The RoundHouse | 11/10/2017 3:47:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop

UMKC at No. 7 Wichita State
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Listen: KEYN 103.7 FM/goshockers.com
Watch: Cox HD 2022/ESPN3
 
Mystery team – Wichita State can scout the broad strokes of UMKC's system. The Kangaroos press and they shot 37 three-pointers in a 110-58 exhibition win over NAIA Sterling (Kan.) College.
 
Individual matchups might be a bit tougher to diagnose. UMKC lost five starters from last season's team. Coach Kareem Richardson, who played at Evansville, brought in nine newcomers and all six who are eligible this season played vs. Sterling. There are two seniors on the roster and one is guard Robert Knar, who sat out last season after transferring from Northern Iowa.
 
The Kangaroos will try to trap and turn the Shockers over. Last season, UMKC forced turnovers on 20 percent of possessions, No. 78 nationally. In 2015, it ranked 10^th at 23.6 percent.
 
The Kangaroos, who went 18-17 last season and played in the CBI.
 
Guards Isaiah Ross, Broderick Robinson and Xaiver Bishop are UMKC's most experienced returners. Ross started 10 games and averaged 8 points. Robinson and Bishop started seven games las season.

Knar scored 13 points and made 3 of 5 threes vs. Sterling. Bishop scored 16 points, as did freshman guard Marco Smith. Smith made 9 of 12 free throws and also recorded four steals.
 
Bus ride – There was a time when playing UMKC mattered in a much different way. The Shockers liked the series because it was a close trip and catered to fans in Kansas City.

The teams played every season, three times in Kansas City, from 2004-10 and WSU went 5-2. UMKC won 66-63 in 2008 at Koch Arena. The Shockers won the next two by 21 and 19 points, a sign the series headed in a different direction.
 
That 2008 loss is the last in November in Koch Arena by the Shockers. Under coach Gregg Marshall, the Shockers are 61-3 in non-conference games at Koch Arena.
 
On track – Shocker guard Landry Shamet participated in shoot around on Friday afternoon, keeping him on track to play, as expected. Shamet played 12 minutes in Monday's exhibition win over Newman.
 
Watching – All four Wichita State's Cox games will be shown on ESPN3.com.
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.