (once) - 1989-90
12 wins (three times) - 1993-94, 1995-96, 2006-07
11 wins (twice) - 2007-08, 2009-10 (four games + league tournament remaining)
INCHING TOWARDS THE SUMMIT
The 'Roos have been much more competitive in Summit League play this season, as the squad has posted five wins thus far, up from three a season ago. In the team's nine league losses, UMKC has either held or been tied for the lead in the second half in four contests, before ultimately falling. Seven of the team's league games have been decided by five points or less with the 'Roos being 4-3 in such contests.
UNDERSIZED JOHNSON CONTINUES BATTLING ON THE BOARDS
Junior Spencer Johnson finished with a season-high 11 boards in the win over IPFW on Feb. 11 to give him a double-digit rebound total in four contests on the year. Johnson has a total of 11 double-digit rebounding games in his Kangaroo career. The Illinois native is pacing the squad on the glass for the second straight year, pulling down a team-high 5.9 boards per game. Should Johnson continue to lead the squad on the glass, he will become the first player since Jimmy Keller (1997-99) to pace the team on the boards in consecutive seasons.
MUSHATT GOES FOR CAREER-HIGH AGAINST OAKLAND
Sophomore LaTreze Mushatt has reached double digits in scoring in each of the past two contests, which includes going off for a career-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting against Oakland on Feb. 13. The forward also grabbed a team-high eight boards in the contest, which was his ninth game leading the team on the glass this season.
On the year, Mushatt has provided the 'Roos with a steady scoring option, as he has reached double figures in 15 contests. 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 second on the team with 11.0 points per outing, while shooting .474 from the floor. He is also second on the team with 5.4 rebounds per game, while also dishing out 43 assists, which are tied for the fourth most on the team.
BACK-TO-BACK 20 SPOTS FOR COUISNARD
Junior Jay Couisnard scored 20 points in back-to-back games for the 'Roos at South Dakota State and against IPFW. They were the fourth and fifth 20-point contests for the forward this season.
Couisnard has been UMKC's most consistent scorer, as he's reached double figures in a team-best 21 games. The forward has been the team's leading scorer in four of the last five games and in 14 contests on the year. He has also surpassed the 15-point mark in 11 games. 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 11th in The Summit League with a 14.1 points per game average, while shooting .4267 from the floor and .365 from long range. He also leads the team in free throw makes (96) and attempts (140).
