Kent State University
Penn State University
Kent State Looks for Split at Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic Wednesday vs. Penn State on FS1
12/23/2015 7:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kent State (7-3) will play Penn State (8-4) in the consolation game of the 2015 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic Wednesday evening. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT at Orleans Arena and will air on FS1.
The Golden Flashes lost to #18 SMU, 90-74, in a semifinal matchup Tuesday evening. Jaylin Walker had a career night with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Flashes. Jimmy Hall added 13 points and grabbed four rebounds, but was limited to only 26 minutes prior to fouling out. Xavier Pollard contributed nine points and a team-high five assists in 22 minutes off the bench.
The frontcourt of Jimmy Hall (15.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg), Khaliq Spicer (7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Chris Ortiz (7.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg) has helped Kent State control play around the basket. The Flashes own a +7.0 rebounding advantage while outscoring opponents 35.6-24.9 in the paint and 13.9-9.6 on second chance opportunities. Hall has also shown a terrific ability to find teammates out of double-teams and averages a team-high 3.1 assists per game.
Redshirt junior Kellon Thomas has displayed more of a scoring mindset in his return to action and is averaging 13.2 ppg. Freshman Jaylin Walker (8.3 ppg) has averaged 10.3 ppg as a starter. Graduate student Galal Cancer has provided a good all-around floor game with 4.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 2.2 apg.
The Flashes' bench is outscoring the opposition by more than 11 points per. Redshirt senior Xavier Pollard leads the way with 11.8 points per game and adds 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Pollard scored a season-high 23 points at Pittsburgh. Redshirt junior Deon Edwin (42 ppg), sophomore Raasean Davis (2.8 ppg) and redshirt junior Marvin Jones (2.3 ppg) have also made contributions in a reserve role.
Scouting Penn State
Penn State is coming off a 71-70 loss to Colorado in its semifinal matchup on Tuesday, snapping a 3-game win streak. The Nittany Lions average 66.7 ppg while allowing just 65.2 ppg and average the 26th-fewest turnovers in the country (10.7).
Three players - Shep Garner (15.6 ppg), Brandon Taylor (15.1 ppg) and Payton Banks (12.0 ppg) - have combined to provide 64-percent of Penn State's scoring on the season. Garner is a 43-percent three-point shooter and also leads PSU in assists (2.8 apg) and steals (1.7 spg). Taylor averages a team-best 6.2 rpg
Series History
• Kent State is 3-12 all-time vs. Penn State.
• This will be the first time the schools play on a neutral floor. The Golden Flashes are 3-6 at home and 0-6 at Penn State.
• The Nittany Lions won the first seven meetings of the series, but the schools have split the last four meetings.
• The first matchup between the schools was played in Kent on December 21, 1937 with Penn State coming away with a 47-34 victory.
• Kent State's first win in the series came on March 2, 1971 with an 86-85 victory at the M.A.C. Center.
• Penn State won the most recent matchup, 81-74, in the quarterfinal of the 2000 NIT played in State College, Pa.
FLASHback to Last Meeting
• Penn State defeated Kent State, 81-74, before 9,403 frenzied fans at the Bryce Jordan Center in the quarterfinals of the NIT on March 23, 2000.
• The Flashes took a 28-21 lead on a Kyrem Massey jumper, but the Nittany Lions got it down to 34-33 by halftime.
• Leading 54-53, PSU's Jarrett Stephens ignited a decisive 7-0 spurt by tipping in his own missed shot. A desperation coffin corner 3-pointer by Joe Crispin with the shot clock winding down made it 61-53 with 2:43 to play.
• The Flashes got as close as 77-74 with 7 seconds to play following a 3-pointer by Eric Thomas.
• Thomas (18 points, 7 rebounds), Andrew Mitchell (15 points, 5 assists) and Demetric Shaw (15 points) led the way for Kent State.
• The Flashes shot 29-for-55 (52.7%) overall and 6-for-14 (42.9%) from the three-point line.
• Stephens led PSU with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds. Gyasi Cline-Heard added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
TV / Radio
Chris Fisher and Tarik Turner will call the action on FS1. Ty Linder will bring you the action on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel and 640 WHLO.
