'Roos Look to Bounce Back with Tennessee Tech Monday Night
12/21/2014 9:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (6-5) at UMKC Kangaroos (4-8)
Date / Time: December 22, 2014 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: None
Talent: N/A
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: TTU leads 4-1
Home: 1-1
Away: 0-3
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: TTU won 68-62 in Cookeville, 2/23/13
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
THE GAME
The 'Roos play the last of a three-game home stand on Monday against Tennessee Tech. They are looking to rebound after a heartbreaking triple overtime loss to Incarnate Word on Saturday, their first loss of the year at home. Tennessee Tech is coming in off only a three-point loss to Tennessee.
QUICK NOTES
- The 'Roos played their first triple overtime game in the Division I era on Saturday, and the first OT game of Kareem Richardson's career.
- The 104 points on Saturday were the most for UMKC since 2007 when it tallied 105 against Oakland. The 'Roos now lead the WAC in scoring at 71.5 points per game.
- So far this year, the 'Roos have forced 241 turnovers and turned them into 277 points (23.1 points per game). Nine of the 'Roos 12 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 10.1, while ranking first in the WAC with a +3.75 turnover margin.
- Martez Harrison is leading the WAC in steals (2.58), while ranking second in assists (4.18) and 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, UIW 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 playing its second year back at Municipal Auditorium, and second in the WAC.
- 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 Golden Eagles enter the contest with a 6-5 overall record, with a perfect 5-0 mark at home. They are 1-5 on the road though, with their lone win coming against North Florida last week. They are coming in off a narrow 61-58 loss at Tennessee.
They are led by the inside duo of Charles Jackson and Dwan Caldwell, who are putting up 13.5 and 12.5 points per game, respectively. Jackson also pulls down 9.5 rebounds per game, while Caldwell is at 5.3 a contest. Their top scoring guard is Nebraska transfer Josiah Moore at 9.7 points per contest while Torrance Rowe puts up 9.6 a game. As a team they score 72 ppg, while allowing 65.5 ppg.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his second season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 14-28 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.
Steve Payne is in his fourth season as head coach of the Golden Eagles, leading them to a 17-16 record last season. He has been at TTU since 2002, also serving as the associate head coach. He came to Tennessee Tech after serving as a head coach at the junior college level in Texas.
THE SERIES
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.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have won two of three during the current home stand.
- Kansas City would improve its record to 4-1 at home this season.
- UMKC would have won five games in the non-conference, the most since winning six in 2011-12.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos head back out on the road for three games, starting next Sunday at Indiana State in a 1:05 p.m. tip-off in Terre Haute. They will stay on the road for a contest in Buffalo two days later vs. Canisius.
This will be only the second meeting ever with Indiana State, with the Sycamores winning a 74-63 decision last year in Kansas City. UMKC led that game at halftime.
