UMKC Opens WAC Play with Defending Tourney Champion Aggies
1/8/2015 7:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UMKC Kangaroos (5-12) AT New Mexico St. Aggies (8-9)
Date / Time: January 10, 2015 - 8 p.m. CT
Site: Las Cruces, N.M. / Pan American Center (8,994)
TV: KSMO in Kansas City (also regional FCS outlets outside KC)
Talent: Glen Cerny (pxp) and Rus Bradburd (analyst)
Radio: 102.9 FM / 1140 AM
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream: ESPN3.com / WAC Digital Network
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com (via NMSU)
Twitter: @TheUMKCRoos or @UMKCMensHoops #WACHoops
Series: Series tied 1-1
Home: 1-0
Away: 0-1
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: NMSU won 71-48 at Las Cruces, 2/13/14
Richardson vs. Opponent: 1-1
THE GAME
The 'Roos head into WAC play on Saturday against the defending tournament champions and preseason No. 1 team, New Mexico State. The game will be at 8 p.m. CT and be televised on KSMO in Kansas City. UMKC looks to snap a three-game skid, while NMSU has won its last three.
QUICK NOTES
- UMKC ranks No. 7 in the nation in free throw attempts (398 times), led by Martez Harrison, who has been a WAC-high 126 times, and ranks No. 4 in the nation individually.
- College Hoops Daily named Martez Harrison to its half-season All-WAC team this week, joining Pascal Siakam of New Mexico State among the five selected.
- So far this year, the 'Roos have forced 309 turnovers and turned them into 341 points (20.1 points per game). All of the 'Roos opponents have had at least 11 turnovers.
- As a team the 'Roos are 11th in the nation and first in the WAC in steals per game at 9.3, while ranking first in the WAC with a +1.8 turnover margin.
- Martez Harrison is leading the WAC in steals (2.1), while ranking second in scoring (18.0) and assists (4.1). He is also fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3) and fourth in free throws (.754).
- UMKC has been hit hard by the injury bug this year, with six different scholarship players missing games due to injury, including Shayok, Holliday, Knight, Jennings, Wedel and Rivas.
- 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 1.5 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 Aggies come in on a three-game winning streak, and have won four of their last five games. They have played six consecutive home games coming into Saturday, posting an 8-2 mark there. They have played a tough schedule though, and have wins over UTEP and UC-Irvine so far.
Individually, they are paced by Remi Barry with 13.9 points per game, while Pascal Siakam is putting up 12.6 per game. They have been hit hard by the injury bug as Preseason Player of the Year Daniel Mullings and first-team All-WAC selection Tshilidzi Nephawe have both been out for extended periods of time. As a team they shoot 46 percent, and lead the league at 69.7 points per game, while allowing 65 per contest.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his second season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 15-32 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.
Marvin Menzies is in his eighth season at New Mexico State and boasts a 161-98 overall record there. He has led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament four times, winning the WAC Tournament in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. He has also led NMSU to five 20-win seasons.
THE SERIES
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.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have started conference play 1-0 for the second time in as many seasons.
- UMKC would have won at New Mexico State for the first time ever.
- The 'Roos will have snapped a two-game road losing streak.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will open their home WAC schedule on Saturday against Chicago State at 2:05 p.m. The contest will be televised on KSMO, and the 'Roos tip off a three-game home stand.
The 'Roos were swept by Chicago State last year. This will be the 37th overall meeting, and UMKC leads the series 25-11 overall, including a 14-5 mark in Kansas City.
