Brewer’s Big Second Half Lifts Kent State to 58-54 Win over College of Charleston

Saturday, December 21

Charleston, S.C.

3:00 p.m.

Kent State University

9-2

College of Charleston

5-7

Kent State

Coll. of Charleston

Kris Brewer

Brewer’s Big Second Half Lifts Kent State to 58-54 Win over College of Charleston

12/21/2013 7:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Final Stats (.pdf)

CHARLESTON, S.C.—Kent State shook off a rough first half shooting the ball to defeat College of Charleston, 58-54, Saturday afternoon at TD Arena. The Golden Flashes scored 8 of the game's final 12 points to come way with the victory following a 50-50 tie and improved to 9-2.

Junior guard Kris Brewer broke the tie with a three-point play on a drive to the basket with 1:08 to play. Following two free throws by the Cougars, Brewer scored again on a drive to the basket to go-ahead by three points once more with 18.4 remaining.

The game was not in hand, however, until senior Mark Henniger calmly sank a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining after clearing a rebound on the defensive end of the floor. Henniger has now made 37 consecutive free throws.

"It certainly wasn't pretty," head coach Rob Senderoff said. "Our kids had just enough resolve and fight, and we made just enough plays at the end. Kris Brewer was fantastic in the second half. But as I tell these guys, it's not about one guy but all 16. It was a great win for us. Everybody who came in helped us and contributed to the win today."

Brewer scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, including several baskets when his team needed them most down the stretch.

Coming off the bench for the first time this season, senior Darren Goodson joined Brewer in double-figures with 10 points. Not known for his performance on the defensive end of the floor, Goodson provided a spark by causing a pair of turnovers within a few minutes of entering the game. He also took two charges during the second half.

"That was one of our better defensive efforts of the year," Senderoff said. "I thought we did a great job. One of things we've been emphasizing in practice is trying to create some turnovers and I think we did that tonight. We did a good job of pressuring the basketball and trying to speed them up."

Sophomore Devin Carter made a three-point field goal in the closing seconds of a sluggish first half to give the Flashes a 17-16 lead going into the locker room. Kent State made just 5 of its 25 shots in the opening 20 minutes and shot an uncharacteristic 50-percent from the free throw line (5-of-10). A terrific defensive effort kept the Flashes ahead as they allowed College of Charleston to shoot just 6-of 24 from the field and forced 11 turnovers.