Tuesday, December 10
Lake Charles, La.
6:30 PM
Kansas City
at
McNeese State
Preview: MBB Faces McNeese State on Tuesday
12/6/2019 2:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kansas City Opening Tip
• On Tuesday, the Kansas City Men's Basketball (5-5) team travels to Lake Charles, La., to face the McNeese State (3-6) Cowboys. Tip-off is 6:30 p.m. from the H&HP Complex.
• The Roos are seeking their first road victory of the year. Thus far, they have fallen all four times in true road games, with two coming against Big 12 opponents.
• The Cowboys welcome the Roos to a court they have not lost on this year. In fact, the 3-0 home record looks much better when seeing the average margin of victory has been over 56 points. However, the three opponents have been small schools, with membership either in the NAIA or NCCAA.
• After a nine-game month of November, the Roos play just five games in December. The lone home game during the Holiday month is on Dec. 17 against Toledo.
The Starting Five
1. Senior forward Jordan Giles will be playing in his 100th career game when he walks on the court at McNeese State. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native is the only active player suiting up as a Roo all four years. He owns 55 starts and has career averages of 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and a 46.1 shooting percentage.
2. Two players have started all 10 games this year: Jahshire Hardnett and Javan White. Both are transfers playing in their final season. Hardnett is second on the team in assists and fifth in scoring, while White is first in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks.
3. Jahshire Hardnett has attacked the rim as the primary ball handler. That has equated to finding his teammates in the form of more assists and an increase in scoring. In his last six games, he has averaged 9.2 points, compared to 4.5 in his first four games.
4. With five wins prior to Dec. 1, the Roos collected the most victories before the calendar flipped into December since the 2016-17 program went 6-2. That year was the last time Kansas City had a winning record at 18-17 overall.
5. By gaining its fifth win in its ninth overall game against Western Illinois on Nov. 30, Kansas City is seeing early success it has not accomplished recently. Kansas City notched win No. 5 in its 14th game last year and win No. 5 in its 16th game in 2017-18.
Top of the Class
• Kansas City is No. 1 in the conference in three major statistical categories: steals (9.3), scoring defense (63.7) and scoring margin (+6.3). The Roos have nearly doubled the opponents total in the steals column (93-59) and is +28 in assists (138-110).
Road Woes
• Kansas City is 0-4 this year in true road games and the numbers speak for themselves. The Roos have shot 39.6 (84-for-212) from the field and been out-rebounded by 13.3 per game. They have a -15.8 scoring margin and only make 8.0 free throws in those losses, compared to 15.3 by the opponent.
Statistical Trends
• There are a few statistical trends that equates to success for Kansas City. When the Roos do the following, they have a perfect record this year:
   - Leading at the half: 4-0
   - Out-rebounding the opponent: 4-0
   - Higher FG% than opponent: 4-0
   - More made FT's than opponent: 3-0
Going Deep
• Kansas City is riding a streak of 307-straight games making at least one three-pointer. The last time the team failed to connect from deep was on Jan. 22, 2000 against Oakland when the Roos were 0-for-13. This year, Kansas City averages 6.2 make's per game, which ranks fourth in the WAC. Kansas City recorded a game-high of 12 against Avila (11/5). The fewest amount was four done on two occasions.
Series History Notes vs McNeese State
• The first and only previous meeting took place on Dec. 15, 2018 in downtown KC at Municipal Auditorium. The Roos used an 11-0 run in the middle of the second half to hold on for a 80-67 victory.
• The Roos shot 64 percent (17-of-26) in the second half to expand a two-point halftime lead into the 13-point victory.
• Five current players saw action in last year's game. Senior Rob Whitfield finished with a team-high 19 points and splashed in five 3-pointer's. Senior Jordan Giles and junior Brandon McKissic added 12 points each. Junior Marvin Nesbitt Jr. had four points in 12 minutes, while junior Brandon Suggs came in off the bench.
Last Time Out Against Iowa State (Wed.)
• Kansas City Men's Basketball (5-5) held tough against Iowa State (5-3) for about 35 minutes, but the Cyclones pulled away late for a 79-61 victory at Hilton Coliseum in non-conference play. Kansas City's Javan White converted a three-point play to bring the score to 57-54 in favor of Iowa State with 6:37 remaining. However, the Cyclones finished the game on a 22-7 scoring run to win their 11th-straight home game against non-conference opponents.
• The Roos were able to get inside against Iowa State, driving to the basket and attacking as they scored 40 points in the paint. Junior Marvin Nesbitt Jr. utilized his strength in the lane with a team-high 11 points and five rebounds. Senior Rob Whitfield added 10 points.
• Senior Jahshire Hardnett started the second-half comeback with a basket and a 3-pointer as the Roos chipped the deficit down to four at 57-53. But Iowa State nailed 18-of-19 from the charity stripe in the second half to hold on.
The Do-It-All Machine
• Senior graduate transfer Javan White is first or tied for first on the team in four of the five major statistical categories: scoring (12.2), rebounding (7.8), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.0). He has compiled three double-doubles already and led the team in rebounding six times and scoring twice.
• In conference rankings, he is tops in double-doubles, tied for No. 2 in rebounding and 13th in scoring.
