Kent State University
Canisius College
Golden Flashes Host Canisius in Final Home Game of December
12/11/2015 12:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes Video Live Stats Audio
Kent State (6-2) wraps up its home schedule for the 2015 calendar year against Canisius (3-5) Saturday night at 7 p.m. The Golden Flashes will then head to Las Vegas for the final two games of the 2015 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic before traveling to North Carolina A&T just before New Year's Day. The next home game will be against Oberlin on January 2.
The frontcourt of Jimmy Hall (15.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg), Khaliq Spicer (8.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Chris Ortiz (7.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg) has helped Kent State control play around the basket. The Flashes own a +5.9 rebounding advantage while outscoring opponents 34.0-25.5 in the paint and 14.4-9.9 on second chance opportunities. The trio has combined for 64 offensive rebounds, which is just 6 fewer than Kent State has allowed. Hall has also shown a terrific ability to find teammates out of double-teams and averages a team-high 3.1 assists per game.
Redshirt junior Kellon Thomas has displayed more of a scoring mindset in his return to action and is averaging 13.4 points per game. Graduate student Galal Cancer has provided a good all-around floor game with 4.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Freshman guard Jaylin Walker (7.0 ppg) has averaged 9.0 points per game since being inserted into the starting lineup four games ago.
The Flashes are receiving almost 12 more points per game off the bench than their opponents. Redshirt senior Xavier Pollard leads the way with 12.4 points per game and adds 2.4 assists per game. Pollard scored a season-high 23 points at Pittsburgh. Redshirt juniors Deon Edwin and Marvin Jones add 3.8 and 2.0 points per game, respectively.
Scouting Canisius
Canisius has lost its last two games and is coming off an 81-67 loss at Penn State on Thursday. The Golden Griffins tend to play high-scoring affairs and average 84.8 points per game (27th in the country) and allow opponents to score 83.4 points per game (333th in the country). The three-point shot is a big part of their offense, as they average 30 attempts per game, which accounts for 44.8-percent of their field goal attempts overall.
The Golden Griffins have five players averaging double-figures. Guard Malcolm McMillan leads the way at 20.0 points per game and shoots better than 40-percent from the three-point line. Forward Phil Valenti adds 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Guards Kassius Robertson and Jamal Reynolds chip in 12.8 and 10.8 points per game, respectively. Reynolds plays much bigger than his listed height of 6'4", as he leads the Golden Griffins in rebounding (8.5 rpg) and ranks second in the country in offensive rebounding (5.0 per game). Forward Jermaine Crumpton missed the first three games of the season and is averaging 10.0 points per game since his return.
Series History
• Kent State is 1-2 all-time series vs. Canisius.
• Canisius outlasted Kent State in a 67-65 overtime victory in the most recent meeting on December 31, 1983.
• The Golden Flashes won 67-64 on December 11, 1982 in the only game played at the M.A.C. Center.
• Canisius won the first matchup between the schools, 91-78, on December 29, 1972.
Radio
Ty Linder and David Carducci will bring you the action on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel and 640 WHLO.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes head to Las Vegas for the final two games of the 2015 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic at Orleans Arena. The Flashes will play No. 19 SMU on December 22 and either Colorado or Penn State on December 23.
