[FONT="]The defending Mid-American Conference champion Kent State men?s basketball team (5-5) will close the non-conference season with three difficult matchups, starting with home games this week against Northeastern (6-4) on Monday and Oregon State (8-3) on Thursday. The Golden Flashes? final tune-up for conference play is set for Dec. 28 at Albany (11-2).
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[FONT="]While the rare home Power 5 matchup with the Beavers is one the Golden Flashes have been pointing to since the season began, they certainly will not overlook a Huskies squad that?s won four straight games.
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[FONT="]?We?re going to have to play really well in each of these three games coming up. All three are very, very good teams, starting with Northeastern,? said KSU coach Rob Senderoff. ?They just beat Vermont, Bucknell and Harvard, who were all preseason picks to win their leagues. They played very well to beat all three of them ? shot it well, defended well, had different guys step up and make big plays in each game.?
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[FONT="]The Flashes will seek to avenge a tough 73-70 loss at Northeastern last season, but it certainly will not be easy according to Senderoff.
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[FONT="]?Our game last year was a great game. We had a big lead and they wound up winning, but it was a great game,? said Senderoff. ?This year they?re very balanced. They have good players, guys that excel in their roles, and they?re very tough. It?s going to be a huge challenge for us.?
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[FONT="]Huskies To Watch: Vasa Pusica (6-5 junior guard), 14.6 points, 3.6 assists; Donnell Greshman Jr. (6-1 sophomore guard), 11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds.
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[FONT="]Flashes To Watch: Jaylin Walker (6-1 junior guard), 16.1 points, 2.3 assists, 2 rebounds; Adonis De La Rosa (7-0 junior center), 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds; Jalen Avery (6-0 junior guard), 10 points, 4.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds.[/FONT]
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[FONT="]While the rare home Power 5 matchup with the Beavers is one the Golden Flashes have been pointing to since the season began, they certainly will not overlook a Huskies squad that?s won four straight games.
[/FONT]
[FONT="]?We?re going to have to play really well in each of these three games coming up. All three are very, very good teams, starting with Northeastern,? said KSU coach Rob Senderoff. ?They just beat Vermont, Bucknell and Harvard, who were all preseason picks to win their leagues. They played very well to beat all three of them ? shot it well, defended well, had different guys step up and make big plays in each game.?
[/FONT]
[FONT="]The Flashes will seek to avenge a tough 73-70 loss at Northeastern last season, but it certainly will not be easy according to Senderoff.
[/FONT]
[FONT="]?Our game last year was a great game. We had a big lead and they wound up winning, but it was a great game,? said Senderoff. ?This year they?re very balanced. They have good players, guys that excel in their roles, and they?re very tough. It?s going to be a huge challenge for us.?
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[FONT="]Huskies To Watch: Vasa Pusica (6-5 junior guard), 14.6 points, 3.6 assists; Donnell Greshman Jr. (6-1 sophomore guard), 11.3 points, 4.2 rebounds.
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[FONT="]Flashes To Watch: Jaylin Walker (6-1 junior guard), 16.1 points, 2.3 assists, 2 rebounds; Adonis De La Rosa (7-0 junior center), 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds; Jalen Avery (6-0 junior guard), 10 points, 4.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds.[/FONT]
