'Roos to Face Toughest Home Test Yet with UIW in Saturday Doubleheader
12/19/2014 1:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Incarnate Word Cardinals (7-1) at UMKC Kangaroos (4-7)
Date / Time: December 20, 2014 - 6:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: KSMO - Kansas City
Talent: Neil Harwell (pxp), JC Pearson (analyst)
Radio: 102.9 FM / 1140 AM
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream: WAC Digital Network (free)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos or @UMKCMensHoops #WACHoops
Series: First meeting
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
THE GAME
The 'Roos play the second of a three-game home stand on Saturday against the incarnate Word Cardinals at 6:05 p.m. The game will be televised on KSMO in Kansas City. UMKC looks to keep its perfect home record intact, while Incarnate Word has the No. 37 RPI in the nation with a win over Nebraska last week and Grand Canyon on Wednesday.
QUICK NOTES
- The 'Roos played 8-of-10 games to start the season on the road, but have a perfect 3-0 home record coming into Saturday.
- So far this year, the 'Roos have forced 226 turnovers and turned them into 252 points (22.9 points per game). Nine of the 'Roos 11 opponents faced this year have been forced into at least 17 turnovers (all have had at least 11).
- As a team the 'Roos are seventh in the nation and first in the WAC in steals per game at 10.4, while ranking first in the WAC and 28th in the country with a +4.18 turnover margin.
- Martez Harrison is leading the WAC in assists (4.18) and steals (2.45), while ranking third in in scoring at 17.2 points per game.
- UMKC has shown its depth this year, with 12 different players scoring against Missouri S&T, 11 vs. K-State, SDSU and WJC, and 10 against Missouri, Youngstown State and Milwaukee.
- 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, in only its second season.
- UMKC is in its second season under head coach Kareem Richardson, and is playing its second year back at Municipal Auditorium, and second in the Western Athletic Conference.
- In Richardson's first year, 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.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Cardinals enter Saturday's game with a 7-1 overall record and wins against Nebraska and Grand Canyon. They have an RPI of 37, and are No. 26 in this week's Mid-Major poll. Their only loss is to UTEP.
They are led by one of the top scorers in the nation in Denzel Livingston, who averages 21.3 points per game, while freshman Jontrell Walker is not far behind at 19.4 per contest. Also putting up big points is Kyle Hittle, with 15.0 per game. The Cardinals average 84.1 points per game, while giving up 70.6 per outing.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his second season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 14-27 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.
Ken Burmeister is in his ninth season as head coach of the Cardinals, leading them from Division II to Division I. He has a 155-77 record at UIW, and a 281-203 mark overall as a head coach. He has taken UIW to a pair of NCAA-II Tournaments and two conference titles.
THE SERIES
This will be the first ever meeting between UMKC and Incarnate Word in basketball. UIW upset Nebraska last week, and is receiving votes in the Mid-Major top 25.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have won two straight for the first time this season.
- Kansas City would improved their record to 4-0 at home this season.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos continue their home stand Monday when Tennessee Tech comes to town for a 7:05 pm contest. The game will be available on the WAC Digital Network, and will be a doubleheader with the women.
This will be the sixth meeting all-time with the Golden Eagles, with TTU holding a 4-1 advantage in the series. The two met last in 2013, with TTU taking a 68-62 victory as part of the BracketBuster game. The two are 1-1 in Kansas City, with UMKC winning the last meeting there in 1990.
