Kansas City boasts a far-reaching reputation as a destination for college basketball.

The Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments are played in downtown KC each spring, along with the MIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships. The NAIA, headquartered in KC, hosts the oldest national championship in college basketball. The storied event returns to Municipal Auditorium every March.

Now, Kansas City’s Division I university is bringing a full season of college hoops to the heart of the community. For the first time since the 2018-19 season, UMKC and the Kansas City Roos are playing at the city’s historic Municipal Auditorium.

The men’s team will play nearly all of its games at Municipal. The women’s team will play most games at Swinney Center on the UMKC campus, with select matchups at Municipal Auditorium—plus, the team is slated to face Missouri State in a special showcase at T-Mobile Center during the 28.5 Hoops Women’s Invitational.

With the backdrop of a historic competition venue, as well as new coaches leading both teams, the Roos are celebrating a new era of hoops in KC. Keep reading for more of the latest developments and the season’s full schedules.

Kansas City Men’s Basketball

The Kansas City Roos—the city’s only Division I athletics program—represent the City of Fountains in Summit League competition. As a new season begins, the UMKC men’s basketball program is seeking its next level of success with a standout head coaching hire.

Coach Mark Turgeon arrives at UMKC with experience leading teams at Maryland, Texas A&M, Wichita State and Jacksonville State. His teams have earned 10 NCAA tournament bids, including Wichita State’s first appearance in nearly 20 years, and he has previously been recognized as Big Ten Coach of the Year.

With roots in Topeka, Turgeon was a four-year player and assistant coach at the University of Kansas before beginning his head coaching career. As he takes the helm in Kansas City for the season, he’s prepared to elevate UMKC hoops to new heights.

Preview the Kansas City Men’s Basketball home schedule for the 2026-27 season:

October 24
Kansas City vs. Montana State (Exhibition)
Municipal Auditorium

November 6
Kansas City vs. Southern Illinois
Municipal Auditorium

November 17
Kansas City vs. Newman
Municipal Auditorium

November 24
Kansas City vs. Green Bay
Municipal Auditorium

November 28
Kansas City vs. SEMO
Municipal Auditorium

November 30
Kansas City vs. Peru State
Municipal Auditorium

December 8
Kansas City vs. Denver
Municipal Auditorium

December 9
Denver vs. Sam Houston
Municipal Auditorium

December 9
Kansas City vs. Eastern Illinois
Municipal Auditorium

December 19
Kansas City vs. Lindenwood
Municipal Auditorium

December 21
Kansas City vs. SIUE
Municipal Auditorium

December 30
Kansas City vs. Lincoln
Municipal Auditorium

January 2
Kansas City vs. Spurgeon
Municipal Auditorium

January 7
Kansas City vs. South Dakota State
Municipal Auditorium

January 9
Kansas City vs. South Dakota
Municipal Auditorium

January 21
Kansas City vs. Omaha
Municipal Auditorium

January 23
Kansas City vs. St. Thomas
Municipal Auditorium

January 30
Kansas City vs. Oral Roberts
Municipal Auditorium

February 11
Kansas City vs. North Dakota
Swinney Center

February 13
Kansas City vs. North Dakota State
Swinney Center

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Kansas City Women’s Basketball

As a new season begins, the UMKC women’s basketball is celebrating the return of a familiar face. Head coach Candi Whitaker first led the program from 2006 to 2012, then went on to hold head coaching roles at Texas Tech, Missouri Western and North Alabama.

Whitaker led the Roos to two postseason appearances during her first tenue at UMKC. At Missouri Western, she was named MIAA Coach of the Year in 2024. Now, she’s back to guide the women’s basketball program to success for a second time.

Preview the Kansas City Women’s Basketball home schedule for the 2026-27 season:

October 24
Kansas City vs. Newman (Exhibition)
Municipal Auditorium

November 2
Kansas City vs. Baker
Swinney Center

November 6
Kansas City vs. Wichita State
Municipal Auditorium

November 13
Kansas City vs. SEMO
Swinney Center

November 22
Kansas City vs. Missouri State
T-Mobile Center (28.5 Women’s Hoops Invitational)

November 29
Kansas City vs. Park
Swinney Center

December 17
Kansas City vs. Denver
Swinney Center

December 22
Kansas City vs. Lindenwood
Swinney Center

December 30
Kansas City vs. Saint Mary
Municipal Auditorium

January 14
Kansas City vs. North Dakota State
Swinney Center

January 16
Kansas City vs. North Dakota
Swinney Center

February 4
Kansas City vs. South Dakota
Swinney Center

February 6
Kansas City vs. South Dakota State
Swinney Center

February 18
Kansas City vs. St. Thomas
Swinney Center

February 20
Kansas City vs. Omaha
Swinney Center

February 27
Kansas City vs. Oral Roberts
Swinney Center

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Municipal Auditorium

A lineup of games at Municipal Auditorium brings Roos basketball to one of Kansas City’s most historic venues. The arena has welcomed a significant number of high-caliber events across the decades, making it a centerpiece of the city’s legacy as a premier college basketball destination.

Municipal Auditorium has hosted more Final Four events than any other venue in the country. As the tournament grew, it moved to larger spaces. The last Final Four played at Municipal Auditorium took place in 1964, but it has continued to host NAIA and MIAA championship, along with more competition at every level.

Now, fans of the Roos—along with visitors to the adjacent Kansas City Convention Center and many other downtown venues—have a full season of opportunities to watch the team take the court inside a legendary venue.

KC Streetcar

Kansas City’s popular public transit system makes it even easier to cheer on the Roos. In fact, both venues hosting UMKC home games (Municipal Auditorium and Swinney Center) are within convenient reach via the KC Streetcar line. Plus, it’s always free to ride, making it convenient and affordable to watch the team in action.

Municipal Auditorium is a few blocks away from the Power & Light stop at 14th & Main. It’s also near the Power & Light District, T-Mobile Center, the KC Convention Center and major downtown hotels, so visitors to the downtown area can seamlessly add a Roos game to their plans.

Fans can also take the KC Streetcar to games being played at the Swinney Center. Use the UMKC stop at the south end of the line to arrive on the Roos’ campus.