Men's Basketball Opens MAC Play With Win Over Eastern Michigan

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Kent State University men's basketball team wrapped up a three-game, seven-day road stretch by posting an 83-74 victory against Eastern Michigan University in both teams' Mid-American Conference lidlifter. The win was the third straight road victory for Kent State, marking the first time since 1937 that the Golden Flashes won three consecutive games away from the M.A.C. Center.

Kent State received career-highs in points from sophomore guard DeAndre Haynes (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern), who poured in 18 points, and senior forward Bryan Bedford (Racine, Wis./Case), who tallied 16 points. The duo led five Golden Flashes in double figures, as senior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) also had 16 points, while senior guard Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) and junior forward Jason Edwin each recorded 13 points.

The Golden Flashes scored the first six points of the game, before Eastern Michigan finally got on the board 3:25 into the contest. Kent State built up as much as a 15-point lead in the first half, but EMU scored the final five minutes of the half to close within 10, 37-27, at the break.

In the second half, Kent State maintained a double-digit lead midway through the half, before the Eagles went on a run to close the lead to six, 59-53, with 8:01 to play. But that was as close as EMU would get as Edwards answered immediately with a layup to push the lead to eight before Haynes hit a driving lay in for a 63-53 lead with 6:49 remaining. From there, KSU's lead would move between eight and 12 points, with Kent State converting 12-of-15 free throws down the stretch.

Haynes finished 5-of-8 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free throw line, tallying six assists and five steals. Bedford knocked down a career-best four three-pointers on eight attempts, while Edwards notched three blocks, giving him 106 in his career, one shy of the school record. Edwin was 5-for-7 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.

NOTES: Kent State did not trail in the game ... The Flashes' bench outscored EMU's 23-10 ... Five players double digits in scoring for the second time this season (Houghton) ... Kent State's last winning streak of three consecutive games on the road was Jan. 15-19, 1937, at Findlay (26-25), Defiance (40-33) and Hiram (35-24) ... The win was the seventh straight in the MAC opener.

Men's Basketball Opens MAC Play With Win Over Eastern Michigan

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