UMKC Hosts USC-Upstate in Tough Final Non-Con Test Tuesday
1/5/2015 7:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
USC-Upstate Spartans (11-4) at UMKC KangaRoos (5-11)
Date / Time: January 6, 2015 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: None
Talent: N/A
Radio: 810 AM WHB
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream: WAC Digital Network (free)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Tickets: Here
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 their final non-conference game of the year on Tuesday, and it comes against one of the top mid-majors, as USC-Upstate is ranked No. 16 in the latest mid-major poll. The 'Roos look to rebound from losing their last two, while USCU has a three-game win streak.
QUICK NOTES
- This game features two of the top 10 teams in the NCAA in steals per game, as the Spartans are No. 6 at 10.5 per game, and UMKC is No. 10 at 9.6 a contest.
- UMKC ranks No. 3 in the nation in free throw attempts (386 times), led by Martez Harrison, who has been a WAC-high 123 times, and ranks No. 3 in the nation individually.
- So far this year, the 'Roos have forced 297 turnovers and turned them into 329 points (20.6 points per game). Ten of the 'Roos 16 opponents faced this year have been forced into at least 17 turnovers (all have had at least 11).
- As a team the 'Roos are 10th in the nation and first in the WAC in steals per game at 9.6, while ranking first in the WAC with a +2.6 turnover margin.
- Martez Harrison is leading the WAC in steals (2.2) and assists (4.2), while ranking second in scoring at 18.3 points per game. He is also fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.37) and fourth in free throw shooting (.756).
- Thaddeus Smith tied a 23-year old school record vs. Indiana State with seven blocks, matching Hall of Famer David Robinson, who set it in 1991. He is now ranks second in the WAC with 1.4 bpg.
- 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.
- Mason Wedel made the decision to retire from playing basketball in late December.
- 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 Spartans come in with an 11-4 overall record and are No. 16 in the latest Mid-Major Top 25. They have wins over both Georgia Tech and Mississippi State, and enter the contest after winning their last three in a row.
They are led by Ty Greene, who is putting up 17.1 points a game, while Fred Miller is averaging 12.9 per contest. They average 73.1 points per game, but really hang their hat on the defensive end of the floor, keeping opponents to only 57.5 points a game and 38 percent shooting. They also average 10.5 steals per game, and have a +5.9 turnover margin, both of which are ranked No. 6 in the nation. They also have a rebound margin of +2.5 and outscore teams by 15.6 per game.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his second season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 15-31 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.
Eddie Payne is in his 13th season as the head coach at USC-Upstate, posting a 187-195 record there. He has been a head coach for 30 years now, and has a record of 447-428. He has also been the head coach at East Carolina and Oregon State, and has led USCU to the CIT in two of the last three years.
THE SERIES
This will be the first ever meeting between the schools. The two coaches are no strangers though, as Kareem Richardson played for Eddie Payne at ECU from 1992-94.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have answered a loss with a win for the sixth time this year.
- UMKC would have won six games in the non-conference, matching the most since winning that many in 2011-12.
- The 'Roos will have finished their non-conference with a 4-2 home record, the most since 2010-11 out of conference.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will open conference play on Saturday evening at 8 p.m. CT at New Mexico State. The game will be televised back to Kansas City on KSMO, and available on the WAC Digital Nework via free stream.
The 'Roos and Aggies are tied 1-1 in the all-time series, with each winning on its home floor last season. The Aggies took a 71-48 win in Las Cruces on Feburary 13 last year in the last meeting between the two.
