UMKC Opens Regular Season at Minnesota Friday Night
11/12/2015 9:26:00 AM | Men's Basketball
UMKC Kangaroos (0-0) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0)
Date / Time: November 13 - 8 p.m. CT
Site: Minneapolis, Minn. / Williams Center (14,625)
TV: Big Ten Network-Plus
Listen:UMKCKangaroos.com (free)
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream:BTN2Go (Subscribers)
Live Stats: Gophersports.com
Twitter: @UMKCMensHoops #RooUp
Series: Minnesota leads 1-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-1
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: Minnesota won 78-67, 11/17/03
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0
QUICK NOTES
- UMKC returns six letterwinners to the lineup this season, all of which have starting experience. Four of those players started more than half the games they played (Martez Harrison, Shayok Shayok, Darius Austin, Thaddeus Smith).
- The 'Roos will be facing 10 schools this season that went to postseason tournaments last year (South Dakota St., UT-Martin, Iowa, Louisville, UNC-Wilmington, Oklahoma St., USC-Upstate, Seattle, New Mexico State and Grand Canyon).
- UMKC will play games in 15 different states this season.
- Martez Harrison was named an AP honorable mention All-American last season, becoming the first ever in D-I history. He was also NABC All-District second-team, becoming just the third UMKC player to earn that honor.
- Harrison was named the WAC Player of the Year as well, becoming the second UMKC player ever to win the award (Michael Jackson, 1999-00).
- Thaddeus Smith had 44 blocks last year, ranking fourth in a single season at UMKC. He was second in the WAC with 1.5 blocks per game.
- UMKC shattered the school's single season record last season with 266 steals.
- The win in the WAC Tournament was the first for UMKC in the postseason since 2007. The 'Roos also played 33 games, the most in school history.
- UMKC was a No. 2 seed in the WAC Tournament, matching the highest seed it has ever been in the conference tournament (2004-05). The second place WAC regular season finish matched the 2004-05 and 1999-00 teams finishes as the highest ever for UMKC.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Golden Gophers posted an 18-15 overall record last year, and went 6-12 in the Big 10. They won both of their exhibition games this season against D-II schools, and return three starters to the lineup.
They are led by the guard trio of Nate Mason, Carlos Morris, and sharpshooting Joey King. Mason and King averaged nearly 10 points a game last year, while Morris put up 11.1 per contest. As a team the Gophers averaged 74.2 points per game and snagged 313 steals last season, playing a very similar style to UMKC.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his third season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 24-39 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.
His second season in Kansas City as the head man was another step in the right direction in 2014-15, and generated several program firsts. The 8-6 WAC record was the first above .500 at UMKC since 2005-06, and its second place finish matched the highest ever in league play. UMKC finished with a 6-1 WAC home record, the best in school history in conference play.
Richard Pitino is in his third season at Minnesota, posting a 43-28 overall record there. He also coached one season at Florida International, and has a career record of 61-42. He led Minnesota to a 25-win season in his first year.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos are 0-1 all-time against Minnesota, falling 78-67 on the road back in November of 2003. This will be the second trip for the 'Roos to play at Minnesota.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have defeated a Big 10 school for the first time ever.
- UMKC would have defeated a Power Five conference school for the 13th time, and first since Missouri in the season-opener last year.
- Missouri-Kansas City would have started the year 1-0 for the second straight year.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will open the home portion of the schedule on Sunday night at 6:05 p.m. when William Jewell comes to Municipal Auditorium.
The 'Roos are 1-0 all-time against William Jewell in the Division I ranks, taking an 84-44 win last season on November 29.
