Kent State University
Eastern Michigan
Flashes Host Eastern Michigan in MAC Tournament First Round Matchup
3/8/2020 6:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio-Â The Kent State men's basketball team will host Eastern Michigan on Monday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center in the first round of the MAC Tournament. Kent State is the sixth seed in this year's tournament and will host the 11th-seeded Eagles. The game will broadcast on ESPN+.
THE GAME
#6 Kent State (19-12, 9-9 MAC) vs. #11 EMU (16-15, 6-12 MAC)
Monday, March 9 | M.A.C. Center  | Kent, Ohio  | 7:00 PM
BROADCAST
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Dan Griffin (pbp), WHLO 640 AM (flagship), iHeart Radio
EASTERN MICHIGAN HEAD COACH
Rob Murphy
Record at EMU: 160-142 (9th season)
KENT STATE HEAD COACH
Record at Kent State: 180-121 (9th season)
SERIES HISTORY
Kent State leads the all-time series with a 43-35 record.
Kent State is 6-6 against the Eagles under head coach Rob Senderoff.
Monday will be the fifth time that Kent State and EMU have collided in the MAC Tournament and the first time since the 1995-96 season. EMU topped KSU, 84-72, in the quarterfinals in route to the 1996 MAC Tournament Championship. The Eagles have won the last two contests against the Golden Flashes.
1995-96 No. 8 Kent State W, 84-72
1990-91 No. 8 Kent State W, 66-47
1984-85 No. 4 Kent State L, 74-85
1983-84 No. 7 Kent State L, 58-67
Earlier this season Kent State fell in Ypsilanti, 70-49 against EMU. KSU struggled offensively as the Flashes shot just 29.1 percent. Pippen led the Flashes recording his sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Mitch Peterson added eight points, while seniors Troy Simons and Antonio Williams each scored five points.
LAST TIME OUT
The Kent State men's basketball team finished the regular season at 19-12 overall and 9-9 in league play after falling to rival Akron, 79-76. Both teams exchanged trips to the free throw line in the final 10 seconds of the game. With Akron leading 79-63 with four seconds left, the Flashes had a chance to tie the game with one final possession as senior Antonio Williams put up a three-pointer from the top of the circle that went wide to the left. Roberts led the Flashes with 17 points and five rebounds, while Simons added 16 points and four boards. Junior Danny Pippen scored 14 points and Williams rounded out the double-figure scoring with 11 points.
On the season, the Flashes are shooting 45.1 percent from the floor and 34.1 percent from long range. Pippen leads the team in rebounds averaging 7.1 boards a game.
FLASH FACTS
- Kent State is 3-2 in first round games.Â
- KSU has only been the sixth seed five times and two times since 2012. Kent State is 3-2 when playing in the first rounds as the sixth seed. In 2017, the Flashes wont the MAC Championship as the No. 6 seed.
- The Flashes have met a team from the MAC West division 13 times since the conference went to a divisional format in 1997-98 and are 11-3 in the tournament.
- Kent State is 13-3 at home this season, a 14th home win would be the most since the 2018-19 season as KSU finished 14-3 at home.Â
- The Flashes have four players averaging in double-figure scoring with Troy Simons (12.8 ppg), Anthony Roberts (12.5 ppg), Antonio Williams (14.7 ppg), and Danny Pippen (14.1 ppg).
- Kent State ranks 48th in the country and third in the conference in scoring offense (76.0 ppg).
- As a team, Kent State ranks 53rd in the country and second the conference with 4.2 blocked shots per game.
- Danny Pippen leads the team with 45 total blocks, five of which he had against Towson. Kent State ranks 53rd in the nation in total blocked shots (128) and second in the conference. Pippen also ranks 46th in the nation and is second in conference stats averaging 1.75 blocked shots per game.
- Troy Simons ranks 23rd in the nation in 3-point FG per game (2.93) and ranks second in league stats.
-Kent State ranks 45th in 3-point FG per game (8.5) and ranks 3rd in conference stats.
- In conference stats, KSU is first in FG percentage (45.4) and ranks 68th in the country. Â
-Flashes rank 68th in the country and are second the conference with a +6.5 scoring margin. Kent State ended the non-conference schedule with the highest scoring margin during the non-conference schedule in 20 seasons. (+12.5).
- Defensively, the Flashes have held its opponents to 69.5 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting from the field and 34.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
- Kent State has forced 434 turnovers (14.5 tpg) while collecting 210 steals (7.0 stl/g). On the glass, the Flashes have out re-bounded their opponents 1087-1061Â for a +0.9 margin.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
The Eagles, stand 16-15 overall and 6-2 in MAC play under nine-year head coach Rob Murphy. EMU is coming off a 79-57 loss in the regular season finale to Toledo. EMU has two players averaging in double figures in Groce (11.4) and Toure (10.5). EMU ranks third in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (9.9). Stephen F. Austin is first in the NCAA with 10.4 swipes per game, while Nicholls State follows with 10.0, respectively. EMU also ranks fourth among Division I teams in total steals with 306.
Defensively, EMU has held its opponents to score 63.4 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from the field and 34.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Eagles have 449 turnovers (14.5 tpg) while collecting 306 steals (9.9 stl/g) On the glass, EMU has been out-rebounded their opponents 1109-1058 for a -0.7margin.
FOLLOW ALONG
Flash fans unable to attend the game can watch the game on ESPN+, listen through iHeart Radio and Tune-In and follow along with live stats via sidearm. All the links are located below.
Listen: https://www.iheart.com/live/640-whlo-3520/
Live Stats: https://kentstatesports.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
