Wednesday, January 8
Kent, Ohio
7:00 p.m.
Kent State University
vs
Ohio University
Khaliq Spicer
Photo by: David Dermer
Kent State Hosts Ohio in MAC Opener Wednesday
1/7/2014 11:27:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game notes (pdf)
Kent State (9-4) opens Mid-American Conference play Wednesday night against a tough Ohio (10-3) squad that shared the conference's regular season title a year ago. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center and will be broadcast live regionally on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
After a hot start this year, the Golden Flashes heads into league play with losses in three of their last four games. The Flashes' offense that scored 81.5 ppg in November has cooled and put up just 64.6 ppg in December. Kent State scored at least 72 points in each of its first eight games, but has failed to hit that mark it any of its last five contests.
Third-year head coach Rob Senderoff's squad will need to return to its early season form if it is to finish ahead of its projected fourth-place finish in the MAC pre-season poll. Captains Kris Brewer, Darren Goodson and Mark Henniger have been key to the team's success.
Brewer leads the team in scoring (11.9) and has shown the ability to make plays with the ball in his hands late in games, a responsibility that went to departed seniors Chris Evans and Randal Holt a season ago. Goodson is averaging 10.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg while leading the team in assists (35).
Henniger has showed as much growth as any Golden Flash from a season ago. The 6'9" senior leads the Flashes in rebounding (5.7) while adding 10.4 ppg, nearly doubling his scoring output from a season ago. Henniger has been outstanding from the free throw line and ranks 10th in the nation in free throw percentage (.922).
Junior Derek Jackson has been a welcome addition after transferring from Central Michigan. Jackson is averaging 11.5 ppg and shooting 43-percent from the three-point line. He is also assigned to defend the opponent's top offensive player each night and has a team-high 24 steals.
Without a standout player, the Flashes have relied on contributions from all 11 players in their rotation. The Flashes are 9-1 when at least nine players enter the scoring column this season. In wins, Kent State is averaging 25.6 ppg off the bench but only 16.8 ppg in losses.
Former Kent State head coach Jim Christian led Ohio to the second-best non-conference mark in the league and the Bobcats enter on a three-game winning streak. Two of their three losses came at the hands of nationally-ranked teams (Ohio State and UMass). Ohio went just 3-2 in road contests. Most recently, however, the Bobcats overcame a 12-point halftime deficit for a 79-70 victory at UNC Asheville on Saturday.
Junior college transfer Maurice Ndour is among the top newcomers in the MAC this year, as the 6'9" forward leads the Bobcats at 14.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.1 bpg. Ndour had 24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and three blocks against UNC Asheville. Senior guard Nick Kellogg was named MAC East Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 20.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg in the Bobcats' two victories a week ago. Kellogg is right behind Ndour at 14.7 ppg while ranking in the top 5 in the MAC in three-point shooting (.462) and three-pointers (2.3/game).
Similar to the Flashes, Ohio's depth and balance have been a big part of its success. The Bobcats average 19.7 ppg off the bench and four additional players average at least 7.8 ppg.
Quick Flashes
• In its first three games of December, Kent State held opponents to 57 ppg on 38-percent shooting while forcing more than 16 turnovers per game.
• The Flashes began the season 9-2 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, which ended with KSU's last NCAA Tournament appearance.
• Despite just one player among the MAC's top 20 scorers, KSU ranks third in scoring as a team (75.0 ppg).
• The Flashes are getting huge bench contributions and have received 17 or more points from their reserves in each game.
• The Flashes committed a season-low six turnovers vs. Bucknell and average the 50th-fewest per game in the nation (10.6).
Series History
• Ohio leads the all-time series 91-44.
• The Bobcats swept the season series a year ago and have won four of the last five meetings overall.
• Both games last season came down to the final possession, as Ohio escaped the M.A.C. Center with a 69-68 victory on Jan. 26 and followed with a 78-75 win in overtime on Feb. 16.
• The Flashes held a 79-51 advantage on the glass in the two games, but were doomed by turning the ball over twice as many times (42-21).
• Kent State's last win in the series came at home on Feb. 29, 2012. Randal Holt led the way with 20 points in a 68-61 Golden Flashes victory.
• The Flashes have fared better at home, holding a 30-35 record all-time vs. the Bobcats in Kent.
• The Kent State-Ohio series dates back to the 1930-31 season and a 23-21 Ohio win in Kent.
TV / Radio
The game will be televised live regionally on TWC Sports Channel and streamed nationally on ESPN3. Michael Reghi and Dave Cecutti will be on the call for the MAC's first men's basketball game as part of its new television deal with the channel.
Ty Linder (play-by-play) and Dave Carducci (color) will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes will take on Ball State at the M.A.C. Center on Sat., Jan. 11th at 7 p.m.
Reach Out and Read
The men's and women's Basketball teams will be sponsoring book drives in support of "Reach Out and Read", a nationally recognized program that focuses on early literacy in children. The "Reach Out and Read" program accepts brand new books appropriate for children ages 6 months to 5 years, or gently used books appropriate for children ages 6 months to early teen. The program does not accept books containing violent, religious or "body" themes. Light blue boxes donation boxes with the "Reach Out and Read" logo will be located in the M.A.C. Center lobby for the following dates of men's basketball games:
Wednesday, January 8th- Men vs. Ohio, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 1st- Men vs. Akron, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets
Fans can purchase tickets over the phone by calling 330-672-2244, in person by coming to the M.A.C. Center ticket office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., or online by clicking the banner below.
