Tuesday, January 31
Kent, Ohio
7 p.m.
Central Michigan University
8-14,3-6MAC
69
at
81
Kent State
18-4,8-1MAC
1
2
F
Central Mich.
44
25
69
Kent St.
41
40
81
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Second Half Run Helps Kent State Defeat Men's Basketball, 81-69
1/31/2023 9:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Markus Harding scores 17 of his career-high 22 points in the first half, hits career-high five 3-pointers; Brian Taylor and Reggie Bass add 16 points apiece; Kent State uses 14-0 run late in the second half to take control of the game.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Chris Payton scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Kent State opened a close, back-and-forth game with a late 14-0 second half run to defeat Central Michigan 81-69 in men's basketball Tuesday evening at the Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center.
With the win, first-place Kent State (18-4, 8-1 MAC) won its 18th consecutive home game and improved to 11-0 at home on the year. The Golden Flashes own the nation's second longest home win streak. Central Michigan drops to 8-14 overall and 3-6 in the MAC.
After CMU freshman Reggie Bass hit a 3-pointer to pull CMU within one point at 61-60, Kent State responded with a 14-0 run. Jalen Sullinger scored on a 3-pointer, Chris Payton hit a jumper, then Miryne Thomas made a layup to give the Golden Flashes their largest lead of the game, at 68-60 with 7:16 to play. Two possessions later, Thomas drained a 3-pointer for a 71-60 lead, Sincere Carry scored on a jumper and an alley-oop dunk by Thomas made it 75-60 Kent State with 5:26 to play in the game.
"I was a little bit disappointed with our fight in the second half," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "This was not going to be a basketball game like our last contest. It was a tale of two halves. In the first half we came out ready for a fight, but somewhere along the line, we lost our will to fight. They found their will to fight, but that's what a talented, veteran basketball team does."
"You can't have guys disappear. We had some guys disappear today. It's hard to win with the group that we have, with the injuries that we have and when we can't seem to get Brian, Reggie and Jesse to play good all at the same time."
Central Michigan was led by sophomore Markus Harding, who scored a career-high 22 points on a career-best 5-6 3-pointers. He also hit 7-8 field goals and grabbed four rebounds. Senior Brian Taylor finished with 16 points and three rebounds, and Bass added 16 points and tied a career-high with seven assists. The Chippewas hit a season-high 10 3-point field goals but committed 24 fouls, and made just 53 percent (9-17) of their free throw attempts.
Led by Payton, six Kent State players reached double figure scoring. Giovanni Santiago and Carry both scored 13 points, Jalen Sullinger and Thomas both contributed 11 points, and Malique Jacobs added 10 points.
After converting 53 percent (17-32) of its field goal attempts and 64 percent (9-14) of its first half 3-point field goals, Central Michigan held a 44-41 halftime lead. Harding scored 17 points in the first half alone and hit a perfect 5-5 3-pointers. The Chippewas had to battle back from a seven and six-point deficits. A Harding 3-pointer gave CMU its first lead since the opening minutes, 36-35, with 3:11 to play in the first half. The Chippewas closed out the first half with a Bass 3-pointer for a three-point lead.
But CMU struggled in the second half as the Chippewas hit just eight of 24 field goals (33.3 percent) and converted just 1-11 from 3-point range.
Kent State came back to tie the game at 48-48 and 50-50, then went on a 6-0 run to take a 54-50 lead with 13:18 to play. Payton scored on a layup, followed by two Giovanni Santiago free throws to go up 52-50. Then VonCameron Davis hit a layup and the hosts led 54-50. Zarzuela's up-and-under ended the rally.
Payton followed a miss with a dunk to give KSU a 60-56 lead with 9:45 to play. That setup Kent State's 14-0 run.
Next up for Central Michigan is Toledo on Saturday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
With the win, first-place Kent State (18-4, 8-1 MAC) won its 18th consecutive home game and improved to 11-0 at home on the year. The Golden Flashes own the nation's second longest home win streak. Central Michigan drops to 8-14 overall and 3-6 in the MAC.
After CMU freshman Reggie Bass hit a 3-pointer to pull CMU within one point at 61-60, Kent State responded with a 14-0 run. Jalen Sullinger scored on a 3-pointer, Chris Payton hit a jumper, then Miryne Thomas made a layup to give the Golden Flashes their largest lead of the game, at 68-60 with 7:16 to play. Two possessions later, Thomas drained a 3-pointer for a 71-60 lead, Sincere Carry scored on a jumper and an alley-oop dunk by Thomas made it 75-60 Kent State with 5:26 to play in the game.
"I was a little bit disappointed with our fight in the second half," Central Michigan Head Coach Tony Barbee said. "This was not going to be a basketball game like our last contest. It was a tale of two halves. In the first half we came out ready for a fight, but somewhere along the line, we lost our will to fight. They found their will to fight, but that's what a talented, veteran basketball team does."
"You can't have guys disappear. We had some guys disappear today. It's hard to win with the group that we have, with the injuries that we have and when we can't seem to get Brian, Reggie and Jesse to play good all at the same time."
Central Michigan was led by sophomore Markus Harding, who scored a career-high 22 points on a career-best 5-6 3-pointers. He also hit 7-8 field goals and grabbed four rebounds. Senior Brian Taylor finished with 16 points and three rebounds, and Bass added 16 points and tied a career-high with seven assists. The Chippewas hit a season-high 10 3-point field goals but committed 24 fouls, and made just 53 percent (9-17) of their free throw attempts.
Led by Payton, six Kent State players reached double figure scoring. Giovanni Santiago and Carry both scored 13 points, Jalen Sullinger and Thomas both contributed 11 points, and Malique Jacobs added 10 points.
After converting 53 percent (17-32) of its field goal attempts and 64 percent (9-14) of its first half 3-point field goals, Central Michigan held a 44-41 halftime lead. Harding scored 17 points in the first half alone and hit a perfect 5-5 3-pointers. The Chippewas had to battle back from a seven and six-point deficits. A Harding 3-pointer gave CMU its first lead since the opening minutes, 36-35, with 3:11 to play in the first half. The Chippewas closed out the first half with a Bass 3-pointer for a three-point lead.
But CMU struggled in the second half as the Chippewas hit just eight of 24 field goals (33.3 percent) and converted just 1-11 from 3-point range.
Kent State came back to tie the game at 48-48 and 50-50, then went on a 6-0 run to take a 54-50 lead with 13:18 to play. Payton scored on a layup, followed by two Giovanni Santiago free throws to go up 52-50. Then VonCameron Davis hit a layup and the hosts led 54-50. Zarzuela's up-and-under ended the rally.
Payton followed a miss with a dunk to give KSU a 60-56 lead with 9:45 to play. That setup Kent State's 14-0 run.
Next up for Central Michigan is Toledo on Saturday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
—CMU—
Team Stats
CMU
KentSt
FG%
.446
.464
3FG%
.400
.320
FT%
.529
.636
RB
34
34
TO
11
5
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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