UMKC Rounds Out Men’s Basketball Coaching Staff

Kansas City men’s basketball has its entire coaching staff on board, announced Wednesday by Head Coach Kareem Richardson. Angres Thorpe is the Associate Head Coach, while Sean Bledsoe and Jason Sautter were named Assistant Coaches. Conner Hampton was elevated to the Director of Basketball Operations position, while former ‘Roo Spencer Johnson will serve as Graduate Assistant.

Both Thorpe and Bledsoe have been in Kansas City since mid-April, while Sautter became official this week. Hampton served in a graduate assistant role at UMKC the past two seasons, while Johnson returns to Kansas City after a professional playing career in Europe.

“I couldn’t be happier about the staff that is with me here,” Richardson said. “Each one of these guys are tremendous teachers and mentors for the players.”

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Thorpe brings 20 years of experience with him, coming to UMKC after two seasons as the Associate Head Coach with the Toledo basketball program. He spent the previous two seasons as a member of Tod Kowalczyk's coaching staff at UW-Green Bay before coming with him to Toledo.

He helped coach Kowalczyk transform the program during his time at Toledo. The Rockets boasted a 15-win improvement in 2012 (second-best in the nation) and recorded UT’s first postseason win in 11 years. In his final season, the Rockets tied for first place in the MAC West Division with a 10-6 record, securing its first division title and most conference wins since 2007.

Thorpe's two seasons in Green Bay were memorable ones as the Phoenix posted a pair of 22-win seasons and advanced to post-season play for the first time since the 1995-96 campaign. His first year saw UWGB put together a 22-11 overall record, place second in the Horizon League and host a first-round game in the College Basketball Invitational. The Phoenix registered a 22-13 mark last season and advanced to the second round of the CBI.

Prior to joining the UWGB program, Thorpe spent the previous six seasons (2002-08) as an assistant at Saint Louis University. During his time with SLU, the Billikens averaged 16 wins per season and were one of the top defensive teams in both the Atlantic 10 and Conference USA. Thorpe coached five all-conference players and two all-rookie selections during his tenure.

Thorpe gained some familiarity with the Mid-American Conference when he worked two seasons as an assistant coach at Ball State. In 2001-02, the Cardinals posted a 23-12 record and earned a trip to the National Invitation Tournament. That campaign included upset wins over UCLA and Kansas at the Maui Invitational.

From 1996 to 2000, Thorpe helped guide Lewis University to a 75-37 mark and two trips to the NCAA Division II tournament. He was the Flyers' recruiting coordinator and was responsible for recruiting Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Iowa and all junior colleges. During that time, the Flyers produced two Division II All-Americans.

Thorpe began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Loras College in Dubuque, IA, from 1993-96. During his tenure, Loras produced a NCAA Division III All-American, and the Duhawks were three-time runners-up in the prestigious National Catholic Basketball Tournament.

A Chicago native, Thorpe was a two-time All-Catholic League performer at Fenwick High School. He went on to become a four-year letterman at St. Leo College (Fla.). Thorpe earned his bachelor's degree in business management.

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Bledsoe was most recently the President of the VC Athletic Group in Indianapolis since 2007, where he trained basketball players from elementary to professional age, while also starting and running the Midwest Elite Exposure Camp.

He also founded the D3 Heat AAU program, producing players like McDonald’s All-American Gary Harris (Michigan State), R.J. Hunter (Georgia State) and Austin Burgett (Notre Dame).

Prior to that, he spent 10 seasons coaching in the college ranks, most recently a three-year stretch as assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Cleveland State through 2006. Bledsoe joined the Viking basketball coaching staff in the spring of 2003 after serving as an assistant coach at Bowling Green for two seasons (2001-03).

Bledsoe helped the Falcons to a 37-25 record during his two seasons. Included in that total was a 24-9 mark in 2001-02 that set the school record for wins.

A 1994 graduate of Indianapolis University with a Bachelor of Arts in education, Bledsoe began his coaching career with a two-year stint as assistant coach at Urbana University (1995-97). He left Urbana in 1997 to become assistant coach at Wilberforce University in southern Ohio.

Bledsoe was promoted to head coach after just one season, compiling a 26-25 record in two seasons (1998-2000). In his first season, he guided the Bulldogs to the school's first winning season.

Bledsoe resides his wife, Heather. He has five children, Jacobby, Khalil, Gabby, Collins and Paxton.

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Sautter comes to UMKC after a two-year stop at Seward County C.C. (Kan.) as an assistant coach, where he helped the Saints to back-to-back Jayhawk West conference titles.

In 2012-13, the Saints posted a 14-2 conference mark and went 25-8 overall while receiving votes in the final NJCAA Poll. Known for his defensive coaching style, the team broke the school record with only 62.7 points allowed per game. The squad had three all-region selections, as well as an All-American in Kaheem Ransom. The team had four players sign with Division I schools as well.

In his first season, SCCC had a third place finish at the NJCAA National Tournament, winning the Region VI Championship. Sautter helped the Saints to the third-best opponents’ points per game average in school history at 63.4. He saw Deverell Biggs earn Jayhawk West and Region VI MVP honors before being named a first-team NJCAA All-American. He also had two players named to the NJCAA All-Tournament Team.

