Kent State Heads To Akron For MAC Opening Day Showdown On Saturday
1/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes in .pdf
The Game
Mid-American Conference play gets underway this Saturday as Kent State (9-5; 0-0) makes the 14-mile trip to Akron (9-5; 0-0) in league opener for both teams. The game marks the 130th meeting in the rivalry, but its the first time the two teams have met in the MAC opener.
Coming off a 60-51 loss to James Madison on Dec. 31, the Golden Flashes are looking to get back on track as well as pick up their first road win of the season. Kent State has been led this season by the veteran duo of Rodriquez Sherman and Justin Greene. The only active player in the league to have won two MAC championships, Sherman has strung together the highest three-game scoring output of his career the past three games averaging 17.3 points and 5.3 assists per game. The fifth-year senior has won the last five games he has suited up for against the Zips.
The only player in the MAC ranked top five in scoring (4th; 16.6 ppg), rebounds (3rd; 7.9 rpg) and blocked shots (5th; 1.6 bpg), Greene had 14 points and 12 rebounds the last time out and has produced a double-double in three of the last four games. The 6-8 junior forward is averaging 16.6 ppg on the season and Kent State is 7-2 when he leads the team in scoring.
Akron has won five of the last six games following Monday's 84-80 win over Oral Roberts. The Zips are led by Nikola Cvetinovic with 12.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. As a team Akron is averaging a MAC best 8.2 three-point field goals made per game.
TV / Radio
SportsTime Ohio HD (Michael Reghi & Pat Vuyancih)
WNIR 100.1 FM (Ty Linder)
Next Up For Kent State
Kent State returns home to the M.A.C. Center on Tuesday, January 11 to face Bowling Green in a 7:00 p.m. contest.
Quick Flashes
• Since the Mid-American Conference split into two divisions for the 1997-98 season Kent State is 11-2 in league openers.
• The Golden Flashes have finished either first or second in the East Division every year except one since divisional play began.
• Kent State has use a different starting line-up in each of the last five games.
• The Golden Flashes have allowed over 70 points just once in the last five games holding the opposition to just 62.0 ppg during the stretch.
• Kent State's five wins this season after trailing at halftime are the most by any team in the MAC.
• The Golden Flashes have won five straight and own a 7-1 record this year when scoring at least 30 points in the paint.
• The first team to score 60 points in the Kent State-Akron rivalry has won 22 of the last 23 games in the series.
Kent State - Akron Series Notes
• Kent State leads the all-time series 68-61.
• Kent State has won three straight and six of the last seven meetings.
• The 68 wins are the most for Kent State against any opponent.
• This is the 10th time in the last 11 meetings that either Kent State and/or Akron has been in first place in the MAC East
Recapping James Madison (12/31) Kent State 51 - James Madison 60
• James Madison took control with a 16-3 run which gave them a 47-34 lead with 12 minutes remaining.
• Kent State shot a season low 30 percent (18-60) for the game and made only 24 percent (8-34) in the second half.
• Kent State made just 4-21 from three, including only 1-14 in the second half.
• Rodriquez Sherman led the Golden Flashes with 17 points while adding five rebounds, and five assists. Justin Greene was also in double figures with 14 points, while adding 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the year and third in the past four games.
• The loss brought to end the Golden Flashes' 15-game home court winning streak which stood as the 10th longest in the nation.
