Friday, November 15
Milwaukee, Wis.
7:00 PM
Kansas City
at
Milwaukee
Preview: MBB Visits Milwaukee to Cap Road Swing
11/14/2019 4:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kansas City Opening Tip
• Looking to pick up its first road win of the season, Kansas City men's basketball (1-2) ends a three-game road streak at Milwaukee (2-1) Friday. Tip-off is at 7 pm CT at the UWM Panther Arena and broadcast live on ESPN+. The Roos are seeking to snap a four-game losing skid against Milwaukee.
The Starting Five
1. Kansas City is No. 1 in the conference in both assists per game (16.3) and steals per game (11.3). The Roos have more than doubled the opponents total in the steals column (34-16). For assists, the unit tied a school record with 30 helpers in the season-opening win against Avila.
2. Kansas City's defense will need to step up against Milwaukee's scoring offense that has reached 100 points in two of its first three games. The Panthers average 95.0 points. The last time the Roos allowed a team to score 100 was on Nov. 10, 2017 against Wichita State (109).
3. The Roos have to get better on the glass if success is going to happen. Currently, the team is ranked last in the WAC in both rebounding defense and rebounding offense and is -6 in rebounding margin per game. The 20 rebounds grabbed Wednesday at Drake is the fewest amount since 17 against New Mexico State on Jan. 31, 2019.
4. The new era of men's basketball has come with much change. Coach Donlon brought in an entirely new staff, including his dad, Bill, to serve as director of program development. For the players, there are six returning letterwinners mixed in with two freshmen and four transfers.
5. The non-conference schedule for the Roos will test their ability to win on the road. Friday is the third game in a stretch of six-of-eight opening the year away from Kansas City. Overall, 10-of-14 non-conference games are played off the Kansas City campus.
All-Time Series with Milwaukee
• Milwaukee holds a 7-5 all-time record against Kansas City, including a 3-2 in games played in Milwaukee. The teams have met three times since 2013, all Panther wins. The Roos are trying to snap a four-game losing skid with the last KC win on Dec. 12, 1998 (88-68).
Scouting the Milwaukee Panthers
• Scoring has not been an issue in the early going for the Panthers with four players notching at least 10 points per game. Darius Roy nets 17.5, followed by Josh Thomas with 16.3.
• Te'Jon Lucas is first in rebounding 7.0 and he adds 14.7 points.
• On the glass, the Panthers hold a 9.0 rebounding advantage.
Experience is Vital
• Senior Rob Whitfield (11.0 ppg) and junior Brandon McKissic (10.5) are the returning letter winners that averaged double-digits in scoring last season. Overall, 53% of the scoring returns for the 2019-20 campaign.
• McKissic, an All-WAC Defensive Team member, is joined by senior Jordan Giles (8.4 ppg) and junior Marvin Nesbitt Jr. (4.3 rpg), as the trio of returning starters who received a starting nod in at least 60% of last year's games. McKissic leads the pack with 49 active career starts.
• Senior Jordan Giles is the only player on the Kansas City roster who is in his fourth season with all his games played in a Roo uniform.
Last Time Out Against Drake
• Kansas City Men's Basketball (1-2) continued its road swing and lost at Missouri Valley Conference opponent Drake University (2-1) tonight by a 76-58 score. Senior Jordan Giles had a season-high 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting for the Roos. Senior Javan White hit for his second-straight double-digit game with 11 points and a career-best five steals. Junior Brandon McKissic chipped in with 10 points.
• Trailing by nine after a Maks Klanjscek three-point basket at the 10-minute mark remaining, Kansas City went flat offensively. The Roos had a chance down 61-52, but the host Bulldogs closed out the game on a 11-6 run. Liam Robbins had four of his game-high 23 points for Drake during the final stretch.
Swinney Center -- Home of the Roos
• For the first time in the NCAA Division I era (since 1986-87), the Roos will be playing all home games (non-conference and conference) at their on-campus facility, the Swinney Center. Last season, the Roos moved all of their conference games to Swinney, and hosted non-conference contests at the downtown Municipal Auditorium. As a side note, during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, Kansas City hosted one game each year at Municipal Auditorium with the remainder at Swinney Center.
• The Roos will host 13 contests, including three non-conference opponents in November. Their remaining 18 regular-season games will be held on the road.
Kansas at the Sprint Center
• On Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m., the Roos will face nationally ranked Kansas at the Sprint Center. The contest is officially hosted by the Jayhawks.
• Tickets are on sale through the Sprint Center box office calling 816-949-7100 or through the Sprint Center website.
