Roos Host CSU Bakersfield in Saturday Showdown
1/8/2016 4:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (10-5, 0-0 WAC) at UMKC Kangaroos (8-8, 1-0 WAC)
Date / Time: January 9 - 7:05 p.m. CT
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Municipal Auditorium (9,827)
TV: None
Talent: N/A
Listen:UMKCKangaroos.com (free)
Talent: Steven Davis (pxp)
Webstream:WAC Digital Network (free)
Live Stats: UMKCKangaroos.com
Twitter: @UMKCMensHoops #RooUp
Series: Series tied 2-2
Home: 1-1
Away: 1-1
Neutral: 0-0
Last Meeting: CSUB won 64-62 in Bakersfield, 2/21/15
Richardson vs. Opponent: 2-2
QUICK NOTES
- The Kangaroos are 7-0 at home to start the year for the first time since 2010-11 when they started 7-0, matching the school record for best home start.
- UMKC is 13-1 in its last 14 home games. Last year it broke the school record with a 6-1 WAC mark.
- 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.
- UMKC is ranked No. 179 in the RPI rankings as of Monday, the fourth highest RPI in the WAC.
- UMKC has several players in the WAC rankings. Martez Harrison and LaVell Boyd are 4th and 9th in scoring in the WAC at 15.0 and 13.6 ppg. Harrison is 4th in assists (4.6), while sitting 6th in steals (1.4) and 8th in free throw percentage (.740). Dashawn King also ranks 6th in free throw percentage (.756) and 9th in steals (1.3), while Boyd is 6th in three-point percentage (.402).
- One of the Roos biggest issues this season has been turnovers. They have 237 this season, and rank 324th in the nation in fewest turnovers (14.8 per game). Thursday, it had only 11 in a win vs. Seattle.
- The Roos have attempted fewer threes than their opponent in 10 of their last 13 games, and are 5-1 this year when attempting 16 or fewer threes in a game.
- Martez Harrison is the WAC's active career leader in points (1,332), threes made (105), free throws made (419), steals (133), and assists (317).
- Martez Harrison ranks 58th in the nation in assists (74), while his 104 free throw attempts are 35th and 77 free throw makes are 38th in the country.
- The Roos non-conference strength of schedule is No. 95 in the nation, the highest in the WAC.
- UMKC has now defeated an SEC school for the second straight year after the win over Mississippi State (defeated Missouri last season).
- 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 3-5 against those teams.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The Roadrunners enter the contest with a 10-5 overall record and are opening WAC play with UMKC Saturday.
They have a balanced attack, led by senior post Aly Ahmed at 13.8 points and 6.4 rebounds a contest. Kevin Mays puts up 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, while Baylor transfer and sharpshooter Damiyne Durham scores at 13 points an outing. Also in double figures is Dedrick Basile at 10.6 a game. As a team, they are holding opponents to 65 points a game, while scoring 72 per outing.
THE COACHES
Kareem Richardson is in his third season as the head coach at UMKC, posting a 32-47 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.
Rod Barnes is in his fifth season at Bakersfield and has a 67-74 record there. He posts a 253-263 overall record as a head coach. He was the head coach at Ole Miss for eight years prior to taking the job at Georgia State for four seasons.
THE SERIES
The 'Roos are 2-2 all-time against CSUB, winning the last meeting at home, but falling on a buzzer-beater on the road. The two teams are 1-1 all-time on their home floors. All four meetings have been decided by five points or less
A WIN WOULD MEAN...
- The 'Roos would have won 10 straight home games dating back to last season.
- The 'Roos would have started the season 8-0 at home for the first time ever, breaking the school record from 2010-11.
- Missouri-Kansas City would have started 2-0 in WAC play for the second time under Richardson (started 2-0 in 2014).
UP NEXT
The 'Roos will continue conference play on Thursday night on the road, facing the defending champs, New Mexico State in a game televised on ASN and KSMO.
The 'Roos are 1-3 all-time against NMSU, dropping both games a year ago. UMKC is 0-2 in Las Cruces all-time as well. The lone win came in January of 2014 at home.
