Kansas City Heads to First Place Utah Valley for Thursday Showdown
1/22/2014 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UMKC Kangaroos (6-11, 3-2) at Utah Valley Wolverines (10-7, 4-0)
Date / Time: January 23, 2014 - 8:05 p.m. CST
Site: Orem, Utah / UCCU Center (8,500)
TV: UVU TV - Orem (local broadcast)
Talent: N/A
Radio: 810 AM WHB
Talent: Steven Davis (p-b-p)
Webcast: UMKCKangaroos.com (via UVU)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (via UVU)
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos or @UMKCMensHoops #WACHoops
Series: Utah Valley leads 5-2
Home: 2-2
Away: 0-3
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: Utah Valley won 78-66 in KC, 1/9/13
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
THE GAME
The 'Roos will go on the road for six of their next seven games, starting with the first ever conference meeting with Utah Valley on Thursday. The Wolverines are currently leading the WAC with a 4-0 record, and have won five straight, while UMKC comes off a win against New Mexico State.
UMKC Last 5: 3-2, last time out defeated New Mexico State, 68-66.
UVU Last 5: 5-0, last time out won at Seattle, 52-51.
QUICK NOTES
- Kansas City starts the toughest portion of its conference schedule this week, playing six of its next seven games on the road, including its final non-conference game against SEMO next Wednesday.
- UMKC has forced 257 turnovers from opponents this season, an average of 15.1 per game. Its average of 8.6 steals per game leads the WAC and ranks 21st in the nation.
- Seniors Kirk Korver, Trinity Hall, Fred Chatmon and Nelson Kirksey are ranked in the top 50 in all-time in scoring as Hall is at No. 15 with 810 points, Korver is 33rd with 576, Chatmon is 38th at 500 and Kirksey is 43rd with 472.
- Trinity Hall is one of four players in school history to have at least 800 points, 400 rebounds and 50 blocks. He joined the club with Michael Jackson, David Robinson and Darecko Rawlins.
- Martez Harrison's current 16.2 ppg would rank No. 3 in the freshman scoring average ranks at UMKC, he currently leads all freshmen scorers in the WAC, and sits eighth in the nation.
- The UMKC non-conference strength of schedule was ranked No. 34 in the nation as of Monday. The 'Roos RPI of 197 is fourth in the WAC.
- 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.
- There are seven players on the roster from the Kansas City area, more than any UMKC team in the Division I era.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Utah Valley comes into the contest with a 10-7 overall record and sits in first place with a 4-0 mark in WAC play. The Wolverines have won five in a row and 8-of-10.
They are balanced in scoring, with five players in double figures between 10.6 and 12 points a game. The coaches son, Holton Hunsaker, averages 12 points and a WAC leading 4.3 assists per game. Ben Aird is second with 11.6 points while pulling 7.6 rebounds a game. He is averaging 17 and 11 in WAC play. They also also have two of the top three-point shooters in the league in Hayes Garrity (.417) and Keawe Enos (.484).
As a team the Wolverines have the best defense in the conference, holding teams to 66 points a game. Offensively though, they rank eighth in scoring at 68.6 per contest.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his first season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 6-11 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.
Dick Hunsaker is in his 12th season with the Wolverines and boasts a 211-135 overall record there. He has been a head coach for 20 seasons, posting a mark of 378-208. He has had coaching stints at Ball State and Utah as well.
THE SERIES
It will be the eighth meeting between the 'Roos and Wolverines. The 'Roos are 2-5 against Utah Valley all-time, going 0-3 in Orem. This will be the fourth straight season they have played, but first as conference foes. Utah Valley took a 78-66 win in Kansas City on January 9 of last season.
The Wolverines have won five of the last six meetings in the series.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- Kansas City would have won three straight on the road in WAC play.
- UMKC would have moved to 4-2 in WAC play, its best start since 2006.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will head to Bakersfield on Saturday at 9:00 pm CT, playing in the state of California for the first time since 1997 at Cal Poly.
The 'Roos are meeting Bakersfield for the first time ever on the basketball court.