Prior to joining Seward, Sautter was the head coach at Western Texas College, posting a 55-30 record over three seasons. The program returned to the NJCAA regional championships after being absent for 27 years, and led his team to an NJCAA national ranking for the first time in 30 years. He also led his team to the No. 1 defensive ranking in the country during the 2010-11 season.

Sautter was the Associate Coach at Howard College before his stop at Western Texas. He helped lead the program to a 112-23 record during his four-year tenure. During the 2005-06 season, Sautter assisted the Hawks to a 35-2 record, a No. 1 national ranking, and the WJCAC Conference Championship.

In his first two seasons at Howard, Sautter was a part of a staff that led the team to a combined record of 62-8. During his tenure at Howard, Sautter recruited and helped coach the NJCAA Player of the Year, Region V MVP, WJCAC Player of the Year, and a First Team All-American, as well as four all-region players, and 14 all-conference players.

Prior to his days at Howard, Sautter had a brief stint at Lincoln University during the 2003-04 season as the assistant coach. Before he arrived at Lincoln, he served as a graduate assistant at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. During the 2002-03 season, Harding had a record of 21-9, while making the GSC Tournament and the NCAA-II National Tournament.

From 1999-2001, Sautter was the Head Boys Basketball and Baseball Coach at Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, Mo. Along with the coaching abilities, he was recognized for his teaching achievements there.

Sautter earned his bachelor’s degree from York College and his masters in education from Harding. He and his wife Jacy have three children, sons Jacob and Jadon, and daughter Jordyn.

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Hampton has been promoted for the third time in three years, this time to the Director of Basketball Operations position. He joined the UMKC men's basketball team as a manager in 2011, and was promoted to the graduate assistant position for the 2012-13 season.

He has helped with film exchange, cutting game and practice film, and assisting with practice. In his current position, he organizes team travel, oversees film exchange, game and practice film editing, scouting opponents and day to day operations.

He played at Highland Community College for one season, before transferring to Tabor College (Hillsboro, Kan.) to finish out his career. After his playing days concluded, he served as the head junior varsity coach and second assistant on the varsity team at TC. His duties included preparing practice plans, doing game preparation, and maintaining day-to-day operations.

In high school, he attended Kapaun Mt. Carmel in Wichita during his freshman and sophomore years, playing football, basketball and baseball. He transferred to Oxford High school for his junior and senior seasons, and played three sports there as well. Oxford went 18-4 in basketball during his time there, as he led the league is points at 21.8 a game, and assists in 2007. He was a first-team all-league and coaches all-state selection. He led OHS to the SCBL regular season and tournament championships. The team was ranked No. 1 in Class 2A during the month of January.

A native of Wichita, Kan., he graduated from Tabor College with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education in May of 2011. He is currently working on his master's degree in education at UMKC.

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Johnson is no stranger to UMKC basketball as he is the school’s all-time leader in rebounds and games played during his career from 2007-11. He returns to serve as the graduate assistant after playing professionally in Europe.

An honorable mention All-Summit League pick, he recorded a UMKC single-season record 283 rebounds as a senior, averaging 9.4 rebounds per game to rank second in school history. He also recorded 21 rebounds in a game vs. North Dakota State that year, the second-highest total in school history.

He set the school records for career rebounds (710) and games (121), that year as well. He ranks 10th in UMKC history in scoring (993) and field goals made (352), ninth in field goal attempts (792) and three-point field goal attempts, sixth in minutes played (2951) and tied for fourth in games started (91). Johnson’s 16 double-doubles are third in school history, while his 22 double-figure rebound contests are tied for second, and his 45 double-figure scoring games are tied for 10th all-time. At one point during his career, he started 50 consecutive games.

Johnson started his professional career in August of 2011 in the Luxembourg top division on team Etzella. He averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds a game there, before switching teams to a league in Portugal, playing for Udo Uniao Desportiva Oliveirense. He was the team’s leading scorer and co-captain. He helped them to a 20-9 mark and to the Championship Final Four. He had a season high 36 points and 14 rebounds in a second round playoff game. Johnson also recorded eight double doubles during the regular season. He had season-high 19 rebounds during the regular season as well, and made the league’s All-Newcomer squad.

A product of Champaign, Illinois, he graduated from Central High School, where he enjoyed an award-winning basketball career, earning all-state honors while helping the squad win two conference and two regional crowns. After high school, he attended prep school at the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina for one year.

He graduated from UMKC in 2011 with his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.

UMKC Men’s Basketball Season Tickets Now On Sale

The UMKC men’s basketball squad announced Tuesday that season tickets for the 2013-14 season are now on sale. New Head Coach Kareem Richardson has added a recruiting class that boasts local talent to complement a returning core of players, while also preparing for the move to the Western Athletic Conference this season.

UMKC will also play the bulk of its schedule at historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

“Your support of our team is truly needed as we move back to Municipal,” Richardson said in a message to Kansas City area fans. “We will play an exciting brand of basketball and we need your excitement and enthusiasm to give us the best home court advantage in the WAC.”

Season tickets start at just $120, with discounts available for alumni and faculty/staff.

New for 2013-14 is the Family Four-Pack, giving fans four general admission season tickets for just $330. Also new for 2013-14 is the All Sports Pass which grants admission to all men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, volleyball and softball games.

UMKC is accepting deposits for season tickets and will reserve seats with a 50% deposit.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (816) 23-KCTIX or go online to the UMKC men’s basketball ticket page.

