By EVAN MEYER
KENT, OHIO – The Kent State Golden Flashes used a 10-0 run midway through overtime to defeat Ball State 88-80 Tuesday evening at the MAC Center.
“It was a great win for us (tonight).” KSU head coach Rob Senderof said. “We gutted this out. We had chances to fold late in the game and in overtime, but we competed. Some huge plays by a number of people tonight. We made just enough plays to win”
Kevin Zabo led . . .
KENT, OHIO – The Kent State Golden Flashes used a 10-0 run midway through overtime to defeat Ball State 88-80 Tuesday evening at the MAC Center.
“It was a great win for us (tonight).” KSU head coach Rob Senderof said. “We gutted this out. We had chances to fold late in the game and in overtime, but we competed. Some huge plays by a number of people tonight. We made just enough plays to win”
Kevin Zabo led . . .
. . . Kent State (10-9, 4-2) with 21 points -- seven coming in the extra session. The senior was one of six KSU players in double figures as they won their third in the last four games fifth straight at home
“When my teammates have so much confidence in me, it is so much for me to make plays.” said Zabo who hit 20 or more points for the fourth consecutive game.
Junior Jaylin Walker had 17 points with seven rebounds, two assists and a steal, while junior Adonis De La Rosa added 15 and eight boards, Sophomore Danny Pippen had 11 while leading rebounders with a career best 16. He added three blocked shots. Senior Jalen Avery (with four assists) and freshman B.J. Duling each had 10 points.
Ball State (12-8, 3-4) was led by junior Tayler Persons, who had 19 points going four-of-six from three point range with seven assists.
When asked about the fine point guard of the Cards who reached double digits for the fifth consecutive game, Senderoff said “He is an excellent player he got some big shots of and made some big plays.”
Senior Sean Sellers had 15 with nine rebounds two assists and three steals. Kyle Mallers and Tahjan Teague each had 12, with Mallers pulling down seven boards.
The loss was Ball State’s third in the last four games and third straight on the road in MAC play.
The visitors from Muncie forced overtime as they came back from a nine-point deficit with 5:31 remaining, outscoring KSU 14-5. Persons tied the game with a three-pointer from the right arc with 20.4 seconds reemaining.
When overtime began, Zabo hit a three from the left arc to give the Flashes a lead. However, BSU used four straight points to take a 75-74 lead on a layup by Ishmael El-Amin.
It would be BSU’s last lead of the game. Pippen hit a post-up jumper with 2:47 left and that kicked off Kent State’s decisive run. When BSU scored again on a three by El-Amin, there were 27 seconds left.
Both teams had the lead in the early going before the Flashes went up 12-10 lead on a jumper in the lane by Walker. The Cardinals stayed in range, however, and later closed to 23-21 when Teague scored on a layup down the lane.
KSU expanded its edge with a 13-5 spurt to open its largest lead of the half 36-26 on a short jumper by sophomore Mitch Peterson. Jeremie Tyler hit a three-pointer from the left former just before halftime to get the deficit down to seven and Ball State trailed 38-31 at the break.
Tyler’s three started a 12-2 run spanning both halves and gave BSU its first lead, 42-41, since the game’s early moments.
Both teams again exchanged the lead (the advantage changed hands 10 times in the game) before the Flashes went on a 10-2 binge to open a 55-49 lead on a three from the left arc by Walker.
The Flashes held the lead until the Cardinals made their push to tie the game and send it into overtime.
NOTES:
>>> The victory was KSU’s 17th consecutive win over BSU in the series.
>>> Over the 45 minutes the Flashes shot 47.9% from the field (35-of-73) and were five of eight in overtime. They won the rebound battle 42-37.
>>> When asked about his domination of the boards Pippen said “The coaches got us ready for tonight. I knew their tendencies and that is how the game went.”
>>> The Blue and Gold dominated in the paint, outscoring Ball State 44-28. >>> KSU had 18 points on the fast break to nine for Ball State. The Flashes converted 16 Cardinal turnovers into 16 points.
>>> Ball State came into the game in somewhat of a funk shooting from the field. They finished the game at 41.2% (28-of-68) and were just 4-of-10 in the extra five minutes.
NEXT:
Both teams return to action on Saturday with Kent State traveling to Central Michigan to face the Chippewas for the second time this season while Ball State returns home to face Akron.
“When my teammates have so much confidence in me, it is so much for me to make plays.” said Zabo who hit 20 or more points for the fourth consecutive game.
Junior Jaylin Walker had 17 points with seven rebounds, two assists and a steal, while junior Adonis De La Rosa added 15 and eight boards, Sophomore Danny Pippen had 11 while leading rebounders with a career best 16. He added three blocked shots. Senior Jalen Avery (with four assists) and freshman B.J. Duling each had 10 points.
Ball State (12-8, 3-4) was led by junior Tayler Persons, who had 19 points going four-of-six from three point range with seven assists.
When asked about the fine point guard of the Cards who reached double digits for the fifth consecutive game, Senderoff said “He is an excellent player he got some big shots of and made some big plays.”
Senior Sean Sellers had 15 with nine rebounds two assists and three steals. Kyle Mallers and Tahjan Teague each had 12, with Mallers pulling down seven boards.
The loss was Ball State’s third in the last four games and third straight on the road in MAC play.
The visitors from Muncie forced overtime as they came back from a nine-point deficit with 5:31 remaining, outscoring KSU 14-5. Persons tied the game with a three-pointer from the right arc with 20.4 seconds reemaining.
When overtime began, Zabo hit a three from the left arc to give the Flashes a lead. However, BSU used four straight points to take a 75-74 lead on a layup by Ishmael El-Amin.
It would be BSU’s last lead of the game. Pippen hit a post-up jumper with 2:47 left and that kicked off Kent State’s decisive run. When BSU scored again on a three by El-Amin, there were 27 seconds left.
Both teams had the lead in the early going before the Flashes went up 12-10 lead on a jumper in the lane by Walker. The Cardinals stayed in range, however, and later closed to 23-21 when Teague scored on a layup down the lane.
KSU expanded its edge with a 13-5 spurt to open its largest lead of the half 36-26 on a short jumper by sophomore Mitch Peterson. Jeremie Tyler hit a three-pointer from the left former just before halftime to get the deficit down to seven and Ball State trailed 38-31 at the break.
Tyler’s three started a 12-2 run spanning both halves and gave BSU its first lead, 42-41, since the game’s early moments.
Both teams again exchanged the lead (the advantage changed hands 10 times in the game) before the Flashes went on a 10-2 binge to open a 55-49 lead on a three from the left arc by Walker.
The Flashes held the lead until the Cardinals made their push to tie the game and send it into overtime.
NOTES:
>>> The victory was KSU’s 17th consecutive win over BSU in the series.
>>> Over the 45 minutes the Flashes shot 47.9% from the field (35-of-73) and were five of eight in overtime. They won the rebound battle 42-37.
>>> When asked about his domination of the boards Pippen said “The coaches got us ready for tonight. I knew their tendencies and that is how the game went.”
>>> The Blue and Gold dominated in the paint, outscoring Ball State 44-28. >>> KSU had 18 points on the fast break to nine for Ball State. The Flashes converted 16 Cardinal turnovers into 16 points.
>>> Ball State came into the game in somewhat of a funk shooting from the field. They finished the game at 41.2% (28-of-68) and were just 4-of-10 in the extra five minutes.
NEXT:
Both teams return to action on Saturday with Kent State traveling to Central Michigan to face the Chippewas for the second time this season while Ball State returns home to face Akron.
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