Kent State Returns To Form With 82-74 Win Over Youngstown State
12/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score
Golden Flashes dominate the second half to end five game skid
KENT, Ohio -The Kent State men's basketball team used a 16-0 second half run on the way to an 82-74 win tonight against Youngstown State at the M.A.C. Center. The Golden Flashes, which shot 59.7 percent (16-27) and scored a season high 53 points in the second half, ending a five game losing streak with the win.
Returning to the court for the first time since Dec. 6, Kent State (4-5) was led by senior guard Al Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J. / Redlands (Okla.)) who set a new career high for points at home with 20. Fisher made a season high 10-12 from the foul line while adding three assists and three steals. Junior guard Chris Singletary (Chicago, Ill./Florida Prep.) added 14 points as he recorded his 11th straight game with double figures.
Youngstown State (1-7) scored the final five points of the first half and took a 31-29 lead at the break after a steal and lay-up at the buzzer by Kelvin Bright. A three-point play by the Penguin's Vytas Sulskis extended the deficit to five (40-35) at the 17:23 mark before the KSU defense took over.
Freshman Justin Greene (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Lincoln) jumped started the 16-0 run with a lay-up in the paint for two of his seven points. Over the next five minutes, the Golden Flashes forced six turnovers as they built up a 51-40 lead with 12:37 left to play. After a short jumper by Bright finally ended the drought for Youngstown State, Kent State continued to flow offensively extending the margin to as many as 20 points (66-46).
“For the whole week all we did was defensive practice,” said Head Coach Geno Ford, “Defensively I thought for the first 15 minutes in the second half we were outstanding and that was the best we've looked.”
Bright (21 points) and Vance Cooksey (24 points) led the Penguins in scoring and helped closed the gap to eight points by making some tough shots in the final five minutes.
Junior Anthony Simpson (Rockford, Ill. / Highland C.C. (Ill.)) was also in double figures for KSU with 11 points.
Kent State returns to action on Thursday at home against UNC Greensboro.
NOTES: Al Fisher's 20 points are the most he's scored at home (Previous best was 17 done five times) ... It was the 20th time in his career (44 games) he has led the team in scoring - 18th time he has scored double figures in the second half alone ... Kent State shot a season best 68.8 percent (22-32) from the foul line ... Kent State is averaging 80.2 ppg at home this season ... Kent State held a 16-5 advantage in points off turnovers in the second half ... The Golden Flashes' 53 second half points are the most scored in any half this season ... Jordan Mincy's six assists are a season high and his most March 13, 2008 vs Toledo in the first round of the MAC Tournament ... Mincy now has 275 career assists ... It was the 32nd time in his career he has led the team in assists, Kent State has a 24-8 record in such games.
