Kent State University
3-0
Southern Illinois University
1-2
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
GOLDENFLASHESTV: Brewer leads four in double-digits as Flashes beat SIU by 23
11/21/2014 10:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Four Kent State players scored in double-figures as the Golden Flashes opened the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic with a 74-51 wire-to-wire win over Southern Illinois on Friday night at the M.A.C. Center.
Three nights after struggling to shoot 1-for-9 from the field in a tight 10-point win over Division II Malone, Kris Brewer authored a team-leading 17-point performance while going 3-for-3 from the three-point arc and hitting 5-of-7 overall.
Jimmy Hall added 16 points for his third double-digit effort in as many games wearing a Kent State uniform. Derek Jackson and Devareaux Manley contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.
"We played Kent State basketball tonight," said Kent State head coach Rob Senderoff. "Everyone who came into the game was about winning. They made winning plays. Everybody made a contribution with their effort first. They played for each other. This is something we can build on and our guys have a better idea of what they are capable of."
As a team, the Golden Flashes converted 10-of-18 from three-point range, taking a 27-point advantage from the arc alone as Southern Illinois struggled to make 1-of-6. Kent State didn't just settle for the long-range jumper, adding another 24 points in the paint.
The Flashes also forced 17 turnovers with a Derek Jackson-led defensive effort. Jackson made life difficult for Southern Illinois star Anthony Beane, who scored just 12 points – 11 under his early-season average.
Sean O'Brien added 12 points for the Salukis, who fell behind 43-28 at halftime. Southern Illinois shot just 7-of-25 from the field (28 percent) after the break as Kent State extended its lead.
Kent State won the rebounding battle 33-30 behind a team-leading six by Hall. Manley and Kellon Thomas, who added seven points, led a bench that outscored Southern Illinois' reserves 23-9.
The Flashes improved to 3-0 on the season and added to their confidence heading into the final two games of the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic on Saturday night against Illinois-Chicago and on Sunday afternoon against Yale.
