Kent State University
1-0
Youngstown State University
0-1
Flashes take Men's Basketball season opener 69-61 at YSU
11/15/2014 9:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Jimmy Hall scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half of his Kent State debut, leading the Golden Flashes to a 69-61 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday night at the Beeghly Center.
With Hall and center Khaliq Spicer falling into early foul trouble, the Flashes turned to the three-point arc to build a 35-33 first half lead. The final 20 minutes saw Kent State turn its attention inside. Pounding the ball in to Hall, Spicer and Chris Ortiz, the Flashes scored 20 points in the paint in the second half, doubling their first-half total when only nine of the team's 21 shots were attempted inside the arc.
Hall used a variety of head fakes and spin moves on his way to shooting 6-of-9 from the field. He also grabbed five rebounds. Spicer added eight points and seven rebounds, scoring six of his points and grabbing six of his rebounds after the break.
Ortiz had an eight-point, four-rebound performance off of the bench and provided some important minutes at power forward late after Hall picked up his fourth foul. His two-handed dunk on a pretty dish from Derek Jackson with just under four minutes to play helped Kent State hold off a Youngstown State run.
"We talked a lot at halftime about how we needed to go inside more in the second half," said Kent State head coach Rob Senderoff. "I thought Jimmy was a difference in the second half. He showed us some of the things he is going to give us in the post this season. Khaliq and Chris also made some big plays down the stretch on both ends of the floor."
The Flashes took their first-half lead behind 6-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc. Jackson hit a three from the left wing on Kent State's first possession of the 2014-15 season. He finished with nine points.
Devareaux Manley added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, all from three-point range with all of his shots coming in the first half.
Kris Brewer also scored 12 points, scoring 10 of that total after halftime. The senior point guard also finished five assists and four rebounds in 34 minutes of action.
Youngstown State was led by a 20-point, 10-rebound effort by senior forward Shawn Amiker.
Kent State caught a break when 6-foot-10 Penguins center Bobby Hain was whistled for his fourth foul in the opening minutes of the second half. Hain finished with 17 points and five rebounds, but was limited to playing just five of the final 20 minutes.
Youngstown State won the battle of the boards by a narrow 37-36 margin, but Kent State outscored the Penguins 26-5 off of the bench.
