Kent State Releases Non-Conference Schedule for 2015-16 Men’s Basketball Season
6/30/2015 5:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Head coach Rob Senderoff announced the non-conference portion of the 2015-16 Kent State men's basketball schedule, which is highlighted by a trip to the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic and matchups against a pair of regional rivals, on Tuesday (June 30). The 13-game slate features six home games at the Memorial Athletic Convocation Center.
Kent State could potentially face eight teams that combined for 10 wins during the 2015 postseason, as well as seven teams that finished the 2014-15 season inside the RPI's top 135 prior to the beginning of league play.
"Our goal was to put together a challenging non-conference schedule that prepares us to win another conference championship," Senderoff said. "You have to compete hard every night in the Mid-American Conference, and there are no easy wins. Playing teams from major conferences with matchups against SMU, Pittsburgh, Colorado and Penn State are exciting for our program and a great opportunity showcase Kent State on the national stage. But we also scheduled some excellent mid-major programs that will be picked to compete for conference titles."
For the third time in the past four years, the Golden Flashes will open at the M.A.C. Center when it hosts local rival Youngstown State on Sat., November 14. Kent State earned a 69-61 road victory in a season-opening matchup between the teams last year.
Kent State then travels to Carbondale, Ill. to play Southern Illinois on Wed., November 18 in a rematch from last year's inaugural Men Against Breast Cancer Classic, which the Flashes won 74-51.
Fans will then have two more chances to catch the Flashes in action at the M.A.C. Center prior to Thanksgiving with back-to-back home games against Marist on Sat., November 21 and Saint Francis (Pa.) on Tues., November 24. This will be the Flashes' first-ever matchup against Marist, while Saint Francis is coming off its first postseason appearance since 1991.
A three-game road trip begins against one of college basketball's elite programs of the 2000's in Pittsburgh out of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sat., November 28. The Panthers own a 207-31 record all-time at the Petersen Events Center. One week later, Kent State will play at local rival Cleveland State on Sat., December 7Â before a quick turnaround against NJIT on Mon., December 5. NJIT defeated Cleveland State in the second round of the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) en route to a run to the semifinals, where it was defeated by a Northern Arizona squad that had ended Kent State's season in the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Highlanders's 21 wins were the most since joining Division I in 2006-07 and included victories over Michigan and Yale.
As part of the 2015 Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic, the Flashes will welcome Louisiana-Monroe (Thurs., December 10) and Canisius (Sat., December 12) to the M.A.C. Center for the final two home contests of the calendar year. Louisiana-Monroe finished 24-14 and lost to Loyola Chicago, 2-0, in the championship series of the 2015 College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Canisius advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIT.
Kent State then heads to Las Vegas for the final two games of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic, which will be played at Orleans Arena on December 22-23. The tournament field includes SMU, Colorado and Penn State with the bracket to be announced at a later date. SMU is led by Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown and is coming off a 27-7 season in which it captured the American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament crowns. Colorado made its fifth straight postseason appearance in 2015 when it reached the second round of the CBI. Penn State returns three starters from last year's team that finished 18-16 and adds the highest-rated recruiting class in program history.
"Participating in the Las Vegas Classic will be a great experience for our players and serve as an excellent test just a few weeks before the MAC season begins," Senderoff said. "It is really a terrific field with all four schools being in the top 120 of the RPI last season. Larry Brown has transformed SMU into a Top 25 caliber program and brings back some very talented players. Tad Boyle has led Colorado to the postseason every season he's been there and has them in contention for the NCAA Tournament nearly every year. Penn State is coming off its first winning season since 2010-11 and plays in a very good Big Ten Conference.
Kent State concludes its non-conference slate at North Carolina A&T on Wed., December, 30 before returning to the M.A.C. Center to play Oberlin College on Sat., January 2.
The Flashes will play nine additional home contests this season as part of the MAC schedule, which will be released at a later date, to give fans a total of 15 opportunities to watch the Flashes at the M.A.C. Center.
"We have great support from our students and the community, so we tried to schedule in a way that would accommodate our fans with four of our six home games being on Saturdays," Senderoff added. "The student turnout last season was outstanding, and five of our home games are scheduled when class is in session."
Kent State finished with a 23-12 record during the 2014-15 season, which included a run to the quarterfinals of the CIT, and went 12-6 in MAC play to capture a share of the sixth regular season title in program history. Five letterwinners return for the 2015-16 season, including all three starters on the frontline. Redshirt junior Jimmy Hall headlines that group after earning All-MAC First Team recognition and leading the Flashes in scoring (15.9 ppg) and (7.7 rpg) rebounding during his first season at Kent State. Seniors Chris Ortiz (6.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Khaliq Spicer (5.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg) are coming off their best collegiate seasons. In the backcourt, redshirt junior Kellon Thomas will take over point guard duties after playing in only eight games last season. Graduate transfer Galal Cancer, redshirt senior Xavier Pollard and redshirt junior Deon Edwin provide the Flashes with three newcomers with Division I experience.
Date               Opponent                            Location
11/14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â YOUNGSTOWN STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Kent, Ohio
11/18            at Southern Illinois         Carbondale, Ill.
11/21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MARISTÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kent, Ohio
11/24 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SAINT FRANCIS (PA.) Â Â Â Â Â Kent, Ohio
11/28            at Pittsburgh               Pittsburgh, Pa.
12/5             at Cleveland State          Cleveland, Ohio
12/7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at NJIT Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Newark, N.J.
12/10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â LOUISIANA MONROE% Â Â Â Kent, Ohio
12/12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â CANISIUS%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kent, Ohio
12/22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBD%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Las Vegas, Nev.
12/23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBD%Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Las Vegas, Nev.
12/30Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at North Carolina A&T Â Â Â Â Â Â Greensboro, N.C.
1/2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â OBERLINÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kent, Ohio
Home games in BOLD caps
% Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic
