Kent State University
Central Michigan University
Golden Flashes Host Central Michigan Tuesday in Showdown of MAC Leaders
1/26/2015 1:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes Video Live Stats Golden Flashes Radio
KENT, Ohio – Kent State will put a five-game winning streak on the line Tuesday night against Mid-American Conference West Division leader Central Michigan. The Golden Flashes will look to maintain sole possession of first place in the conference standings in the game scheduled for 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center.
The game between the two division leaders presents an intriguing matchup of one of the MAC's top offenses versus one of the MAC's top defenses. Kent State (14-5, 5-1) has won with its defense and allowed just 60.0 points per game to rank 38th in the country. Central Michigan (14-3, 4-2) comes in averaging 83.9 points, which ranks second nationally. The Chippewas lead the nation in three-point field goals per game (11.3) and rank fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.418), while the Flashes are allowing the 10th-fewest three-point field goals per game (4.3) in the country. Central Michigan has scored at least 65 points in every game this season, while only six teams have been able to put that number on the scoreboard against Kent State.
After a tough two-point setback at home to Bowling Green in the MAC opener, Kent State has put together five consecutive victories. Only Toledo has managed to score 60 points during this stretch, which is more than 14 points fewer than its season average.
A 12-2 run over the final five minutes of the first half proved to be the turning point in Kent State's 63-52 win at Ball State on Saturday. The Cardinals never got within five points the rest of the game. One final Ball State comeback attempt was thwarted by redshirt senior Derek Jackson. Down by seven with just over five minutes to play, a steal by the Cardinals led to a three-on-one transition advantage, but Jackson's quick hands knocked the ball away from one of the players for a steal. On the other end, Jackson drove the baseline and spotted Devareaux Manley in the opposite corner for an open three-pointer that sparked a 9-0 run that put the game out of reach.
Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall turned in his best performance in a Kent State uniform on Saturday, torching Ball State for a career-high 32 points on 14-of-17 shooting in addition to 8 rebounds, 2 assists 1 steal and 1 blocked shot. He also converted six offensive rebounds into 10 second-chance points, which was one more than Ball State had as a team. Hall has provided a boost on the interior in his first season at Kent State and leads the Flashes with 15.1 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Preseason MAC Newcomer of the Year is shooting 51.7 percent from the field and is third in the MAC in offensive rebounding (2.9 per game).
Senior guards Devareaux Manley, Kris Brewer and Derek Jackson lead a talented group of perimeter players. Manley (12.0 ppg) ranks in the top 30 in the country in 3-pointers per game (3.11) and 3-point percentage (.428). Brewer (10.9 ppg) has accepted the sixth man role and become more consistent, scoring at least eight points in all but two games this season while making game-winning free throws on two occasions. Jackson (9.9 ppg) has moved into the starting point guard role and ranks third in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.94) and leads the MAC in steals per game (2.0). The trio is shooting 39.8 percent (111-for-281) from the three-point line.
Juniors Chris Ortiz (5.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Khaliq Spicer (5.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) have solidified spots in the starting lineup. Ortiz game up just short of a double-double in the MAC opener vs. Bowling Green with 8 points and a career-high 10 rebounds and poured in a career-high 19 points vs. Eastern Michigan. Spicer has emerged as a rim protector and is averaging 2.0 blocks per game in league play.
Scouting Central Michigan
Central Michigan is among the most-improved teams in the MAC. Head coach Keno Davis led the Chippewas to a 10-1 record in the non-conference portion of the schedule, which matched last season's win total. While Central Michigan is unbeaten at home (11-0), it has gone 3-3 in road games.
The Chippewas have one of the nation's best offenses and rank in the top 20 in the country in three-pointers per game (1st), scoring (2nd), points per possession (3rd) three-point field goal percentage (5th), field goal percentage (8th), scoring margin (9th), assist-to-turnover ratio (13th) and assists per game (19th).
All-MAC guard Chris Fowler leads Central Michigan with a team-best 14.2 points per game and leads the MAC with 6.3 assists per game. Fowler is shooting 52.6 percent from the field and leads the Chippewas with 24 steals. Guards Braylon Rayson (10.8 ppg) and Rayshawn Simmons (9.9 ppg) join Fowler in the backcourt. Simmons provides good versatility, as he is third in the MAC in assists per game (4.7 apg) and also grabs 4.1 rebounds per game.
Forward John Simons and guard Josh Kozinski are two of the MAC's premier three-point shooters and lead the three-point barrage. Simons (11.3 ppg) has made and is fourth in the country in three-point shooting (48.9 percent). He is also the Chippewas' top rebounder at 6.0 rebounds per game. Kozinski (9.0 ppg) is CMU's top reserve and 48 of his 49 field goals on the season have been three-pointers. The sharpshooter ranks 13th in the country in three-point shooting (45.3 percent).
Quick Flashes
• Head coach Rob Senderoff needs two wins to move into a tie for fifth on Kent State's all-time wins list (74).
• Kent State ranks 45th the nation in 3-point shooting vs. Division I opponents (.378).
• The Golden Flashes are outscoring opponents by an average score of 33.2-30.6 in the second half.
• Kent State is getting 20.4 points per game from its bench compared to just 13.7 points per game for its opponents' bench.
• The Flashes are looking for their first six-game MAC winning streak since putting together seven straight conference wins during the 2011-12 season.
• Kent State has held all of its opponents to 60 points or fewer during its current five-game winning streak.
• Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall, a transfer from Hofstra, has scored in double-figures in 16 games this season. Hall became the first player to score in double-figures in his first eight games in a Kent State uniform since Jay Peters, who scored in double-figures in the first 12 games of the 1986-87 season.
• Hall a transfer from Hofstra, was named Preseason MAC Newcomer of the Year by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
• 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.
• Hall a transfer from Hofstra, was named Preseason MAC Newcomer of the Year by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
Series History
• Kent State owns a 44-30 record all-time vs. Central Michigan.
• The Kent State-Central Michigan series dates back to the 1949-50 season and an 66-48 Kent State win at home.
• The Golden Flashes have won 20 of the last 22 meetings with the Chippewas and in the series.
• The Chippewas stopped a 12-game drought with a 78-73 overtime victory in Mount Pleasant in the first meeting between the teams last season. Prior to that, CMU had not defeated KSU since the 2003 Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game (77-67).
• Kent State has defended its home floor well historically with a 26-9 record, including 11 consecutive victories.
TV / Radio
Ty Linder and David Carducci will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the Golden Flashes Radio iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes will play in front of a national television audience on ESPNU when they travel to Buffalo on Friday, January 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m.
