Kent State University
17-12, 9-7MAC
Ohio
18-9, 10-6MAC
Men's Basketball Earns Comeback Win over Ohio, 70-67
2/25/2017 11:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State University men's basketball team (17-12, 9-7 MAC) won its fourth straight game, this time in comeback fashion, at home over the Ohio Bobcats (18-9, 10-6 MAC) Saturday, 70-67.
"I'd call that a typical MAC East late February game where two teams are playing well and competing for something," said head coach Rob Senderoff. "I'm real proud of our team. The resiliency we showed in the second half was great. We had one turnover in the second half. To me, that tells the story of the game. Really proud of the effort. It was one of those knock down drag 'em out games and we made just enough plays like we needed to."
Heading into the team's Feb. 17 game at Akron, the Golden Flashes were facing the top three teams in the league in succession. Kent State has finished the daunting run with three wins, two of which came at Akron and Buffalo. With two games remaining, the Flashes have rushed to the top pack of the standings and are vying for a first round bye in the MAC Tournament.
On Saturday, the Flashes were led by a pair of double-doubles from its starting seniors. Deon Edwin registered team bests of 20 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and four assists. He had a block and a steal, and played a team-high 38 minutes. Jimmy Hall matched his 20 points and brought down 10 rebounds. He shot 8-for-13 from the floor, helping him move up to seventh in the Kent State record book for career points at 1,532. He is five points away from entering the top five.
The Flashes jumped out to a quick lead Saturday night, when an 11-0 run at the beginning of the game gave Kent State an 11-2 advantage six minutes in. However, Ohio returned serve, breaking out an 11-1 run to retake the lead. The majority of the first half would be a defensive struggle played within a possession. Ohio worked its way towards its biggest lead of the period, finishing the half outscoring Kent State 11-2. That gave the Bobcats a 35-27 lead at the break.
Ohio came out in the second half strong and established its largest lead of the game at 48-35 with 14:40 remaining. The game did not slip away, as Hall led an 11-2 run, cutting the deficit to four points. Ohio went over two minutes without missing a jumper, extending its lead back to eight, but followed with a run of 3-for-10 shooting that put the game up for grabs.
While the defense clamped down, Kent State continuously stopped the clock and picked up points at the free throw line. Over the final nine minutes of the game, Kent State scored 15 of 21 points at the line, negating a stretch of tough shooting. After threating Ohio several times down the stretch, Hall scored three points on a put-back and free throw, taking a 64-63 lead with 54 seconds remaining. Hall carried the intensity to the defensive end, with a key block in the paint on the ensuing possession.
In the final 36 seconds, Kent State went 6-for-6 at the line on clutch shooting from Jalen Avery and Jaylin Walker. Kent State earned stops on two game-tying 3-point attempts in the final 11 seconds. The final attempt would have sent the game to overtime on a buzzer-beater, but a tough shot from the corner was forced short.
Kent State won despite a rough shooting night, finishing at 36.7 percent (22-for-60) from the floor. Ohio shot 40 percent (28-for-70) but earned 20 less free throw attempts then the Flashes. Kent State won the battle on the boards, 44-36. The Flashes had 10 turnovers, but only one came in the second half.
Avery and Walker both finished the game with 12 points. Walker nearly recorded his first double-double, with a career-high nine rebounds. Adonis De La Rosa and Kevin Zabo combined for six points off the bench.
The Flashes will play their final road game of the regular season Tuesday, traveling to Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. tipoff on ESPN3.
