Kent State tangles with No. 13 Kansas

Dec 30, 2014 - 3:35 PM Lawrence, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of teams off to similar starts get together on Tuesday night, as the Kent State Golden Flashes come calling on the 13th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks.

No one is going to mistake Kent State for an elite team, but the squad from the unheralded Mid-American Conference may be catching Kansas at the right time. The Jayhawks recently suffered their second loss of the season to an underwhelming Temple squad in Philadelphia last week, and in embarrassing fashion no less (77-52).

The Golden Flashes also lost their last outing, falling in a 78-75 decision at home to UTEP three days before Christmas. The loss ended the team's four-game win streak, and despite being 8-3 on the season, KSU's detractors are quick to point out the fact that the Flashes haven't beaten a quality team. Kent State tips off MAC action at home against Bowling Green on Jan. 7.

Kansas had won eight straight prior to its recent setback. At 9-2, the other loss coming against top-ranked Kentucky (72-40) in Indianapolis back on Nov. 18, the Jayhawks are hoping to get back on track and build up another head of steam as Big 12 Conference play is set to begin at Baylor on Jan. 7.

This bout marks only the second meeting between these two schools in men's basketball, with Kansas winning the first in an 87-60 final in Lawrence on Dec. 1, 2008.

Jimmy Hall logged a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, but that effort went for naught as Kent State dropped a three-point decision to UTEP last week. Derek Jackson scored 16 points and Devareaux Manley 13 more for the Golden Flashes, who shot just 39.7 percent from the field, going 9-of-28 from 3-point range in the process, while converting only 12-of-21 free throws. Conversely, the Miners made good on 52.3 percent of their total shots, and attempted a whopping 40 free throws, converting 27 of them. KSU committed fewer than half the turnovers UTEP did (7-15).

Hall is netting 13.7 ppg to lead four players in double figures for Kent State this season, as the team generates just 65.5 ppg in hitting 42.1 percent of its total shots, which includes a 39 percent showing from beyond the arc. Manley (11.7 ppg), Kris Brewer (10.8 ppg) and Jackson (10.1 ppg) round out the offensive-minded quartet, and the Golden Flashes own narrow margins in both rebounding (+2.9) and turnovers (+2.0), while permitting just 58.8 ppg behind typical shooting outputs of .394 overall and .311 from 3-point land.

Poor shooting and suspect defense were the culprits in Kansas' humiliating loss to Temple, as the Jayhawks found the bottom of the net on only 32.1 percent of their field goal attempts, while the Owls were successful 58.3 percent of the time. KU was guilty of 17 turnovers, and was dominated in points off turnovers (21-4) as well as points in the paint (34-18). Frank Mason III appeared to be the only guy who showed up for coach Bill Self's squad, as he drained four 3-pointers en route to a game-high 20 points.

Kansas is scoring 70.2 ppg this season, shooting almost as well from beyond the arc (.392) as it is the field overall (.417). The team's defensive stand allows for opponents to net 65 ppg, and the Jayhawks are +6.3 in rebounding margin, but they've been guilty of 143 giveaways (13 per tilt). Perry Ellis leads the squad in both scoring and rebounding, although his 12.5 points and 6.3 caroms per contest aren't going to scare many opponents. Mason is next with 11.7 ppg, and he serves as KU's primary playmaker with 3.9 apg.