Golden Flashes aim for upset
Kent State looks for way to slow Hoosiers’ attack
ALBANY — The last time Kent State won a game in the NCAA Tournament, it made it all the way to the Elite Eight before losing to Indiana. That was in 2002. More than 20 years later, the Golden Flashes and Hoosiers meet again, this time in a Midwest Region first-round game that tips off at 9:55 p.m. Friday at MVP Arena.
For those who tried their hand at the inexact science of bracketology, No. 13 Kent State (28-6) was a popular upset pick over No. 4 Indiana (22-11) — but that doesn’t bother the Hoosiers.
“It doesn’t matter whether people pick us or not. We think we can win any game,” redshirt senior forward Race Thompson said.
The Hoosiers put together a seven-game win streak to open the season, but were 3-3 in their last six games and lost to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
The Golden Flashes, the Mid-american Conference Tournament champions, are riding a six-game winning streak into March Madness.
They certainly don’t feel like an underdog.
“We know face-to-face, we’re just as good as those higher seeds. So we’re excited to get to play,” redshirt senior forward Miryne Thomas said.
Kent State’s defense is perhaps its biggest strength. The Golden Flashes allow 65.7 points per game on average, 56th nationally, and rank 38th in Division I in adjusted defensive efficiency according to Kenpom.com. They have 303 steals on the season, 8.9 per game (15th in the country).
“They junk it up. They run around. They trap. A lot of it seems a little chaotic at times, but it looks like they have a sense of how they’re rotating and stuff,” Indiana senior forward Miller Kopp said. “I think we just play hard and play through a lot of mistakes. If somebody gets beat on a dribble or we mess up a ball screen, we can pick up for somebody else’s mistake,” Kent State redshirt senior guard Sincere
Carry said.
The Golden Flashes will have their hands full with Indiana’s offense, which boasts Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jalen Hood-schifino (13.5 points, 3.7 assists per game) and All-american Trayce Jackson-davis (20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds per game). Jackson-davis, a senior forward, holds the Indiana record for career rebounds (1,124) and blocks (260), and is third in career scoring (2,211 points).
“He’s such a good player that, if you just do one thing against him, you’re going to be in trouble because he’s going to figure it out,” said Kent State coach Rob Senderoff, who started his coaching career as a student assistant at the University at Albany.
Jackson-davis said he’s prepared for whatever Kent State throws at him.
“I expect it all honestly,” he said. “They do heavy digs a lot. They might double from the weak side, but I feel like my passing has gotten so good that they really just can’t come out and just double me and send a guy up because I see it coming. I already know where the ball’s going to go.”
He averages 4.1 assists per game.
Carry leads the Kent State offense with 17.3 points and 4.8 assists per game. Redshirt senior guard Malique Jacobs averages 12.8 points, and Miryne Thomas adds 10.6 points per game and a team-high 5.4 rebounds per game.
“I don’t think you go into this game saying, ‘Hey, you’re just going to stop Carry.’ I mean, they’ve got some pieces that everybody’s got to be aware of, key matchups all over the floor that we’ve got to commit for 40 minutes to defend. And then we’ve got to make them play us,” Indiana coach Mike Woodson said.