With time ticking away in a double overtime matchup against the Eastern Michigan Eagles, graduate forward Rob Whaley Jr. sank a clutch pair of free throws to propel the Kent State men’s basketball team to a 76-75 victory on Saturday.
The Flashes were in control for most of the game, even leading by 13 points early in the second, but turnovers and missed free throws opened the door for the Eagles to come back.
“We had a lot of things that didn’t go our way, and we were able to find a way to win,” coach Rob Senderoff said. “Proud of our guys.”
No matter how messy the afternoon was, a win is a win, allowing the Flashes to improve to 15-5 (6-2). Every conference game for the Flashes this season has been a battle, with no game being decided by more than 10 points.
The Eagles drop to 9-11 (3-5) and will have just over two weeks to prepare before meeting KSU again, this time at the M.A.C. Center.
Slow starts offensively have been an issue for the Flashes in the previous few games, and today was no different. Through the first four minutes, both teams struggled offensively, sitting at just a 5-2 score in favor of KSU.
Defenses on both sides controlled the game early as turnovers and blocked shots were constant. Senior forward Delrecco Gillespie was able to get in on the block action, securing his 32nd block of the season, good for the second most in the Mid-American Conference.
Both teams remained close until the Flashes started to pull away after a Gillespie 3-pointer gave KSU a 25-18 lead as part of a larger 12-4 run.
Junior guard Braelon Green helped end this run with a 3-pointer of his own, putting the Eagles within three in the final minutes of the half. Green threw up three fingers and motioned for the crowd to make noise after his impressive shot.
Despite a messy turnover-filled half, KSU headed into halftime with a 31-23 lead.
3-point shooting was the biggest separator of both teams through the first 20. Eastern Michigan shot an abysmal 2-for-10 from beyond the arc, while the Flashes finished 6-for-11.
Freshman guard Quinn Woidke’s scoring contributed half of KSUs 3-pointers in the first. Woidke finished the half with nine total points, only missing one shot in the effort.
A dry spell from the Flashes allowed the Eagles to put together a 10-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from graduate senior Mak Manciel to cut the Flashes’ lead to 39-35. Still, Manciel did not have an afternoon to remember, scoring 11 points on 30% from the field.
Missed free throws throughout the second were an issue for KSU ,as the team finished 22-for-28 from the line.
These mistakes came to a head when Gillespie missed a free throw, leading to a deep 3-pointer courtesy of sophomore forward Merritt Alderink, which sent the crowd into a frenzy and secured a one-point lead late for the Eagles.
Following the Flashes retaking the lead, EMU converted a pair of free throws and tied the game to send it to overtime in a 58-58 stalemate.
Within a period that started fast with junior guard Jahari Williamson stripping a 3-pointer to give KSU an early advantage, the remaining time was filled with free throws.
In fitting fashion, a pair of made free throws by red shirt freshman forward Mohammed Habhab tied the game and set it up to be sent to double overtime.
After going down four early in double overtime, another clutch 3-point shot from Williamson and a pair of Whaley Jr. free throws was enough to secure a hard-fought, one-point, win.
Key Stats
Gillespie fought hard for another double-double, posting 13 points and 12 rebounds. In a down afternoon from Gillespie, the Flashes needed the supporting cast to show up.
One player who made an impact was Williamson. He shot an efficient 50% from three and 55% from the field, scoring 15 in the process.
If there was an award for the player of the game, it belongs to Whaley Jr., who constantly made his presence felt in the paint all night. He led the team in scoring with 25 points. The forward has finished in double figures each of the last four games.
“They put their better front-court defender on Rico, and that gave Rob opportunities,” Senderoff said. “He did a great job finishing at the rim and getting to the foul line.”
In a matchup where offense was not easy to come by, KSU lost the turnover battle 18-9 and still managed to pull out the win.
Looking ahead
While every matchup is important, KSU will have a critical pair of conference opponents to prepare for in the coming days that could have major MAC Tournament implications.
The Flashes will first return home for a Tuesday night matchup against the Ohio University Bobcats. OU currently sits in sixth place after dropping two spots following their loss to Akron.
Just three days after that matchup, the Akron Zips will welcome KSU for a Friday night rendition of the rivalry. Sitting one spot above the Flashes in the standings, the Zips will look to continue their perfect 10-0 home record.
“To be able to win after such a tough loss on Tuesday speaks to the resilience of our guys,” Senderoff said. “We are onto a new week and now we have to get ready for that one.”
Josh Szeremet is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected] .
