Saturday, November 9
Stillwater, Okla.
2:00 PM
Kansas City
at
Oklahoma State
Preview: MBB Hits the Road Against Big 12 Opponent Oklahoma State
11/7/2019 8:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kansas City Opening Tip
• Kansas City men's basketball (1-0) hits the road for the first time with a date at Big 12 member Oklahoma State (1-0). Tip-off is Saturday at 2 p.m. from Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. The game is broadcast live on ESPN+
• Oklahoma State is one of three Big 12 opponents the Roos will match-up with this year, joining Iowa State (Dec. 4) and third-ranked Kansas (Dec. 14).
The Starting Five
1. Kansas City opened the 2019-20 season impressively with a 102-49 blasting of Avila on Tuesday. The 53-point margin of victory was the second-largest in school history as four players hit double-figures, led by Brandon McKissic's career high 27. The Roos dished out 30 assists on 38 field goals -- the assists mark ties an all-time single-game school record.
2. Under the leadership of first-year head coach Billy Donlon, Kansas City suits up 12 players, six of which are brand new to the program. Overall, there are six returning letterwinners mixed in with two freshmen and four transfers.
3. The Roos are looking to do something that hasn't been done in nearly 16 years... defeat a Big 12 program. The last Kansas City win was against Kansas State on Dec. 30, 2003 in the 93-52 blow-out played at downtown KC's Municipal Auditorium. The Roos entered the game with a 3-6 record while K-State was 7-1 prior to the loss.
4. Two true freshmen started on Tuesday: Josiah Allick and Maks Klanjscek. They both rose to the occasion each pouring in 13 points. Allick was 5-for-5 shooting and Klanjscek nailed three long-range bombs. They will be tested against the Cowboys.
5. Oklahoma State is the first Big 12 opponent for Kansas City since Kansas State in Manhattan on Nov. 14, 2017. The game was won by the Wildcats, 72-51.
Against the Cowboys
• The Cowboys own an 8-0 record against Kansas City. Saturday is the first meeting since the 2015-16 season when Oklahoma State won 61-43 in Stillwater on Dec. 29, 2015.
Scouting Oklahoma State
• The Oklahoma State basketball team opened the 2019-20 season with a block party. The Cowboys posted 12 total blocks, including eight from sophomore Yor Anei, in a 80-75 win over Oral Roberts on Wednesday. That game extended their streak of home-opening wins to 44 straight. OSU blocked 30.8 percent of ORU's 2-point field goal attempts and held the Golden Eagles to 33.8 percent shooting.
• Isaac Likekele came away with a game-high 18 points and nine boards for the Cowboys on Wednesday. Yor Anei nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks.
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. He has appeared in 90 games and has compiled 623 career points, which is No. 37 on the school chart.
Last Time Out Against Avila
• The Roos snapped a four-game losing streak in season-openers with a 102-49 win against Avila on Nov. 5.
• The contest marked the first time since the 2013-14 campaign that the Roos opened up a season on its home court. The Roos dropped a 81-76 decision to Emporia State on Nov. 8, 2013 at Municipal Auditorium.
• Coach Donlon became just the second sideline general in the 34-year history of NCAA Division I basketball to win his coaching debut. The other was coach Rich Zvosec as he won his debut on Nov. 17, 2001 in a road victory at Wisconsin - Green Bay (W, 48-47).
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.
One of a Kind
• Junior guard Brandon McKissic has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Competition Committee. He is the only student-athlete in the country on the committee. His service will continue through June 30, 2021. The 10-member committee reports directly to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Oversight Committee in an advisory role. The committee also has regular communication with the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee and reviews student-athlete health and safety, sportsmanship and integrity, game operations and presentation, technology and statistical trends.
Road Warriors
• Kansas City will be well-traveled this year when its all said and done. The Roos host just four games at Swinney Center from Nov. 5 and ends on Jan. 2, 2020 with a home game. That's a span of 57 days and will include nine different road opponents.
• The longest drought is 17 days between games at Swinney: against Western Illinois on Nov. 30 and against Toledo on Dec. 17.
• Part of the travel is a three-game tournament in the Bahamas, Nassau from Nov. 22-24.
Stat Watch
• Two individuals are already in the top 50 for career scoring at Kansas City. Senior Jordan Giles is tied for 34th with 623 career points in 90 career games and junior Brandon McKissic is 41st with 587 points in 62 career games.
