UMKC Faces Red-Hot Bison At Municipal Auditorium

The 'Roos look to snap a seven-game skid when they continue conference play on Saturday against the team with the best record in the conference in North Dakota State (12-3). It is the last of three home games being played at Municipal Auditorium.

It will be the 13th meeting between the 'Roos and Bison, with NDSU holding an 8-4 lead in the series. The 'Roos won the last meeting between the two schools by a 72-61 score in Kansas City on Feb. 9, 2012. The teams have split the season series in each of the last three seasons. At home, Kansas City is 3-3 overall, having won the last two there. At Municipal Auditorium the 'Roos are 1-1 vs. the Bison.

Matt Brown is 3-7 vs. NDSU’s Saul Phillips, while Phillips has an 8-4 record against Kansas City.

North Dakota State comes in with a Summit League best 12-3 overall mark (ranked No. 14 in the Mid-Major Top 25) and a 3-0 record in conference play. The Bison have won four in a row, including wins against both South Dakota State and South Dakota.

They are led by junior guard Taylor Braun, who ranks fourth in the league in scoring at 15.5 points per game. He also pulls down 5.4 rebounds and has 44 assists. Forward Marshall Bjorklund scores 13.1 points and a team-best 5.9 boards a game, while reining League Player of the Week Lawrence Alexander is averaging 10 points and has a team-best 58 assists.

As a team the Bison lead the conference in scoring margin at +13.7 points per game, and hold opponents to a league best 38 percent shooting. The Bison also hold opponents to only 58 points a game.

UMKC is mired in a seven game losing streak in large part due to falling behind early. The 'Roos have been behind at halftime in each of the past seven games, but in the last two they have trailed by at least 22 points. Kansas City is 0-10 when trailing at the half this year. This is a trend that will need to end if the team wants to end their slide.

To capture a victory UMKC will rely on three players to lead the way. In the last five games, two players are averaging in double-figure points; Thomas Staton (15.0) and Estan Tyler (10.6). Fred Chatmon leads the team with 10.0 boards a game during the stretch, and has two 13 and a 16-rebound game this year already.

Fred Chatmon's 7.6 rebounds per game this season rank third in the Summit League, while Estan Tyler's 90 percent free throw shooting is second in the conference. Thomas Staton (.454) and Tyler  (.479) each rank in the league's top six in three-point shooting as well.

Saturday’s game will be broadcast on 102.9 FM / 1140 AM and KSMO CH 62.

The 'Roos next game will be at their homecourt (Swinney Recreation Center) as they step out of conference play briefly for a contest against Utah Valley on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.