Kent State University
Ohio
Kent State hosts Ohio University on Saturday in Jim Christian's return to the M.A.C. Center
1/25/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
View Kent State game notes (.pdf)
Kent State goes in search of its first home win in Mid-American Conference play when it hosts Ohio University at the M.A.C. Center on Saturday, Jan. 26, in an East Division rivalry game that will be televised regionally on SportsTime Ohio.
The Golden Flashes (11-8, 2-3 MAC) are also trying to rebound from back-to-back losses to Akron (Jan. 19) and at Bowling Green (Jan. 23). The Bobcats (14-5, 5-0), meanwhile, are riding a six-game winning streak that dates back to a Dec. 29 loss at Oklahoma.
First-year Ohio University head coach Jim Christian returns to the M.A.C. Center for the first time since his six-year stint as head coach at Kent State from 2002-08. Christian was 138-58 at Kent State before leaving the Golden Flashes with the best coaching record in Mid-American Conference history. He was also an assistant under Stan Heath on Kent State's 2001-02 Elite Eight team before being promoted to head coach the following season.
Current Kent State head coach Rob Senderoff was an assistant under Christian at Kent State from 2002-06. From Senderoff's staff, assistants Eric Haut and DeAndre Haynes and director of basketball operations Mike McKee all played for Christian with the Golden Flashes. Haut served as an assistant on Christian's coaching staffs at Kent State (2006-08) and at Texas Christian University from (2008-11).
Saturday is also a homecoming for Omni Smith. The Ohio University graduate assistant played for Kent State from 2005-07, averaging 10.8 points per game in his two seasons.
Kent State and Ohio coaches will be wearing sneakers on Saturday as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Challenge.
QUICK FLASHES
• Kent State's two seniors, Chris Evans (16.9 ppg) & Randal Holt (13.9 ppg), combine to average 30.8 points per game which accounts for 44.5 percent of the Golden Flashes' scoring and is the 3rd highest-scoring duo in the MAC this season, trailing Rian Pearson & Julius Brown of Toledo & Jordon Crawford and A'uston Calhoun of BGSU.
• Holt connected on a trio of trifectas to pass Armon Gates and current assistant coach Eric Haut for 2nd place all-time list (202).
• Evans is the only player to rank among the top 10 in the MAC in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, steals, and minutes played.
• Kent State holds a +4.3 advantage in points off turnovers per game so far this season.
• The Flashes average 26.8 points from their bench in 11 wins this season, but are only getting 17.4 points per game from the bench in eight losses.
