Kent State University
North Dakota State University
Golden Flashes Back on Road for Sun Bowl Invitational
12/21/2014 2:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes Live Stats Golden Flashes Radio
Kent State heads into the 2014 WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas on a three- game winning streak after defeating North Carolina A&T, 71-57, Friday night at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (7-2) have bounced back from losses in their final two games of November to win all three games thanks to outstanding play on the defensive end. Kent State has allowed just 52.7 ppg and held their opponents to 35.9 percent shooting during the month. After giving up just 46 points to Kennesaw State, the Flashes held Arkansas-Little Rock to a season-low 55 points including overtime. The Flashes allowed just 19 points in the second half of both road contests. In Friday night's win, the Flashes forced North Carolina A&T to commit 23 turnovers.
Improvements on defensive end have been the key to Kent State's success during the early part of the season. The Flashes are allowing just 57.4 ppg, which ranks 32nd in the country and holding opponents to 39.0 percent shooting overall and just 31.5 percent from the three-point arc. Only two teams have managed to score more than 61 points and shoot at least 40 percent from the field against the Flashes this season.
Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall has provided a boost on the interior, becoming the first program's first player to score at least 10 points in his first eight games as a Golden Flash since Jay Peters during the 1986-87 season. Hall leads Kent State with 13.8 ppg on 52.0 percent shooting and 7.1 rpg.
Senior guards Devareaux Manley, Kris Brewer and Derek Jackson lead a talented group of perimeter players. Manley (12.0 ppg) scored a career-high 24 points on Friday and ranks in the top 20 in the country in 3-pointers per game and 3-point percentage. Brewer (11.0 ppg) and Jackson (10.1 ppg) have combined for a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio. The trio is shooting 46.9 percent (60 -for-128) from the three-point line.
Quick Flashes
• Kent State leads the nation in 3-point shooting vs. Division I opponents (.453).
• The Golden Flashes are outscoring opponents by an average score of 31.6-27.2 in the second half.
• Kent State has held a 206-103 advantage in bench scoring so far this season.
• Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall, a transfer from Hofstra, scored in double-figures in the Flashes' first eight games this season. The last player to score in double-figures in first eight games in a Kent State uniform was Jay Peters, who scored in double-figures in the first 12 games of the 1986-87 season.
• 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 is 2-2 all-time against the field of teams at the Sun Bowl Invitational.
• This will be the first meeting on the hardwood between vs. North Dakota State
• The Flashes are 1-1 vs. both Alcorn State and UTEP.
• In its most recent matchup, the Flashes defeated Alcorn State, 77-58, on Nov. 19, 2012 in head coach Rob Senderoff's first game at the M.A.C. Center.
• In the only time the two teams played in El Paso, Kent State defeated UTEP, 90-80, in the championship game of the Sun Bowl Invitational on Dec. 29, 1999.
Flashes at Sun Bowl Invitational
• This is the second time that Kent State has participated in the Sun Bowl Invitational. The Golden Flashes won the tournament championship in its only other appearance in 1999.
• The Flashes defeated Murray State, 91-85, in the opening game of the tournament.
• In the championship game, the Flashes defeated host UTEP, 90-80.
• Trevor Huffman earned MVP honors and was joined on the all-tournament team by teammate John Whorton.
Scouting North Dakota State
• North Dakota State enters with a 6-4 record after beating Akron, 55-46 on Tuesday night.
• The Bison held the Zips to just 17-of-57 shooting (29.8 percent) from the field.
• Guard Lawrence Alexander, who scored a game-high 22 vs. Akron, is the Bison top scorer at 17.7 points per game. Alexander is also shooting 42.7 percent from the three-point arc.
• Guard Kory Brown adds 10.6 points per game.
• Forward Dexter Werner leads the Bison with a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game. In his first career start vs. Akron, Werner pulled down 16 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end.
• Only seven North Dakota State players have logged more than 50 minutes over the team's first 10 games this season.
Scouting UTEP
• UTEP enters with a 6-3 record after losing to Arizona, 60-55, on Friday night.
• The Miners' most notable wins of the season came against Princeton and Xavier.
• Head coach Tim Floyd compiled a 93-235 record in five seasons as a head coach in the NBA. Floyd led the New Orleans Hornets to a 41-41 record and playoff appearance during the 2003-04 season, his last in the professional ranks.
• Forward Vincent Hunter led the Miners with 18 points and 12 rebounds against a talented Arizona frontline.
• Hunter averages 16.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. His seven double-doubles ranks third in the country and he ranks 16th in rebounds per game.
• Forward/guard Julian Washburn adds 10.9 points per game.
• Forward Cedrick Lang averages 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
• Former Golden Flash Earvin Morris, Jr. is the first player off the bench for the Miners. Morris averages 9.3 points in 19.0 minutes per game. He is also UTEP's top three-point shooter at 44.4 percent (12-for-27). Morris appeared in 17 games and scored 14 points for Kent State during the 2012-13 season.
Scouting Alcorn State
• Alcorn State enters with a 1-7 record after losing to Ohio, 66-55, on Dec. 13.
• The Braves have not beaten a Division I opponent this season, as their only win came over Dillard University, 95-73.
• Four players average double-figure points, but only one other player average more than 2.5 points per game
• Forward Leantwan Luckett is the Braves' top scorer at 15.5 points per game. Luckett is also tied for the team lead with 1 assists.
• Forwards Reginald Johnson (11.0 ppg), Tyrel Hunt (10.6 ppg) and Marquis Vance (10.4 ppg) also contribute double-figures.
• Vance is the team's top rebounder at 6.8 rebounds per game.
• The Braves have struggled to defend and are allowing teams to score 77.4 points per game (337th nationally) and shoot 47.0 percent from the floor (332nd nationally).
TV / Radio
Ty Linder will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
Kent State will play North Dakota State (6-4) in Sunday's opening game of the Sun Bowl Invitational. The Flashes will then play either Alcorn State (1-7) or host UTEP (6-3) on Monday.