Isaac Kreuer Becomes Next Signee to Come Home, Inks With ‘Roos

UMKC men’s basketball added another Kansas City area product on Wednesday with the signing of big man Isaac Kreuer. A 6-10 forward/center, he spent his last season at Impact Basketball Academy, after playing for Metro Academy during his high school career.

“We are very fortunate and extremely excited to add Isaac to our family,” UMKC Head Coach Kareem Richardson said of his fourth signee, “He brings immediate depth to our team in the front court with his size and skill set.”

Isaac Kreuer

6-10 * 245 * Forward/Center * Freshman

Harrisonville, Mo. * Impact Basketball Academy (Nev.) * Metro Academy

Played in the Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada, during his post-high school season in order to prepare for the next level… Previous to that, he played his high school ball at Kansas City Metro Academy, in a homeschool league for head coach Robin Sullivan… While there he was ranked as one of the top homeschool players in the nation, garnering All-American honors as both a junior and a senior… As a senior, he averaged 19.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.5 assists per contest… As a junior he led the Mavericks to a regional title and an appearance in the national Elite 8… During his sophomore season he was an all-region selection as well… In the AAU ranks, he played for the Pumas in Kansas City for head coach Scott Wedman.

Kreuer joins Martez Harrison (Brewster Academy/University Academy), Frank Williams, Jr. (Indian Hills C.C./Raytown H.S.) and Shayok Shayok (Bradley/Ottawa, Ontario) as part of Richardson’s first signing class.

Bradley Forward Shayok Transfers To UMKC

The UMKC men’s basketball program announced the transfer of Shayok Shayok to the program. The 6-8, 230-pound forward comes to Kansas City from Bradley, and will sit out during the 2013-14 season due to transfer rules.

“Shayok is a versatile player that has great size and athleticism,” UMKC Head Coach Kareem Richardson said of his third addition, “Although he will have to sit out this upcoming year, we expect him to be a key part of our team’s success.”

Shayok Shayok (Pronounced SHE-ock SHE-ock)

6-8 * 230 * Forward * Junior-Tr

Ottawa, Ontario * IMG Academy (Fla.) * St. Patrick’s H.S.

Appeared in all 67 games during his two seasons at Bradley, leading all 2011-12 newcomers with 26 starts, 3.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 15 blocks and 13 steals… In two games against Big 10 competition, Shayok blocked three shots vs. Wisconsin and set season highs with 10 points and eight rebounds at Michigan… He was also on the Honor Roll two times there… At the Pendleton School at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., in 2010-11, he averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game during his prep school season… Began his high school career in Ottawa, Ontario, where he played at St. Patrick's High School through the 2008-09 school year... As a junior at St. Patrick's, Shayok led his team in scoring 18 times, including a team season-best 35 points against Sir Robert Borden in the final game of the Cling Dunning Memorial Tournament at the University of Ottawa... Also led his team with a pair of 16-point efforts in the 2009 postseason playoffs... As a senior, Shayok moved to Chicago and attended Julian H.S., but he did not play for the Jaguars.

Shayok joins Martez Harrison (Brewster Academy/University Academy) and Frank Williams, Jr. (Indian Hills C.C./Raytown H.S.) as part of Richardson’s first signing class.

Frank Williams, Jr. Becomes Second Local Product To Sign With UMKC

The UMKC men’s basketball program announced the signing of another Kansas City product, Frank Williams, Jr., on Friday. A 6-6 guard, he spent his last two seasons at Indian Hills Community College after playing at Raytown High School.

“Frank brings our team experience and a tremendous ability to make shots,” UMKC Head Coach Kareem Richardson said of his second signee, “We couldn’t be more excited to have Frank become a part of our UMKC family.”

“I chose to attend UMKC to play basketball for Coach Richardson because I feel that he will run a system that has been very successful in the college game today,” Williams said. “Also, because the University is in my hometown, I have the opportunity to play in front of my friends and family. I feel that we can get a lot more local support from our own city and maybe open the eyes of other Kansas City talent to stay here and play for the hometown school if given the opportunity.”

Franklin Williams, Jr.

6-6 * 175 * Guard * Junior-Tr

Kansas City, Mo. * Indian Hills C.C. (Iowa) * Raytown H.S. (Mo.)

Williams comes to UMKC from Indian Hills Community College in Iowa, where he helped the squad to a combined 59-8 record over his two seasons for coach Barret Peery… As a sophomore he averaged 14 points per contest with a high game of 27, earning second-team all-conference honors… He scored in double figures 19 times and had eight or more points in 25-of-30 games… He was the only Indian Hills player to play in all 30 games, hitting 62 pointers, shooting 45 percent from the field, and 38 percent from three-point range, leading the team to a 26-4 record… As a freshman, despite injury, he helped the team finish seventh in the National Tournament with a 33-4 record… At Raytown High School, he was a three-time all-conference selection, and earned all-state honors as a senior, playing for Mark Scanlon and Brandon Weis… He averaged 23 points, six rebounds and two assists per game that season, also picking up first-team all-district and all-conference accolades… His junior year, he averaged 21 points, five rebounds and four assists a game, picking up first-team honors at both the conference and district levels… As a sophomore he scored 11 points a contest as well to earn honorable mention all-conference… He played for the Kansas City Keys AAU team from 2006-08 for coach Darrin Craig, and for the Speice MoKan Elite in 2009 for coach Rodney Perry… He was also invited to the Paul Pierce Skills Academy and the LeBron James Skills Academy.

