Kent State Begins Final MAC Push On Thursday Against Buffalo
3/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes Attached in .pdf Format
The Game
Kent State hosts Buffalo on Thursday looking to make one final push up the MAC East Division standings. The Golden Flashes begin the night two games back of the Bulls, who are tied for first place with Bowling Green just one game ahead of Akron and Miami. KSU is still in contention for one of the top four seeds and a first round bye in next week's MAC Tournament.
The Golden Flashes are coming off a 68-63 loss at Miami on Sunday. Junior guard Tyree Evans came off the bench to score a team high 15 points, including three, 3-pointers. Behind Evans, who leads with MAC during league play with 2.4 threes per game, the KSU bench has outscored nine of the last 10 opponents holding a +13.9 advantage during the stretch. Senior guard Jordan Mincy once again proved his recent scoring binge is not fluke adding 14 points and a career best four steals. Mincy is now averaging 11.9 points in the last 10 games and ranks second during league play with a 55.2 percent (16-29) three-point field goal percentage. KSU also received a career high 10 points from freshman Justin Greene, who also added six rebounds and two blocks in just 14 minutes in his best game of the season.
Buffalo ended a four game losing streak with a come-from-behind 68-66 win at Ohio on Saturday. The victory kept the Bulls in a first place tie in the MAC standings with Bowling Green. Rodney Pierce, who had five three-pointers and 27 points in the win, leads the team with 14.5 ppg this season.
TV / Radio
Sports Time Ohio (Tape Delay - Saturday at 4:30 p.m.)
WNIR 100.1 FM (Tom Linder)
Next Up For Kent State
Kent State hosts Akron in the regular season final on Sunday.
Quick Hits
• Kent State has won 25 of the last 27 home games against MAC opponents.
• Tyree Evans has made at least three, three-pointers in each of the last four games.
• Julian Sullinger (.600) and Jordan Mincy (.570) rank first and second respectively in field goal percentage during MAC play.
• Mincy has scored double figures in three of the last four games after doing so just twice in his first 126 games.
• Against MAC opponents at home Kent State is allowing just 53.5 points per game this season and has held five of the six MAC to less than 60 points.
Series Notes
• Kent State had won seven straight before a 64-53 loss at Buffalo earlier this season.
• Kent State is a perfect 11-0 all-time at home.
First Time .... Long Time
The Golden Flashes currently lead the MAC with 68.9 points per game this season. If they continue to lead the league in scoring, it will be the first time since joining the league in 1951-52 that Kent State has led the conference in scoring.
• With defense being the name of the game in the MAC this season (five teams are allowing 62 points or less) the 68.9 ppg would be the fewest by a MAC leader since Cincinnati averaged 67.5 ppg in the 1948-49 season.
| Game 30 - vs Buffalo (3/5/09) |
