Kangaroos Face Nationally Ranked Cyclones Monday Night
11/24/2013 3:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UMKC KangaRoos (1-3) at No. 21 Iowa St. Cyclones (4-0)
Date / Time: November 25, 2013 - 7:06 p.m. CST
Site: Ames, Iowa / Hilton Coliseum (14,376)
TV: None
Talent: N/A
Radio: 102.9 FM / 1140 AM (Changed)
Talent: Steven Davis (p-b-p), Steven St. John (analyst)
Webcast: UMKCKangaroos.com (Subscribers)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (via ISU)
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos #WACHoops
Series: ISU leads 1-0
Home: 0-1
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: Iowa State won 76-61 in KC, 12/19/12
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
THE GAME
The 'Roos head to Ames looking to finish a four-game road swing against Iowa State Monday. Kansas City comes off its first win under new head coach Kareem Richardson, while the Cyclones have started the year 4-0 and are ranked No. 17 in the country.
QUICK NOTES
- UMKC has forced 67 turnovers from opponents this season, an average of 16.8 per game. Its average of 11.8 steals per game leads the WAC.
- Trinity Hall has recorded a career-high 11 rebounds twice this season so far.
- Fred Chatmon has put up back to back 20+ point games for the first time in his career. He had his fifth career double-double against UT-Martin with 20 points and 12 boards. He also made 9-of-12 from the field (.750), the highest percentage in the WAC this season.
- Chatmon tallied 23 points and nine rebounds vs. Omaha the game before, setting a career-high for points. The 11 made field goals is the highest in the WAC this year.
- Kansas City began a four-game road swing last 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.
- Kansas City announced February 7, 2013 that it would be going to the WAC. This is the first season 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.
- 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.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Iowa State comes into Monday's game ranked No. 17 in the nation and are 4-0 on the season. The Cyclones defeated then No. 7 Michigan at home last week, while winning their first road game of the season at BYU on Wednesday.
They are led by five players averaging double-figure points a contest, including 21.5 from Melvin Ejim. DeAndre Kane averages 15.5 to go with five assists per game, while Georges Niang is at 14.3 points and five assists a contest. Kane also pulls down 8.5 boards per game, while Dustin Hogue is grabbing 9.3 per outing to lead the team.
As a team the Cyclones are putting up 85.5 points per game, and have out-rebounded their competition by more than five a game. They also shoot 51 percent from the floor. Defensively, they hold opponents to 36 percent shooting, and 67.5 points.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his first season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 1-3 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.
Fred Hoiberg is in his fourth season with Iowa State, posting a 66-39 record there. He has led his alma mater to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos are 0-1 against the Cyclones after a 76-61 loss at home last season. UMKC will play for the first time at Hilton Coliseum on Monday night.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- Kansas City would have defeated a nationally ranked opponent for the first time in school history.
- The 'Roos would have defeated a team from the Big 12 for the first time since knocking off Kansas State 93-52 on 12/30/03.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will come back home for a contest against Milwaukee on Saturday at Municipal Auditorium for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff.
The 'Roos are 5-4 all-time against the Panthers, but have not played them since 11/27/99 in a 70-68 loss at home. The 'Roos are 3-2 at home in the series.
NATIONALLY RANKED OPPONENTS
The 'Roos are 0-17 all-time against ranked opponents, dropping decisions to three of them last season in Ohio State, Louisville, and Kansas State.
