'Roos Continue Road Swing, Face Red-Hot Jacks on Saturday
2/1/2013 5:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UMKC Head Coach: Matt Brown (Shippensburg, 1994)
Record at UMKC: 62-115* (6th year) Career Record: Same
SDSU Head Coach: Scott Nagy (Delta State, 1988)
Record at SDSU: 333-204 (18th year) Career Record: Same
Date / Time: February 2, 2013 - 4:05 p.m. CST
Site: Brookings, S.D. / Frost Arena (6,500)
TV: Fox College Sports (National)
Talent: Tom Nieman (p-b-p), Brad Newitt (analyst)
Radio: 102.9 FM/1140 AM
Talent: Steven Davis (p-b-p)
Webcast: UMKCKangaroos.com (UMKC Subscribers get free)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (via NDSU)
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos
Series: Kansas City trails 9-5
Home: 3-5
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: SDSU won 77-61 in Kansas City, 1/3/13
Brown vs. Opponent: 4-7
THE GAME
Notables: The 'Roos will face the hottest team in the league on Saturday when it heads to Brookings for a battle with South Dakota State. Kansas City has lost three in a row, while SDSU boasts a six-game win streak.
Kansas City Last 5: 1-4, last time out: lost at North Dakota State, 71-34
SDSU Last 5: 5-0, last time out: won vs. South Dakota, 67-54
QUICK NOTES
- Estan Tyler (.472) and Thomas Staton (.463) rank second and third in the league in three-point shooting, respectively, while Fred Chatmon's 7.6 rebounds per game this season rank third in the Summit League. Chatmon also ranks fourth in blocks (1.2 bpg) while Tyler is sixth in assists (3.1 apg).
- In the last five games, one player is averaging double-figure points, Estan Tyler (12.8). The 'Roos have allowed 50 percent shooting from opponents during the stretch.
- In the last game vs. NDSU, the 'Roos made 11 shots while turning it over 18 times.
- Kansas City scored 34 points vs. NDSU, its lowest point total ever in conference play. The 37 point margin of defeat was also the second biggest in a conference game.
- The 'Roos have allowed their last six conference opponents to shoot at least 48 percent from the floor.
- Brad Reid has started the last two games, and responded with a career night vs. Omaha, logging his first ever double-double with 12 points and a career-high 13 boards.
- Reid became the 10th different player on the team to have scored double figure points, and the ninth guy to lead the team in points for a contest.
- The 'Roos have lost nine in a row at home, four of which have been league games. In those games, UMKC is allowing opponents to shoot .502 from the field, while hitting .423 on offense. The 'Roos also posted an 87-to-121 assist to turnover ratio, while opponents are at 136-to-105.
- Sophomore forward Alton Tanner is out due to injury, sitting the last seven games. Fred Chatmon sat on Thursday. Six different players have sat out games due to injury this season.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
South Dakota State comes in with a 17-6 overall mark and an 8-2 record in Summit League play. The Jackrabbits were picked to win the conference. They are currently on a six-game win streak with victories over both North Dakota State and Western Illinois.
They are led by preseason Summit League Player of the Year Nate Wolters, who averages 20.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. Jordan Dykstra puts up 13.0 points and 7.1 boards a game, while Tony Fiegen is averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds a contest.
As a team the Jacks lead the conference in scoring at 72.3 points per game, and assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.4. They also shoot 45.6 percent from the field and hit 74.6 percent from the foul line. The Jackrabbits have an eight-man rotation with five players averaging 30 or more minutes per game.
THE COACHES
Matt Brown is in his sixth season as the head coach of the UMKC men's basketball program, and has a 62-115* overall record at the helm. Brown joined the 'Roos as the eighth head coach in school history on April 12, 2007. He has coached eight players to All-Summit League recognition.
His most successful season came in 2010-11 when he posted his only winning record at 16-14 overall. The 'Roos also had the third-most home wins in school history, going 11-4 in Kansas City, and the third-most overall wins in program history that season.
Scott Nagy is in his 18th season at the helm of the Jackrabbits, posting a 333-204 overall record there. He led South Dakota State to the Summit League tournament title last season, earning their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
THE SERIES
It will be the 15th meeting between the 'Roos and Jackrabbits, with SDSU holding a 9-5 lead in the series. The Jacks have won the last three contests, and seven of the last eight. The last win for UMKC came on Jan. 27, 2011 by a 63-58 score on the road.
On the road, Kansas City is 2-4 overall against SDSU.
Matt Brown is 4-7 vs. Scott Nagy, while Nagy has a 9-5 record against Kansas City.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- Kansas City would have defeated SDSU for the first time since a Jan. 27, 2011, snapping a three-game skid.
- Kansas City would have only its second road win in the series since 2008.
- The 'Roos would have defeated a team with a winning record for the first time since taking out NDSU on Feb. 12, 2012.
UP NEXT
Kansas City finishes its road swing, this time against Houston Baptist in the second half of a home-and-home series this Wednesday.
It will be the fourth meeting between the 'Roos and Huskies, with Kansas City holding a 2-1 lead. The first two meetings were decided by double-digit points in favor of UMKC, but HBU took the meeting on Jan. 22, 63-61.
The 'Roos are 1-0 on the road against the Huskies.
Matt Brown has a 2-1 mark against HBU while Cottrell is 1-2 against Kansas City.
