KENT, Ohio — An early 14-0 run by the Kent State men’s basketball team pushed the Golden Flashes out to an 18-5 advantage and KSU was able to maintain their lead through the end of the game, taking an 87-64 win over Bowling Green.
The loss Tuesday at the M.A.C. Center moves the Falcons to 10-14 on the season and 4-7 within the Mid-American Conference. Kent State, which had a 42-23 advantage off the glass, is 19-5 and 9-2.
“We told our guys exactly what they were going to do,” BGSU coach Michael Huger said. “We told them they were going to push and we can’t look at the referees for help, we have to be physical.
“We have to box out every time a shot goes up. Our guys just stood and watched and they went after them and that’s the game.”
On the stat sheet, Kaden Metheny paced the Falcons with a team-high 19 points. Metheny splashed five threes for the Falcons, his fourth game this season with at least five triples.
Entering the game 33rd in the nation for three-point percentage (41.3%), Metheny went 5-of-10 from behind the arc for the Falcons.
Leon Ayers III joined in the double-digit scoring with 13. Sam Towns added nine points, including 5-for-6 at the line, and a team-high five rebounds.
After Kent State’s 14-0 run, Bowling Green began to chip away at the Kent State lead, trimming the deficit to 21-12 at the under-8 media timeout.
The effort to cut the lead continued for the Falcons. Metheny made back-to-back triples to cap a 13-5 BGSU stretch to bring the score to 23-18 Kent State.
The Golden Flashes were able to rebuild their lead before the halftime buzzer, going to the locker room up 34-25.
The Falcons recorded the first points of the second half, coming from two free throws by Sam Towns. BGSU trimmed the lead down to six at 38-32 after another Metheny triple, but KSU stretched their lead back to double-digits at 42-32, forcing a BGSU timeout.
The Kent State lead extended out to 46-32 with an 8-0 run before a Brenton Mills layup ended the streak. The Golden Flashes responded with another 7-0 run to bring the stretch to 15-2 with a 53-34 lead, which they maintained until the final horn.
Rashaun Agee matched his career-high for steals in a game with a pair, leading the Falcons in the stat for the contest.
The Falcons will remain on the road for the next game, traveling to Muncie, Ind. to go against the Ball State Cardinals on Saturday.
The game between the Falcons and Cardinals is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip inside Worthen Arena and will be available to stream on ESPN+.
