Story by
Kent State basketball: 5 things to know before second round of Wagon Wheel rivalry
- Story by
- Kent State basketball: 5 things to know before second round of Wagon Wheel rivalry
KENT — With both men's basketball teams having clinched berths and locking in for deep runs in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament, Akron and Kent State will leave it all on the floor at 9 p.m. Friday in Akron when they play for the second time this season.
The Zips and Golden Flashes represent two of the top three teams in the MAC , and both teams have been on tears.
Advertisement
Kent State (19-9, 9-6) has won six of its last seven games, with the loss coming in overtime 96-92 to Miami, the second-best team in the league, on Feb. 21. Akron (22-6, 14-1), meanwhile, put together a run of 14 consecutive wins, garnering national attention with the country's longest winning streak before it was snapped in an 84-67 loss at Ohio on Feb. 22.
In the first Wagon Wheel game between the teams this season, Akron won 85-71 on Jan. 31 at the M.A.C. Center.
As both men's teams trend upward, the same cannot be said of the women's teams. Well, for Akron at least.
While the visiting Flashes (18-10, 10-5) come into the second Wagon Wheel matchup at noon Saturday in fourth place in the MAC, the Zips (9-19, 3-12) are 11th out of 12 teams in the MAC and have lost 12 consecutive games.
Advertisement
Here are five things to know about the two rivalry games.
Kent State Golden Flashes guard Marquis Barnett (2) looks to get around Akron Zips guard Sharron Young (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
The offense for the Kent State men's basketball team has been off the charts
In Kent State's seven games in February, the Flashes won six of them and scored 90 or more points in four of them.
Flashes had scored 90 points only once before February, and that was in a 98-53 win over Miami-Hamilton in the home opener on Nov. 8. There was more than a three-month gap between 90-point games for KSU.
All four games of those have come in the last five games, capped by the Flashes' 105-65 win over Toledo on Tuesday.
"We have to try to grind out games and win that way," Kent State coach Rob Senderoff said. "If that allows us to score a lot of points, great. If it means we have to score in the 60s and 70s to win a game, great, but you have to win close games."
Akron Zips forward James Okonkwo (32) attempts to block a shot by Kent State Golden Flashes center Cli'Ron Hornbeak (42) on Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
The Kent State men's basketball team's bench unit has been hugely successful
The Flashes' bench unit has been one reason for the recent scoring increase.
Advertisement
In Tuesday's win over Toledo, Kent State's reserves racked up 57 points — more than half of the team's total. In a 91-84 win over Bowling Green on Feb. 18, the unit scored 26 points. Against Central Michigan, it was 34 points. The KSU bench outscored the opponent's bench in each of those games.
Senderoff's decision to slide center Cli'Ron Hornbeak out of the starting lineup is paying off.
"We made the switch with Cli'Ron because, after the Miami game [on Jan. 18], I thought that we needed to shake some things up," Senderoff said after the Jan. 28 game against Bowling Green. "Maybe it has helped him with his foul trouble."
Hornbeak had a near double-double against Toledo with 13 points and nine rebounds (seven offensive), and added an assist and three blocks.
Kent State Golden Flashes forward VonCameron Davis (1) attempts to knock the ball away from Akron Zips forward James Okonkwo (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
The Kent State men's basketball team has been surrendering defense for offense
Kent State leads the conference in scoring defense, allowing only 67.7 points per game. But, other than the Toledo game, the Flashes have not been playing like it recently.
Advertisement
That could be a byproduct of the increased effort on the offensive side of the ball. While the team is scoring more points in February, it has allowed point totals of 75, 83, 84 and 96. The Flashes have given up more points than average in five of the last six games.
"We have to hang our hat on defense," Senderoff said. "That is the reason we won [against Toledo]. If we're going to go into that game trying to outscore [Akron], that is not going to be a good formula."
And that will be equally true at the upcoming MAC Tournament, he said.
"I have been doing this long enough to know that, if we expect to score 100 points each night up in Cleveland, that's just not going to happen," Senderoff said. "If we can do that, that would be great. Believe me, I would love to score 100 points each night in Cleveland, but I can't remember that ever being done."
Kent State Golden Flashes forward Tatiana Thomas (1) and forward Bridget Dunn (15) reach for a rebound against Akron Zips guard Zakia Rasheed (23) on Feb. 1, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
It will be a battle down low for the Kent State women's basketball team
Despite its overall struggles, the Akron women's team has enjoyed some success in one aspect of the game. Unfortunately for the Zips, the Flashes excel in the same category.
Advertisement
In Akron's last three games — all losses — it has handily outrebounded the opposing team behind forward Shelbee Brown, who averages 8.6 rebounds. In fact, Akron is the fifth-best team in the MAC in total rebounds (36.9) and second in offensive boards (11.9). UA is also in the top half of MAC teams in limiting opponent rebounds (33.1).
Led by center Bridget Dunn, who almost averages 10 rebounds, the Flashes are just as good on the glass. They are second in the MAC in total rebounds (40.4) and lead the league in defensive rebounds per game (29.5). KSU only allows opponents 32.3 rebounds per game, which is second in the MAC.
"There were some 50/50 balls and some rebounds that we needed to come up with that we didn't," Golden Flashes coach Todd Starkey said after Wednesday's win against Northern Illinois. "We spoke very specifically about that extra effort and that we needed to do something about it, and they did."
Kent State women's basketball coach Todd Starkey reacts to a call during the first half, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Kent.
The Kent State women's basketball team is looking to not "get clipped" by slumping Akron
The two women's basketball teams are most certainly in different places this season.
Advertisement
Kent State is vying for a a second consecutive MAC Tournament title, while Akron is looking to get out of a long losing streak.
The Flashes have the best scoring offense in the MAC, the fourth-best scoring defense and the second-best 3-point shooting percentage. The Zips, meanwhile, are in the bottom half of the league in all of those categories.
Still, Starkey is adamant his team will not overlook its rival or fall into the "trap game" mentality.
"That's a team that's fighting hard, and we have to be ready to go," he said of Akron. "If we take our foot off the gas against any team the rest of the way, we certainly can get clipped."
Advertisement
John Hilber is an Akron Beacon Journal correspondent. You can contact him at jhilber@kent.edu .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 5 things to know before Kent State, Akron basketball teams meet again
