Heated Ohio rivals are set to play each other for the first time this season when the Kent State Golden Flashes (18-4, 13-7-0 ATS, 8-1 MAC) take a short journey to face the Akron Zips (16-6, 8-11-1 ATS, 8-1 MAC). This game is also for sole possession of first in the MAC, as the regular season is hitting its final stretch. Kent State won both of the regular season matchups last season, but Akron got the last laugh with a 20-point victory in the MAC championship game. Round one for this season is scheduled to tipoff at 9:00 p.m. EST in Akron's James A. Rhodes Arena. Let's see who will gain early bragging rights in what may wind up as a preview to another MAC championship contest.
The Kent State Golden Flashes failed to cover as 18.5-point favorites but won their second straight game on Tuesday by beating Central Michigan 81-69. They took great care of the ball, only committing five turnovers in the game. Kent State finished with 46.4% shooting, 33 free-throw attempts, eight blocks, and six steals in the contest. Chris Payton didn't miss a single field goal en route to a team-high 18 points and game-high 12 boards. It wasn't a flawless performance by the Golden Flashes, but they were still dominant.
Kent State is currently ranked 69th by KenPom. They are also projected by Bracketology to win the MAC and earn a 12-seed in the NCAA tournament. They are 6-4 on the road this season, and their only conference loss came away from home.
Their success this season is rooted in a suffocating defense. They are holding teams to 64.0 points per game which is 42nd in the nation and second in the MAC. Their efficiency on the defensive end is even better. Opponents only hit 31.4% of their three-point attempts against Kent State, the best in the conference. Overall, they limit foes to 39.4% shooting from the floor which is also the best in the conference and ranks 18th in the country. They get 9.3 steals per game which is 17th in the nation and the most among MAC teams.
On offense, the Golden Flashes are putting up 75.5 points a night, fifth in the conference. They are led by senior guard Sincere Carry who is putting up 17.1 points per game this season. However, his shooting dips on the road as he only hits 38.0% of shots and 26.3% of threes in away games. As a team, Kent State is 44.4% and 33.5% on threes, with both numbers ranking eighth in the conference.
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