Setting Records
• Here is a list of single-game school records the Roos have set so far this year:
   - Assists in game (30) vs Avila (11/5) (tied record)
   - Made FGs in game (48) vs Bacone (11/18)
   - Scoring margin (+73) vs Bacone (11/18)
• On Tuesday, the Kansas City Men's Basketball (5-5) team travels to Lake Charles, La., to face the McNeese State (3-6) Cowboys. Tip-off is 6:30 p.m. from the H&HP Complex.
• The Roos are seeking their first road victory of the year. Thus far, they have fallen all four times in true road games, with two coming against Big 12 opponents.
• The Cowboys welcome the Roos to a court they have not lost on this year. In fact, the 3-0 home record looks much better when seeing the average margin of victory has been over 56 points. However, the three opponents have been small schools, with membership either in the NAIA or NCCAA.
• After a nine-game month of November, the Roos play just five games in December. The lone home game during the Holiday month is on Dec. 17 against Toledo.
The Starting Five
1. Senior forward Jordan Giles will be playing in his 100th career game when he walks on the court at McNeese State. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native is the only active player suiting up as a Roo all four years. He owns 55 starts and has career averages of 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and a 46.1 shooting percentage.
2. Two players have started all 10 games this year: Jahshire Hardnett and Javan White. Both are transfers playing in their final season. Hardnett is second on the team in assists and fifth in scoring, while White is first in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks.
3. Jahshire Hardnett has attacked the rim as the primary ball handler. That has equated to finding his teammates in the form of more assists and an increase in scoring. In his last six games, he has averaged 9.2 points, compared to 4.5 in his first four games.
4. With five wins prior to Dec. 1, the Roos collected the most victories before the calendar flipped into December since the 2016-17 program went 6-2. That year was the last time Kansas City had a winning record at 18-17 overall.
5. By gaining its fifth win in its ninth overall game against Western Illinois on Nov. 30, Kansas City is seeing early success it has not accomplished recently. Kansas City notched win No. 5 in its 14th game last year and win No. 5 in its 16th game in 2017-18.
Top of the Class
• Kansas City is No. 1 in the conference in three major statistical categories: steals (9.3), scoring defense (63.7) and scoring margin (+6.3). The Roos have nearly doubled the opponents total in the steals column (93-59) and is +28 in assists (138-110).
Road Woes
• Kansas City is 0-4 this year in true road games and the numbers speak for themselves. The Roos have shot 39.6 (84-for-212) from the field and been out-rebounded by 13.3 per game. They have a -15.8 scoring margin and only make 8.0 free throws in those losses, compared to 15.3 by the opponent.
Statistical Trends
• There are a few statistical trends that equates to success for Kansas City. When the Roos do the following, they have a perfect record this year:
   - Leading at the half: 4-0
   - Out-rebounding the opponent: 4-0
   - Higher FG% than opponent: 4-0
   - More made FT's than opponent: 3-0
Going Deep
• Kansas City is riding a streak of 307-straight games making at least one three-pointer. The last time the team failed to connect from deep was on Jan. 22, 2000 against Oakland when the Roos were 0-for-13. This year, Kansas City averages 6.2 make's per game, which ranks fourth in the WAC. Kansas City recorded a game-high of 12 against Avila (11/5). The fewest amount was four done on two occasions.
Series History Notes vs McNeese State
• The first and only previous meeting took place on Dec. 15, 2018 in downtown KC at Municipal Auditorium. The Roos used an 11-0 run in the middle of the second half to hold on for a 80-67 victory.
• The Roos shot 64 percent (17-of-26) in the second half to expand a two-point halftime lead into the 13-point victory.
• Five current players saw action in last year's game. Senior Rob Whitfield finished with a team-high 19 points and splashed in five 3-pointer's. Senior Jordan Giles and junior Brandon McKissic added 12 points each. Junior Marvin Nesbitt Jr. had four points in 12 minutes, while junior Brandon Suggs came in off the bench.
Last Time Out Against Iowa State (Wed.)
• Kansas City Men's Basketball (5-5) held tough against Iowa State (5-3) for about 35 minutes, but the Cyclones pulled away late for a 79-61 victory at Hilton Coliseum in non-conference play. Kansas City's Javan White converted a three-point play to bring the score to 57-54 in favor of Iowa State with 6:37 remaining. However, the Cyclones finished the game on a 22-7 scoring run to win their 11th-straight home game against non-conference opponents.
• The Roos were able to get inside against Iowa State, driving to the basket and attacking as they scored 40 points in the paint. Junior Marvin Nesbitt Jr. utilized his strength in the lane with a team-high 11 points and five rebounds. Senior Rob Whitfield added 10 points.
• Senior Jahshire Hardnett started the second-half comeback with a basket and a 3-pointer as the Roos chipped the deficit down to four at 57-53. But Iowa State nailed 18-of-19 from the charity stripe in the second half to hold on.
The Do-It-All Machine
• Senior graduate transfer Javan White is first or tied for first on the team in four of the five major statistical categories: scoring (12.2), rebounding (7.8), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.0). He has compiled three double-doubles already and led the team in rebounding six times and scoring twice.
• In conference rankings, he is tops in double-doubles, tied for No. 2 in rebounding and 13th in scoring.
Setting Records
• Here is a list of single-game school records the Roos have set so far this year:
   - Assists in game (30) vs Avila (11/5) (tied record)
   - Made FGs in game (48) vs Bacone (11/18)
   - Scoring margin (+73) vs Bacone (11/18)
Players Mentioned
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