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Kent State men's basketball plays host to Central Michigan before showdown with Zips

staff report
·2 min read

The game: Kent State plays host to Central Michigan in a Mid-American Conference game at the MACC at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

TV/radio: ESPN+ / 850 AM ESPN Cleveland.

Chris Payton, a senior, had 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots against Buffalo on Friday night.
Chris Payton, a senior, had 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots against Buffalo on Friday night.

Records: Kent State is 17-4 overall and 7-1 in the MAC after defeating Buffalo 74-68 on Friday. Central Michigan is 8-13, 3-5, snapping a three-game losing streak with a 70-69 win at home over Western Michigan on Saturday.

The coaches: Rob Senderoff is 236-144 in his 12th season at Kent State. Tony Barbee is 15-36 in two seasons at Cent. Mich. And 146-163 in 10 seasons overall.

Series history: Kent St. Leads 51-34. The teams split last year’s home-and-home series; the Chippewas won at the MACC, 72-69, on Dec. 29, 2021, and KSU won 73-71 at CMU on Feb. 26.

Kent State lineup: 6-1 R-Sr. Sincere Carry (17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists per game); 6-8 R-Sr. Miryne Thomas (11.0, 5.9, 0.6), 6-1 R-Jr. Giovanni Santiago (7.6, 2.0, 1.8), 6-3 R Sr. Malique Jacobs (12.3, 4.9, 3.3) and 6-9 Soph. Cli’Ron Hornbeak (5.7, 6.0, 0.4).

Central Michigan lineup: 6-8 Fr. Ola Ajiboye (3.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 0.7 apg); 6-10 Soph. Markus Harding (8.9, 4.5, 0.8); 6-6 Sr. Brian Taylor (13.9, 6.4, 1.3); 6-4 Fr. Reggie Bass (9.3, 3.6, 2.7), and 6-4 Fr. Max Majerle (4.0, 2.3, 0.4).

Notes: Six-three junior Jesse Zarzuela didn’t start against Western Michigan, but he played 34 minutes and scored a game-high 25 points for CMU on Saturday. He missed five games earlier in the season but is the team’s leading scorer (17.1) and has averaged 24.5 ppg in four games since Jan. 14. … The Flashes held Buffalo to .333 shooting (22-of-66) on Friday and forced 15 turnovers. … Sincere Carry had 24 points and seven assists for KSU. … 6-7 Sr. Chris Payton started for only the second time this season (in place of Cli’Ron Hornbeak) and 12 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots.

Next: Kent State travels to Akron for a first-place showdown at 9 p.m. Friday.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State men's basketball to play Central Michigan at home