Kent State University
University of Virginia
Flashes Take on No. 15 Virginia
12/3/2020 3:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio- The Kent State men's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season as the Flashes head to Charlottesville, Va. to take on No. 15 Virginia on Friday night. Tip time between the Golden Flashes and Cavaliers is set for 6 p.m.
THE GAME
Kent State (1-0) vs. #15 Virginia (2-1)
Friday, Dec. 4 | John Paul Jones Arena| Charlottesville, Va.| 6 PM
BROADCAST
TV: ACC Network- Wes Durham and Cory Alexander
Radio: Dave Wilson (pbp), Kent State Radio, Tune-In
VIRGINIA HEAD COACH
Tony Bennett
Record at Virginia: 279-97 (12th season)
KENT STATE HEAD COACH
Record at Kent State: 182-121 (10th season)
ALL-TIME SERIES
UVA leads the all-time series, 1-0
Friday marks the second time the two teams will meet. Kent State and Virginia last met back on Dec. 4, 1975 when the Cavaliers came away with a 58-40 victory.
LAST TIME OUT
The Kent State men's basketball team improved to 1-0 after a 90-41 season-opening victory over Point Park on Wednesday night at home. Kent State had 12 different players score and four finish in double-figures. Senior Mike Nuga led the way with 17 points, junior Gabe O'Neal had a career-high 15 points, and senior Danny Pippen and redshirt freshman Jeremiah Hernandez finished with 13.
KSU shot 46.8 percent (37-of-79) from the field, while Point Park shot 28.3 percent. The Flashes had 40 bench points and dominated in the paint, 62-12. Kent State won the battle of the boards, 55-28, with senior Justyn Hamilton grabbing a career and game-high 14 boards.
On the season, the Flashes are shooting 46.8 percent from the floor and 17.2 percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, Kent State has held its opponents to 41 points on 28.3 percent shooting from the floor and 19.2 percent from long range. Nuga leads the team averaging 17 points per game, while Hamilton leads the team with 14 boards.
FLASH FACTS
- Kent State is coming off its 19th 20-win season as the Flashes finished 20-12 overall and 9-9 in conference play. The Flashes defeated Eastern Michigan ,86-76, in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Kent State was set to face Ball State in the quarterfinals when the postseason was canceled due to the emergence of COVID-19.
-Last season, the Flashes shot 45.4 percent (886-1952) from the floor and 33.9 percent (268-791) from long range.
- The Flashes return five players from last season's team, including starter Danny Pippen (14.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 47 blocks). Other notable returners are senior Tervell Beck (4.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg), sophomores Giovanni Santiago (2.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg, and 22 assists), Evan Bainbridge and Kalin Bennett.
- 2020-2021 will mark the debut of senior Mike Nuga, who sat last out last season after transferring from Portland State. Nuga led Portland State scoring 10.5 points per game, while having 17 games in double-figure scoring. This season will also mark the debut of redshirt freshman Jeremiah Hernandez.
- The incoming class is highlighted by freshman VonCameron Davis who comes from Walnut Ridge HS. Davis closed his high school career with 2,201 points and won the 2020 All-Ohio Mr. Basketball (first Mr. Basketball award recipient to play at Kent State. Other notable new faces are juniors Malique Jacobs, Tekorian Smith, Justyn Hamilton, Gabe O'Neal, and James Jordan.
-Flashes were picked to finish seventh in the Mid-American Conference for the 2020-21 MAC Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll. Senior Pippen was named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team.
- Kent State is 12-32 all-time vs. current ACC opponents (0-1 vs. Virginia).
SCOUTING VIRGINIA
The Cavaliers, stand 2-1 under the direction of 12-year head coach Tony Bennett. after coming away with a 76-51 victory over St. Francis (PA) on Tuesday. UVA's Jay Huff led four Cavaliers in double figures with 13 points. Kadin Shedrick added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Sam Hauser and Trey Murphy III added 11 and 10 points. UVA shot 66.7
The Cavaliers are averaging 75 points per game on 50 percent (86-172) shooting from the floor and 36.5 percent (23-63) from long range.
Defensively, the Cavaliers have held their opponents to 55.3 per game on 37.6 percent shooting from the field and 39.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc. UVA has 23 turnovers (7.7 tpg) while collecting 15 steals (5.0 stl/g) On the glass, UVA has out-rebounded its opponents 108-83 for a +8.3 margin.
FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can catch the game on the ACC Network, listen through Tune-In and Kent State Radio and follow along with live stats via sidearm. All links are located below
Watch: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=818f63a2-fe83-4af7-b3d4-53dc063b60dc
Listen: https://kentstatesports.com/watch/?Live=286
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=319992
