Kent State University
Eastern Michigan
Flashes Look to Keep Their Play Perfect in the MAC Against Eastern Michigan
1/16/2023 6:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ypsilanti, Mich. - The Kent State men's basketball team (14-3) is back on the road to face the Eastern Michigan University Eagles (4-13) on Tuesday, Jan. 17. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. in the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Kent State leads the conference as the only undefeated team in the MAC and is currently on an eight-game win streak. Their 4-0 record in the MAC is their best start to conference play since the 2004-5 season. The Flashes have won the last four games against the Eagles with the last being a 19-point win in conference play last season.
Forward Miryne Thomas has been a standout player for the Flashes, recording a double-double against Toledo, 17 points and a season-high of four steals against Ohio, and achieving MAC Player of the Week.
The Flashes have continued to be a threat on defense holding their opponents to an average of 62.2 points per game. Guard Malique Jacobs leads the MAC with 3.1 steals per game, while guard Sincere Carry (1.9) is in the Top Three. As a team, they are in the Top 10 for rebounding and Top Five for blocks in the Mid-American Conference. The Flashes are also ranked No. 4 in the most recent Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
Scouting the Eagles
The Eastern Michigan Eagles (4-13) are looking for a win after coming off back-to-back road losses at Akron and Western Michigan. The Eagles average 72.7 points per game which is more than the Flashes' past opponents.
In the last four games, the Eagles averaged 20 trips to the free-throw line and average a 76.7 free-throw percentage, which is second in the MAC and 14th nationally. The Eagles' bench has also been crucial to their performance, scoring 38 of the 67 points against Akron, which is a season-high in their last game.
Guard Emoni Bates will test the Flashes, as he averages 41.7% from the field and 34.4% from the three. He leads the MAC in scoring with 19.8 points per game and leads all sophomores in the NCAA. Bates is looking to redeem himself after coming off a 3-point game, shooting 1-of-12 from the field and 0-of-5 from the three against Akron.
Follow the Flashes
Next up, Kent State will be back at home to host Ball State on Friday, Jan. 20. It can be watched on ESPN+ or listened to on 850 ESPN Cleveland. Tip-off time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the 2022-23 season are on sale now. For questions regarding ticket information, email athletictickets@kent.edu or call 330-672-4455.
For more information on the men's basketball team, follow Kent State Men's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and visit kentstatesports.com for additional updates.
