Kent State Survives Western Michigan in MAC Quarterfinal Thriller

CLEVELAND, Ohio — In a nail-biting quarterfinal of the Mid-American Conference men’s basketball tournament, Kent State University overcame Western Michigan University with a final score of 73-66 on Thursday night at Rocket Arena.

The No. 3 seed Golden Flashes (22-10) will now advance to face No. 2 seed Miami (Ohio) (24-8) in the semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Kent State had previously lost both regular season games to the RedHawks, creating a matchup that is sure to test their resilience.

“Great to get a win up here again. It’s always awesome to be up in Cleveland. The game got tight, but give Western Michigan a lot of credit,” said Golden Flashes head coach Rob Senderoff. “They have good players and competed really hard, but I’m proud of our guys for getting a win here.”

The Broncos rallied hard during the game, cutting Kent State’s lead to just three points at 53-50 with just over ten minutes remaining, courtesy of Owen Lobsinger’s 3-pointer. In response, the Flashes tightened their game, with pivotal contributions from Jalen Sullinger and Cli’ron Hornbeak.

After Sullinger made a jumper and Hornbeak executed a powerful dunk, Kent State increased its lead to 57-53, prompting a timeout from Western Michigan. Following the break, Sullinger connected on his only successful 3-pointer of the night, finishing the game with 13 points. Cian Medley’s consecutive jumpers boosted the Flashes’ lead to 69-55 with 4:54 left to play.

Defensively, Kent State displayed remarkable intensity, forcing Western Michigan to miss six 3-pointers and securing four steals within the second half. Despite late-game scoring from the Broncos, Kent State’s efforts secured their return to the semifinals for a fourth consecutive year.

The Flashes dominated the first half, heading into halftime with a significant 43-25 lead. Kent State’s defense restricted Western Michigan to a mere 35.7% shooting percentage, as the Flashes’ Marquis Barnett shone brightly, contributing all 18 of his points in the first half alone.

“I do a lot of mental preparation before the game starts. You never know when your number is going to be called,” Barnett shared, reflecting on his performance. “I got a lot of good pieces around me, like Jalen (Sullinger). We all got a lot of confidence.”

Barnett, who previously played three years at Presbyterian, has adapted well to his role off the bench after transferring to Kent State. He highlighted the urgency of the moment as a senior, stating, “It’s win or go home right now. I’m a senior, so I don’t have a next year. Kent State is a March team, so we got to keep that thing going.”

Despite Barnett’s strong performance, Western Michigan’s Lobsinger emerged as a significant threat, scoring 11 of his total 16 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers. The starting guards for the Broncos, Chansey Willis Jr. and Donovan Williams, contributed 12 points each, with Willis ultimately overcoming a tough shooting night.

Senderoff credited his team’s resilience, stating, “Players play, I call out plays and I try to motivate as best I can, but it’s about the guys in the locker room. And those guys have really circled the wagons.”

Moving forward, Kent State aims for a championship game appearance, as they have tasted victory in the MAC tournament previously, winning the title in 2023 and coming in second in 2022 and 2024. With the stakes high, the Golden Flashes look toward their match against Miami, hoping to showcase the lessons learned from their earlier encounters this season.