UMKC comes up short in Iowa

The early going to the basketball season has not been easy for UMKC: two games on the road, two losses for the Kangaroos.

UMKC lost 77-63 to Iowa on Thursday night in Iowa City in Iowa’s regular-season opener.

That followed a 76-45 loss at Loyola-Chicago on Tuesday for the Kangaroos.

On Thursday, UMKC was competitive enough in the first half and actually led the Hawkeyes 20-17 with 6 minutes, 22 seconds left in the half.

But the Hawkeyes went on a run and built a 34-26 lead by the break, and UMKC was trying to play catch-up the rest of the way.

Xavier Bishop and Brandon McKissic each scored 14 for UMKC.

The Kangaroos were competitive on the glass. They finished down in the rebounding margin 38-36. But the Hawkeyes made things work by getting to the free-throw line, making 28-38 to UMKC’s 8-12.

The Kangaroos next play Sunday against UConn at Storrs, Conn.