Southeast Missouri (1-5) at Kansas City (2-5)

Game Information
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2023
Tip-Off: 7 p.m., CT
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
Facility: Swinney Center (1,500)
Series: SEMO leads, 9-3
Head Coaches: Brad Korn (45-56 Overall; 45-56 at SEMO; 27-28 OVC). Marvin Menzies (259-184 Overall; 13-26 at KC; 7-11 Summit League).

Follow the Redhawks
Radio: Real Rock 99.3 FM (Erik Sean)
Video: Summit League Network (Subscription Required)
Live Stats: KCRoos.com
Twitter: @SEMOMBB
Game Notes: Southeast Missouri (PDF)

Redhawks Head to Kansas City 
Southeast Missouri (1-5) closes out its first month of the season with an in-state trip to Kansas City (2-5) Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m., CT at the Swinney Center.

Follow the Redhawks
Fans can listen live on the radio at Real Rock 99.3 FM. Erik Sean will be on the call. Video can be accessed online at the Summit League Network. Live stats are available at KCRoos.com. Updates will be provided on X (formerly Twitter) @SEMOMBB.

Series History
Southeast Missouri and Kansas City meet for the 13th time in 2023-24. SEMO holds a 9-3 lead in the all-time series. The Redhawks won four of the last five meetings between the teams. Brad Korn's first career win as a head coach came against KC the last time SEMO faced the Roos on Nov. 28, 2020. The Redhawks won that game by a score of 71-66.

Coke Zero Sugar Classic Recap 
Adam Larson scored double figures in two games at the Coke Zero Sugar Classic in Chattanooga, Tennessee over Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 25-26). Southeast Missouri finished the multi-team event at 0-2, falling to Evansville, 94-73, and tournament host Chattanooga, 72-56. Larson averaged 17.5 points per game and made 10 threes in two starts to lead SEMO. The Redhawks fell to 3-6 all-time during in-season tournament play. It was SEMO's second trip to Chattanooga for a tournament around the Thanksgiving holiday. The Redhawks also played in the CBE Classic there during the 2012-13 season.

Battle Tested Early
The opening part of non-conference play has been tough for the Redhawks. Thursday marks Southeast Missouri's fifth game away from home in seven contests. SEMO has played at Grand Canyon (Nov. 6), Butler (Nov. 10) and Chattanooga (Nov. 26), and faced Evansville (Nov. 25) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Combined, Grand Canyon (4-1), Butler (5-2), Evansville (6-0) and Chattanooga (5-1) are 20-4 this season.

Redhawks and Roos
Both Southeast Missouri and Kansas City enter Thursday's matchup with five losses this season. Each are coming off tournament play. SEMO went 0-2 at the Coke Zero Sugar Classic (Nov. 25-26) and KC finished with a 0-3 record at The Bahamas Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship (Nov. 24-26). The Roos' two wins are against NAIA opponents Saint Mary and Avila College this year. KC has lost five in a row since its win over Saint Mary (95-42) on Nov. 11.

Larson Leads the Way
Adam Larson is on a roll this 2023-24 season. Larson recently scored a career-high 22 points and made a career-best six 3-pointers vs. Evansville (Nov. 25). A day later, he led the Redhawks with 13 points and hit four more threes at Chattanooga (Nov. 26). Larson is SEMO's top scorer with 11 points per game as the only Redhawk averaging double figures. He started three-straight contests and scored double figures in four of his game games.

3-Point Threat
Adam Larson leads the Ohio Valley Conference in 3-point field goal percentage. Larson is shooting 58.6 percent on 17-of-29 from beyond the arc. He made 10 of those 3-pointers in his last two games alone. Larson buried a career-high six treys vs. Evansville (Nov. 25), falling just three shy of tying his program's single-game record in made threes. Larson drained three or more 3-pointers in four games this season.

Tale of Two Halves
Through six games, Southeast Missouri has been a better team in the second half than it has in the first. SEMO trailed by double figures in the first half a total of five times and fell behind by 12 or more in the opening five minutes on three occasions. Opponents are outscoring the Redhawks, 261-160, and average 43.5 points per game in the first half. Meanwhile, SEMO won the second half three times and has played its opponents much closer in the final 20 minutes. Opponents hold a +7 margin (227-220) over the Redhawks in the second half. SEMO overcame a 12-point second half deficit to get its first win of the season vs. Central Arkansas (Nov. 20).

Biel and Martin Hit Double Figures 
Newcomers TJ Biel and Rob Martin scored double figures for the first time in their Southeast Missouri careers. Biel came off the bench to score a season-high 11 points in 16 minutes vs. Evansville (Nov. 25) and Martin finished with 10 points in a season-high 34 minutes at Chattanooga (Nov. 26). They became the fifth and sixth Redhawks to score double- digits in a game this season.

Idada Steps Up
Southeast Missouri 7-footer David Idada put together a strong showing in his latest effort at Chattanooga (Nov. 26). Idada scored six points and became the first Redhawk to get double-digit rebounds when he grabbed 12 in that contest. He reached season-highs in points, rebounds and minutes played (15) during that game.

Happy to Assist You
Point guard Rob Martin leads the Redhawks with 22 assists through six starts this year. Martin is averaging 3.7 assists per game and has dished out four or more on three occasions. His season-high is five assists at both Butler (Nov. 10) and Chattanooga (Nov. 26). Martin ranks sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference in assists per game.

Ward Among OVC Leaders
Freshman BJ Ward ranks second in the Ohio Valley Conference in steals and fourth in assists entering Thursday's game at Kansas City. Ward has 19 assists and eight steals in five games off the bench. He recently collected a season-high three steals at Chattanooga (Nov. 26).

3-Pointer Streak
As a team, Southeast Missouri has made at least one 3-pointer in 465 consecutive games. The last time SEMO did not make a 3-pointer was vs. Western Illinois (0-of-6) on Dec. 10, 2008.

Over 50
Adam Larson is surpassed 50 three-pointers made in his career when he shot 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from beyond the arc last weekend at the Coke Zero Sugar Classic (Nov. 25-26). Larson currently has 56 career 3-pointers made.

Free Throw Comparison
Opponents are shooting 25.6 free throws and hold a +8.6 advantage over Southeast Missouri's 17 free throw attempts per game this season. SEMO has been outscored at the free throw line, 106-59, through six games. The Redhawks are shooting 57.8 percent (59-of-102) at the charity stripe.

Clark Out with Knee Injury
Forward Kobe Clark missed the last three games due to a knee injury. Clark was Southeast Missouri's top rebounder with 5.7 per game through the first three contests in 2023-24. He will not play this week and his return is undetermined.

About Kansas City
Kansas City is on a five-game losing streak heading into this week's matchup with Southeast Missouri. KC's two wins this season came against NAIA schools Avila College (Nov. 6) and Saint Mary (Nov. 11). The Roos' first loss of their losing skid was to #15 Baylor (Nov. 14) and, after Thursday's meeting with the Redhawks, KC visits #5 Kansas (Dec. 5). The Roos have two players averaging double figures thus far. Jamar Brown is scoring 13.3 points per game and Anderson Kopp follows with 12.7. Brown and Kopp are 15th and 16th in scoring in the Summit League, respectively. KC is under the direction of Marvin Menzies who is in his second season as head coach. Menzies has over 13 years of head coaching experience, including a nine-year run at New Mexico State and three-year stint at UNLV.