Dogs Travel To UMKC For First True Road Test
December 10, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game 8: Mississippi State (4-3) vs. Missouri-Kansas City (5-4)
Kansas City – Municipal Auditorium – 4:05 p.m. CT
TV: American Sports Network
TV Talent: Neil Harwell (pxp), Jayice Pearson (analyst)
MSU Radio Talent: Jim Ellis (pxp), Richard Williams (analyst)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 134/XM 192
Twitter Updates: @HailStateMBK
Series Information
Series Record: MSUleads, 2-1
At Mississippi State: MSU, 2-0
At Kansas City: UMKC leads, 1-0
Neutral Site: NA
Last Meeting: MSU 82-64 (2004)
Streak: MSU +2
Ben Howland vs. UMKC: Never Met
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State will put a three-game winning streak on the line during a pair of road games, starting at Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday.
Saturday afternoon's Military Appreciation Day tip is set for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast on American Sports Network. Neil Harwell and Jayice Pearson will provide the courtside commentary, while Jim Ellis and Richard Williams have the call on the MSU Radio Network.
It's the Bulldogs' first game since beating Texas Southern 86-73 10 days ago.
“They [UMKC] are a good team to contend with,” MSU coach Ben Howland said. “They are well coached, and they have a difficult style to play against. We are doing a lot of work in the zone and getting ready to attack the zone for what we expect to be 40 minutes of zone.”
In his last outing, Gavin Ware posted another double-double, using 19 points and 11 rebounds to help MSU (4-3) power passed Texas Southern 86-73. Ware leads the SEC and ranks sixth nationally in field goal percentage at .709.
Offensively, MSU has shot 50 percent or better three times this season – against Eastern Washington, Missouri State and Texas Southern – and leads the SEC in field goal percentage (.502).
The Bulldogs hold a 2-1 series advantage against UMKC, winning the last matchup 82-64 in 2004. After a 4-0 start at home, MSU will try to serve the Kangaroos their first loss at Municipal Auditorium on the season.
The last time the Kangaroos appeared on the hardwood, UMKC (5-4) suffered a 79-70 setback at South Dakota.
LaVell Boyd and Martez Harrison lead the UMKC offense, averaging 15.6 and 15.4 points per game, respectively. The Kangaroos average 72.8 points per game.
Harrison was named the WAC Player of the Week after averaging 19.5 points and 4 rebounds against Iowa and UT-Martin last week. Boyd ranks 10th in the nation in three-pointers made (31), while posting a .484 three-point percentage.
Following Saturday's action, MSU will cap the two-game road swing in Tallahassee Wednesday to face Florida State before returning home on Dec. 19 to face Tulane.
