Kent State Welcomes 2012 By Hosting Shawnee State on Monday Night
1/1/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Complete Notes in .PDF
The Game
Kent State (9-3) rings in the new year on Monday evening hosting southern Ohio stalwart Shawnee State (7-6) at 7:00 p.m. in the M.A.C. Center. The game serves as the final non-conference contest for the Golden Flashes which open Mid-American Conference play as the two-time defending regular season champs on Saturday at Buffalo.
Kent State is returning home for the first time in a month, fresh off a six-game swing away from home in which the team traveled nearly 7,000 miles and visited four different states. The Golden Flashes were 4-2 during their journey which helped them post their highest win total (six games) in the month of December since the 1999-00 (12 years) season.
The 2011-12 squad improved to 6-2 in December and 4-1 in true road games the season with an impressive 69-54 win at Sun Belt Conference West Division Preseason favorite Arkansas State last Thursday. Junior guard Randal Holt, who averaged a team best 13.7 points per game in Utah kept his shooting touch packed for Arkansas as he poured in a game high 17 points hitting three, three-pointers and making 6-11 from the field. Holt also pulled in five boards in the game and was one of five Kent State players to record at least four rebounds in the contest. Senior guard Carlton Guyton produced his most complete game of the year and powered the Golden Flashes best start this season. Guyton was all over the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals and was a large part of the 40-20 halftime lead built by Kent State..
Shawnee State is a NAIA school and a member of the Mid-South Conference. The Bears own wins over two schools ranked No. 1 in the NAIA national rankings this season. Shawnee State coming off an 80-65 loss at NCAA Division II UNC-Pembroke on Friday. Tyler Morgan, a 6'4" forward, leads the team averaging 15.7 points per game.
TV / Radio
WNIR 100.1 FM (Ty Linder)
Next Up For Kent State
Kent State travels to Buffalo for the start of MAC play on Saturday, January 7.
Quick Flashes
• Kent State has had a different starting line-up in each of the last six games
• Freshman Devareaux Manley is 6-10 from three and averaging 9.0 ppg in the last two games
• The Golden Flashes are averaging 19 free throw attempts per game and are 6-1 this season when shooting more free throws than the opposition
• The Golden Flashes are 163-26 (.863) at home over the last 13 years and have compiled a 507-250 all-time record in the historic building
• Kent State is holding opponents to 58.6 points per game at home this season
• Kent State ranks 15th in the nation forcing an average of 17.8 turnovers per game and has forced 20+ five times this year. The Golden Flashes also rank 18th nationally with 9.2 steals per game
Kent State - Shawnee State Series Notes
• Kent State leads the series 3-0
• This is the fourth meeting between the schools in the last eight years
• The two teams last met on Dec. 30, 2008 in Kent with the Golden Flashes posting a 93-42 win
