Kent State University
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Western Michigan University
Golden Flashes Set for Road Test at Defending Champion Western Michigan
2/3/2015 3:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes Video (fee) Live Stats Audio
Kent State opens February with a road trip to Western Michigan Wednesday night against for a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional matchup.
The Golden Flashes (15-6, 6-2) are tied for the top spot in the overall MAC standings and will look to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Buffalo last time out. The 80-55 loss at the hands of the Bulls marked the largest margin of defeat for the Flashes, who had an off night on both sides of the ball. Buffalo scored more points than any other Kent State opponent this season, and the Flashes had their second-lowest scoring output.
Stingy defense has been responsible for the Flashes' success in the first few months of the season, and a return to that level of defensive effort will be key in earning a road victory on Wednesday. Kent State is allowing just 60.6 points per game, which ranks 50th in the country and holding opponents to 40.4 percent shooting overall. Only seven teams have managed to score more than 61 points and eight have shot better than 40 percent from the field against the Flashes this season.
Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall has made a significant impact around the basket during his first season in a Kent State uniform and leads the Flashes with 15.1 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and a 52.7 field goal percentage. The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Preseason MAC Newcomer of the Year has reached double-figure points in 18 of 21 games.
Senior guards Devareaux Manley, Kris Brewer and Derek Jackson lead a talented group of perimeter players. Manley (11.9 ppg) ranks in the top 40 in the country in 3-pointers per game (2.95) and 3-point percentage (.413). Brewer (11.0 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 (9.4 ppg) has moved into the starting point guard role and ranks 14th in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.18) and is second in the MAC in steals per game (2.0). The trio has made 121 three-point field goals.
Juniors Chris Ortiz (5.6 ppg, 3.8 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 2.4 blocks per game in league play. Freshman Raasean Davis displayed some of his potential with a career-high six points in just six minutes of action against Buffalo.
Scouting Western Michigan
Western Michigan enters with three straight losses after a 4-1 start to the conference season. The Broncos are 7-1 at home, but Akron handed them a 71-69 loss in their last home contest. Head coach Steve Hawkins' team is fourth in the MAC in scoring (72.9 ppg) but allows the third-most points in the conference (69.4 ppg).
The Broncos feature four starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team and are led by All-MAC First Teamer David Brown. A rare sixth-year player, Brown is WMU's top scorer at 15.7 points per game and has made a team-high 54 three-point field goals. Hybrid forward Connar Tava possesses a versatile skill set that provides a difficult matchup for opposing teams. Tava averages 14.1 points per game and leads the Broncos in rebounding (6.4 rpg), assists (3.9 apg) and field goal percentage (.544).
Swingman Tucker Haymond has stepped into a larger role as a sophomore. Haymond is averaging 13.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting better than 40 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Guard Austin Richie averages 11.4 points per game but has missed the last three games.
Freshmen Drake LaMont (5.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and Thomas Wilder (4.1 ppg) have been contributors during their rookie campaigns. Wilder is averaging 8.7 points per game in Richie's absence the last three games.
Quick Flashes
• Senior Kris Brewer needs just three points to become the 30th 1,000-point scorer in Kent State history.
• Kent State has allowed the 10th-fewest three-point field goals in the nation (94) this season.
• The Flashes are 9-0 when holding opponents to less than 25 percent shooting from the three-point line.
• Head coach Rob Senderoff needs one win to move into a tie for fifth on Kent State's all-time wins list (74).
• The Golden Flashes are outscoring opponents by an average score of 33.3-30.8 in the second half.
• Kent State is getting 20.5 points per game from its bench compared to just 13.8 points per game for its opponents' bench.
• Kent State has held all of its opponents to 60 points or fewer during its current six-game winning streak.
• Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall, a transfer from Hofstra, has scored in double-figures in 18 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 59-55 record all-time vs. Western Michigan.
• Western Michigan has won the matchup each of the past two seasons following seven consecutive losses in the series. Last season's victory was the first for WMU in Kent since Feb. 17, 1996.
• The Broncos are 36-19 as the home team. The Golden Flashes are 4-3 in Kalamazoo since 2000 with their last win coming on Feb. 11, 2011.
• The teams have split the six contests that have needed overtime, with Kent State winning the most recent at the M.A.C. Center on Feb. 4, 2012.
TV / Radio
Ty Linder will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the 640 WHLO iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes return to the M.A.C. Center to host Miami on Saturday, February 7.
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