Kent State University
Malone University
Golden Flashes Play Host to Malone to Kickoff Homestand
11/17/2014 5:40:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes Video Live Stats Golden Flashes Radio
Kent State (1-0) begins the a stretch of four home games in six days when Malone (0-2) visits the M.A.C. Center Tuesday night for an 8 p.m. contest. All four contests are part of the inaugural Men Against Breast Cancer Classic, with the Golden Flashes hosting Illinois-Chicago, Southern Illinois and Yale this weekend.
Kent State head coach Rob Senderoff improved to 4-0 in season openers with Saturday's 69-61 victory over Youngstown State at the Beeghly Center. The Flashes used a 6-of-12 shooting performance from the three-point arc to lead 35-33 at halftime despite early foul trouble by three post players. Seniors Devareaux Manley and Derek Jackson combined for 21 points to lead the way. Manley scored 12 points and made 4-of-6 three-pointers to spark the team's offense off the bench.
The offense moved closer to the basket in the second half, as the Flashes totaled 20 points in the paint and attempted just three long balls over the final 20 minutes. Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall scored 11 of his team-leading14 points in the second half of his Kent State debut. Hall, who also grabbed five rebounds, fouled out after playing just 21 minutes.
Senior point guard Kris Brewer finished with 12 points and five assists, while juniors Khaliq Spicer and Chris Ortiz both added eight points for a Golden Flashes frontcourt that is expected to be much-improved from last season. Spicer led Kent State with seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
Malone opened the season with back-to-back losses in the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge. The Pioneers were defeated by Indianapolis, 87-68, on Friday and then #17 Lewis, 91-62, on Saturday. Ben Haraway has been the team's top scorer in both games and is averaging 12.5 points per game. Stephen O'Daniel III adds 11.0 points per game for the Pioneers.
Quick Flashes
• Kent State has won eight consecutive home openers.
• The Golden Flashes held a 26-5 advantage in bench scoring in Saturday's 69-61 win at YSU.
• The Golden Flashes return the nation's 35th highest-scoring backcourt from last season, as Kris Brewer, Derek Jackson, Devareaux Manley and Kellon Thomas combined for 38.7 ppg.
• Senior guard Kris Brewer was selected by a MAC Media Panel to the five-player Preseason All-MAC East Team. Brewer was an All-MAC honorable mention selection last season.
• Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall, a transfer from Hofstra, was named Preseason MAC Newcomer of the Year by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
Series History
• Kent State leads the all-time series 28-16.
• The Golden Flashes have won six straight over the Penguins, which matches the longest streak in the series (1947-49).
• The two schools met 31 times through the 1959-60 season, but did not play again until the 1998-99 season. Kent State is 11-2 in the series during the modern era.
• The Flashes are 12-10 in matchups played in Youngstown.
• Last season, Kent State used a balanced scoring attack that featured five players scored in double-figures to outlast YSU, 83-79, at the M.A.C. Center.
• Kent State came away with a 85-78 overtime victory in its last visit to the Beeghly Center during the 2012-13 season. It marked the third time the schools needed an extra session with the Flashes owning a 2-1 record.
TV / Radio
Dave Wilson (play-by-play) and Dave Carducci (color) will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the 640 AM WHLO iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes continues their a five-game homestand against Southern Illinois on Friday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Season tickets are on sale and can be purchased by calling the Ticket Office at 330-672-2244 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Ticket packages begin at less than $10 per game for general admission seating. Individual game tickets begin as low as $12 and can be purchased by calling the Ticket Office or any time online at KentStateSports.com. By clicking on the Tickets tab at the top of the page and selecting men's basketball, you will be able to purchase tickets for any game.
