Roos Host First-Place Grand Canyon Saturday Night
1/22/2016 2:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Grand Canyon 'Lopes (17-2, 4-0 WAC) at UMKC Kangaroos (8-12, 1-4 WAC)
Date / Time: January 23 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: ASN (National Select Markets) / KSMO - Kansas City
Talent: Neil Harwell (pxp), JC Pearson (analyst)
Listen:UMKCKangaroos.com (free)
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream:Roos TV (subscribers)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Twitter: @UMKCMensHoops #RooUp
Series: Series tied 2-2
Home: 1-1
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: UMKC won 70-65 in KC, 2/28/15
Richardson vs. Opponent: 2-2
QUICK NOTES
- LaVell Boyd is now the first player under Kareem Richardson to hit 50 threes in a season (51).
- Shayok Shayok and Dashawn King each set career-highs in scoring on Thursday, with 21 and 18.
- During the Roos four-game skid, they have not been able to put together a full 40 minutes, playing one half that they have been outscored by double digitsnn in each game. - Martez Harrison is the WAC's active career leader in points (1,385), threes made (110), free throws made (437), steals (135), and assists (327).
- Harrison is sixth on the UMKC scoring chart with 1,385 points. He needs 19 points to tie Quinton Day for fifth at 1,404.
- Harrison's 124 free throw attempts are 39th and 95 free throw makes are 39th in the country. LaVell Boyd is 53rd with 51 threes made.
- UMKC has several players in the WAC rankings. Martez Harrison and LaVell Boyd are 3rd and 11th in scoring in the WAC at 15.4 and 13.3 ppg. Harrison is 5th in assists (4.4), while sitting 5th in steals (1.3) and 6th in free throw percentage (.766). Dashawn King also ranks 9th in steals (1.2), while Boyd is 4th in three-point percentage (.421) and 4th in three point makes per game (2.6).
- UMKC is ranked No. 267 in the RPI rankings as of Friday, fifth highest in the WAC.
- The Kangaroos matched the school record for best home start at 7-0, before dropping its next two.
- One of the Roos biggest issues this season had been turnovers. They seemed to have turned it around though, committing a season-low six against NMSU, seven against UTRGV, and 11 vs. UVU.
- The Roos non-conference strength of schedule is No. 134 in the nation, first in the WAC.
- UMKC finished its non-conference schedule with seven wins, marking the most for the Roos since the 2010-11 team also had seven. The last team with eight or more: 2001-02 team, with 10.
- 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 3-6 against those teams.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The 'Lopes enter the game with a sparkling 17-2 overall record and a 4-0 mark in WAC play. They have wins over San Diego State and Houston, and are currently on a 10-game win streak.
They are very potent on offense, led by Joshua Braun at 17.1 points per game, ranking second in the WAC. Grandy Glaze is putting up 14.2 points and 7.5 rebounds a contest, while DeWayne Russell is at 9.9 a game, along with 112 assists and 32 steals. As a team they average 80.6 points a game, while allowing only 69.5 an outing.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his third season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 32-51 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.
Dan Majerle is in his third season at Grand Canyon, posting a 49-32 overall record. He has led the 'Lopes to CIT berths in each of his first two seasons. A 14-year NBA veteran player, he most recently was an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns for five seasons.
THE SERIES
The Lopes and Roos are tied 2-2 in the all-time series, with each going 1-1 on their home floor. GCU has won the first meeting each of the last two years, while UMKC has taken the second, including a 70-65 win last time out in Kansas City on Feb. 28, 2015.
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have snapped a four-game losing streak.
- The 'Roos would have won back-to-back games against GCU for the first time.
- Missouri-Kansas City would have won 14 of its last 17 games played at Municipal Auditorium.
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will host Chicago State next Saturday in a 2:05 p.m. tipoff from Muni, ending the three-game home stand.
The Roos lead the all-time series with Chicago State by a 27-11 margin, winning both meetings last season. This will be the 39th overall meeting, with Kareem Richardson posting a 2-2 mark against CSU.
