Kent State improves to 5-1 on the season, while the Commodores fall to 4-1.
"I'm really happy that our team got this win today against a really good opponent," said head coach Rob Senderoff. "Vanderbilt is a really good team and I think they'll get better as the year goes on, but for our guys, this is a great win."
The game was highlighted by the return of senior Jaylin Walker, who made his first appearance of the season and scored a game-high 22 points. Walker brought down four rebounds and dished out two assists. Senior Jalen Avery and junior CJ Williamson scored 18 apiece, while Williamson had a team-high six rebounds.
"Our two seniors have been through a lot of battles together," added Senderoff. "Tonight I think their experience and leadership really shined through, and I couldn't be more proud of them."
Walker finished the game shooting 8-of-18 (44.4 percent) from the floor and 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range. Avery shot 46.1 percent from the field on 5-of-13 and 5-of-8 (50 percent) from beyond the arc.
Kent State started the first half with back-to-back 3-pointers from Avery and Williamson that gave the Flashes a 6-2 lead. It took no time for Jaylin Walker to settle into the game, making his season debut as he hit a shot beyond the arc that put the Flashes up by four. Williamson sunk his second trey of the game which put Kent State ahead, 15-8, forcing Vanderbilt to take an early timeout.
An 8-0 run by the Flashes which was highlighted by a jumper and 3-pointer from Walker, gave Kent State's its largest lead of the game, 23-10.
A lay-up by Avery stopped a 9-0 run by the Commodores as they cut Kent State's lead to 28-25. As the teams traded baskets, a lay-up from Williamson sent the Flashes into the locker room with a 41-34 lead.
The Flashes ended the first half shooting 15-of-28 (53.6 percent) from the field and connected on 9-of-15 (60 percent) from long range. Walker led the half with 13 points, two assists, and two rebounds, alongside Avery who scored nine points. The Commodores were limited to 34.5 percent shooting from the field on 10-of-29 and just 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) from 3-point range.
The second half started identically to the first half as Kent State opened up the final period with a 3-pointer from Williamson. At the 16 minute mark, Williamson's quick hands came up with a turnover that put him en route to a thunderous one-handed dunk.
Vanderbilt answered with a 10-2 run at the 14:00 mark that gave the Commodores their first lead since their opening bucket to start the game, 53-52.
After the Commodores tied the score 57-57, Walker drew a foul on a driving layup attempt, sending him to the line to shoot two. Walker downed both free throws which gave the Flashes a 59-57 lead with 8:43 to play.
During the last five minutes of the game, Vanderbilt would keep the Flashes' lead at no more than five points as the two teams traded back-and-forth over two minutes of play. Vanderbilt tied the game with just under three left to play, but a layup from Avery and a 3-pointer from Walker broke the tie that put the Flashes up by five.
The game came down to the wire as Vanderbilt hit back-to-back long-distance shots with nine seconds left to play that closed the Kent State's lead to 76-75.
Vanderbilt would foul right away to stop the clock with seven seconds in the game, sending Mitch Peterson to the charity stripe for the first time of the night, and hit both. With a second left, Williamson, who was 4-of-4 from the charity stripe, was fouled and completed the final two free throws to secure the 77-75 win.
For the game, the Flashes shot 44.6 percent on 25-of-56 from the floor and a season-high 50 percent on 12-of-24 from long range. Kent State was edged in the battle of the boards 44-24, but dominated the game with a season-high 13 steals to Vanderbilt's two. The Flashes were able to score 16 points of the Commodores 15 turnovers.
The Flashes are back in action Wednesday, Nov. 28 as they hit the road for the third time this season to face Detroit Mercy at 7 p.m.
(Courtesy of KSU Athletics)