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Jalen Sullinger providing boost for Kent State men's basketball team as MAC race heats up
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- Jalen Sullinger providing boost for Kent State men's basketball team as MAC race heats up
KENT — Six games ago, the Kent State men's basketball team suffered a huge blow in the middle of the season.
On Jan. 31, Kent State lost 85-71 to rival Akron — the largest loss to the Zips in nearly three years to fall to 13-8 overall and 4-5 and in a fifth-place tie in the Mid-American Conference.
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The Golden Flashes have not lost since.
Kent State Golden Flashes coach Rob Senderoff reacts to a call during the second half against Akron on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
The Flashes are on a season-high five-game winning streak , with four wins over MAC opponents and the other over Arkansas State (76-75), the best team in the Sun Belt.
"We're just continuing to play well here in February," Flashes coach Rob Senderoff said. "Getting road wins in the conference is never easy. There were certainly some things we could have done better, but I am really happy with how we played."
The recent tear has propelled the Flashes (18-8, 8-5) into a tie for fourth place in the MAC and only two games out of second place heading into a game at Miami University at 8 p.m. Friday.
Kent State Golden Flashes guard Jalen Sullinger (13) makes a pass over Akron Zips forward James Okonkwo (32) and guard Nate Johnson (34) on Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
What has led the Kent State men's basketball team to win five straight?
Kent State's winning streak can be chalked up to one major factor: senior guard Jalen Sullinger's offensive leadership.
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This season, Kent State is 10th in the conference in scoring, averaging 72.1 points. Only once has it scored less than 72 points during its current win streak — a 70-49 win over Eastern Michigan — and it has two 91-point games.
The offensive outbursts are due, in large part, to the emergence of Sullinger as the two guard.
In the win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 4, Sullinger scored 11 points. He has not scored less than 18 points since. He scored 27 points in the win over Arkansas State and poured in a game-high 32 points, tying his career best, in a 91-84 victory over Bowling Green on Tuesday.
Akron Zips guard Isaiah Gray (13) guards against Kent State Golden Flashes guard Jalen Sullinger (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
"It was a great win tonight — it was a team effort," Sullinger said after the win. "Everyone plays an important role in winning. We clicked tonight, and we're continuing to hit our stride. My role oftentimes is scoring the ball, and I did that tonight. I got to the free-throw line a good amount tonight."
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Sullinger not only got to the free-throw line often, he also converted all 15 of his attempts when he got there. He added five rebounds and five assists.
Since the win streak started, Sullinger has been the team's leading scorer in two games and the second-leading scorer in two others.
It has become clear in recent games that Kent State is running the offense through Sullinger, which is supporting the offense to score more and more efficiently. During the win streak, Sullinger has contributed 14 assists, while turning the ball over 11 times.
How has guard Jalen Sullinger stepped up to lead the Kent State men's basketball team?
Sullinger is even becoming more efficient as the wins stack up for KSU.
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In the win over Eastern Michigan, Sullinger shot 44.4% from the floor, and his efficiency has increased in every game since. His efficiency hit a peak at Bowling Green, where he shot 8 of 13 (61.5%) from the field — his second-best mark this season.
"As of late, I have been more efficient, and it is helping us win games," Sullinger said. "One of my roles on the team is to score. It is important I do that at an efficient rate, giving us a better chance to win. My teammates do a good job finding me, and [Senderoff] puts me in a good position to do what I need to."
Sullinger has worked on his leadership for years, but just recently grew into it. The results are showing up on the scoreboard.
"My leadership has been significantly better this year," Sullinger said. "I have emphasized voicing and showing how to uphold the winning culture we have here at Kent State. The greatest way to lead is by example, so I try to do all the things I want my boys to do. We've been doing that on my win streak, and we will continue to do so the rest of the season."
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Sullinger will look to add another win to the streak for the Flashes while improving his already stellar recent play against the RedHawks on Friday.
Miami is one of the three teams ahead of Kent State in the MAC standings. The RedHawks have a 1.5 game advantage over KSU, making a Kent State win important for tightening the MAC postseason race with only five games left on the schedule.
"They're all big games down the stretch, and this is the next one in front of us," Senderoff said. "We've put ourselves in a position where these games in late February are meaningful, and we're excited about having an opportunity to play a meaningful game."
John Hilber is an Akron Beacon Journal correspondent. You can contact him at jhilber@kent.edu .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State men's basketball guided by improved play of Jalen Sullinger
