Kent State University
13-4,4-1MAC
Buffalo
13-4,3-2MAC
A Trio of Double-Doubles Lifts Kent State Over Buffalo
1/13/2026 9:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Kent State Men's Basketball (13-4, 4-1 MAC) outlasted the Bulls of the University at Buffalo on Tuesday night by a final score of 87 to 81. Kent State was just one point shy of four double-doubles in the contest having posted three. Rob Whaley Jr. tallied his first in a Kent State uniform.
Points were at a premium in the early minutes as Kent State gained a 12-9 lead in the opening six minutes. Morgan Safford and Rayvon Griffith took advantage of their minutes in the first half at both ends of the floor. The Flashes held the Bulls to nine points for almost five minutes before another exchange of blows that saw the Blue and Gold lead 22-16 with under eight minutes to play in frame one. Delrecco Gillespie pushed it to 24 points followed by a trio of threes that included Safford, Quinn Woidke, and Rob Whaley Jr. Kent State kept their cushion around 10 points with Griffth throwing down a one-handed dunk as the Flashes took a 44-30 lead into the break. UB's Daniel Frietag began to heat up in the second half keeping Buffalo in the game. The Bulls were able to close the gap to six points (68-62) with under eight to play in the game. As the clock winded down the first cousins Recco and Rob made plays on both end of the floor to keep Kent State ahead. Safford and Cian Medley combined for seven points in the final 1:22 to keep Kent State out in front leading to an 87-81 win.
The Box Score Story
With the victory, Kent State extended their winning streak over Buffalo to seven straight games. Delrecco Gillespie continues to lead the nation in double-doubles posting his 14th of the season with 20 points and 15 rebounds. His cousin Whaley Jr. tallied his Kent State career first with 16 points and 10 points. Medley joined his teammates on the scoresheet with a double-double of his own dishing out 12 assists while scoring 15 points. It marked his third of the season and fourth in his career. Morgan Safford tallied a season high 10 rebounds with nine points, while Quinn Woidke tallied double-digit performance number eight.
Up Next
Kent State Men's Basketball returns home to the M.A.C. Center this Friday night, Jan. 16. The Flashes host the University of Toledo Rockets at 6:30 PM in their first national televised game of the season.
Follow Kent State Men's Basketball
For more information on Kent State Men's Basketball, fans can follow the team on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
Follow Kent State Athletics
For complete coverage of Kent State Athletics, download the official Kent State Golden Flashes app (iOS, Android) and follow the Golden Flashes on social media on X, Instagram , and Facebook for news and updates.
