Games at Sprint Center, Municipal Auditorium make Monday huge hoops day in KC
A dozen teams, two events, two divisions and two venues highlight the busiest day of regular-season college basketball in Kansas City on Monday. Here are five things to know:
- The Hall of Fame Classic tips off at 6 p.m. in the Sprint Center, where Nebraska meets Missouri State. It’s the Cornhuskers’ first visit to the building since playing in the 2011 Big 12 Tournament, their last year in the league. Both teams are 3-0. Guard James Palmer Jr. is off a terrific start for Nebraska, ranked No. 25 in the USA Today coaches poll. He’s averaging 21 points and is coming off a 29-point effort in a victory over Seton Hall.
- The Bears are off to a fast start under first-year coach Dana Ford. Only three teams in Division I returned fewer lettermen this season than the Bears’ three. Among the veterans is junior guard Jarred Dixon, younger brother of former Missouri standout Michael Dixon. Jarred Dixon, who played at Lee’s Summit West, leads the Bears in scoring at 18.7 points.
- The second game of the Hall of Fame Classic matches Texas Tech against Southern California. The Red Raiders have won all three games by an average of 33.7 points. Guard Jarrett Culver is leading the way at 16.3 points for the team that reached the Elite Eight last season. The Trojans (2-1) are coming off a 95-59 victory over Stetson, a game in which 6-11 junior forward Nick Rakocevic recorded his third straight double-double.
- The tournament, which concludes Tuesday, will feature a NCAA first. Each player will wear a ShotTracker sensor and the games will be played with a ShotTracker-enabled Wilson basketball. Information like shot charts, real-time lineup efficiencies and possession-based statistics will be available via the ShotTracker app.
- Division II gets into the action with four games involving MIAA schools at Municipal Auditorium. The lineup: Missouri S&T vs. Lincoln, 2 p.m.; Sioux Falls, S.D., vs. Central Missouri at 4 p.m.; Maryville vs. Pittsburg State at 6 p.m. and Illinois Springfield vs. Northwest Missouri State at 8 p.m. The Bearcats (5-0) are ranked second in the SIDA poll. Central Missouri and Sioux Falls are receiving votes. One general admission ticket — $12 for adults and $7 for students — is good for all games.
Blair Kerkhoff
Blair Kerkhoff covers the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals and college sports for The Star.
