Drexel Knocks Off Kent State in ESPNU BracketBuster Game 73-66
2/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score (.PDF)
Golden Flashes had four players reach double figures
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Playing in its record eighth televised ESPN BracketBuster contest Kent State was unable to handle a physical Drexel team losing by a final of 73-66 Friday night at the DasKalakis Athletic Center.
Junior Carlton Guyton (Chicago, Ill. / Mineral Area C.C. [Mo.]) had 17 points to lead four players in double figures for the Golden Flashes (17-9) which previously had a five game winning streak in the annual event. Junior forward Justin Greene (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln) added 11 points and a career high 15 rebounds against a bigger and more physical front line for the Dragons. Â
The top rebounding team in the Colonial Athletic Association, Drexel (18-9) had two players record a double-double and out rebounded Kent State 49-39. The opportunistic Dragons took advantage of a 13-2 edge in second chance points in the first half and used a 16-0 run to help build a 42-40 lead at halftime.
"It was tough for us to find a rhythm against a team as big and strong as they were," said Head Coach Geno Ford. "They are the most physical team we've played all year and really beat us up in the first half."
The Golden Flashes regrouped at halftime and despite opening the stanza up shooting just 3-16 from the field still managed to shave four points off the deficit when senior guard Rodriquez Sherman (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) hit a jumper in the paint at the 10:25 mark. Sophomore Randal Holt (Cleveland, Ohio/Bedford) then got the lead down to seven with three of his 10 points with just under six minutes left to go. Chris Fouch (15 points) scored the next four points and after Guyton pulled Kent State to within seven again on a pair of free throws a couple of minutes later, the Dragons went back inside to Samme Givens who scored a lay-up on his way to a team high 17 points and 15 rebounds.
"I liked the toughness we showed in the second half and had we been able to knock down a few more shots we could have made a bit more of a game of it down the stretch," said Ford. "Playing for the third time in six days our guys were a little tired out there so shots were falling short. We had a few players who looked like they had just run the New York City Marathon." Â
Along with Guyton, Greene and Holt, Junior Michael Porrini (Massillon, Ohio/Gulf Coast C.C. [Fla.]) was also in double figures with 12 points. Porrini did the bulk of his damage in the first half scoring seven straight points to spark a 9-2 spurt which gave Kent State a 23-22 lead at the 5:48 mark of the first half. Drexel quickly answered and took control with the 16-0 over the next four minutes to take back the lead for good.
Kent State wraps up the four-game road swing on Monday night February 21 at Western Michigan. The Golden Flashes enter the contest a half-game behind the Miami in the Mid-American Conference East Division race. Â
NOTES:
• Kent State's eight televised BracketBuster games are the most of any school in the country
• The five game winning streak in BracketBuster games were tied for the most by any school in the event.
•   Kent State is now 6-3 all-time in the BracketBuster
• Junior center Justin Manns (Winston-Salem, N.C./Owens C.C. [Ohio]) added three blocked shots and has 15 blocks in the last six games.
• The Golden Flashes equaled a season low with eight turnovers.  Â
