Kent State University
University of Pittsburgh
Flashes Begin Road Stretch Saturday at Pittsburgh
11/27/2015 6:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kent State (3-1) looks to make a statement on Saturday in a challenging road game against a talented Pittsburgh (3-0) team out of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Golden Flashes seek their first road win of the season, while the Panthers will try to improve on their 121-4 non-conference home record since the Petersen Events Center opened in 2002. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.
The Flashes are coming off their best performance of the season, a 79-60 win over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday. Redshirt junior Jimmy Hall just missed out on his second straight double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds while matching his career-high with four assists. Redshirt senior Xavier Pollard contributed 11 points as the Flashes' bench outscored the Red Flash, 31-10. Freshman Jaylin Walker made the most of his first start with a career-high nine points, while senior Chris Ortiz also scored nine points in his first non-starting assignment.
The starting frontcourt of Jimmy Hall (16.0 ppg, 8. rpg), Khaliq Spicer (9.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and Chris Ortiz (8.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg) have helped Kent State controlled play around the basket. The Flashes own a +11.0 rebounding advantage while outscoring opponents 36.0-23.0 in the paint and 14.0-8.2 on second chance opportunities. The trio has combined for 36 offensive rebounds, which is 10 more than Kent State has allowed.
Redshirt junior Kellon Thomas has displayed more of a scoring mindset in his return to action and is averaging 14.5 points per game. Graduate student Galal Cancer has provided a good all-around floor game with 5.8 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game in addition to stretching defenses with a 45.5 percent three-point accuracy.
Quick Flashes
• Kent State won its seventh consecutive season-opener by defeating Youngstown State, 79-70, on Saturday.
• Senior Chris Ortiz was named MAC East Player of the Week on Monday after scoring 12 points and pulling down a career-high 16 rebounds.
• The Golden Flashes outrebounded YSU, 53-34, on Saturday. The 53 rebounds are the most by a KSU team since Dec. 20, 2003 at Boston College.
• Redshirt senior Xavier Pollard had 15 points in Saturday's win vs. YSU extend KSU's streak to four consecutive years with a transfer scoring in double-figures in the season-opener.
• Graduate student Galal Cancer had six assists, which is the most by a transfer in his KSU debut since Carlton Guyton in 2010.
Scouting Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh enters the game averaging 90.7 points per game while holding opponents to just 57.0 points per game. The Panthers rank in the top 20 in the country in both categories, as well as scoring margin (+33.7), field goal percentage defense (.317), rebounding margin (+15.0), assists per game (21.3), assist-to-turnover ratio (2.06) and blocks per game (7.3).
The Panthers are led by All-ACC forwards Michael Young and Jamel Artis. Young leads Pitt in scoring (16.3 ppg), rebounding (9.3 rpg), assists (4.3 apg) and blocks (1.7 bpg), while Artis adds 14.0 ppg and 4.0 Balance has been key through the first three games of the season, as 12 players average between 11-23 minutes per game and 11 players average at least 4.0 points per game.
Series History
• Kent State is 8-9 all-time vs. Pittsburgh.
• Pittsburgh has won two straight in the series and came away with a 71-59 victory in the most recent matchup on Dec. 12, 2009.
• The Flashes are just 1-7 in matchups played in Pittsburgh.
• KSU's lone win in the Steel City came in an 83-73 victory on Feb. 6, 1968. The Flashes led by 15 at halftime and were ahead by 19 with 2:12 on the clock. Tom Lagodich led the way with 15 points.
• The teams have played twice in NCAA postseason competition. Kent State outlasted Pitt in overtime for a 78-73 in the 2002 Sweet 16 in Lexington, Ky.
• Pittsburgh avenged its loss with a 79-64 first round win over KSU in a 2006 game played in Auburn Hills, Mich.
FLASHback
• Kent State fell to a hot-shooting Pittsburgh team, 71-59, at the Petersen Events Center.
• The Panthers shot 24-for-45 (53.3%) from the field and 9 for-16 (56.3%) from behind the 3-point line and never trailed in the game.
• Kent State made just one of its first seven shots to fall behind 12-2. Another 1-for-7 spurt to end the first half saw the Flashes trailing 38-29 after 20 minutes of play.
• The Flashes got within six points with 5:01 remaining, but Pitt responded with seven unanswered points to pull away.
• KSU outscored Pitt in the paint, 34-26, but converted just 3 of 19 three-point attempts.
• Justin Greene led KSU with 17 points and six rebounds.
• Chris Singletary (13 points), Tyree Evans (11 points) and Frank Henry-Ala (10 points) also scored in double-figures.
• Brad Wanamaker scored a game-high 18 points to lead four Panthers in double-figures.
• Gary McGhee led the Panthers in the paint with 11 rebounds and four blocked shots.
TV / Radio
Ty Linder and David Carducci will bring you the action on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes will have a week off before back-to-back road games at Cleveland State and NJIT.
