Recordpub.com - Golden Flashes stretch hot streak to six

By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

YPSILANTI, Mich. — Anthony Simpson’s best game in a Kent State uniform helped the Golden Flashes extend their winning streak to six games with a 75-68 victory at Eastern Michigan on Thursday night.

The win continued KSU’s dominance over the Mid-American Conference’s West Division. The East-leading Flashes have now won 15 consecutive cross-division games, dating back to a Feb. 2, 2008 in Toledo. The Flashes’ head-to-head streak against Eastern also stands at 14 going all the way back to 1995.

Despite Simpson’s career-high 19 points, his seven rebounds and two soaring alley-oop dunks, this win wasn’t as easy as some of those games from KSU and EMU’s past.

“They are playing well,” said Flashes head coach Geno Ford, whose team improved to 16-7 overall and 7-2 in MAC play. “Eastern has a chance at a winning season. They have three guys who could start for just about any team in the MAC in Brandon Bowdry, Justin Dobbins and Carlos Medlock. And they came in here after as big a win as they”ve had in a long time.

“They beat Akron convincingly the other night, and that certainly got our attention,” Ford said.

The Flashes built a double-digit lead late in the first half when Tyree Evans, Mike McKee, then Evans again strung together three 3-pointers on three straight possessions, turning a tie game into a 27-18 lead.

KSU maintained that double-digit advantage until the closing minutes when Eastern turned the game into a free-throw competition and put a scare into the Flashes.

Simpson drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner with 3:06 to play that appeared to be the dagger, putting the Flashes ahead 62-52.

Add in a layup by Rod Sherman and a home-run ball to Evans for another easy bucket with 1:21 on the clock, and KSU seemed to have a more-than-comfortable 66-54 advantage.

“Unfortunately, the last minute seemed like it took forever,” said Ford. “We got a little sloppy and they hit a bunch of free throws. This is the middle of a four-game-in-eight-night stretch for us, so we are a little leg weary. But we should still play better than we did at the end.”

Eastern hit 8-of-9 from the foul line in the final 1:12 and added a 3-pointers by Medlock to pull as close as five with 28 seconds remaining.

“One minute seemed like five hours,” said Simpson. “It was just free throw, free throw, free throw. And then little freshman Randal Holt stepped to the line and made two for us to end it.”

Holt’s two free throws capped KSU’s 8-for-12 shooting in the final 1:12. Shooting 66.7 percent from the line isn’t great, but it was good enough thanks in large part to the head start provided by Simpson.

“I told (assistant coach Rob) Senderoff I felt good during shootaround,” said Simpson. “I said I was going to shoot it well, and it came true. I got it going early.”

A soaring one-handed, alley-oop dunk on a high toss by Simpson and a press-breaker two-handed oop on a rare lob from 6-foot-10 center Brandon Parks provided two of Simpson’s offensive highlights.

The senior power forward also recorded a career-high with four steals, helping the MAC’s leader in team steals to 12 for the game and a combined 30 in KSU’s last two wins.

“Brandon Bowdry is about as good as there is in this league,” said Ford. “He was a real concern for us. I’m not going to say Anthony Simpson outplayed Bowdry by much, but he certainly held his own against him. To do that against one of the premier power forwards in the league, it was a pretty special performance.”

Bowdry still had a big night, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for the Eagles (11-11, 3-6).

Medlock led all scorers with 22 points on 6-for-15 shooting.

KSU enjoyed another balanced offensive effort, with Sherman and Evans each scoring 14 points to join Simpson in double figures.

The Flashes travel to Central Michigan on Saturday night for a battle of division leaders. The West-leading Chippewas beat Buffalo at home Thursday night to improve to 11-9 overall and 6-2 in MAC play.

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Contact David Carducci at dcarducci@recordpub.com