Kangaroos To Face Big Test on National TV at Creighton Monday
11/10/2013 4:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kansas City 'Roos (0-1) at Creighton Bluejays (1-0)
Date / Time: November 11, 2013 - 7:00 p.m. CST
Site: Omaha, Neb. / CenturyLink Center (17,390)
TV: Fox Sports 1
Talent: Kevin Kugler (p-b-p), Kevin O'Neill (analyst)
Radio: 810 AM
Talent: Steven Davis (p-b-p)
Webcast: None
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (via CU)
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos #WACHoops
Series: UMKC trails 7-3
Home: 3-2
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: CU won 79-58 on 11/18/98 in KC
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
THE GAME
Notables: The 'Roos face their stiffest competition yet on Monday night against Creighton on national television. UMKC looks to rebound from its season opening loss, while the Bluejays, who are receiving votes in the week's top 25 poll, handled Alcorn State 107-61.
QUICK NOTES
- Kansas City is beginning a four-game road swing on Monday at Creighton, the longest regular season road stretch for the 'Roos since playing six in a row away from home in Nov./Dec. of 2011.
- The 'Roos set a school record with 53 free throw attempts on Friday vs. Emporia State, breaking the mark of 52 from January 8, 1990 against Tennessee State.
- UMKC also tallied 14 steals against ESU, the most for a UMKC team since the season opener in 2009 against Truman State.
- Kansas City announced February 7, 2013 that it would be going to the WAC. This will be the first regular season game as a member of the new conference after 19 years in the Summit League.
- UMKC hired new head coach Kareem Richardson on March 19, 2013. He helped Louisville win the National Championship last season as an assistant under Rick Pitino.
- The 'Roos have been hit hard by the injury bug, with Kirk Korver, Mason Wedel, and Juan Ramon Rivas not playing yet this season. Also Jacobby Bledsoe has yet to play, waiting on eligibility clearance from the WAC and NCAA.
- The 'Roos return four players that started a large amount of games last season, along with eight letterwinners coming back.
- The eight returnees make up 47 percent of the scoring from last season's team.
- There are seven players on the roster from the Kansas City area, more than any UMKC team in the Division I era.
- This year's roster also feature nine newcomers, six of which are freshmen. There are three transfers, two of which have to sit out this season due to Division I transfer rules.
- Kansas City's roster may feature a large amount of young players, but it also has six seniors.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Creighton is receiving votes in the top 25 and comes in at 1-0 after a 107-61 trouncing of Alcorn State on Friday. The Blujays return four starters to the lineup of a team that went 28-8 and won the Missouri Valley. This is their first season in the Big East.
They are led by two-time All-American Doug McDermott, a 6-8 forward that averaged 23 points and nearly eight boards a game last season. Also returning is point guard Grant Gibbs, who led the Missouri Valley in assists a year ago. Five players scored in double figures on Friday, led by 20 from McDermott.
The team made it to the round of 32 last season in the NCAA Tournament.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his first season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 0-1 record. He was named the sixth coach in the Division I era on March 19, 2013 after helping Louisville to a National Championship last season as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.
He brings 13 years of Division I coaching experience to the fold, as well as four years playing at the Division I level, graduating from Evansville in 1997.
Greg McDermott is in his fourth season at the helm of the Bluejays, posting an 81-30 record there. In his head coaching career, he has posted a 361-225 overall mark. He graduated from Northern Iowa in 1988.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos are 3-7 against the Bluejays all-time, with a 0-5 mark in Omaha and a 3-2 record in Kansas City. The last meeting came on 11/18/98 in Kansas City, with CU winning by a 79-58 margin.
The last win for UMKC in the series came on December 28, 1995 by a 72-70 score in overtime. The Bluejays have a current three-game winning streak in the series.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- Kansas City would snapped a three-game skid to Creighton.
- The 'Roos would have won for the first time ever on the road against the Bluejays.
- UMKC would have the first win in the career of head coach Kareem Richardson.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will stay in Omaha for a contest against Nebraska-Omaha a former foe in the Summit League. They face the Mavericks on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at Ralston Arena.
The 'Roos are 1-2 against UNO, with the Mavericks winning the last two meetings, both last season. The 'Roos only win in the series came on 11/16/11 in non-conference play at home by a 77-74 margin.
