Kansas City local averages 17.1 points per game

The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Martez Harrison was named the Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball Freshman of the Year on Sunday, as voted upon by the league’s coaches.

The Kansas City native is averaging a team-best 17.1 points a game, third in the WAC and seventh among all freshmen in the entire country. His 497 points, 107 assists and 49 steals are all freshman records at UMKC as well. His 3.7 assists per game total is third in the league, while his 1.7 steals ranks fourth.

Harrison, a business finance major, is also the first UMKC player ever to be named Freshman of the Year in a conference. He was a member of the WAC’s All-Newcomer Team this season. In conference play, Harrison put up 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.

His season-high scoring night of 31 was the highest total for a UMKC freshman since NBA draft pick Tony Dumas had 40 in 1991. He is one of only three freshman to tally 30+ in a game (along with Dumas and Ronnie Schmitz).

He will lead the ‘Roos into the WAC Tournament this Thursday as the No. 4 seed, facing fifth-seeded Idaho at 4:30 p.m. CT in Las Vegas at Orleans Arena. The No. 4 seed is the highest for UMKC in a conference tournament since 2006, when the team was seeded third.