• Kansas City men's basketball (1-0) hits the road for the first time with a date at Big 12 member Oklahoma State (1-0). Tip-off is Saturday at 2 p.m. from Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. The game is broadcast live on ESPN+
• Oklahoma State is one of three Big 12 opponents the Roos will match-up with this year, joining Iowa State (Dec. 4) and third-ranked Kansas (Dec. 14).
The Starting Five
1. Kansas City opened the 2019-20 season impressively with a 102-49 blasting of Avila on Tuesday. The 53-point margin of victory was the second-largest in school history as four players hit double-figures, led by Brandon McKissic's career high 27. The Roos dished out 30 assists on 38 field goals -- the assists mark ties an all-time single-game school record.
2. Under the leadership of first-year head coach Billy Donlon, Kansas City suits up 12 players, six of which are brand new to the program. Overall, there are six returning letterwinners mixed in with two freshmen and four transfers.
3. The Roos are looking to do something that hasn't been done in nearly 16 years... defeat a Big 12 program. The last Kansas City win was against Kansas State on Dec. 30, 2003 in the 93-52 blow-out played at downtown KC's Municipal Auditorium. The Roos entered the game with a 3-6 record while K-State was 7-1 prior to the loss.
4. Two true freshmen started on Tuesday: Josiah Allick and Maks Klanjscek. They both rose to the occasion each pouring in 13 points. Allick was 5-for-5 shooting and Klanjscek nailed three long-range bombs. They will be tested against the Cowboys.
5. Oklahoma State is the first Big 12 opponent for Kansas City since Kansas State in Manhattan on Nov. 14, 2017. The game was won by the Wildcats, 72-51.
Against the Cowboys
• The Cowboys own an 8-0 record against Kansas City. Saturday is the first meeting since the 2015-16 season when Oklahoma State won 61-43 in Stillwater on Dec. 29, 2015.
Scouting Oklahoma State
• The Oklahoma State basketball team opened the 2019-20 season with a block party. The Cowboys posted 12 total blocks, including eight from sophomore Yor Anei, in a 80-75 win over Oral Roberts on Wednesday. That game extended their streak of home-opening wins to 44 straight. OSU blocked 30.8 percent of ORU's 2-point field goal attempts and held the Golden Eagles to 33.8 percent shooting.
• Isaac Likekele came away with a game-high 18 points and nine boards for the Cowboys on Wednesday. Yor Anei nearly had a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks.
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. He has appeared in 90 games and has compiled 623 career points, which is No. 37 on the school chart.
Last Time Out Against Avila
• The Roos snapped a four-game losing streak in season-openers with a 102-49 win against Avila on Nov. 5.
• The contest marked the first time since the 2013-14 campaign that the Roos opened up a season on its home court. The Roos dropped a 81-76 decision to Emporia State on Nov. 8, 2013 at Municipal Auditorium.
• Coach Donlon became just the second sideline general in the 34-year history of NCAA Division I basketball to win his coaching debut. The other was coach Rich Zvosec as he won his debut on Nov. 17, 2001 in a road victory at Wisconsin - Green Bay (W, 48-47).
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.
One of a Kind
• Junior guard Brandon McKissic has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Competition Committee. He is the only student-athlete in the country on the committee. His service will continue through June 30, 2021. The 10-member committee reports directly to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Oversight Committee in an advisory role. The committee also has regular communication with the NCAA Men's Basketball Rules Committee and reviews student-athlete health and safety, sportsmanship and integrity, game operations and presentation, technology and statistical trends.
Road Warriors
• Kansas City will be well-traveled this year when its all said and done. The Roos host just four games at Swinney Center from Nov. 5 and ends on Jan. 2, 2020 with a home game. That's a span of 57 days and will include nine different road opponents.
• The longest drought is 17 days between games at Swinney: against Western Illinois on Nov. 30 and against Toledo on Dec. 17.
• Part of the travel is a three-game tournament in the Bahamas, Nassau from Nov. 22-24.
Stat Watch
• Two individuals are already in the top 50 for career scoring at Kansas City. Senior Jordan Giles is tied for 34th with 623 career points in 90 career games and junior Brandon McKissic is 41st with 587 points in 62 career games.
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