Kent State University
9-8, 1-3MAC
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Western Michigan
6-10, 2-2MAC
Men's Basketball Falls in Offensive Showcase at Western Michigan
1/14/2017 5:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kent State University men's basketball team (9-8, 1-3 MAC) lost a hard fought road game Saturday, falling to the Western Michigan Broncos (6-10, 2-2 MAC), 92-88.
Five players scored in double figures Saturday, led by a double-double effort from Jimmy Hall. He led the Golden Flashes with 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting and 10 rebounds. Deon Edwin and Desmond Ridenour each had a team-high five assists, along with 16 and 10 points, respectively. Edwin was a perfect 5-for-5 from the floor.
"We had two stretches where we really struggled," said head coach Rob Senderoff. "At the end of the game we really competed but we didn't get the stops we needed. And when we did get the stops, it seemed like they got all of the offensive rebounds. It's hard to win here, but I thought, overall, I can take some positives out of how we played here. Certainly more than the last time we were one the road and certainly more than Tuesday."
The first half was a tight battle in which both team held the advantage for just under nine minutes, neither by double digits. The Flashes started slow, allowing Western Michigan to take an early 12-7 lead, its largest of the period. The Flashes eventually caught fire, going on a run of 7-for-9 shooting. The run culminated in a 39-32 advantage with 3:13 left before the break.
The pendulum swung again, with the home team outscoring the Flashes 12-2 down the stretch of the half. Both teams put on a show for the fans in Kalamazoo, each shooting over 50 percent from the floor and distance at halftime.
The Western Michigan run continued to start the second half, when the Broncos scored the first eight points to build an 11-point lead. The Broncos remained in control over the first nine minutes, building its largest lead at 67-54 with 10:52 remaining.
After a missed layup with 11:24 left, the Flashes would not miss a shot until the final 15 seconds The run began with back-to-back buckets in the paint from Mitch Peterson, and continued with a persistent attack at the basket. The Flashes cut the deficit to five points with six minutes left, but the home team made timely buckets to maintain the lead.
Western Michigan scored on six of their next seven trips down the floor, helping them maintain the lead at 86-78 with 1:27 left. Kent State went to Hall down the stretch, who scored six straight points to bring the score to 86-84 with 27 seconds left. The home team held on down the stretch, scoring six points at the foul line in the final 23 seconds.
Both teams shot superb Saturday, with Kent State finishing 62.3 percent (33-for-53) from the floor and 9-for-18 from 3-point range. It was the team's best shooting night since Feb. 14, 2014. Western Michigan shot 54 percent (34-for-63) from the floor and 47.4 percent (9-for-19) from distance.
"We competed, we moved the ball, we were unselfish…all the things you are looking to do," stated Senderoff. "We just didn't make enough plays defensively late in the game and at the start of the second half. That's really the story of the game."
Jaylin Walker finished with 17 points on 6-for-11 shooting. He also shot 3-for-6 from outside. Peterson's impact off the bench resulted in 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting.
Kent State will return to the M.A.C. Center for back-to-back games, beginning with Buffalo Tuesday at 7 p.m.
