Kansas City tested themselves with their early-season schedule. Starting out the season with 3 straight road games against Power 5 opponents. The Roos opened the season on the road at Minnesota and then started a slow trip back towards Kansas City making a stop to play Iowa and then took on Missouri.
The results of those first two games may have had Kansas City fans wondering if Coach Donlon put too big of a challenge in front of his team. Against Minnesota, the roos battled and were within 2 with 4 minutes remaining, and then it got away from them as they lost by double digits. Against Iowa, it was all Hawkeyes the entire game.
So Kansas City entered the game against Missouri 0-2 and a double-digit underdog against Missouri. Even probably the more hardcore Kansas City fans weren’t feeling great as the game opened. However after the opening tip the Roos basically never looked back. Missouri led once 4-2 and Kansas City took the lead 5-4 with 17:06 remaining first half and never lost the lead again.
All of this was done with Forward Josiah Allick who is widely considered the Roos best player in foul trouble and held scoreless. With Allick mostly observing who took the torch for the Roos? Well, it was really a trio of Roos in Marvin Nesbitt, Anderson Kopp, and Evan Gilyard. Kopp set the tone early by hitting two quick threes and gave glimpses of the outside shooting that Coach Billy Donlon was counting on bringing in when Kopp transferred from Lamar. In addition to Kopp’s 1st half 9 points, the other first-half star was Guard Marvin Nesbitt. Nesbitt was extremely aggressive and active and set the tone for Kansas City. Nesbitt mostly taking the ball to the basket scored 12 first-half points for the Roos as Kansas City took a 32-23 lead into the half.
As the second started a person always worries that in spite of a great first half an SEC team bounces back and wears down a Summit League opponent. Well, Enter Evan Gilyard. If I had told you at halftime it was going to be Gilyard’s night you would have looked at me with a confused look on your face, but it was Gilyard’s night. The Senior Guard started the second half with a steal followed by a made 3 that started to tell the viewer this was going to be the Roos night. Gilyard scored 25 second-half points on his way to a 28 point performance. Gilyard finished 6-8 from behind the 3 point line in as impressive a half of basketball as a fan will see this year. Adding to the party was Nesbitt with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, and Kopp with 12 points and 7 rebounds. In what is the Kansas City calling card the Roos had 8 steals and forced 18 Missouri turnovers. It was frankly the Roos night from start to finish.
There was some preseason optimism surrounding Kansas City as the season started and frankly games like this are why. The Roos always bring it on the defensive end but putting up 80 points has to bring some additional optimism about the team. Typically one of the slowest-paced teams in the country, there are not many games Kansas City scores 80 points and would lose. They were aided by a blistering 51% from the field and 48% from the 3 point line. While these numbers are unlikely the rest of the season they are still encouraging. If the Roos can get injured players like Arkel Lamar and Hidde Roessink back there may be even more room for optimism. Kansas City next takes on non-D1 Kansas City Christian at home before heading on the road to face Idaho State.