Thomas Earns MAC East Player of the Week Honors
12/14/2015 5:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State point guard Kellon Thomas has been named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday (Dec. 14). Thomas paced the Golden Flashes with 18.3 points per game, 3.3 assists per game and a 3.33 assist-to-turnover ratio while leading the Golden Flashes to a 3-0 week and four wins over an eight-day span.
Thomas took over down the stretch of games, scoring 23 points on 70-percent shooting during the final four minutes of play. He also played lockdown defense, holding the three players that he primarily defended to 18 points fewer to their combined averages entering each game on just 8-for-26 shooting (.308). NJIT's Ky Howard (2 points) and Canisius' Malcolm McMillan (6 points) were both held to season-low scoring outputs.
It took a career night from Thomas, who finished with 22 points, 6 three-point field goals and 6 assists, to snap NJIT's 10-game home winning streak. All 11 of his second half points came during the final 3:20, beginning with a three-pointer to pull within a point of the host. Thomas then came up with a steal on the ensuing defensive possession and buried another three-pointer. Following an NJIT basket and timeout, Thomas finished through contact on a strong drive to the basket to put the Flashes back in front. NJIT tied the game once again, but his three-point shot with 1:12 remaining put the Flashes ahead for good.
Thomas tied for the team-high with 16 points in a win over the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Thursday. He did not commit a turnover in 29 minutes on the court.
Against Canisius on Saturday, Thomas led five Flashes in double-figures with 17 points and added 4 assists in a career-high 34 minutes of action. He scored 9 points over the final 2:19, including a 5-for-6 effort at the charity stripe, to prevent the Golden Griffins from getting within 4 points the rest of the way.
The Flashes will have an opportunity to play a nationally-ranked team on a neutral court when they return to action next Tuesday, December 22 against No. 18 SMU in the first of two games at Orleans Arena as part of the 2015 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic. Kent State will then play either Colorado or Penn State on Wednesday, December 23 in front of a national television audience on FS1.
Kent State's next home game at the M.A.C. Center will be against Oberlin College on Saturday, January 2. Fans can purchase tickets for home games over the phone by calling 330-672-2244, in person by coming to the M.A.C. Center ticket office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., or online by going to the Tickets page on KentStateSports.com.
