Men's Basketball Plunders the Vikings, 116-66

KENT, Ohio -- Tonight, the Kent State University mens basketball team showed that sports is often a tale of two of two games. Just three days ago, the Golden Flashes could do nothing right in a loss against the University of Rhode Island. But tonight (Dec. 17), Kent State (5-1) could do no wrong as it rolled past Cleveland State University (4-3) 116-66 in front of 3,337 at Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.

The Golden Flashes jumped out to a 16-4 lead less than four minutes into the contest, hitting six of their first seven shots, and never looked back. Kent State shot a season-high 61.2 percent (41-of-67) from the field in the contest, and in a display of unselfish basketball recorded a school-record 36 assists.

Kent State held a 61-31 lead at halftime, scoring 61 points in a half for the first time since 2001-02. The last time the Flashes scored more than 61 points in a half was the second half of a 110-50 victory against Wilberforce Nov. 25, 1998, when KSU tallied 65 points.

The Flashes posted the third-most points in a single game and tied the record for most points against a Division I opponent. KSU previously tallied 116 points in a 116-76 win against Marshall Feb. 19, 2002. Kent State also matched the third most made three-point field goals in a game tonight, knocking down 12-of-21 attempts.

After one of the poorest shooting performances in recent history Sunday against Rhode Island, Kent State hit 57.1 percent from three-point range and 91.7 percent (22-of-24) from the free-throw line, after going just 10-for-21 Sunday.

Kent State also scored 44 points in the paint to Cleveland States 18; the KSU bench outscored CSUs 47-16; and the Flashes tallied 29 points off turnovers, harassing the Vikings into 19 turnovers, while the Golden Flashes had just nine.

Senior guard Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) rebounded from a lackluster performance the last time out to lead five Golden Flashes in double figures with 22 points. Haut was 8-of-9 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range. Senior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) had 17 points and three blocks, while senior guard Matt Jakeway (Flushing, Mich./Austin Peay State), making his first career start, had 12 points, six rebounds and five steals.

Sophomore guard DeAndre Haynes (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) had 11 points and matched his career high with nine assists. Redshirt freshman guard Armon Gates (Country Club Hills, Ill./Brewster [N.H.] Academy) had a career-best 10 points. Freshman forward Scott Cutley (Torrance, Calif./Westchester) had a game-high six rebounds to go with eight points.

The Golden Flashes are next in action when they travel to Boston College to meet the Eagles, Saturday, Dec. 20. Game time is 2 p.m.

NOTES:

Every Kent State player tallied at least three points in the game and all but one shot at least 50.0 percent from the field... Kent State scored more than 100 points for the second time this season, doing so twice in the same year for the first time since 1998-99... The Golden Flashes scored 49 points in the loss to Rhode Island Sunday, but tonight KSU eclipsed that total in each half... The last time KSU shot better than 60 percent from the floor was a win at Rhode Island last year, when the Flashes shot 31-of-48 (.646)... Kent State has now won four straight against Cleveland State and claimed the inaugural Medical Mutual Trophy... The Golden Flashes have won 23 of their last 26 games against opponents from the state of Ohio.

Men's Basketball Plunders the Vikings, 116-66

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