UMKC Faces Oakland to Begin Final Home Weekend, Courtwarming
2/22/2012 8:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
February 23, 2012 - 7:05 p.m. (Central)
Swinney Recreation Center * Kansas City, Mo.
Radio: 810 AM (Steven Davis, Steven St. John)
Promotions: Courtwarming, Free Sunglasses Giveaway, Photo Booth
THE GAME
The Kangaroos are at home for the final weekend of regular season play, starting with a contest against Oakland on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The 'Roos have lost their last three games overall, while OU comes in having won its last three league games before losing the BracketBuster to Illinois State.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Oakland comes into the weekend with a 15-14 overall mark, and is 9-7 in conference play. The Grizzlies are battling to get the No. 3 seed in the league tournament, and have won their last three SL games.
They are led by senior guard Reggie Hamilton, who is the nation's top scorer with 25.1 points per game, along with 5.0 assists to go with 59 steals and a conference best free throw percentage of .894. Travis Bader is putting up 15.4 points per outing, and has drilled a league-best 95 threes.
The Grizzlies are the highest scoring team in the league with 79.0 points per game, but also rank last in defense, allowing 79.1 per contest. OU also ranks second in the league in offensive boards, and first in threes made per game at 8.8.
THE COACHES
Matt Brown is in his fifth season as the head coach of the UMKC men's basketball program, and comes off his most successful season at the helm. In 2010-11, he posted his first winning record at 16-14 overall. The 'Roos also posted the third-most home wins in school history, going 11-4 in Kansas City, and the third-most overall wins in program history.
Brown joined the 'Roos as the eighth head coach in school history on April 12, 2007. In his five seasons as head coach, Brown has guided UMKC to a 52-96 overall record and has coached seven players to all-Summit League recognition.
Greg Kampe is in his 28th season as the head coach at Oakland, and has a 485-347 overall record. He has been named Summit League Coach of the Year five times, and is currently the fifth longest tenured coach in Division I. He has led Oakland to league titles in each of the past two seasons.
THE SERIES
The Kangaroos and Grizzlies are meeting for the 31st time with Oakland holding a 24-6 advantage. The Grizzlies have won the last 11 meetings in the series, with the 'Roos last win coming on Feb. 15, 2007 by an 80-76 score in overtime.
UMKC is 4-9 in Kansas City against OU, losing four in a row, last winning on Feb. 15, 2007 (80-76, OT).
Matt Brown has a 0-10 mark against Oakland, while Greg Kampe has a 24-6 mark vs. UMKC.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- UMKC would have snapped a three-game skid overall, and improve its home record to 7-6.
- UMKC would have defeated the Grizzlies for the first time in the last 11 meetings, and the first time ever under Matt Brown.
- UMKC would improve its chances of making the Summit League Tournament, with a huge game looming on Saturday against IPFW.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
- In the single season books, Reggie Chamberlain is now seventh with 91 threes. He needs two to move into fifth, and six to move into fourth.
- Chamberlain now has 146 career threes and needs eight more to take sole possession of seventh. His current 3.1 made per game is third all-time at UMKC, while his percentage of .449 would be first.
- Chamberlain is now 14th on the all-time scoring list at UMKC (started the season 49th). He has 851 points now, and is the 14th player to reach 800 pts at UMKC. He needs 23 points to pass Nick Richmond in 13th.
- Dustin Dibble will be playing in his 109th career college basketball game on Wednesday, and moving into a tie for ninth at UMKC.
REGGIE'S WAY
Senior guard Reggie Chamberlain has scored 10+ 26 times in 29 games, and is currently on a 16-game streak. He has 11, 20+ point games, and had six consecutive 20+ point games at one point during the year, but had the streak snapped against Canisius.
He has 16 career 20+ point games. He returned this season as the leading scorer at 11.6 points per game. He is also the only 'Roo to earn preseason honors, as College Sports Madness named him a second-team All-Summit League pick.
He leads the team and ranks seventh in the league with 17.4 points per game, and has hit 91 threes this season (3.1 per game, second in SL). He has scored 15+ 20 times this year as well. He is currently second in the league in free throw percentage at .867, and first in three-point shooting at .484. His three-point percentage also ranks No. 3 in the nation.
POSTSEASON HOPES
UMKC comes into the week in a tie for eighth in the league standings with IPFW and South Dakota. USD is ineligible for the postseason, so the final spot is up for grabs between UMKC and IPFW.
The 'Roos can guarantee a spot in the postseason two ways, go 2-0 on Thursday and Saturday, or go 1-1 with the win coming vs. IPFW.
