Kent State University
Arkansas State
Kent State Welcomes Arkansas State To The M.A.C. Center On Saturday For A Pre-Christmas, Pre-Bowl Battle
12/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
View full game notes in .pdf
Kent State (6-5) and Arkansas State (6-4) meet on the hardwood on Dec. 22, just 13 days before the football teams for the two schools do battle in Mobile. Ala. in the GoDaddy.com Bowl.
Saturday's game at the M.A.C. Center in Kent is the third meeting between the Golden Flashes and the Red Wolves. The two teams split the first two games, with Kent State winning the most recent battle 69-54 in Jonesboro, Ark. on Dec. 29, 2011 behind 17 points from Randal Holt. Arkansas State won the previous meeting 60-50 way back on Dec. 15, 1950.
Chris Evans (16.1) and Randal Holt (12.9) lead Kent State in scoring. Evans, who is coming off of a 17-point, nine-rebound performance against Saint Francis on Thursday, also leads the Golden Flashes in rebounding (7.5) and steals (2.4).
Point guard Kris Brewer scored 13 points on Thursday night in his first start since Nov. 18. He also turned in five assists against just one turnover.
The 77-48 win over Saint Francis ended a three-game losing streak for Kent State. Following Saturday's game, the Golden Flashes will have eight games off for Christmas break before returning to action Dec. 30 at home against Fairmont State.
Arkansas State is coming off of a 61-54 home loss to Murray State on Wednesday. Guard Ed Townsel led the Red Wolves with 15 points on 6-for-16 shooting in that game.
Townsel, a 6-foot junior, is Arkansas State's top scorer this season at 14.6 per game. Brandon Peterson, a 6-foot-8 forward, is averaging 11.9 points and a team-best 10.2 rebounds per game in his senior season.
QUICK FLASHES
- Kent State's two seniors Chris Evans (16.1 ppg) & Randal Holt (12.9 ppg) combine to average 29.0 points per game which accounts for 41 percent of the Golden Flashes' scoring
- Holt needs just one more three pointer to move into a tie for 4th all-time at Kent State with 2012 Olympian Nate Reinking
- Evans leads the Mid-American Conference in steals at 2.5 per game
- Kent State holds a +6.5 advantage in second chance points per game so far this season.
- On the year Kent State is averaging 15.4 second chance points while allowing 8.9 points per game
- The Golden Flashes are averaging 37.6 points in the second halves of games this season. In the first half Kent State is averaging just 29.7 points
- Melvin Tabb has made 13 of his 16 field-goal attempts (81-percent) in three games since moving into the starting lineup on Dec. 4
