Kent State Tops Ball State 79-68 To Set Up MAC Championship Game Match-Up With Akron
3/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score (.PDF)
Golden Flashes to face Zips on Saturday Night at 6:00 p.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State has a date with rival Akron in the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game on Saturday night after defeating Ball State 79-68 in a semifinal match-up late this evening (March 11). The Golden Flashes (23-10) advance to the championship game for the eighth time in the last 13 years and will tip-off against the Zips at 6:00 p.m. in a game that can be seen live on ESPN2.
Kent State got past Ball State (19-13) as junior forward Justin Greene (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln) posted his fifth straight double-double and 13th of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead five players in double figures. Junior guard Michael Porrini (Massillon, Ohio/Gulf Coast C.C. [Fla.]) put together another all-around performance just missing his second straight double-double with 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
A match-up of two of the top defensive teams in the league was anything but in the first half as the teams combined for 91 points in the first 20 minutes action. Kent State shot 60 percent (21-35) from the field in the period to help build a 48-43 lead at halftime.
The second half was almost a mirror opposite as the Golden Flashes shot just 4-13 (31 percent) and the Cardinals 3-11 (27 percent) in the first eight minutes of the stanza. Ball State would twice pulled within a single point mid-way through the half, but Kent State answered with a jumper from junior Carlton Guyton (Chicago, Ill. / Mineral Area C.C. [Mo.]) and then a lay-up from senior guard Rodriquez Sherman (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) as the Golden Flashes never relinquished the lead. Slowed by foul trouble in the first half, Sherman provided another strong second half performance scoring 13 of his 15 points. Sherman has reached double figures in the second half eight times in the last 12 games. Guyton was also in double figures for the game with 12 points on 5-7 shooting.
Kent State dominated the game inside the paint holding a 50-26 advantage in points scored. Junior center Justin Manns (Winston-Salem, N.C./Owens C.C. [Ohio]) helped the Golden Flashes control the inside scoring 10 points and grabbing eight rebounds in just 22 minutes of play. Kent State also had a 40-22 edge in rebounding and ended the game shooting 55.4 percent from the field.
Ball State's Jarrod Jones led all scorers with 22 points and added 11 rebounds. The Cardinals shot 56 percent in the first half and 43.3 percent for the game.
The Kent State Ticket Office will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow at the M.A.C. Center. The first 100 students will receive a free ticket. There are an additional 200 student tickets available for just $10 each. In addition, the Kent State University Alumni office will be hosting a fan reception at 4:00 p.m. at Flannery's Pub located at 323 Prospect Avenue East Cleveland, OH 44115.
It'll be the third meeting this season between Golden Flashes vs. Zips with each team defending its home court. It is the second time in four years the arch rivals will meet in the conference tournament title game.
NOTES:
• Justin Greene (20 points - 12 rebounds) has had a double-double in five straight games. His 13 double-doubles this season are the most by a Kent State player since Trent Grooms had 21 in 1979-80.
• Kent State has won 14 consecutive games when Justin Greene scores 20+ points (14-1 all-time; 8-0 in 2010-11)
• Michael Porrini's eight assists are the second highest single game total in the MAC Tournament by a Kent State player (Ed Norvell, 10; Feb. 28, 1998 vs Akron)
• Rodriquez Sherman had 11 second half points tonight and has scored in double figures in the second half eight times in the last 12 games.
• Kent State improves to 11-1 in the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed and 28-4 as the higher seed.
• Kent State has won the last 18 games in the MAC Tournament when scoring 70+ points (21-2 all-time)
• Kent State has now won 24 straight games against MAC West opponents and Head Coach Geno Ford in 20-0 all-time against West Division teams
