UMKC-Missouri college basketball preview
UMKC at Missouri
P | No. | Missouri | Ht. | Yr. | PPG* |
F | 3 | Johnathan Williams III | 6-9 | So. | 13.0 |
F | 44 | Ryan Rosburg | 6-10 | Jr. | 8.5 |
G | 13 | Montaque Gill-Caesar | 6-6 | Fr. | 13.0 |
G | 14 | Keith Shamburger | 5-11 | Sr. | 8.0 |
G | 15 | Wes Clark | 6-0 | So. | 11.0 |
* exhibition stats
P | No. | UMKC | Ht. | Yr. | PPG* |
F | 5 | Reese Holliday | 6-4 | Sr. | 19.0 |
F | 25 | Broderick Newbill | 6-5 | So. | 8.0 |
C | 54 | Isaac Kreuer | 6-10 | So. | 6.0 |
G | 12 | Martez Harrison | 5-11 | So. | 19.0 |
G | 42 | Noah Knight | 6-1 | Fr. | 2.0 |
* exhibition stats
▪ WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m. Friday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia
▪ TV/RADIO: No TV, webcast on SEC Network+ (click for details); KMBZ (980 AM)
▪ ABOUT UMKC (0-0): Like Missouri, the Kangaroos are young. UMKC coach Kareem Richardson, who went 10-20 last season after he was hired off Rick Pitino’s Louisville staff, is expected to start only one senior, Toledo transfer and Sumner Academy graduate Reese Holliday. He provides a nice compliment to the Roos’ top returning scorer, Martez Harrison, the reigning WAC freshman of the year and a University Academy graduate. Harrison averaged 17.2 points and 3.8 assists last season. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by freshman Noah Knight, an Olathe South graduate, while Hogan Prep graduate and Fresno State transfer Broderick Newbill starts at forward.
▪ ABOUT MISSOURI (0-0): The Tigers have more size and better depth, but first-year coach Kim Anderson’s squad also will rely heavily on a rotation that includes five true freshmen. There are going to be ups and downs throughout the season and probably throughout the opener. Freshman Montaque Gill-Caesar is expected to start and to emerge as MU’s leading scorer this season. He’ll get plenty of help from point guards Keith Shamburger, a senior transfer from Hawaii, and Wes Clark, a sophomore who’s expected to elevate his game substantially from last season. Shamburger and Clark must do a good job handling the Roos’ full-court pressure. Big things also are expected from sophomore forward Johnathan Williams III, who was slowed by a knee injury during the preseason.
▪ BOTTOM LINE: Missouri needs to get the Kim Anderson era started on the right foot. UMKC has nothing to lose and has a talent-laden roster, so the Tigers can’t afford to take the Roos lightly. Still, Missouri has more talent on its roster. UMKC shot 43.1 percent and averaged 69.5 points per game last season, so Anderson’s crew should aim for less than 40 percent and fewer than 60 points defensively.
To reach Tod Palmer, call 816-234-4389 or send email to tpalmer@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @todpalmer.
This story was originally published November 13, 2014 at 11:31 AM with the headline "UMKC-Missouri college basketball preview."