Kent State University
8-1,0-0MAC
Cleveland State
4-6,0-0Horizon
Well Balanced Flashes Sink the Vikings
12/7/2019 10:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio- The Kent State men's basketball team picked up an 81-59 victory over Cleveland State on Saturday nights, as four Flashes scored in double figures inside the M.A.C. Center.
Kent State improved to 8-1 on the season and remains undefeated at home (6-0).
Senior Antonio Williams led the way with a season-high 19-points shooting 8-of-13 from the floor and went 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. Williams also grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists. Senior Philip Whittington scored 14 points, while senior Troy Simons added 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, and swiped a game-high four steals.
Sophomore Anthony Roberts rounded out the double-figure scoring with 11 points and also dished out three assists.
As a team, Kent State shot a season-best 33-of-63 (52.4 percent) from the floor and hit six three-pointers (31.6 percent). Defensively, the Flashes held the Vikings to 41.5 percent (22-of-53) shooting and 6-of-23 (26.1 percent) from beyond the arc. Kent State dominated in the paint with 42 points and scored 31 points off 18 turnovers committed by Cleveland State.
The game was close in the early going as Cleveland State opened as much as a six-point lead (19-15) at the 13:56 mark of the first half. Just like many of the games this season, the Flashes went on a decisive run to take control of the game. The 26-3 run was led by Williams, junior Danny Pippen, and juniors Tervell Beck and gave Kent State a 48-29 lead at the break.
The Vikings came out of the break and scored six points over the first three minutes of the half, but Kent State pulled away and took a 25-point lead midway through the second half, 65-40 when Roberts connected on a right-wing jumper. The Flashes remained in control and claimed the 22-point victory, 81-59.
The Flashes will concentrate on final exams before a trip to El Paso, Texas, Dec. 16-17. Kent State will compete in the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational where the Flashes will play UC-Irvine for game one (Dec. 16), and will face UTEP or North Carolina A&T for game two (Dec. 17).