Williams joins fellow Kansas City product Martez Harrison (Brewster Academy/University Academy) as part of Richardson’s first signing class.

Local Product Martez Harrison Signs With ‘Roos

The UMKC men’s basketball program announced the signing of Kansas City product Martez Harrison on Thursday. The point guard played at a prep school last season in Brewster Academy of New Hampshire, after a high school career at University Academy in Kansas City.

“We are extremely excited to have Martez join our family,” UMKC Head Coach Kareem Richardson said of his first signee, “He has great leadership skills and will have the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.”

Martez Harrison

5-11 * 185 * Point Guard

Kansas City, Mo. * Brewster Academy (N.H.) * University Academy H.S. (Mo.)

Harrison led Brewster Academy to a 32-6 overall record (team went 27-3 in his starts)… He averaged 10 points and 5.5 assists per game while hitting 59 percent from the floor and 71 percent from the free throw line, playing for head coach Jason Smith… During his career at University Academy in Kansas City, he was a two-time first-team all-state selection and left as the all-time leading scorer in both a season and career… He also has the school record with 58 points scored in a game… As a senior he averaged 34 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals per game while being selected first team all-district and helping the squad to an 18-10 mark… He was the team captain for two seasons, and earned a spot in the Missouri vs. Kansas All-Star Game as a senior as well… During his junior season, Harrison put up 27.5 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals per outing, garnering first-team all-district accolades… He was also a first-team all-district pick and the District MVP as a sophomore, averaging 18.3 points four boards, four assists and two steals per outing… He played his AAU basketball for the KC 76ers for four seasons, winning the Fab 48 in 2011… Academically, he was on the Honor Roll at University Academy in 2010-11.

UMKC Introduces New Men’s Basketball Coach

Kareem Richardson will go from one of the nation’s top college basketball teams to a struggling Division 1 school, and he plans to bring some of the success he had at Louisville to the University of Missouri-Kansas City, The Kansas City Star reports.

Richardson plans to emulate Louisville Coach Rick Pitino’s style of play and to emphasize not letting Kansas City’s best prep players get away from their hometown college, the report says. UMKC formally introduced Richardson as the successor to Matt Brown at a news conference on Monday.

Kareem Richardson Tabbed As UMKC Men’s Basketball Coach

Kareem Richardson has been named the next head men's basketball coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Director of Athletics Tim Hall announced Tuesday.

Richardson is a 16-year collegiate coaching veteran and currently an assistant coach at the University of Louisville, under legendary coach Rick Pitino. He has helped the Cardinals to the Big East tournament crown and the NCAA Tournament No. 1 overall seed this season. Richardson also spent a season at UMKC in 2007-08 as an assistant. He has played and coached in the region, and has helped bring in well-ranked recruiting classes at every school during his coaching career.

"I would like to welcome Kareem back to Kansas City," Hall said. "He has strong relationships with high school and AAU coaches here and throughout the Midwest. He brings a high basketball pedigree in the areas of recruiting, on-the-floor coaching, strategy and preparation, and service to young men. Kareem is an educator, and knows what it takes to be successful in the mid-major ranks."

Richardson will be formally introduced in a press conference on the UMKC campus on Monday, March 25. Time and exact location will be released later.

"It is an honor and privilege to be named the next head coach at UMKC.  Being at the University of Louisville and working under future Hall of Famer Coach Pitino, it had to take a special situation for me to leave, but I know the vision that Leo Morton and Tim Hall have for the program makes UMKC a special situation," Richardson said. "It is extremely exciting to have the opportunity to lead the UMKC men's basketball program and to be back in the wonderful city of Kansas City."

He will remain on the sidelines with Louisville until the completion of its season.

"Our goal is to win the attention, and the hearts, of Kansas City sports fans," said UMKC Chancellor Leo Morton. "Kansas City is the best college basketball town in the country, and UMKC is Kansas City's university. We believe Kareem Richardson can lead a program that will connect with the sports fans of Kansas City."

Prior to his year at Louisville, Richardson made the most of one season at Xavier, helping the Musketeers reach the NCAA Sweet 16 and the finals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament that season while posting a 23-12 record. He helped the Musketeers land a Top 20 recruiting class in 2011.

Richardson, 38, had joined Xavier from Drake University, where he had been the head assistant coach for three seasons. He has also served on the basketball staffs at Evansville, Indiana State, Wright State and Indianapolis.

Richardson has been ranked as one of the top assistants in college basketball according to the basketball website Collegeinsider.com. He earned a reputation as a top-level recruiter during his time at Drake, serving as recruiting coordinator and helping head coach Mark Phelps secure the top-rated recruited class in the Missouri Valley Conference in two of his three years there. In his first year as assistant coach at Drake, Richardson helped lead the Bulldogs to post-season play during the 2008-09 season, in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

Prior to Drake, Richardson was the top assistant with the UMKC men's basketball program for the 2007-08 season. Richardson served as an assistant coach at his alma mater Evansville from 2003-07, one season (2002-03) at Wright State, as well as a stint at Indiana State (1999-2002). Richardson's coaching career began at the University of Indianapolis from 1997-99.

