Halftime Report
After a tough loss on the road their last time out, Kent State looks much better today on their home court. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Niagara 40-28.
If Kent State keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 3-1 in no time. On the other hand, Niagara will have to make due with a 1-4 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who's Playing
Niagara Purple Eagles @ Kent State Golden Flashes
Current Records: Niagara 1-3, Kent State 2-1
How To WatchWhen: Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 7 p.m. ETWhere: Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center -- Kent, OhioTV: ESPN PlusFollow: CBS Sports AppOnline Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)Ticket Cost: $7.49What to Know
If the oddsmakers' predictions hold true, the near future looks bright for Kent State. They will look to defend their home court on Thursday against the Niagara Purple Eagles at 7:00 p.m. ET at Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center. The timing is sure in the Golden Flashes' favor as the team sits on five straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while the Purple Eagles have been banged up by four consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.
Kent State is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 98 points two weeks ago, they were much more limited against Auburn last Wednesday. They found themselves the reluctant recipients of a 79-56 punch to the gut against the Tigers. The loss was the Golden Flashes' first of the season.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Jalen Sullinger, who went 6 for 9 en route to 16 points. What's more, he also posted a 60% three-point shooting accuracy, which is the highest he's posted since back in February. VonCameron Davis was another key player, scoring 19 points.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Kent State struggled to work together and finished the game with only five assists. They were crushed by their opponents in that department as Auburn racked up 23.
Meanwhile, Niagara couldn't handle Bowling Green on Tuesday and fell 76-68.
Like Niagara, they lost despite seeing results from several players. Jahari Williamson led the charge by scoring 12 points along with two steals.
Having lost for the first time this season, Kent State fell to 2-1. As for Niagara, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-3.
Everything came up roses for Kent State against Niagara when the teams last played back in December of 2016, as the squad secured a 100-72 win. Will Kent State repeat their success, or does Niagara have a better game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Odds
Kent State is a big 15.5-point favorite against Niagara, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Golden Flashes as a 14.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 137.5 points.
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Series History
Kent State won the only game these two teams have played in the last 8 years.
Dec 07, 2016 - Kent State 100 vs. Niagara 72