MAC Division Leaders Square Off As Kent State Travels to Central Michigan On Saturday
2/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes in .PDF format
The Game
It will be a battle of the Mid-American Conference Division leaders as East leader Kent State (16-7; 7-2) travels to West leader Central Michigan (11-9; 6-2) on Saturday night.
The Golden Flashes bring a six game winning streak into the showdown after a 75-68 win at Eastern Michigan on Thursday. Senior forward Anthony Simpson led the way for KSU with career highs of 19 points and four steals. Simpson, who is shooting 57.1 percent from the field during MAC play, also pulled in exactly seven rebounds for the fourth straight game and shot 3-4 from beyond the arc. Kent State is 9-0 this season when he scores in double figures.
Senior guard Chris Singletary matched Simpson with four steals as the Golden Flashes swiped 12 in the ball game. Kent State leads the MAC in steals this season (8.8 per game) and has recorded 30 in the last two contests. Singletary also contributed seven points and a team high eight assists. He ranks third in the MAC with 4.3 assists per game this year. Guards Tyree Evans and Rodriquez Sherman scored in double figures as well with 14 points each. Evans is averaging 12.2 ppg during MAC play, while Sherman has given KSU a +117 (19.5 points per game) advantage in points scored when he is on the court the past six games.
Central Michigan has won two straight and seven of the last nine following an 88-82 win at home over Buffalo on Thursday. The Chippewas have won their last seven home games and own a 7-1 record at the Rose Center this season. Senior guard Robbie Harman (6'1") leads team with 14.1 ppg and has hit a MAC high 65 three-pointers (42.5 percent). Senior guard Jordan Bitzer (6'3") is also in double figures with 13.5 ppg and is shooting 40.7 percent (44-108) from three.
TV / Radio
WNIR 100.1 FM (Tom Linder)
Next Up For Kent State
Kent State returns home to face Ball State on Wednesday (Feb. 10).
Quick Flashes
• Kent State has won 15 straight against MAC West opponents. The Golden Flashes last loss came on Feb. 2, 2008 at Toledo.
• During the six game winning streak the Golden Flashes are averaging 36.7 points per game in the paint. Kent State has won the last 10 games when the team has scored at least 30 points in the paint.
• Kent State leads the MAC in three-point field goal percentage defense during MAC play (25.4 percent) while Central Michigan is first with 7.6 three-pointers made per game.
• Kent State is the only MAC team with four players averaging in double figures, yet only one KSU player (Rodriquez Sherman - 20th) ranks top 20 in the league for minutes played.
• The Golden Flashes have shot over 50 percent in four of the last six games and are shooting 50.5 percent during the six game win streak.
Series Notes
• Kent State has a 39-29 edge in the series having won eight straight overall and 15 straight regular season meetings.
• Kent State has won the last 10 meetings at Central Michigan, but CMU still owns a 17-15 mark at home in the series that first dates back to 1950.
| Game 24 - at Central Michigan (Feb. 6, 2010) |
