Kent State's shooting struggles lead to 75-59 loss to Broncos

Thursday, January 23

Kent, Ohio

7:00 p.m.

Kent State University

11-7, 2-3MAC

Western Michigan University

10-7,3-2MAC

Western Michigan

Kent State

Marquiez Lawrence

Photo by: David Dermer

Kent State's shooting struggles lead to 75-59 loss to Broncos

1/23/2014 10:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Final Stats (.pdf)

KENT, Ohio – Poor shooting haunted Kent State all night long as the Golden Flashes suffered a 75-59 loss to Western Michigan on Thursday at the M.A.C. Center.

After falling behind 34-24 at the break on 26.5-percent shooting from the field (9-for-34) and 15.4 percent shooting from three-point range (2-for-13), the Flashes found themselves in need of a spark coming out of the halftime locker room. Kris Brewer offered some hope by drilling a three on the half's opening possession, but the Flashes followed by missing its next eight shots and turning the ball over three times in the next five minutes as Western Michigan scored 16 straight points to surge ahead by 23.

Kent State lost an opportunity early in the first half after Darren Goodson stood his ground to draw two charging calls against Western Michigan's Shayne Whittington in the game's first five minutes. Unfortunately for the Flashes, the Broncos bench answered the call and built a lead while their all-MAC 6-foot-11 center was forced to the bench.

Whittington avoided another whistle the rest of the night while scoring a game-high 18 points and grabbing six rebounds in 27 minutes. David Brown added 17 points, Tucker Haymond scored 16 and Austin Richie chipped in 11 for the Broncos, who improved to 10-7 overall and 2-3 in the MAC.

Goodson and Brewer both scored 10 points to lead Kent State. Bright spots off of the bench were provided by Kellon Thomas and Khaliq Spicer. Both finished with eight points. Thomas was 2-for-4 from three-point range, but Kent State made just 7-of-29 (31-percent) as a team.

Kent State was out-rebounded 42-32 despite a 17-to-10 advantage on the offensive glass. The Flashes turned those 17 offensive rebounds into just eight points while the Broncos scored 14 second-chance points.

The Flashes (11-7, 2-3) will travel to Toledo on Sunday before returning home for games against Northern Illinois on Jan. 29 and arch-rival Akron on Feb. 1.