Kent State University
James Madison University
Flashes Host James Madison for 2023-24 MAC-SBC Challenge
11/8/2023 5:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kent, OH – The Kent State Men's basketball team is preparing for their second game of the three home games stretch this Thursday, November 9 against James Madison at the M.A.C. Center. Tip-off time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN+.
The Flashes will start their MAC-SBC Challenge against James Madison (1-0). The MAC-SBC Challenge—a scheduling alliance in the sports of men's and women's basketball—will tip off during the opening week of the 2023-24 season this November with 12 Sun Belt Conference (SBC) men's basketball programs traveling to compete against the 12 Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams and the 12 MAC women's basketball teams visiting 12 SBC programs.
The second MAC-SBC Challenge contest for each team will take place on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, with the matchups set based on real-time NET rankings and announced in January. The MAC women and Sun Belt men will host the February matchups.
Last time out
The Golden Flashes began this season full force after a second-half spark that led to a 79-58 win over Malone in their home opener, extending their home game winning streak at home to 23 in a row. The Flashes were led by redshirt junior guard Giovanni Santiago who recorded a game-high 15 points and also by sophomore, Central Michigan transfer, Reggie Bass, who contributed an additional 14 points. Sophomore, Delrecco Gillespie also contributed nine rebounds while only playing 17 minutes on the court.
Key Players for James Madison
JMU began their season with an exciting overtime 79-76 win over No.4 Michigan State. The Dukes were led by redshirt junior guard Terrence Edwards Jr. who recorded a game-high of 24 points, followed by forward graduate student T.J. Bickerstaff who contributed 21 points while shooting a staggering 61% from the floor.
Series Match-up
The Golden Flashes will meet James Madison for the sixth time. Kent State leads the all-time series against James Madison 3-2. The last time the two teams matched up was Nov. 21, 2021, when the Golden Flashes came out on top with a 74-69 victory. Currently, KSU is 1-1 when facing JMU at home.
Follow the Flashes
The Kent State vs. James Madison game will be available on ESPN+. Single-game tickets for the non-conference 2023-24 season are on sale now. Season tickets are also available and start at $85. For any 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 and Instagram, and visit kentstatesports.com for additional updates.
