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Sports

Kangaroos hoping to bounce past 14th-ranked Cyclones

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Ames, IA (SportsNetwork.com) - Looking to build on a two-game win streak, the 14th-ranked Iowa State Cyclones will play host to the UMKC Kangaroos in a non- conference affair Tuesday at Hilton Coliseum.

UMKC isn't off to the best start this season, entering this clash sporting a 3-6 overall record. The Kangaroos have dropped two games in a row (including an 81-61 defeat at South Dakota State on Saturday) and have lost five of their last six altogether.

Iowa State was ranked as high as No. 13 in the country before a nine-point loss to Maryland set the team back. But since then, the Cyclones have won back-to-back games, with a 95-77 victory over then-No. 18 Arkansas being the most recent.

This meeting between the Cyclones and Kangaroos will be the fourth in their all-time series. Iowa State has won all three of the previous meetings, including a 110-51 thrashing last season at Hilton Coliseum.

It was a tale of two halves for UMKC in the team's loss to South Dakota State over the weekend. The Kangaroos connected on just 30.8 percent of their shots from the floor in the opening period, which allowed the Jackrabbits to take a 44-25 lead into the intermission. The 'Roos hit on 44.4 percent of their tries from the field in the second and hung with SDSU, but the damage had already been done in the first half. Martez Harrison scored 12 points to lead UMKC in the defeat, but he also turned the ball over seven times. Deshon Taylor contributed 10 points in 27 minutes of floor time.

Harrison is the only player for the Kangaroos to own a double-digit scoring average, as the guard is posting 17.1 ppg on 40 percent shooting from the floor. The next closest to double figures is Shayok Shayok, who chips in with 8.8 ppg for the 'Roos, adding in a team-best 7.0 rpg. As a unit, UMKC is scoring 68.8 ppg so far this season, but is allowing opponents to net 68.2 ppg on a dangerous 45.6 shooting percentage. With several tough matchups on the horizon, the Kangaroos will have to step it up defensively.

Iowa State was absolutely on fire shooting the ball from the floor in the team's dominant win over Arkansas. The Cyclones hit 64 percent of their shots, and went 21-of-27 from the free-throw line in the victory. Bryce Dejean-Jones scored a team-high 27 points on 8-of-8 shooting, while Georges Niang wasn't far behind, adding 26 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Dustin Hogue chipped in with 14 points, Monte Morris added 11 and Naz Long netted 10 with six boards in the win.

Niang leads a group of four Cyclones in double-digit scoring averages, netting 19.5 ppg for an Iowa State team that is scoring an impressive 85.3 ppg. Dejean-Jones is second on the team with a 16.3 ppg mark, adding in 7.5 rpg to lead the team. Long contributes 12.2 ppg, and Hogue rounds out the group with 12.0 ppg. Morris, who adds 9.8 ppg, leads the team in assists coming into the clash with UMKC with 36 helpers on the season.