MBB: Five Things to Know vs Grand Canyon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Separated by just one-and-a-half games in the conference standings, the Kansas City Men's Basketball (12-13, 4-6) team visits Grand Canyon (10-13, 5-4) on Thursday in conference action. Tip-off at GCU Arena in Phoenix, Ariz., is set for 8 p.m. CT and broadcast on the WAC Digital Network (WDN).

Kansas City will try to rebound after a pair of home losses last week, one coming to first-place New Mexico State by just six points.

It is down to crunch time in the Western Athletic Conference as the Roos have just six regular-season games remaining prior to the conference tournament in Las Vegas. Currently, the Roos are looking up at Grand Canyon and Seattle U who share the third position in the standings. New Mexico State and California Baptist are Nos. 1 and 2 in the league.
Senior Jordan Giles has played with urgency and an aggressive nature on the offensive end recently. Through his first 13 games this year, he averaged 6.4 points. In his last 12 games, he has poured in 14.4 points per game. He currently ranks No. 11 in conference games (through 10 games) scoring 13.9 and is fifth in field goal shooting (50.6%). He continues to climb the Kansas City career scoring list as he now is No. 18 with 876 points. He needs just seven more points to pass Reggie Chamberlain (2010-12) for 17^th on the career chart.
The Kansas City three-point defense is one that has been impressive this season. As a unit, the team ranks No. 1 in the conference allowing teams to make just 30.5 percent of their 3-pointers. In fact, the Roos have held 11 opponents to under a 30-percent clip, including three out of the last five games. The aggressive, smothering perimeter defense has been a signature under coach Donlon.
Another strong defensive trait this season has been in the steals category. The Roos rank No. 28 nationally in total steals with 201 thefts and 44^th in steals per game with an 8.0 average. In seven games this year, Kansas City has notched at least 10, including a season-high 19 against Crowley's Ridge on Jan. 27.
Senior Rob Whitfield continues his torrid shooting from 3-point range after nailing two from downtown last Saturday against New Mexico State. He ranks second in the conference in 3-point shooting (.417) and is second in makes per game (2.4). In 12 of his last 13 games, he has nailed at least two treys. In 53 of his 57 career games (93.0%) at Kansas City, Whitfield has connected on at least one triple. Playing in just his second season, he already is No. 10 on the school career list with 144 career 3-pointers.

Last Time Out: New Mexico State def. Kansas City, 67-61 (Feb. 8)

Behind a sell-out crowd of 1,513, Kansas City Men's Basketball couldn't complete a furious comeback and New Mexico State (19-6, 10-0) maintained the top conference spot winning 67-61.
Trailing 62-46 with 3:27 left, Kansas City put the offense in high-gear rattling off 11-straight points to get the energetic Swinney Center crowd on its feet.
Senior Jordan Giles collected a team-high 20 points, seven rebounds and career-tying three blocks for the Roos. Another pair of seniors, Jahshire Hardnett and Rob Whitfield, finished with nine points apiece.
After Whitfield knocked down one of his two three-pointers at the 15:52 mark in the second half putting Kansas City up 37-36, the Aggies got the ball inside to Ivan Aurrecoechea. His six-straight points were part of a 24-7 New Mexico State run that flipped the momentum.
Entering the game, the teams ranked No. 1 and 2 in the conference in shooting accuracy and it showed. Both finished the contest at an even 50 percent and exact same shooting stats at 24-for-48.

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, 69-66, at the Swinney Center on Jan. 19.
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 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.
Down 60-53, McKissic had five-straight points to get back to 60-58. But the Lopes, who were picked second in the WAC Coaches' Preseason Poll, made their shots against the aggressive Kansas City defense.

All-Time Series vs Grand Canyon

Kansas City is 4-10 all-time against the Lopes, holding a 1-5 mark at GCU Arena.
Kansas City is trying to snap a five-game road losing streak at Grand Canyon. The last, and only, road win in the series occurred on Feb. 27, 2014 in the 85-80 victory.
In last year's game at Grand Canyon, the Lopes used 50 percent shooting and 21 points from Carlos Johnson in the 78-50 victory. Junior Brandon McKissic finished with eight points and senior Jordan Giles had seven.

MBB: Five Things to Know vs Grand Canyon

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Josiah Allick

Jordan Giles

Jahshire Hardnett

Brandon McKissic

Javan White

Rob Whitfield

MBB: Five Things to Know vs Grand Canyon

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Josiah Allick

Jordan Giles

Jahshire Hardnett

Brandon McKissic

Javan White

Rob Whitfield

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University of Missouri Kansas City Athletics