UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers prediction: Jaden Kempson carries Florida A&M; Kansas City answers with numbers
Florida A&M's offense runs through two guards, while Mark Turgeon's rebuilt Kansas City spreads the floor and shares the ball on a neutral court in St. Petersburg.
| Spread | Kansas City -6.5 |
|---|---|
| Total (over/under) | 144.5 |
- Kempson and Williford score in bunches, but Kansas City's ball movement and shooting against a poor FAMU perimeter defense should decide it.
- Kansas City's 39.7% three-point shooting against a FAMU defense allowing 38.4% from deep, 329th nationally.
- Kansas City -6.5, total 144.5, unmoved since first posted. FAMU's 50.0% free-throw shooting, 362nd, matters most against that number.
Two scorers, one offense
Kansas City brought back none of last season's minutes. Florida A&M carries 12 newcomers on a 15-man roster. Two rebuilt teams share a neutral floor at Eckerd College's McArthur Center at noon, and the question is simple: can Florida A&M's two-man offense outscore a team that passes the ball?
Jaden Kempson, a transfer from UAlbany, is averaging 24.0 points and using 30.5% of FAMU's possessions while he plays, meaning nearly a third of trips end with him. Daisean Williford is the other half of the act. The pair led the way again in the 75-70 home loss to Fort Valley State.
The rest of the roster has done little. FAMU assists on 37.0% of its made baskets, 352nd in Division I, a sign of how many possessions end in one-on-one play. That suits Kempson against a Kansas City defense that allows 118.1 points per 100 possessions, 315th, and hasn't stopped many people yet.
Kansas City's shooters get room
Turgeon's first team plays the opposite way. Kansas City's assist rate of 63.9% ranks 58th, and the ball finds shooters. The Roos have made 39.7% of their threes, 56th nationally.
FAMU's perimeter defense is the weak spot. Opponents are hitting 38.4% from deep against the Rattlers, 329th.
Seniors Jaylen Smith and Sebastian Hartmann set the table, but the swing piece is Carl Daughtery Jr. He scored 18 in the 100-93 win over Southern Illinois, then went scoreless at Jacksonville. Depth helps, too: the Kansas City bench produced 43 points against Southern Illinois.
The free-throw line as a fault line
Kansas City gets to the line. Its free throw rate (free-throw attempts per field-goal attempt) is 46.2%, 62nd in the country.
FAMU, meanwhile, is making 50.0% of its free throws, 362nd. Kempson, the player who handles the ball most late in games, is at 53.8%. If this stays within one or two possessions, the misses could add up for the Rattlers.
Turnovers nobody collects
FAMU gives the ball away on 22.2% of its possessions, 328th. Against most opponents that would be a serious problem. Kansas City, though, forces turnovers at one of the lowest rates in Division I, 348th, so the Rattlers' sloppiness may go unpunished. That keeps Kempson's volume shooting alive as the main way FAMU stays in the game.
Schedule and the number
Kansas City is favored by 6.5 with a total of 144.5, and neither has moved since our feed first saw the game. The Roos have covered two of three this season, including as a 27.5-point underdog at Creighton.
The situation tilts slightly toward FAMU. Kansas City is on short rest after the 79-61 loss at Jacksonville, with George Mason waiting on Thursday. FAMU has had nearly a week off, and proceeds from the event benefit its program under second-year coach Charlie Ward. Kansas City's 4-27 record from last season says little about this group: that roster is gone.
UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers line movement and odds
| Book | Kangaroos ML | Rattlers ML | Kangaroos spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | -350 | +275 | — | o144.5 (-110) |
| BetRivers | -420 | +300 | -8.5 (-109) | o144.5 (-112) |
| DraftKings | -345 | +275 | -8.5 (-105) | o144.5 (-112) |
| ESPN BET | -360 | +280 | -8.5 (-105) | o144.5 (-110) |
| Fanatics | -350 | +275 | -8.5 (-105) | o144.5 (-110) |
| FanDuel | -315 | +265 | -7.5 (-110) | o144.5 (-110) |
| Hard Rock Bet | -425 | +300 | -8.5 (-110) | o144.5 (-110) |
| Caesars | -350 | +275 | -8 (-110) | o144.5 (-110) |
Key players
- Jaden Kempson (Florida A&M): Averaging 24.0 points on a 30.5% usage rate after scoring 10.2 per game at UAlbany last season.
- Daisean Williford (Florida A&M): Averaging 17.3 points and shooting 40.9% from three.
- Antonio Baker Jr. (Florida A&M): Averaging 2.5 steals in two games, but his offensive rating sits at 73.7.
- Jaylen Smith (Kansas City): Runs the offense with 5.3 assists per game and a team-high 26.1% usage rate.
- Sebastian Hartmann (Kansas City): Posting an offensive rating of 151 while grabbing 7.7 rebounds per game.
- Carl Daughtery Jr. (Kansas City): Shot 42% from three at UC Davis last season but is at 27.8% so far.
Numbers that matter
| FAMU free-throw % | 50.0% | Ranks 362nd and could cost the Rattlers late in a close game. |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City 3-point % | 39.7% | Ranks 56th against a FAMU defense allowing 38.4% from deep. |
| FAMU assist rate | 37.0% | Ranks 352nd, a sign of how heavily the offense leans on Kempson and Williford. |
| Spread | -6.5 | Kansas City's number has not moved since our feed first recorded it. |
UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers: quick answers
Who is favored in UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers?
Kansas City is favored by 6.5 points (Kansas City -6.5).
What is the over/under for UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers?
The total is 144.5 points.
When is UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers?
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET.
Has the line moved for UMKC Kangaroos vs Florida A&M Rattlers?
Yes: UMKC Kangaroos opened -8 and is now -8.5, and the total moved from 153 to 144.5 (consensus of the regulated US sportsbooks since we first saw the game).