Richardson helped Indiana State enjoy success. In 2000, he guided the Sycamores to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Larry Bird era in the late 1970s. A year later in 2001, Indiana State topped No. 4 seed Oklahoma, advancing to the second round of the NCAAs.

As a player, Richardson played in an NCAA Tournament as a freshman at East Carolina University. He then transferred to Evansville in 1995 and quickly established himself as the Purple Aces' top point guard. Richardson, who was a team captain two years, was selected to the Missouri Valley Conference all-academic team in both 1996 and 1997. In 1996, he received notoriety on the MVC all-underrated team. He was a first team all-state selection at Rantoul (Ill.) Township High School in 1992 and was twice named conference player of the year.

Richardson, who was born in Tacoma, Wash., graduated from Evansville with a bachelor's degree in telecommunication and interpersonal communication in 1997 and received his MBA from the University of Indianapolis in 1999.

He and his wife, Greta, have three children, Jasmiyn, Amari and Andre.

Matt Brown Dismissed As UMKC Men's Basketball Coach

Matt Brown, who has led the University of Missouri-Kansas City men's basketball program for the last six seasons, has been dismissed as head coach, Director of Athletics Tim Hall announced Tuesday.

"Matt ran our men's basketball program with dignity," Hall said. "He put student-athlete welfare and academics in the forefront. The coaches and student-athletes have represented UMKC and Kansas City in a first class manner under his watch, and I personally wish him nothing but the best."

Brown posted a 64-122 overall record in his career with the 'Roos, and finished the 2012-13 season with an 8-24 mark. The squad tied for seventh in the Summit League with a 5-11 record. Brown's best year came in 2010-11, when the squad posted a 16-14 overall record, finishing sixth in the league with a 9-9 clip.

"I would like to thank Tim Hall, former Chancellor Guy Bailey, and current Chancellor Leo Morton for the opportunity to coach at UMKC the last six years," Brown said. "I am extremely excited to see what God has in store next for me and my family."

There is one year remaining on Brown's contract.

UMKC's Tyler and Chatmon Named College Sports Madness All-League

Kansas City men's basketball had two honored today by College Sports Madness as sophomore guard Estan Tyler and junior forward/center Fred Chatmon were named Madness Summit League fourth team all-conference on Friday.
Tyler (St. Paul, Minn.) leads the 'Roos with 11.5 points per game to go with his team-best 86 assists. He is fourth in the Summit League with a .436 three-point percentage, while also hitting .836 from the free throw stripe. He was named Summit League Player of the Week after scoring a career-best 25 points in a win at South Dakota on January 12. The starting point guard, he leads the team with 31.7 minutes per game, more than seven mpg more than the next closest player.
Chatmon (Cleveland, Ohio) leads the 'Roos and ranks fourth in the conference with 7.5 rebounds per game. His 209 rebounds are ninth in school history for a single season, while his average also sits ninth in the record books. He is also four blocks shy of cracking the single season top 10 in that category. He leads the team with four double-doubles, and recorded 16 boards against then No. 25 Kansas State. Chatmon also adds 7.5 points per game and shoots .532 from the field.
College Sports Madness is a website that promotes everything college sports, and picks all conference teams for every league in several sports.
Click here to see the entire CSM All-Summit Team

'Roos Set For Quarterfinal Tournament Match-Up With Bison Sunday Night

The 'Roos head to the Summit League Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. as the No. 6 seed, matching the highest seeding for the tournament under Matt Brown. The 'Roos come in after getting their third league road win of the year on Saturday at IUPUI. NDSU enters as the No. 3 seed and has won its last two contests after the return of leading scorer Taylor Braun. It will be the 15th meeting between the 'Roos and Bison, with NDSU holding a 10-4 lead in the series. Bison won 63-44 in Kansas City on Jan. 5. and 71-34 in Fargo on Jan. 31. This will be the first meeting at a neutral site or at the Summit League Tournament between UMKC and NDSU.
Kansas City is returning to the conference tournament after missing last season. The 'Roos are 5-15 all-time in the tournament, and 0-3 under Matt Brown. The last time UMKC won a tournament game was in 2007 against Valparaiso, 84-76. This is UMKC's third trip to Sioux Falls, falling to Oakland in 2010 (85-70) and IUPUI in 2011 (79-55).
North Dakota State comes in with a 22-8 overall record and went 12-4 in conference games to finish third. The Bison have only lost to WIU twice, SDSU and Oakland.
They are led by junior guard Taylor Braun, who is sixth in the league in scoring at 14.8 points per game. He also pulls down 4.9 rebounds, coming back from an injury that held him out 10 games last week. Forward Marshall Bjorklund scores 11.7 points on a national-best .676 percent shooting, and a team-best 6.0 boards a game. Lawrence Alexander is averaging 10.7 points and has a team-best 114 assists.
As a team the Bison lead the conference in scoring margin at +11.9 points per game, and hold opponents to a league best 38 percent shooting. The Bison also hold opponents to only 55.4 points a game.
For the season, Estan Tyler (.436) ranks third in the league in three-point shooting, while Fred Chatmon's 7.5 rebounds per game, ranks fourth in the Summit League. Chatmon also ranks sixth in blocks (0.9 bpg) while Tyler is seventh in assists (2.9 apg).

