Kent State University
13-3,3-0MAC
Central Michigan
9-7,2-1MAC
Booman’s Career High Pushes Flashes Past CMU
1/11/2020 6:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio- The Kent State men's basketball team improved to 3-0 in Mid-American Conference play with a 79-73 victory over Central Michigan on Saturday afternoon at the M.A.C. Center. Senior Antonio "Booman" Williams recorded a career-high 23 points.
The Flashes (13-3, 3-0 MAC) picked up their third consecutive victory and fifth in the last six games while remaining perfect at home with a 9-0 record.
Williams led the game with his 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field with four rebounds and four assists. Senior Troy Simons added 13 points, sophomore Anthony Roberts had 12 points, and junior Danny Pippen recorded his third double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
The Flashes started the game strongly hitting five of their first six shots from the floor, all beyond the arc to pull ahead, 14-4.
KSU would hold the lead the rest of the game, but could not put the Chippewas away.
CMU made a push with a 9-4 scoring run to close within three-points, 66-63 with 4:22 remaining. The Chippewas closed the Flashes' lead to within a point, 69-68, with 2:47 remaining, but would not get any further. Kent State came up with a key defensive play as Simons cut off a pass and found Williams for an easy layup that ruined CMU's go-ahead basket.
As a team, KSU shot 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the floor and went 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) from long range. The Flashes held CMU to 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the floor. KSU won the battle of the boards, 42-34, and turned 14 CMU miscues into 19 points.
Kent State hits the road on Tuesday, Jan. 14 as the Flashes head down to Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami. Tip time is scheduled for 7 p.m.
