UMKC Returns Kansas City for Final Home Stand, Face UVU Thursday
2/25/2015 3:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Utah Valley Wolverines (10-16, 4-7) at UMKC Kangaroos (11-17, 6-5)
Date / Time: February 26, 2015 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: KSMO in Kansas City / ESPN3.com
Talent: Neil Harwell (pxp) and JC Pearson (analyst)
Radio: 810 AM
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream: ESPN3.com
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Twitter: @UMKCMensHoops #WACHoops #RooUp
Series: UVU leads 6-4
Home: 3-2
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: UMKC won 66-59 in Orem, 1/31/15
Richardson vs. Opponent: 2-1
THE GAME
The 'Roos come home for a crucial pair of games this weekend, starting with a contest against Utah Valley on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. The 'Roos are reeling after a last-second loss at Bakersfield on Saturday night, and look to get back in the hunt for the No. 2 seed with a win. Utah Valley enters after a blowout win vs. Texas-Pan American on Saturday night.
QUICK NOTES
- Martez Harrison became the 10th player in UMKC Division I history to score 1,000 points (1,015) on Saturday night, and is the fourth-fastest player to pass the barrier, doing it in 58 career games.
- Harrison is the second 'Roo to log at least 100 assists and 50 steals in two seasons (Quinton Day).
- The 'Roos have improved immensely on the defensive end this season, and it has been evident in conference play, holding opponents to only 62.7 points per outing (71.4 in non-conference).
- If the season ended today, UMKC would be the No. 3 seed in the WAC Tournament.
- Thaddeus Smith has 38 blocks this year, ranking tied for fifth in a single season at UMKC.
- So far this year, the 'Roos have forced 478 turnovers and turned them into 525 points (18.8 ppg).
- Martez Harrison has shot a WAC-high 201 free throws, and ranks No. 8 in the nation.
- As a team the 'Roos are 17th in the nation and first in the WAC in steals per game at 8.3, while ranking first in the WAC and 28th in the nation with a +2.8 turnover margin.
- Martez Harrison is leading the WAC in steals (1.8), while ranking second in scoring (17.9) and assists (3.9). He is also eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.4) and ninth in free throws (.736).
- UMKC has been hit by injuries this year, with eight different scholarship players missing games due to injury, including Shayok, Smith, Holliday, Knight, Jennings, Wedel, Rivas and Franceschi.
- The roster currently has eight players from the Kansas City area, the most ever at UMKC (previous record set last season with seven).
- 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 Wolverines enter the contest with a 10-16 overall record, and are 4-7 in the WAC. They have defeated Seattle, UTPA twice, and Chicago State so far in league play. They enter the week after completing a sweep of UTPA on Saturday, but have dropped five of their last six WAC games.
Individually, they are led by Mitch Bruneel, with 12.6 points per game, while Zach Nelson is at 10.9 and guard Donte Williams is averaging 10.2 points a contest. Bruneel and Nelson are pulling down 6.2 and 5.8 rebounds a game, respectively. The Wolverines average only 59.6 points per game, but are solid defensively, giving up only 64.0 per contest. They also average only 12.6 turnovers per outing and shoot 70 percent from the free throw line.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his second season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 21-37 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.
Dick Hunsaker is in his 12th season at Utah Valley, posting a 231-156 record there. He has an overall record of 398-229, also coaching at Ball State and Utah. He led the Wolverines to the WAC Regular Season title a year ago, and a berth in the NIT.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos are 4-6 all-time against Utah Valley, but have won the last two meetings. This will be the 11th meeting in the series, with UMKC posting a 3-2 mark in Kansas City. The 'Roos won for the first time ever in Orem on January 31, taking a 66-59 victory.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have improved their home record in the WAC to 5-1.
- UMKC would have won its seventh WAC game, matching last year's total.
- The 'Roos would have guaranteed at least a .500 record in league play for the first time since 2010-11 when they finished 9-9.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will host Grand Canyon on Saturday night for senior day, at 6 p.m. UMKC will honor its two seniors before the game. The contest will be streamed for free on Roos TV.
The 'Roos are 1-2 all-time against Grand Canyon, and 0-1 in Kansas City. The Lopes knocked off UMKC by a 78-57 margin in Phoenix, matching the worst loss for the 'Roos this season.
