Cowboys Try to Keep Their Season Going Against the Kangaroos
It could be an up-tempo game tonight, as the Wyoming Cowboys host the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational.
It’s the first meeting between the two schools, and it tips-off at 7 p.m. from the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie.
Wyoming (19-14) scored 91 points in its CBI win last Wednesday. UMKC (18-16) was one point better at 92. Both won their game by 10 points.
Another similarity is both teams propensity to fire it from deep. The Cowboys have made a school record 319 three-pointers this season. By comparison, the Roos have knocked down a school record 308.
UW head coach Allen Edwards said there’s really no comparison to anyone the Cowboys have played this season.
“They really, really want to get after you; pressure you; force tempo; but also, in a sense, I think, want you to get out of control. So again, we haven’t really faced a team that has pressed as much as these guys want to press. I think, obviously, taking care of the basketball will be the biggest thing for us against them.”
The Pokes have four players averaging in double figures led by MW Sixth Man of the Year sophomore Justin James at 15.8 points per game. Junior Hayden Dalton (12.7), senior Jason McManamen (11.3) and junior Alan Herndon (11.2) are also double figure scorers. Dalton leads Wyoming at 8.3 rebounds per game.
Dalton said last Friday of the match-up, “I think it will be a good challenge for us. A little different from anything we’ve really seen recently. It’s just always good to play a new team, I would say. We don’t really know what to expect (at the time of the interview), except they’re going to play fast-paced and stuff like that.”
UMKC is led by senior guard LaVell Boyd at 18.2 points per game. He’s also grabbing 4.1 rebounds per game and has dished out 133 assists. Senior Kyle Steward adds 11.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The Roos are led by fourth year head coach Kareem Richardson.
The winner will advance to the CBI semifinals, which will be rebracketed.