Preview: Men's Basketball Travels to Second-Place California Baptist

Saturday, January 25

Riverside, Calif.

9:00 PM

Kansas City

California Baptist

Preview: Men's Basketball Travels to Second-Place California Baptist

1/23/2020 4:54:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Game Notes

Kansas City Opening Tip
• On Saturday, the Kansas City Men's Basketball (9-11, 2-4) program visits California Baptist (14-5, 4-1) for a game broadcast nationally on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. CT. The Roos are trying to snap a season-long four-game losing streak. Conversely, CBU rides a four-game win streak into Saturday's contest.
• The Roos need to find a way to move up from an eighth-place position in the conference standings. California Baptist is second.
• Saturday is the third meeting in the overall series between the Roos and Lancers. Each team has won on their home court.
• California Baptist is competing in its second full-season of NCAA Division I status after a four-year transition process. The Lancers secured the most wins in 2018-19 (16) than any first-year team ever did in NCAA Division I history.

The Starting Five
1. Senior Javan White is expected back in the line-up against the Lancers, after missing the previous three games with a neck injury. The senior forward is first or tied for the team lead in scoring (11.7), rebounding (7.4) and blocks (1.2). Those averages are good for third in the conference in rebounding and tied for 14th in scoring.
2. When senior forward Jordan Giles -- the only Roo to be playing all four years at Kansas City -- steps on the court Saturday, that would mark career game #110. In that case, he would game tie Fred Chatmon (2009-14) for 10th on the all-time school list for most career games played. The best mark is held by Spencer Johnson (2007-11) who appeared in 121 games.
3. Senior Rob Whitfield is nearing a Kansas City career top 10 list for made three-pointers. In his two-year KC career, he is 129-of-315 (.410) from downtown. He needs five more make's (134) to tie for the No. 10 spot.
4. The Roos are trying to flip the script and win on the road. They are just 1-8 in true road games compared to a 6-2 mark at home. The lone road win came at South Dakota on Dec. 22. Opponents on the road shoot 52.7 percent against the Roos, out-rebound KC 35.8-24.6, hold a 13.9 scoring margin and make more free throw's (144) than KC has attempted (125).
5. Getting to the free-throw line has not been a strength of the Roos this year. In 16-of-20 games, the opponent has attempted more or the same amount as Kansas City. In fact, the opponent has tossed more or the same attempts in the last 11-straight games. On the season, the Roos have attempted 16.8 and made 11.3 on average. Conversely, the opposition averages 23.4 attempts and 17.8 makes.

The Comforts of Home
• The Roos are a different team playing at the renovated Swinney Center with a 6-2 record. As a team, Kansas City shoots 46 percent overall and outscores the opponent by over 17 points. • On average, the Roos force 17 turnovers, are nearly +5 in rebounding margin and post eight steals.
• Prior to the Jan. 16th home loss to CSU Bakersfield, the 6-0 start tied for the second best home start with the 2015-16 team who also went 6-0 on its home court to begin the season. The 2010-11 program is the only Kansas City team to go 7-0 at home prior to its first loss in the NCAA Division I era (1986-87). That 7-0 mark is the all-time best.

Series History Notes vs California Baptist
• Kansas City is 1-1 all-time against the Lancers, losing in Riverside, Calif., last February by a 70-60 score.
• In the first all-time meeting between the two clubs on Jan. 10, 2019, the Roos posted an 84-68 win.
• In the game last year at California Baptist, Marvin Nesbitt Jr., finished with a then-career high 10 rebounds and had eight points. Rob Whitfield led all Roos with 17 points on five three-pointers and Jordan Giles posted 15 points.

Making a Good First Impression
• The Roos won their ninth game in their 16th overall contest to begin the year 9-7. That is the fastest output to nine wins since the 2010-11 program also went 9-7 to start the season.
• 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.
• Kansas City recorded seven wins prior to Jan. 1, which was the most since the 2016-17 program tallied seven victories prior to the new year.

National Stat Rankings
• Kansas City is ranked in the top 100 in four different national statistical categories:
   - No. 45 in total steals (154)
   - No. 67 in turnovers forced (15.6)
   - No. 75 in steals per game (7.7)
   - No. 68 in 3-point FG percentage (.359)

Bucking the Trend
• Heading into the Dec. 22 game at South Dakota, Kansas City was 0-6 on the year in true road games losing by an average margin of 17.8 points. However, the Roos stopped that streak courtesy of a three-pointer by senior Jahshire Hardnett. His dagger with two seconds remaining lifted the Roos to a 78-75 road victory and improved their team record to 7-7 on the season.

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:
   - Out-rebounding the opponent: 4-0
   - More made FT's than opponent: 3-0
   - Allowing 60 points or less: 4-0

Going Deep
• Kansas City is riding a streak of 317-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 7.1 make's per game, which ranks second in the WAC. Kansas City recorded a season-high of 13 at NM State (1/11/20). The fewest amount was four done on two occasions.

2020-21 Signing Class
• Head coach Billy Donlon has signed three individuals in the class of 2020-21. Below is a list of those players:
   • Caden Boser | Forward | 6-8 | 200 | Eau
   Claire Memorial HS | Eau Claire, Wis.
   • Tyre Boykin | Guard | 6-1 | 175 | West
   Bladen HS | White Oak, N.C.
   • D'Anthony Pennington | Guard | 6-2 |
   North Kansas City HS | North Kansas City,
   Mo.

Last Time Out Against Grand Canyon (Jan. 19)
• Grand Canyon made six-of-six free throws in the final 30 seconds and defeated Kansas City Men's Basketball (9-11, 2-4), 69-66, at the Swinney Center. Freshman Josiah Allick ended with a career-high 13 rebounds and added 11 points for his second career double-double. Junior Brandon McKissic recorded all 16 of his team-high points in the second half to help the Kansas City late push.
• Playing without leading scorer and rebounder Javan White for the third-straight game, the Roos had Grand Canyon (7-11, 2-2) on the ropes late after a Brandon McKissic three-pointer. That bucket brought the hosts back to a one-point deficit (65-64) with 11 seconds remaining. However, Grand Canyon was perfect from the charity stripe to close out the victory.

The Do-It-All Machine
• Senior graduate transfer Javan White is first or tied for first on the team in three of the five major statistical categories: scoring (11.7), rebounding (7.4), and blocks (1.2). He has compiled four double-doubles on the year and led the team in rebounding 11 times and scoring three times.
• In conference rankings, he is tops in double-doubles, third in rebounding, fourth in blocks, tied for 12th in steals (1.1) and tied for 14th in scoring.