UMKC Looks to Keep Home Streak Alive, Hosts Rockhurst Saturday
12/18/2015 9:21:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Rockhurst Hawks (5-3) at UMKC Kangaroos (6-4)
Date / Time: December 19 - 3:35 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: KSMO-TV, Kansas City
Talent: Neil Harwell (pxp), Jayice Pearson (analyst)
Listen:UMKCKangaroos.com (free)
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream:RoosTV (Subscribers)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Promotion:Holiday Break Special (Santa Hat Giveaway)
Twitter: @UMKCMensHoops #RooUp
Series: Series tied 0-0 in Division I era
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: UMKC won 70-68 in NAIA era, 1/27/86
Richardson vs. Opponent: 0-0 regular season, 2-0 exh.
QUICK NOTES
- UMKC has now defeated an SEC school for the second straight year after Saturday's win over Mississippi State (defeated Missouri last season).
- UMKC is ranked No. 129 in the RPI rankings as of Monday, the top RPI in the WAC.
- Since its loss to Omaha, UMKC is 5-0 in games decided by seven points or less.
- Martez Harrison is the WAC's active career leader in points (1,252), threes made (97), free throws made (397), steals (124), and assists (296).
- The Roos have won six games faster than any UMKC team since 2001, when they started 6-1.
- Martez Harrison needs one made free throw to pass Michael Watson for second on the all-time free throws made list in his career. They are tied at 397 coming into Saturday. He also needs two assists to pass Ronnie Schmitz for fifth on the all-time list with 298.
- UMKC is 11-1 in its last 12 home games.
- The Kangaroos are 5-0 at home to start the year for the first time since 2010 when they went 7-0.
- Martez Harrison ranks 28th in the nation in assists (53), while his 75 free throw attempts are 14th and 55 free throw makes are 20th in the country.
- LaVell Boyd is 17th in the nation in three-pointers made (32) while his .471 three-point percentage is 27th in the nation.
- The 'Roos are 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). So far UMKC is 2-1 against those teams.
- UMKC is playing five “Power 5” conference teams this year, the most for a UMKC team since the 1996-97 season when it also played five (All 5 were Big 12 teams that season).
- UMKC returned 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).
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Hawks enter the weekend at 5-3 overall., with wins against Washburn and Missouri Southern. A Division II school, they play in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
They are led by a trio of scorers in Malachi Nix (15.7 ppg, 43 asts), sharpshooting Austin LeVan (17.5 ppg) and big man Dominique Washington (17.0 ppg). LeVan has hit a team-best 28 threes at a .491 percentage. As a team they hold opponents to only 39 percent shooting, while putting up 79 points a game on offense.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his third season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 30-43 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.
Drew Diener is in his first year at Rockhurst, after six seasons at Cardinal Stritch, an NAIA-II team. He led them to six conference titles, six postseason tournament appearances and a national championship while there. A five-time conference Coach of the Year selection, he has a record of 173-46.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos have not faced Rockhurst in a regular season game as a D-I school, but the two met several times as NAIA schools (1969-86). The last regular season meeting came in 1986, a two-point UMKC win.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have won six straight home games for the first time since 2010.
- The 'Roos would have started 7-4 overall for the first time since 2010.
- Missouri-Kansas City would have improved to 16-2 against Division II schools since moving to Division I in 1987.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will start a stretch of five straight games against teams that were in a postseason tournament last year. It tips off on Tuesday vs. Louisville for the Billy Minardi Classic. They also play UNC-Wilmington on Wednesday.
The 'Roos are 0-2 all-time against Louisville, both on the road. Last time they met was in 2013, with UL winning 90-62.
