Men and women's basketball teams release schedule

By: David Cordill

Posted: 9/15/08

The UMKC's men's and women's basketball teams released their 2008-09 schedules Sept. 11.

A quick glance at the opposition on either slate shows both squads will face early challenges.

The Kangaroo men's team tips off the season Nov. 14, with their lone appearance at Swinney Recreation Center (SRC) in 2008, hosting the University of North Dakota.

The first road trip for the Roos will be Nov. 16 to Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., where they will take the court against the 2007-08 NCAA National Champion Kansas Jayhawks.

The Kangaroos will then try to make it two in a row Nov. 19 over the Wichita State University (WSU) Shockers in Wichita, Kan. Last year's 59-56 win at Municipal Auditorium was UMKC's first over this Missouri Valley Conference team since 1996.

The Sunshine State will host the next tournament venues for the Roos. The men are scheduled to play Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla. Then the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic will keep the Roos busy from Nov. 24 to 26, with three games in Fort Meyers, Fla.

But before heading home, Head Coach Matt Brown and the Kangaroos will linger within the state to play one more game - a Nov. 30 matchup with Billy Donovan and the University of Florida Gators in Orlando. Brown and Donovan have a history together; previously the UMKC coach served as an administrative assistant for the two-time NCAA Championship coach at the University of Marshall and at Florida.

A pair of conference games will await the Roos when they return to Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. On Dec. 4, UMKC will hit the hardwoods against Oakland University and on Dec. 6 against Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW).

UMKC journeys to the state of Illinois for its next two games, a Dec. 13 get together with Loyola Chicago and a Dec. 15 appointment with Northwestern University.

Afterward, they will head way westward Dec. 18 to do battle with Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash., before coming back Dec. 22 to Kansas City to face the University of Texas San Antonio, and, on Dec. 28, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Beginning with a New Year's Eve date at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, the Kangaroos will play conference opponents until the end of February. Home and away games are slated against seven Summit League teams, in addition to two return matchups on the road with Oakland and IPFW.

The women begin their 2008-09 campaign Nov. 8 with a home exhibition game against Rockhurst University at SRC. Then they hit the road to begin the regular season Nov. 16 with a tough test against Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. The Hawkeyes made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament last year as a second seed and finished 20-12 on the year.

The Roos return to SRC Nov. 19 to host Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, and, on Nov. 22, North Texas University.

The weekend of Nov. 28, Head Coach Candace White and the Kangaroos will travel to San Luis Obispo, Calif., to participate in the Cal-Poly Thanksgiving Tournament. The tournament slate pits UMKC against the Mustangs of California Polytechnic State University and the Roadrunners of Cal State Bakersfield.

Four home contests follow for the Kangaroos, including two conference matchups. Dec. 3, UMKC will take on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, followed by Summit League games Dec. 6 against IPFW (at Municipal Auditorium) and Dec. 8 against Oakland University. The Roos finish their home stand Dec. 13 against the University of Northern Colorado.

On Dec. 16, their itinerary takes the team to the University of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff for an outing against Lumberjacks of the Big Sky Conference. After that, on Dec. 20 it's on to colorful Colorado for games at the University of Colorado, and two days later at Air Force.

The Roos close out 2008 Dec. 31 at SRC with NCAA Division II opponents from the Central Missouri State before moving on to the new year with the meat of their Summit League schedule. Through the end of February the remainder of UMKC's agenda features home and/or away appearances against their conference opponents.

dcordill@unews.com