Kent State University
5-3
Grambling State University
3-6
Men's Basketball Upends Grambling State, 86-57
12/2/2016 10:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State University men's basketball team (5-3) returned to the M.A.C. Center Friday and earned a victory over the Grambling State Tigers (3-6), 86-57.
All-Mid-American Conference senior Jimmy Hall led four Golden Flashes in double figures against the Tigers. Hall scored 14 points and pulled down a team-best 13 rebounds. Over the last two games, Hall is a combined 17-for-23 from the floor, good for 74 percent.
Mitch Peterson, Danny Pippen and Jaylin Walker all scored 12 points and all shot over 50 percent from the floor. Walker had a career-high eight rebounds. Peterson recorded five rebounds and two blocks, while Pippen secured four. Jalen Avery dished out a team-best five assists.
"I thought the team played really good to beat them the way that they did," said head coach Rob Senderoff. "I think they have a nice team and the style they play sometimes makes it difficult and the turnover number was higher than usual. We did a great job to get assists and make plays for each other, and did a good job on the glass."
The Tigers hung in tough with the Flashes early, holding pace with the home team throughout the first 10 minutes. Up one at 15-14, Kent State went on a 16-2 run, sparked by six straight points from Jaylin Walker. Grambling State hit two straight buckets in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but the Flashes ended the half on an 11-2 run to build a 47-22 lead at the break.
The Flashes scored the first seven points of the second half to extend the team's run and build a 27-point lead. Down 49-22, the Tigers showed life, ripping off 11 of the next 15 points scored. They were able to cut into the deficit, but a Danny Pippen 3-pointer squashed the momentum.
The Flashes kept the Tigers at bay for much of the second half, and with two-straight 3-pointers, rebuilt their 27-point lead 48-75 with 4:32 remaining. The Flashes would lead by as much as 30 points at multiple points down the stretch, and cruised to a 29-point victory for its third largest margin this season.
Overall, the Flashes shot 52.3 percent (34-for-65) from the floor and 41.7 percent (10-for-24) from 3-point range. It was the team's best 3-point shooting night of the season. Defensively, Kent State held the opposition to 30.9 percent shooting (25-for-81) from the floor and 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from deep.
The Flashes won the rebounding battle by 20, outrebounding Grambling State, 55-35. Kent State has outrebounded every team they've played at home this year by at least 20.
Desmond Ridenour matched career-highs with nine points, five rebounds and three assists. Adonis De La Rosa continued to work his way to the free throw line and scored eight points on 2-for-3 from the floor and 4-for-6 from the foul line. Kevin Zabo received his first start as a Golden Flash and scored eight points with three assists.
"I thought it was going to be a closer game than it turned out to be," Senderoff said. "I Wish they all would be like this. There are a tough close games coming up that we're going to have to execute and come back, where we're down at some point. I thought Grambling was tired and we played well tonight. 50 percent from the field, 19 assists, 10-for-24 from 3. We found a way to separate tonight and we're going to have to find a way to win some games here."
The game marked the first of four straight home games for Kent State. Next for the Flashes is a Wednesday night battle against Niagara at 7 p.m.