UMKC Men's Basketball Prepares for Summit League Championships

The UMKC men's basketball team has secured the No. 6 seed and will head to the Summit League Tournament to face No. 3 seeded North Dakota State on Sunday, March 10 at 8:30 p.m.
Eight teams begin play at the tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Saturday, March 9 and will determine The Summit League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in the championship game on Tuesday, March 12.
South Dakota State (22-9, 13-3) earned its fist Summit League regular season title since joining the league and will look to defend its 2012 Tournament crown. SDSU takes on No. 8 IUPUI (6-25, 1-15) in the first quarterfinal on Saturday, March 9 at 6 p.m. CT (Midco Sports Network / Fox College Sports).
The second quarterfinal of the night features No. 2 seed Western Illinois (21-7, 13-3), and No. 7 South Dakota (10-19, 5-11) at 8:30 p.m. CT (Midco Sports Network / Fox College Sports). The Fighting Leathernecks were co-champions, claiming the school's first title since the league's inaugural season in 1982-83 and highest seed since 1996. USD is making its first Summit League Tournament appearance.
Quarterfinal play resumes Sunday with No. 4 Oakland (16-15, 10-6) vs. No. 5 Fort Wayne (15-16, 7-9) at 6 p.m. (Midco Sports Network / Fox College Sports).  The Mastodons and Golden Grizzlies will meet for the third time in four games, with IPFW winning both of the regular season meetings.
The second game of the evening, and last quarterfinal game to be played, pits No. 3 North Dakota State (22-8, 12-4) against No. 6 Kansas City (8-23, 5-11) at 8:30 p.m. CT (Midco Sports Network / Fox College Sports).
The winners of the 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 games will meet in the first semifinal Monday at 6 p.m. CT (Midco Sports Network / Fox College Sports) while the winners of the 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 games will advance to the second semifinal at 8:30 p.m. (Midco Sports Network / Fox College Sports).
Tuesday's championship game is set for 8 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The Summit League will be playing its tournament in Sioux Falls for the fifth consecutive season. For the fourth straight year, all men's and women's quarterfinal and semifinal games will be televised by Midco Sports Network throughout South Dakota, North Dakota and parts of rural Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The 2013 Tournament marks the second straight year that every game will be available live to a national cable television audience via Fox College Sports, who will show the men's and women's quarterfinals and semifinals via Midco Sports Network's feed. The Summit League Men's Basketball Championship game has appeared on ESPN or ESPN2 each of the last 19 years while the Women's Championship game will air on ESPNU for the fifth consecutive season.
Tickets for the 2013 Summit League Basketball Championship can be purchased at all TicketMaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or in person at the Sioux Falls Arena Box Office.

Kangaroos Slug Past Jaguars In Regular Season Finale, 48-44

It wasn't pretty, but Kansas City men's basketball slugged out a 48-44 win in the regular season finale at IUPUI Saturday evening. It was the first time since 2005 that UMKC had pulled off a sweep of the Jaguars.
UMKC (8-23, 5-11 SL) will be the No. 6 seed and face No. 3 seed North Dakota State on Sunday night in the first round of the Summit League Tournament at 8:30 p.m. CT in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Senior Thomas Staton broke a 40-40 tie with five consecutive points spanning 40 seconds, giving the 'Roos a 45-40 lead with 2:41 remaining. The Jaguars (6-25, 1-15 SL) scored the next two buckets to get the advantage down to one, but UMKC's Mason Wedel hit a free throw on the other end to extend it to two with 25 seconds left. IUPUI got to the foul line on the other end with nine seconds left, but missed both attempts. Kirk Korver hit both free throws after grabbing the rebound, sealing the victory for the 'Roos.
The game started fast, but slowed to a crawl at the end of the first half and into the second. With 11:57 on the clock in the opening half, IUPUI led by a 16-12 margin, but Nelson Kirksey kept the 'Roos close, answering with a three. Neither team would make a field goal over the next five minutes though.
Trinity Hall helped it get kick-started after following up a fast-break to slam home a rebound, tying it at 17. It sparked a 10-2 rally though, and concluded with a Staton dunk at the 3:40 mark to give the 'Roos the biggest lead of the night at 25-19.
IUPUI answered with a run of its own though, holding UMKC without a field goal the rest of the period, and entered the half with a 27-26 lead.
The bucket-less streak continued into the second half for the 'Roos as they would not score a point until the 14:15 mark. Fortunately for UMKC, the Jaguars were also anemic, scoring only once during the span.
The two squads struggled to 12 points apiece over the next 10:29 though, leaving it at 40-40 with 3:46 to play before Staton made the two big plays, a jumper-and-one with 3:20 left, followed by another mid-range jumper with 2:41 on the clock.
UMKC shot only 32 percent in the contest, but IUPUI wasn't much better at 36.6 percent. The difference proved to be the Kangaroos' 18-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
Staton led the 'Roos with 14 points, while Kirksey scored 9 of his 11 points in the opening period. Mitchell Patton led the Jags with 19, while Sean Esposito scored 10.

'Roos To Face IUPUI In Regular Season Finale Saturday

The 'Roos head to Indianapolis for the final regular season game on Saturday night. The 'Roos and Jaguars are in eighth and ninth place in the league standings, respectively. UMKC looks to break a four-game skid and improve its seed in the league tourney, while IUPUI is looking snap a 14-game skid. It is locked into the No. 8 seed. The Kangaroos and Jaguars are meeting for the 33rd time, with IUPUI holding a 20-12 advantage. The 'Roos have won the last two meetings, both in Kansas CIty, including a 79-65 win in the conference opener.
IUPUI comes in with a 6-24 overall record and is 1-14 in Summit League play. The Jags have lost 14 consecutive games, dating back to a win on December 27 against IPFW.
The Jaguars have battled injures and ineligible players this year, but are paced by Mitchell Patton with 13.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Donovan Gibbs is putting up 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per outing, and Greg Rice is averaging 8.8 points per contest. John Hart and Ian Chiles are both out of the lineup.
As a team the Jaguars average 66.8 points and allow 77.9 per game, while shooting 44.4 percent. The Jags have 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, but allow opponents to shoot 49 percent.
UMKC had a tale of two halves when they faced Western Illinois this past Thursday. Kansas City put up 39 points in the first half at Western Illinois, the most the Leathernecks have allowed in the opening period all season. The 'Roos his 71.4 percent from the field. They followed that up by scoring 11 points in the second half, which was a season-low.
Kansas City will be either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the upcoming Summit League Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. To get the No. 6 seed, UMKC must defeat IUPUI, and South Dakota must lose to Western Illinois. To get the No. 7 seed, either South Dakota must defeat Western Illinois, or UMKC must lose to IUPUI.
UMKC heads to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the Summit League Tournament. Since the 'Roos will be either the No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the tournament, they will play either, Sunday or Saturday, respectively.

Leathernecks Storm Back, Hand 'Roos Heartbreaking Loss, 53-50

The Kansas City men's basketball team failed to hold on to an 18-point halftime lead as Western Illinois kept is Summit League title hopes alive with a 53-50 comeback victory on Thursday.
The 'Roos scored more points in the first half than WIU had allowed in an opening period all season (39), then followed with a season-low 11 points in the final stanza. The Leathernecks made the rally despite leading scorer and rebounder Terell Parks sitting out due to injury.
The 'Roos (7-23, 4-11 SL) were on fire in the first period, shooting 71.4 percent and jumping out to a 22-5 lead by the 11:29 mark. Sophomore guard Estan Tyler was the catalyst, hitting his first five shots from the field and finishing the period with a game-high 14 points. By the time the clock hit 8:10, it was a 28-10 advantage.
Western Illinois (20-7, 12-3 SL) shot the ball fine in the first half (44.4 percent), but nine turnovers turned into 18 UMKC points. Despite that, WIU climbed back in the game, getting the 18 point lead down to 11 with 1:29 remaining on a Ceola Clark three-pointer. Kansas City closed the period on a 7-0 rally though, including a fade-away three-pointer at the buzzer from Thomas Staton to make it 39-21 at the half.
The final stanza saw the Leathernecks come out on a mission. They started the half on a 13-2 rally, sparked by three UMKC turnovers and three WIU three-pointers, getting the crowd back into it.
Kansas City pushed it back to 10 at the 10:51 mark on another three from Tyler, but the Leathernecks were not deterred. WIU would score the next six points to get the margin down to only four with 7:07 on the clock. The defensive intensity sparked the rallies though, as Western Illinois held Kansas City to only three made shots in the entire second half.
It continued to close the gap when Clark hit a three to get it down to two with 4:56 left. WIU forced the 'Roos into back-to-back turnovers on the next two possessions, and scored on the other end each time, with the latter coming on a transition bucket with a foul to give the Leathernecks a 51-48 lead, their first of the night.
UMKC had a chance to tie it on two occasions down the stretch after WIU missed the front end of a 1-and-1 two times, but it had a layup blocked and was forced to take a guarded three at the buzzer from 30 feet out that missed.
Kansas City made 11 turnovers in the second half, and WIU scored 18 points off them. The 11 points that UMKC scored in the half all came from outside the paint, with four from the free throw line. WIU out-scored the 'Roos by a 32-11 margin in the final period.
Tyler led the 'Roos with 17 points, while Staton tallied 10. Tyler also committed nine turnovers though. Mason Wedel played a career-best 35 minutes, and had four assists with a career-high four steals.
Clark had 13 for WIU, while Michael Ochereobia, who played for the injured Parks, scored 14 points.
UMKC will finish the regular season at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night in Indianapolis against IUPUI. If it wins, it can claim the No. 6 seed in the Summit League Tournament, paired with a South Dakota loss. If USD wins or UMKC loses, the 'Roos will be the No. 7 seed.

UMKC Kicks Off Final Road Trip With Western Illinois Thursday

The 'Roos start their final regular season road swing on Thursday as they head to Macomb to face second place Western Illinois. A 'Roos win can improve their seed in the Summit League Tournament. WIU needs to win its final two games to clinch at least a share of the league crown. The Kangaroos and Leathernecks are meeting for the 43rd time, the most played series for UMKC in the Division I era. The 'Roos lead the series 26-16 overall, and have won three of the last five meetings, but dropped the last two, including a 68-63 contest in KC earlier this year.
The Western Illinois Leathernecks come in with a 19-7 overall record, with an 11-3 mark in Summit League play. They have gone 15-4 since the last time they played the 'Roos.
The Leathernecks are paced by their two all-conference performers in senior guard Ceola Clark and senior forward Terell Parks. Parks leads the team with 12.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, while Clark averages 11.7 per contest, including 27 points against UMKC in December, as well as 109 assists and 42 steals. Adam Link is the third in double figures at 10.0 a game.
As a team the Leathernecks will slow it down, averaging 60.3 points and allowing a league-best 52.5 per outing. They hold opponents to 38.7 percent shooting.
Nelson Kirksey has had the hot hand for the 'Roos recently. The junior guard/forward matched his career-high with 18 points against Oakland and followed that up with a game-high 16 points against Tennessee Tech on Saturday, as well as a career-best eight boards.
Kansas City will be either the No. 5, No. 6 or No. 7 seed in the upcoming Summit League Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. To get the No. 5 seed, UMKC must win both games this week and IPFW must lose to Oakland. To get the No. 6 seed, UMKC must record as many or more wins than South Dakota in the next two contests. Both teams play Western Illinois and IUPUI this week. To get the No. 7 seed, South Dakota must win one more game than UMKC this week.
UMKC heads to IUPUI for a 6:30 p.m. CT regular season finale on Saturday.

