Men’s basketball wins second straight game to advance to the Naples Invitational Championship | Sports

It’s not often that a basketball team plays for a championship in November.

But that’s exactly what the Kent State Men’s Basketball team will do on Wednesday after beating George Washington 77:69 in the Naples Invitational semifinals in Naples, Florida.

“When you have the chance to play for a championship, it’s fun,” said coach Rob Senderoff. “It’s not easy, but it’s a lot of fun. We are excited about the opportunity and feel great to be in this position now. ”

KSU defeated James Madison University on Monday in the first round of the tournament with 74:69.

Kent State improves to 3-1 this season. George Washington falls to 2-5.

The Flashes fell back early Tuesday when GWU jumped 11-3 out to start the game.

Kent State stormed back with a 14-0 run. The comeback was led by the KSU bank. Freshman guard Jalen Sullinger scored five points during the run, and Redshirt junior striker DJ Johnson sparked the comeback with a three-point bucket.

“In previous games we had a really hard time when [the bench] went into play, ”said Senderoff. “We started with large leads and then we struggled. When they stepped into this game, they turned the game for us. These guys from the bank were great for us and it made a big, big difference in the game. ”

The Flashes had 16 bank points, their highest total of the season, without their dominant 84-38 win over Oberlin College Division III.

Johnson, a Rhode Island transfer, scored nine points, all on three points, and Sullinger scored seven, both of their highest totals of the season. Johnson also had five rebounds that season.

“These two guys played with tremendous energy,” said Senderoff. “You first helped move basketball on the defensive. In doing so, they were able to get some open views and thus contribute. Both are really good marksmen. And I think as long as their mindset is to rest and defend, they will get some shots and they will get good ones. ”

All of their points fell in the first half.

Kent State scored another eight unanswered points in the first half and went into halftime with a 33-26 lead.

KSU’s defense kept the Colonials at a field goal percentage of 40.9 for the first half and continued their stellar three-point defense when GWU went 1 out of 9.

The Flashes have allowed a three point percentage of 23 this season.

Kent State started the second half hot, outsourcing the Colonials 17-7 in the first four minutes.

GWU was slowly getting back into the game, and it was only six points less than about six minutes in the game.

Redshirt Junior Guard Sincere Carry would score eight points in a row, including two threes to put the Flashes up 14.

But like James Madison in Monday’s game, George Washington wouldn’t go without a fight.

The Colonials went on a 10-0 run to take four points in 47 seconds of the game.

Second year Redshirt security guard Giovanni Santiago was fouled and sank his first free throw attempt to field KSU at five. Santiago missed his second try and George Washington had a chance to get the ball back 40 seconds from time. But the Redshirt junior guard Malique Jacobs got the rebound from the missed free throw and hung up to improve the Flashes 76-69.

GWU missed a three point try and Jacobs fouled after receiving the defensive rebound. He made his first free throw attempts and, although he missed his second try, had the game chilled for Kent State.

Senderoff said the game “got a little closer than it needed to be”.

“But our boys stuck together,” he said. “We made the pieces that we needed. We have good guards. And when you have good guards, you have the option to finish some games. Thanks to George Washington, they kept fighting and got some big shots there. ”

Jacobs had 12 points and team highs in rebounds (seven) and assists (seven). He scored 50 percent on field goals and went 4-of-6 on free throws.

Senderoff called Jacobs a “Swiss Army Knife”.

“He fills out the statistics sheet in so many different ways,” said Senderoff. “He defended their best offensive player and kept him below what he normally does. Simply a really good overall performance from him, which our team needs and which we expect from him. ”

Carry, who came into the game as team leader on points, had a team high of 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. He went 6 out of 11 out of the field and 4 out of 6 on a threesome.

“I said that when the season started, people didn’t know who [Carry] was near Kent, ”said Senderoff. “By the end of the year people will be talking about him being one of the best strikers to play here. He does a little of everything. He scores, he passes and is a really good defender. He made one big game after another. And that’s what great players do. ”

KSU had seven different players who scored seven or more points.

The Flashes had a season high of 17 assists, a stat they’ve improved with each game since they only had eight in the season opener against Xavier.

Following Kent State’s win on Monday, Senderoff said the team needed to cut sales, of which it had 18.

Tuesday had the Flashes 11, and GWU only scored six points less.

Senderoff said Kent State is much better at the turnover game.

“If you have the guards we have, you should be able to take care of the ball,” he said. “We should be positive on the turnover rate. We did it tonight. As long as we keep doing that, we have a chance in every game. “

The Flashes play in the tournament championship on Wednesday at 8 p.m., with their opponent being the winner of the current game Missouri State-East Tennessee State. Missouri State is favored with seven points.

Senderoff said the team just needs to keep improving.

“That really is the goal,” he said. “In every game we just try to improve and learn a bit. Win or lose tomorrow, this experience will really help us as a group. Tomorrow we’re playing for a championship, we all have hands on deck. We have to play as hard as possible tomorrow night and find a way. “

Jimmy Oswald is a sports editor. Contact him at joswald9@kent.edu.

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