 KENT STATE 66, BALL STATE 53 HOLT KEYS SECOND HALF RUN
For the second straight game, sophomore Randal Holt led the Golden Flashes, scoring a game high 21 points while adding five rebounds and two steals. Holt did the bulk of his damage scoring 10 points and hitting a pair of three-pointers during a pivotal 23-8 second half run the put the game away. The second-year guard continues to shine in MAC play, averaging a team best 15.0 points per game and shooting 45 percent (16-35) from three.
With Kent State (13-7; 4-2) holding onto a 34-33 lead five minutes into the second half junior Carlton Guyton began the 23-8 stretch with a three from the right wing. Guyton then added two driving lay-ups in the next three possessions as he scored seven of his nine points during the stretch. He ended the game with a team-high six assists, setting up a pair of threes for Holt and another for senior guard Rodriquez Sherman.
“In the second half we really started moving the ball around well on the perimeter, and once Guyton started getting in the lane, it opened things up for our shooters on the wing,” said Holt. “Once we got the open looks, we stepped up and knocked them down.”
SHERMAN ENJOYING THE HOMELAND
Playing in front of a large family contingent in his home state, Sherman totaled 15 points and buried back-to-back threes to cap off the stretch that left Kent State ahead 57-41 with six minutes remaining.
After the Golden Flashes held Ball State (13-6; 5-1) scoreless for a six minute stretch, the Cardinals ended the drought with two straight baskets in the paint, cutting the lead back down to 12 with 3:42 still to play. But junior forward Justin Greene answered with a dunk on the other end to help give Kent State its 18th straight win over a MAC West opponent.
Greene totaled12 points and nine rebounds while blocking three shots and setting a new career high with five steals. His defensive performance helped the Golden Flashes force 17 turnovers that they turned into 22 points. Kent State also held a 12-0 advantage in fast break points.
“Ball State ranked first in the league in defense, so we knew it was going to be tough to score on them,” said head coach Geno Ford. “We tried to pressure them because we thought if we were fortunate to force a couple of turnovers and get the game moving up and down, we might be able to steal a couple of easy baskets in transition. Once we scored some points by getting out on the break, it started to build confidence in our shooters.”
A three from the right win by junior Michael Porrini started a 9-2 spurt that gave Kent State a 24-14 lead at the 6:10 mark of the first half. Ball State started to close the gap two minutes later, using an 8-0 stretch that eventually chopped the Golden Flashes lead down to a single point with just over a minute remaining in the period. Holt then scored in the paint after grabbing an offensive rebound to account for Kent State’s 30-27 advantage at the half.
The tide of the game turned in the second half as the Golden Flashes shot 56 percent (14-25) while holding the Cardinals to just 30 percent (9-10).
Kent State returns home on Sunday, January 30 as the Golden Flashes welcome Toledo (4-16; 1-5) for a 2:00 p.m. (ET) game that can be seen live in HD on SportsTime Ohio. Ball State hosts Ohio Saturday (2 p.m. ET)
Courtesy of Kent State Athletics
NOTES:
- Chris Bond and Malik Perry paced the Cardinals with 12 points each. Randy Davis and Jauwan Scaife also hit double figures with 10 apiece.
- Kent State has scored over 20 points off turnovers in each of the last four games.
- Kent State’s 18-game winning streak against MAC West opponents is the longest by any team in cross divisional play since the league split into two division in 1997-98.
- Head coach Geno Ford is 14-0 all-time against MAC West opponents.
- Kent State is just 9-27 all-time at Ball State but has won three straight.
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