UMKC Opens With Exhibition, Hosts Hawaii Pacific Monday
11/8/2015 7:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Hawaii Pacific Sharks (0-0) at UMKC Kangaroos (0-0) (Exhibition)
Date / Time: November 9 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: None
Listen:UMKCKangaroos.com (free)
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream:Roos TV (Subscribers)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Twitter: @UMKCMensHoops #RooUp
Promotion: All fans in attendance will receive a free 2015-16 UMKC men's basketball schedule magnet.
Series: First Meeting
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A
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).
- Harrison led the league in scoring (17.5 ppg), total steals (60) and total assists (129). He also ranked among the league's top 10 in free-throw shooting (.748) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.50).
- 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 'Roos 8-6 WAC record was the first above .500 at UMKC since the 2005-06 season (11-5), while the 14 wins was the most at UMKC since the 2010-11 season (16).
- The 'Roos 6-1 home WAC record was the best conference mark in school history.
- 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 Sharks played Wichita State on Saturday night in their first exhibition, falling by a 91-57 margin. They posted a 16-11 mark last season, going 11-9 in Pac West Conference action to finish sixth.
The Sharks return three starters to this year's team, led by 6-8 forward Luke Hager, who averaged 16.1 points per game last season. The roster has three Division I transfers, including 6-10 forward Joel Feigler and 6-4 guard Chauncey Orr. Feigler led the Sharks with 15 points against the Shockers.
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 league play.
Darren Vorderbruegge is in his 10th season at Hawaii Pacific, posting a 110-132 overall record. He has Kansas City area ties, also coaching as an assistant at Northwest Missouri State, and graduating from Bethany College in Kansas.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos and Sharks have never played in men's basketball. UMKC has only played a team from the state of Hawaii one time, back in 1993 on the road, falling to the University of Hawaii.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have improved to 3-0 in exhibition games under Kareem Richardson.
- UMKC would have defeated a team from Hawaii for the first time.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will open the regular season on Friday night at Minnesota in an 8 pm tipoff at the Williams Center.
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.