Tennessee Tech Outlasts UMKC In BracketBuster, 68-62

Tennessee Tech converted with big shots down the stretch to pull away from Kansas City in the annual BracketBuster event on Saturday at the Eblen Center, 68-62.
The 'Roos (7-22) and Golden Eagles (11-16) went back-and-forth in the opening 20 minutes, with six ties, while neither squad led by more than five points. TTU led by a 7-3 score in the opening minutes, but it was a sloppy first half, with points hard to come by. With 13:19 on the clock, the 'Roos knotted the score at 13, and eventually took their first lead with 10:40 remaining on a Trinity Hall layup, 15-13.
The 'Roos got up by five with 6:14 left, but an 8-0 run gave the advantage back to the Golden Eagles with 4:36 to play. TTU held on for a 28-25 advantage at the break.
UMKC couldn't get the offense going in the half, hitting only 29 percent from the floor, but Tennessee Tech wasn't much better, hitting 34.6 percent. Estan Tyler and Nelson Kirksey had six points apiece, while Fred Chatmon posted a game-high seven rebounds. His effort helped Kansas City record a 26-18 advantage on the glass in the period. The leading scorer was TTU's Jud Dillard with 10 points.
The second stanza was tight as well, with three ties in the first five minutes. Chatmon tied the game for a fourth time on a layup with 12:14 left, 36-36. The Eagles used the game's first significant run to pull in front though, scoring the next nine points over a span of 2:13. The rally was spurred by Lanerryl Johnson, who had six of those points.
The 'Roos didn't quit though, getting within one at the 6:14 mark on a big three-pointer from Kirk Korver. TTU got it back to six after a couple free throws from Dillard, but back-to-back threes from Tyler and Korver tied it at 58 with 3:48 on the clock (the first tie since the 12:14 mark). The Golden Eagles hit a couple free throws to get the lead back, and followed with a huge three by Jeremia Samarrippas to extend the advantage to five with 1:39 left.
The 'Roos got it to three, but TTU again answered with a big jumper with 20 seconds left to seal it. The two squads lit it up in the second half, with UMKC hitting 50 percent and TTU drilling 58.3 percent. That proved to be the difference, as well as free throws.
Kirksey finished with 16 to lead UMKC, while Tyler tallied 14. Kirksey's total was the second game in a row with 15+ and only the third of his career. Chatmon pulled down 10 boards, his seventh double-figure rebound game of the season. UMKC took a 37-32 rebound edge.
Dillard led all scorers with 20 points for TTU, while three others finished in double-figures.
Kansas City will finish the regular season with two road games this week, starting with a Thursday contest at Western Illinois at 7:00 p.m.

'Roos Head To Tennessee Tech For BracketBuster Game

The 'Roos step out of conference play for the final time as it plays in the Ramada Worldwide BracketBuster Event, drawing Tennessee Tech. UMKC is 0-1 in BracketBuster games, falling last season at home to Wright State, 76-62. The 'Roos play their final three regular season games on the road, and then head to the Summit League Tournament in Sioux Falls. The two squads have played four times in their history, but the last meeting came on February 9, 1991 with a TTU win, 84-74. The Golden Eagles lead the series 3-1, with a 2-0 advantage in Cookeville. UMKC's lone win came on December 8, 1990 in Kansas City by a score of 87-78.
Tennessee Tech enters the contest with a 10-16 overall record, and is 4-10 in conference play. The Golden Eagles won at home on Thursday night against UT-Martin, an important win in the chase for a berth in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
The Golden Eagles are led by Jud Dillard, who averages 19.1 points per game, while also pulling down 7.8 rebounds per contest. They also get 10.3 points a contest from Dennis Ogbe, who is coming off a 23-point game on Thursday night. He also grabs 5.5 boards per game. Point guard Jere Samirrapas posts 112 assists and 46 steals to lead the team.
The Golden Eagles average 64.8 points and allow 67.5 per game. They have 310 assists and 420 turnovers, but out-rebound the opposition by 1.0 per contest. They shoot 42 percent overall and only 31.7 percent from three.
In a loss last Saturday to Oakland the two bright spots for the 'Roos were Nelson Kirksey and Thomas Staton. Kirksey matched his career-high with 18 points last Saturday against Oakland. He went 7-of-9 from the floor, and hit 3-of-4 from three-point range. Staton logged a career-high 38 minutes and scored 17 points.
Kansas City heads to Western Illinois for a 7:00 p.m. contest on the road this Thursday.