Golden Flashes Look For Third Straight Win As They Welcome Toledo To The M.A.C. Center Sunday Afternoon
1/29/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes in .PDF
The Game
Kent State (13-7; 4-2) returns home looking for its third straight win as Toledo (4-16;1-5) pays a visit to the M.A.C. Center on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Flashes entered the weekend locked into a four-way tie for first in the Mid-American Conference East Division.
Sophomore Randal Holt has been a key catalyst in the Kent State offense the last four games averaging 17 points and shooting 50.0 percent (12-24) from three. He racked up his second straight 20-point effort on Thursday night in a 66-53 win over West Division leader Ball State. Holt poured in a game-high 21 points hitting three three-pointers and grabbing five rebounds as the Golden Flashes handed the Cardinals their first MAC loss of the season.
Known more for his offensive prowess, it was junior forward Justin Greene's defensive performance that helped lead Kent State on Thursday when he posted a career high five steals and three blocked shots. He also added 12 points and nine rebounds (eight defensive). In addition to being ranked fifth in the league in scoring (15.7 ppg) and third in rebounding (7.5 rpg) he is sixth in blocked shots (1.3 bpg) and 14th in steals (1.3 spg) making him the only player in the MAC ranked in the top 15 in all four categories.
Toledo comes into the game having lost two straight and seven of the last eight following a Tuesday night loss to Bowling Green, 70-64. The Rockets are 0-9 on the road this season. Malcolm Griffin, a 6-4 guard, has scored 22 or more points in four straight games and leads the squad with 13.8 ppg on the year.
The Kent State and Toledo coaching staffs will be donning wear sneakers on the sidelines as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer® Seventh Annual Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend. Basketball coaches nationwide will wear sneakers to demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society and its vision of a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Basketball fans are encouraged to also wear sneakers to games that weekend to show their support.
TV / Radio
SportsTime Ohio (Michael Reghi and Steve Mix)
WNIR 100.1 FM (Ty Linder)
Next Up For Kent State
Kent State is back on the road on Wednesday, February 2 when the team travel to Western Michigan for a 7:00 p.m. start.
Quick Flashes
• Kent State has won its last nine home games against MAC opponents and owns a 59-6 (.908) home record against league competition since the start of the 2003-04 season.
• Including the MAC Tournament, Kent State has won 18 straight games against MAC West opponents. Its last loss was a 56-51 defeat at Toledo on Feb. 2, 2008.
• A win today would give the Golden Flashes 499 victories in the M.A.C. Center which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this season.
• Kent State is averaging 23.3 points off turnovers the last four games owning a 93-50 advantage during the stretch.
• During MAC play the Golden Flashes lead the league with 9.5 steals per game and have swiped at least 11 in each of the last three games.
Kent State - Toledo Series Notes
• Kent State has won 11 of the last 14 meetings.
• Kent State trails the all-time series 78-43.
• The Golden Flashes have won the last five home games in the series
Recapping Ball State (1/27/11)
Kent State 66 - Ball State 53
• Kent State held Ball State without a field goal for a six minute span in the second half as part of a 23-8 run that put the game away.
• Randal Holt scored 10 of his game high 21 points during the run.
• Kent State equaled a school record with eight blocked shots, including three by Justin Greene who also had five of the Golden Flashes 12 steals.
• Kent State shot 56 percent in the second half and held Ball State to just 30 percent.
• Kent State matched a school record with eight blocked shots
Putting the MAC on Holt
• Sophomore guard Randal Holt has elevated his game in MAC play and is a large reason for the Golden Flashes' 4-2 start.
• Holt leads the team and ranks 10th in the league averaging 15.0 points per game in conference play after averaging just 7.0 points per game in the non-conference.
• MAC competition has also brought a much improved jumper from the 6'1" Holt who is shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 45.7 percent from three (16-35).
• The numbers are a sharp turnaround for second year guard who struggled in the non-conference shooting just 28.1 percent overall and 29.2 percent (21-72) from three.
• Holt has been just as improved defensively having recorded 10 steals in six games vs MAC compared to just eight in the 14 non-league games.