• The Kansas City women's basketball team will be playing just a few blocks away at 1 p.m. that day against Kansas State at Municipal Auditorium.
• Looking to pick up its first road win of the season, Kansas City men's basketball (1-2) ends a three-game road streak at Milwaukee (2-1) Friday. Tip-off is at 7 pm CT at the UWM Panther Arena and broadcast live on ESPN+. The Roos are seeking to snap a four-game losing skid against Milwaukee.
The Starting Five
1. Kansas City is No. 1 in the conference in both assists per game (16.3) and steals per game (11.3). The Roos have more than doubled the opponents total in the steals column (34-16). For assists, the unit tied a school record with 30 helpers in the season-opening win against Avila.
2. Kansas City's defense will need to step up against Milwaukee's scoring offense that has reached 100 points in two of its first three games. The Panthers average 95.0 points. The last time the Roos allowed a team to score 100 was on Nov. 10, 2017 against Wichita State (109).
3. The Roos have to get better on the glass if success is going to happen. Currently, the team is ranked last in the WAC in both rebounding defense and rebounding offense and is -6 in rebounding margin per game. The 20 rebounds grabbed Wednesday at Drake is the fewest amount since 17 against New Mexico State on Jan. 31, 2019.
4. The new era of men's basketball has come with much change. Coach Donlon brought in an entirely new staff, including his dad, Bill, to serve as director of program development. For the players, there are six returning letterwinners mixed in with two freshmen and four transfers.
5. The non-conference schedule for the Roos will test their ability to win on the road. Friday is the third game in a stretch of six-of-eight opening the year away from Kansas City. Overall, 10-of-14 non-conference games are played off the Kansas City campus.
All-Time Series with Milwaukee
• Milwaukee holds a 7-5 all-time record against Kansas City, including a 3-2 in games played in Milwaukee. The teams have met three times since 2013, all Panther wins. The Roos are trying to snap a four-game losing skid with the last KC win on Dec. 12, 1998 (88-68).
Scouting the Milwaukee Panthers
• Scoring has not been an issue in the early going for the Panthers with four players notching at least 10 points per game. Darius Roy nets 17.5, followed by Josh Thomas with 16.3.
• Te'Jon Lucas is first in rebounding 7.0 and he adds 14.7 points.
• On the glass, the Panthers hold a 9.0 rebounding advantage.
Experience is Vital
• Senior Rob Whitfield (11.0 ppg) and junior Brandon McKissic (10.5) are the returning letter winners that averaged double-digits in scoring last season. Overall, 53% of the scoring returns for the 2019-20 campaign.
• McKissic, an All-WAC Defensive Team member, is joined by senior Jordan Giles (8.4 ppg) and junior Marvin Nesbitt Jr. (4.3 rpg), as the trio of returning starters who received a starting nod in at least 60% of last year's games. McKissic leads the pack with 49 active career starts.
• Senior Jordan Giles is the only player on the Kansas City roster who is in his fourth season with all his games played in a Roo uniform.
Last Time Out Against Drake
• Kansas City Men's Basketball (1-2) continued its road swing and lost at Missouri Valley Conference opponent Drake University (2-1) tonight by a 76-58 score. Senior Jordan Giles had a season-high 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting for the Roos. Senior Javan White hit for his second-straight double-digit game with 11 points and a career-best five steals. Junior Brandon McKissic chipped in with 10 points.
• Trailing by nine after a Maks Klanjscek three-point basket at the 10-minute mark remaining, Kansas City went flat offensively. The Roos had a chance down 61-52, but the host Bulldogs closed out the game on a 11-6 run. Liam Robbins had four of his game-high 23 points for Drake during the final stretch.
Swinney Center -- Home of the Roos
• For the first time in the NCAA Division I era (since 1986-87), the Roos will be playing all home games (non-conference and conference) at their on-campus facility, the Swinney Center. Last season, the Roos moved all of their conference games to Swinney, and hosted non-conference contests at the downtown Municipal Auditorium. As a side note, during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, Kansas City hosted one game each year at Municipal Auditorium with the remainder at Swinney Center.
• The Roos will host 13 contests, including three non-conference opponents in November. Their remaining 18 regular-season games will be held on the road.
Kansas at the Sprint Center
• On Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m., the Roos will face nationally ranked Kansas at the Sprint Center. The contest is officially hosted by the Jayhawks.
• Tickets are on sale through the Sprint Center box office calling 816-949-7100 or through the Sprint Center website.
• The Kansas City women's basketball team will be playing just a few blocks away at 1 p.m. that day against Kansas State at Municipal Auditorium.
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