Kent State University
18-9, 9-5MAC
University of Akron
21-6, 10-4MAC
Flashes Tighten MAC Race with 85-76 Victory over Rival Zips
2/19/2016 11:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State earned a statement win over first-place Akron, 85-76, in front of a sold out crowd of 6,327 Friday night at the M.A.C. Center.
Injuries to key perimeter players contributed to losses in four of five entering the week, but the Golden Flashes (18-9, 9-5 MAC) pulled to within a game of the Mid-American Conference leading Zips (21-6, 10-4 MAC) entering the final two weeks of the regular season.
Senior Khaliq Spicer and redshirt junior Kellon Thomas both stepped up with highly efficient 22-point efforts to lead Kent State. Spicer matched his career-high in scoring on 8-of-10 from the field and 6-of-9 at the foul line. He also grabbed eight rebounds and had a blocked shot. Thomas made his first seven shots of the night en route to 16 first-half points. He converted 6-of-8 from the charity stripe and added two assists and two steals.
Knowing it could not match Akron shot-for-shot on the perimeter, Kent State made an effort to get the ball inside all night and outscored the Zips 48-34 in the paint. Redshirt junior Jimmy Hall added 17 points and grabbed eight boards. Hall displayed his passing touch with three assists and zero turnovers.
Galal Cancer struggled offensively after netting a career-high 24 points on Tuesday and finished with just three points on 1-of-8 from the field. Although his shots were not falling, the graduate transfer from Cornell found other ways to contribute, as he led all players with a career-high 10 rebounds and four steals.
Kent State's defense challenged Akron on the perimeter all night long. , The Zips, which entered the night second in the country in three-point field goals per game (11.7) and 14th in three-point field goal percentage (.397), managed to shoot just 10-of-33 from the three-point arc (30.3%)
Akron got 24 points and nine rebounds off the bench from Isaiah Johnson. Kwan Chetham, Jr. added 17 points. The Zips starting backcourt of Antino Jackson and Noah Robotham was kept in check and combined for only 17 points on 6-of-28 from the field.
