by This coverage is brought to you by – Aspen Property Services – http://www.aspenservices.net/
Aspen Property Services is celebrating their 5-Year Anniversary and offering 10% off new Landscaping / Hardscaping projects booked by May 31. Call and ask for details at 720-215-1786. If you want your yard to look perfect, leave it up to the pro’s of Aspen Property Services!
CLEVELAND, OH – March has officially begun, and the 2024 Mid-American Conference tournament is underway. Coming into the game it was the 8th seeded, and defending tournament champions, the Kent State Golden Flashes facing the 1st seed Toledo Rockets. Toledo has been the 1 seed in the tournament for four consecutive years.
Coming into the tournament it was doubted how well Kent State would defend their title after a difficult regular season. The 2024 Golden Flashes lost three key pieces of their championship team due to graduation.
The game started the way that most would expect with the 1 seed seemingly in control, but Kent State proved that they would not go away, and for the majority of the game had the lead. Kent State led for 32 minutes in this highly physical tournament game. Players like VonCameron Davis stepped up for Kent State, Davis scoring early and often for the Flashes and despite fouling out in the fourth quarter finished the game with 26 points.
Kent State pulled off the upset against Toledo, winning by a final score of 67-59. It was defense that secured the upset win for Kent State, Cli’ron Hornbeak stepped up for Kent State’s defense coming up with three blocked shots for Kent State, despite Hornbeak also being in foul trouble, he still played with physical defense.
Jalen Sullinger who had an inconsistent season for Kent State, came up with 14 points. Senior leader Giovanni Santiago came with up 12 points of his own, Santiago who was injured in the 2023 MAC tournament when Kent State won the championship, this is his first MAC tournament game since the 2022 championship.
Toledo for the fourth straight year won the MAC regular season championship, and for the fourth straight year Toledo did not win the conference tournament. There will be many questions about the program heading into the offseason after another tournament failure.
A reason for Toledo’s struggle in this seasons tournament was at the free throw line, Toledo shot 47% at the free throw line, and a few more makes at the line could have led to the potential win for the top seed in the tournament.
With the MAC tournament it is three games in three days, and Kent State will have a quick turn around tomorrow, and they will either be playing Bowling Green who is the 5th seed or the 4th seed Central Michigan. Head Coach Rob Senderoff said he will game plan with the other coaches as the day progresses. It will be an interesting to see how far this Kent State team can go with the odds being stacked against them.
