'Roos Head to Mizzou to Open 2014-15 Regular Season on Friday
11/13/2014 9:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UMKC Kangaroos (0-0) at Missouri Tigers (0-0)
Date / Time: November 14, 2014 - 8 p.m. CST
Site: Columbia, Mo. / Mizzou Arena (15,061)
TV: SEC Network Plus (web) / WatchESPN.com
Talent: Ben Arnet (p-b-p), Jarrett Sutton (analyst)
Radio: 102.9 FM / 1140 AM
Talent: Steven Davis (p-b-p)
Webstream: WatchESPN.com
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (via Mizzou)
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos or @UMKCMensHoops #WACHoops
Series: UMKC trails 3-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-3
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: MU won 91-57 on 12/30/09 in Columbia
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
THE GAME
The 'Roos officially start year two of the Kareem Richardson era on Friday night at its sister school, Mizzou at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network Plus, and is available via WatchESPN as well. The 'Roos and Tigers are meeting as part of the EA Sports Maui Invitational Opening Round.
QUICK NOTES
- This contest and the Kansas State game on Monday are part of the EA Sports Maui Invitational opening games. UMKC will play in the regional rounds on Nov. 22-23 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
- UMKC is entering its second season under head coach Kareem Richardson, and is playing its second year back at Municipal Auditorium and in the Western Athletic Conference.
- In Richardson's first year with the 'Roos in 2013-14, he led the team to a fifth place finish in the WAC, and the fourth seed in the conference tournament, both of which were the highest since 2006 at UMKC.
- The attendance in 2013-14 increased 36 percent from the previous year.
- Overall winning percentage in 2013-14 was an improvement from the previous two years.
- Martez Harrison was named WAC Freshman of the Year last season. The Kansas City, Mo. product averaged 17.2 points per game. The other two returning letterwinners are Frank Williams and Isaac Kreuer.
- The roster currently has eight players from the Kansas City area, the most ever at UMKC (previous record set last season with seven).
- UMKC also has eight players that are completely new to the roster this year.
- There is only one player (Mason Wedel) on the current roster that was not recruited by this coaching staff.
- UMKC returns four redshirts, two of which sat out last season due to Division I transfer rules in Reese Holliday (Toledo) and Shayok Shayok (Bradley).
- UMKC hired head coach Kareem Richardson on March 19, 2013. He helped Louisville win the National Championship in 2013 as an assistant under Rick Pitino.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Missouri is opening the season on Friday night with UMKC. It will be the first regular season game under the direction of new head coach Kim Anderson. Last year the Tigers posted a 23-12 record overall and went 9-9 in the SEC, making the NIT.
They return four letterwinners to this year's roster, and brought in eight newcomers. MU is led by post Johnathan Williams III, who averaged 5.8 points and a team-best 6.5 boards per game as a freshman. The Tigers also return starting center Ryan Rosburg and sixth man Wes Clark.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his second season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 10-20 record. He was named the sixth coach in the Division I era on March 19, 2013 after helping Louisville to a National Championship in 2013 as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.
He brings 14 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.
Kim Anderson is in his first season as the head coach at Missouri after spending 12 years as the head coach at Central Missouri, and winning the D-II national title there. He played for Mizzou and coached as an assistant under the legendary Norm Stewart as well. He has a 274-95 record overall.
THE SERIES
UMKC has faced Mizzou three times in the regular season, falling each time. This will be the fourth meeting all-time, all in Columbia. They last time they met in 2009, MU took a 91-57 win. It will be the first game for MU head coach Kim Anderson as well. The two also met in 2005 and 2008.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- Kansas City would have won its season opener for the first time since 2010 against Truman State.
- UMKC would have defeated Missouri for the first time in school history.
- The 'Roos would have defeated a BCS conference school for the first time since December 30, 2003 vs. Kansas State. It would be the seventh BCS team UMKC has defeated in its history at the Division I level.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will head to Manhattan, Kansas for the second part of the EA Sports Maui Invitational opening round to face Kansas State. The game will be televised on FSN Midwest.
UMKC will be playing the Wildcats for the 18th time in the Division I era, with KSU holding a 16-1 record. The 'Roos are 0-9 against the Wildcats in Manhattan, with K-State taking a 52-44 game in the last meeting on Dec. 29, 2012. The only win in the series for UMKC came in 2003 when the 'Roos pulled off a shocking 93-52 win.