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Kent State (9-4) opens Mid-American Conference play Wednesday night against a tough Ohio (10-3) squad that shared the conference's regular season title a year ago. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center and will be broadcast live regionally on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
After a hot start this year, the Golden Flashes heads into league play with losses in three of their last four games. The Flashes' offense that scored 81.5 ppg in November has cooled and put up just 64.6 ppg in December. Kent State scored at least 72 points in each of its first eight games, but has failed to hit that mark it any of its last five contests.
Third-year head coach Rob Senderoff's squad will need to return to its early season form if it is to finish ahead of its projected fourth-place finish in the MAC pre-season poll. Captains Kris Brewer, Darren Goodson and Mark Henniger have been key to the team's success.
Brewer leads the team in scoring (11.9) and has shown the ability to make plays with the ball in his hands late in games, a responsibility that went to departed seniors Chris Evans and Randal Holt a season ago. Goodson is averaging 10.4 ppg and 4.1 rpg while leading the team in assists (35).
Henniger has showed as much growth as any Golden Flash from a season ago. The 6'9" senior leads the Flashes in rebounding (5.7) while adding 10.4 ppg, nearly doubling his scoring output from a season ago. Henniger has been outstanding from the free throw line and ranks 10th in the nation in free throw percentage (.922).
Junior Derek Jackson has been a welcome addition after transferring from Central Michigan. Jackson is averaging 11.5 ppg and shooting 43-percent from the three-point line. He is also assigned to defend the opponent's top offensive player each night and has a team-high 24 steals.
Without a standout player, the Flashes have relied on contributions from all 11 players in their rotation. The Flashes are 9-1 when at least nine players enter the scoring column this season. In wins, Kent State is averaging 25.6 ppg off the bench but only 16.8 ppg in losses.
Former Kent State head coach Jim Christian led Ohio to the second-best non-conference mark in the league and the Bobcats enter on a three-game winning streak. Two of their three losses came at the hands of nationally-ranked teams (Ohio State and UMass). Ohio went just 3-2 in road contests. Most recently, however, the Bobcats overcame a 12-point halftime deficit for a 79-70 victory at UNC Asheville on Saturday.
Junior college transfer Maurice Ndour is among the top newcomers in the MAC this year, as the 6'9" forward leads the Bobcats at 14.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.1 bpg. Ndour had 24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and three blocks against UNC Asheville. Senior guard Nick Kellogg was named MAC East Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 20.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg in the Bobcats' two victories a week ago. Kellogg is right behind Ndour at 14.7 ppg while ranking in the top 5 in the MAC in three-point shooting (.462) and three-pointers (2.3/game).
Similar to the Flashes, Ohio's depth and balance have been a big part of its success. The Bobcats average 19.7 ppg off the bench and four additional players average at least 7.8 ppg.
Quick Flashes
• In its first three games of December, Kent State held opponents to 57 ppg on 38-percent shooting while forcing more than 16 turnovers per game.
• The Flashes began the season 9-2 for the first time since the 2007-08 season, which ended with KSU's last NCAA Tournament appearance.
• Despite just one player among the MAC's top 20 scorers, KSU ranks third in scoring as a team (75.0 ppg).
• The Flashes are getting huge bench contributions and have received 17 or more points from their reserves in each game.
• The Flashes committed a season-low six turnovers vs. Bucknell and average the 50th-fewest per game in the nation (10.6).
Series History
• Ohio leads the all-time series 91-44.
• The Bobcats swept the season series a year ago and have won four of the last five meetings overall.
• Both games last season came down to the final possession, as Ohio escaped the M.A.C. Center with a 69-68 victory on Jan. 26 and followed with a 78-75 win in overtime on Feb. 16.
• The Flashes held a 79-51 advantage on the glass in the two games, but were doomed by turning the ball over twice as many times (42-21).
• Kent State's last win in the series came at home on Feb. 29, 2012. Randal Holt led the way with 20 points in a 68-61 Golden Flashes victory.
• The Flashes have fared better at home, holding a 30-35 record all-time vs. the Bobcats in Kent.
• The Kent State-Ohio series dates back to the 1930-31 season and a 23-21 Ohio win in Kent.
TV / Radio
The game will be televised live regionally on TWC Sports Channel and streamed nationally on ESPN3. Michael Reghi and Dave Cecutti will be on the call for the MAC's first men's basketball game as part of its new television deal with the channel.
Ty Linder (play-by-play) and Dave Carducci (color) will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes will take on Ball State at the M.A.C. Center on Sat., Jan. 11th at 7 p.m.
Reach Out and Read
The men's and women's Basketball teams will be sponsoring book drives in support of "Reach Out and Read", a nationally recognized program that focuses on early literacy in children. The "Reach Out and Read" program accepts brand new books appropriate for children ages 6 months to 5 years, or gently used books appropriate for children ages 6 months to early teen. The program does not accept books containing violent, religious or "body" themes. Light blue boxes donation boxes with the "Reach Out and Read" logo will be located in the M.A.C. Center lobby for the following dates of men's basketball games:
Wednesday, January 8th- Men vs. Ohio, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 1st- Men vs. Akron, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets
Fans can purchase tickets over the phone by calling 330-672-2244, in person by coming to the M.A.C. Center ticket office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., or online by clicking the banner below.
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