Kent State University
Middle Tennessee
Golden Flashes Take on Middle Tennessee in CIT Opening Round
3/18/2015 5:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes Video Live Stats Golden Flashes Radio
Mid-American Conference regular season co-champion Kent State will open the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament with a first round game at Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18.
The Golden Flashes (21-11) are looking to build on their 15th 20-win season in the last17 seasons, and Wednesday also marks Kent State's 15th postseason appearance during that time.
Stingy defense has been responsible for the Flashes being in position for another regular season championship with three games remaining in the season. Kent State is allowing just 62.7 points per game, which ranks 78th in the country and holding opponents to 41.2 percent shooting overall. Only 10 teams have managed to score more than 61 points and the Flashes are 18-2 when holding opponents under 66 points. An increased emphasis on defending the three-point line has resulted in opponents making just 161 three-pointers and shooting 31.8 percent from beyond the arc, which rank 28th and 59th in the country respectively.
Redshirt sophomore Jimmy Hall has provided a boost on the interior and leads the Flashes with 15.4 points per game and 7.2 rebounds per game. Hall, an All-MAC First Team honoree, has raised his level of play since returning from an illness that sidelined him for the first five games in February and averaged 16.7 points per game on 52.7 percent shooting from the floor and 88.0 percent from the foul line.
Seniors Devareaux Manley, Kris Brewer and Derek Jackson provide the Flashes with one of the most experienced and talented backcourts in the MAC. Manley (13.3 ppg) is an elite shooter who is 7th in the country in 3-pointers per game (3.19) and 40th in 3-point percentage (.400). An All-MAC Second Team selection, Manley has made a Kent State single-season record 102 three-pointers. Brewer (11.0 ppg), the MAC's Sixth Man of the Year, has been a go-to player down the stretch for the Flashes and made the game-winning free throw in final 15.1 seconds on four occasions. Jackson (10.2 ppg) ranks 66th in the country steals per game (1.81) and 74th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.19). The trio has made 199 three-point field goals.
Scouting Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee (19-16) enters the postseason seeking its fourth consecutive 20-win season. The Blue Raiders lost to UAB, 73-60, in the championship game of the Conference USA Tournament on Saturday. Over the last four seasons, Middle Tennessee has won 98 games and is 56-7 at home.
Defense has been the calling card for Bowling Green this season. The Falcons held Chicago State to just 35 points on Saturday and rank 28th in the country in scoring defense (58.1 ppg). Additionally, they rank second in the MAC in field goal percentage defense (.394) and three-point percentage defense (.301).
Reggie Upshaw is the only Blue Raider scoring in double-figures at 10.1 points per game. Upshaw also leads MTSU at 6.9 rebounds per game.
About the CIT
In its seventh year, the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament is was created to provide more teams the opportunity to compete in the postseason basketball. The 32-team field consists of programs from non-Power 5 conferences and all games will be played on campus site.
The tournament uses the old NIT model, with future round opponents being determined by results of the previous round, helping to minimize travel and limit class time missed by the student-athletes.
Both semifinals and the championship game will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network.
TV / Radio
Ty Linder will bring you the action on 640 AM WHLO and the Golden Flashes Radio iHeartRadio channel.
Next Up For Kent State
The CIT uses the old NIT model in which matchups in future rounds are determined by the results of the previous round. The second round takes place on March 21-23.
