Men's Basketball Takes Historic Season to Sioux Falls

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Men's Basketball will travel to Sioux Falls this weekend in search of a Summit League Championship trophy. The Roos have already pieced together a historic season, as we take a look back on what made it special.

SEASON IN REVIEW

Kansas City earned its first win of the season over in-state rival Missouri, the Roos' first Power Five victory since 2015-16. It was KC's second win in-a-row over Mizzou and the first Power Five win of Billy Donlon's KC tenure.
Evan Gilyard II dropped a then-career-high 30 points in the Roos' road win over Idaho State on Nov. 22.
In non-conference play, the Roos garnered a 5-5 record, notching three wins against NET Quadrant Four teams.
The Roos earned their first league win of the season against South Dakota on Dec. 22, forcing every Coyote that entered the game into at least one turnover. Gilyard dropped 31 points against USD for a new career-high.
After an extended break due to COVID, the Roos returned to action with a win over Omaha on Jan. 10, led by Arkel Lamar's first 20-point game in a Kansas City uniform.
Kansas City erased a 14-point second half deficit against North Dakota State on Jan. 20, using a 21-0 run to flip the script of the game. Lamar dropped a career-high-tying 24 points and the Roos notched their first 10-plus-point second half comeback since 2019.
Gilyard became the first Roo since 2010-11 to notch three 30-plus point games in a season when the Roos knocked off North Dakota on Jan. 22.
Arkel Lamar notched his first double-double since 2018 against Omaha on Jan. 29.
The Roos knocked off Western Illinois and St. Thomas twice each across a span of nine days. Gilyard knocked down a career-high 33 points in the first game against the Leathernecks, adding eight assists. Marvin Nesbitt Jr. notched two double-doubles and two 20-point games, earning his first-career Player of the Week honor.
Four Roos went for double-digit scoring, including Josiah Allick's first double-double of the year, in the Roos' Feb. 17 win over North Dakota.
KC earned the season sweep over NDSU on the road, led by career-high-tying nights from Gilyard (33) and Lamar (24).
The Roos started the game with a 31-9 run against South Dakota on Feb. 24, earning their 12th conference win of the season.
Gilyard became the first Roos to earn All-Conference First Team honors since Lavell Boyd in 2016-17, and the first to win Newcomer of the Year since Michael Jackson in 1999-2000.
Nesbitt joined former Roo Brandon McKissic as the only Roos in program history to earn league Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Lamar notched his first career All-Conference honor, joining the Second Team.
This is the second time in program history that the Roos have had three players on the All-League First-and-Second teams.

NOTABLE STATS

The Roos' 19 wins this season are the second most in program history and the most since the 1991-92 Roos won 20 games.
In just three years at the helm, Billy Donlon has led the Roos to two 15-win seasons. The Roos had two 15-win seasons from 2005-19.
KC's 12 Summit League wins are tied with the 2004-05 team for the most league wins in program history.
The Roos posted an 11-3 record at home, the most Swinney Center wins in program history.
Kansas City has won eight road games this season, the most in program history.
Defense is the name of the game for Coach Donlon, as the Roos rank first in the conference in scoring defense, steals per game and turnovers forced.
Kansas City has won the turnover battle in each of their last 20 games, including every Summit League contest. The Roos' turnover margin of plus-5.1 is the fifth-best in the nation.
The Roos boast an efficient offense, ranking 20th in the nation in field goal percentage and 46th in three-point percentage.
In the last nine games, the Roos are shooting 45.9% from three-point range.
When scoring above 80 points this season, the Roos hold an 11-1 record. If they don't reach the 80-point mark, their record falls to 8-10.
Sharing the ball has led to success for Kansas City this year. When the team logs 15-or-more assists, they hold an 8-1 record.
Nesbitt needs just one more appearance in a Roo uniform to tie for first place in program history in games played at 121.
Gilyard has notched five 30-point games this season, including career-high 33-point performances in the Roos' wins over Western Illinois on Jan. 31 and North Dakota State on Feb. 19. Gilyard is the first Roo with five 30-point games in a single season since Michael Watson reached that mark in the 2003-04 season.
Gilyard is one of just nine players to score 30-plus points five times this year, and is one of just two players to do so in five wins. The other player is Bryant's Peter Kiss.
Gilyard failed to log four-plus assists in each of the Roos' first eight games. Since then, he has notched at least four in 12-of-22 games.
Through the first eight games of the season, Anderson Kopp knocked down 2.5 threes per game at a 51.3% clip, which was the 13th-best mark in the nation.
Coming into this season, Nesbitt had broken the 20-point mark just once in four years. This year, he has hit that mark three times, including back-to-back games in early February.
Lamar scored 24 points for the first time while he was at UMBC, on Nov. 18, 2017. This year, he has reached that mark twice, both coming against North Dakota State.
After missing much of the conference season due to injury, Allick has returned to form in recent weeks, averaging 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds over the past four games.
From Jan. 27 through Feb. 26, Gilyard has averaged 22.3 points per game, increasing his season average by 3.1 points.
Nesbitt was the only player to rank top-five in the Summit League in steals, blocks and rebounds per game this year, earning himself Summit League Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The Roos have had seven players notch 20-point games this season, and are one of just six teams in Division One to do so, along with Temple, Bowling Green, Seton Hall, Prairie View and South Dakota State.

Men's Basketball Takes Historic Season to Sioux Falls

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Josiah Allick

Evan Gilyard II

Anderson Kopp

Arkel Lamar

Brandon McKissic

Marvin Nesbitt Jr.

Men's Basketball Takes Historic Season to Sioux Falls

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Josiah Allick

Evan Gilyard II

Anderson Kopp

Arkel Lamar

Brandon McKissic

Marvin Nesbitt Jr.

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