Men's basketball faces Kent State in MAC Tournament quarterfinals
The gritty nature with which the Central Michigan team plays has the team this far, and it will need that mindset to advance.
At the No. 5 Chippewas (22-10) square off against No. 4 Kent State (22-9) in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena.
KSU star senior guard Jaylin Walker's status for this matchup is still unclear, as he was suspended for the Golden Flashes' regular season finale at home against Akron on March 8.
He averages 21.9 points per game for the Golden Flashes and would be a huge piece missing in their lineup – should he not be allowed to participate.
Allen Moff of the Akron Beacon Journal first reported KSU head coach Rob Senderoff saying, "I anticipate that (Walker) will play on Thursday, but we are taking it day-by-day."
The last time out
The Chippewas and Golden Flashes last met Feb. 19 in McGuirk Arena, and the Chippewas secured an 84-74 victory.
Senior guards Larry Austin Jr. and Shawn Roundtree Jr., combined with junior forward Rob Montgomery, led the way for CMU by combining for 56 points. Roundtree had 20, Montgomery threw in 19 and Austin finished with 17.
Junior guard Kevin McKay tallied 12 of his own to aid the Chippewa offensive attack, that led for the majority of the game.
CMU shot 44 percent both from the field and from beyond the arc, where Roundtree scored four triples.
For Kent State in the first matchup, junior forward Philip Whittington notched a team-high 18 points and added five rebounds. Walker scored 14 points in the loss and junior guard Antonio Williams contributed 13.
The Golden Flashes shot just 37 percent from the field without a single make from 3-point territory. They did, however, shoot 86 percent from the free throw line, and another key stat that kept them in the game was 16 offensive rebounds.
If Kent State can find a way to rebound on the offensive end similar to the way it did Feb. 19, its chances at victory would be significantly increased.
How they got here
Central Michigan, after being in contention for the MAC West Division title, fell twice to Toledo and Northern Illinois at home before winning the regular season final against Western Michigan. It finished second in the division and fifth in the conference, giving them the No. 5 seed in the tournament.
The Chippewas eliminated their arch-rival WMU, 81-67, in McGuirk Arena in the first round of the MAC Tournament.
The Golden Flashes, on the other hand, were the beneficiaries of the Chippewas' struggles down the stretch. Those CMU losses, compounded with wins at Miami (Ohio) and Akron, helped Kent State earn the No. 4 seed. That gave the Golden Flashes a first-round bye directly to Cleveland, where they open their participation against the Chippewas.
Who to watch for
Austin and Roundtree are always leaders for CMU, and they are expected to play a critical role. The pair average 17.3 and 16.5 points per game, respectively.
If Montgomery is fully healthy and ready to go in this one, he will be able to establish an inside presence.
On the other side, Walker is the key focus of the game if he is able to play. If he is not, then Williams and senior guard Jalen Avery will have to step up and fill the role Walker leaves behind.
Williams is second on the team with 11.9 points per game and third in rebounds. Avery averages 11 points per game for Kent State, and he helps facilitate and run the offense.
Game time
The Chippewas and Golden Flashes tip off at approximately 2:30 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena. The winner will advance to the MAC semifinals, where the team left standing will face the winner of the Buffalo-Akron matchup.
