Halftime Report
Western Michigan has overcome an early deficit to take the lead back in this one. They have jumped out to a quick 46-40 lead against Kent State.
Western Michigan entered the matchup with eight straight defeats and they're well on their way to making it nine. Can they turn things around, or will Kent State hand them another loss? Only time will tell.
Who's Playing
Western Michigan Broncos @ Kent State Golden Flashes
Current Records: Western Michigan 3-12, Kent State 11-4
How To Watch
- When: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center -- Kent, Ohio
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $8.77
What to Know
Kent State is 9-1 against Western Michigan since January of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. Both will face off in a Mid American battle at 7:00 p.m. ET at Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center. The Golden Flashes will be strutting in after a victory while the Broncos will be stumbling in from a loss.
If Kent State beats Western Michigan with 68 points on Tuesday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two matches with that exact score. Everything went Kent State's way against Buffalo on Friday as Kent State made off with a 68-49 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Golden Flashes.
Kent State can attribute much of their success to VonCameron Davis, who had 20 points in addition to eight rebounds and two steals, and Delrecco Gillespie, who had eight points along with eight rebounds and two blocks. The contest was Davis' fourth in a row with at least 22.4 points.
Kent State smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in 16 consecutive games dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, Western Michigan's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Saturday after their eighth straight defeat. They fell victim to a bruising 91-71 loss at the hands of Miami (Ohio). The Broncos were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 54-23.
Kent State's victory bumped their record up to 11-4. As for Western Michigan, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-12.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Kent State has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 37.5 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Western Michigan struggles in that department as they've been averaging 38.7. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Looking forward, Kent State is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 13 points. For those looking to play the spread, take note: they are a solid 6-3 against the spread when expected to win.
Odds
Kent State is a big 13-point favorite against Western Michigan, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Golden Flashes as a 13.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 138.5 points.
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Series History
Kent State has won 9 out of their last 10 games against Western Michigan.
- Feb 06, 2024 - Kent State 63 vs. Western Michigan 61
- Feb 14, 2023 - Kent State 82 vs. Western Michigan 58
- Jan 03, 2023 - Kent State 80 vs. Western Michigan 72
- Jan 25, 2022 - Kent State 75 vs. Western Michigan 64
- Feb 16, 2021 - Kent State 76 vs. Western Michigan 69
- Jan 09, 2021 - Kent State 80 vs. Western Michigan 54
- Jan 18, 2020 - Western Michigan 67 vs. Kent State 63
- Feb 14, 2019 - Kent State 82 vs. Western Michigan 63
- Jan 08, 2019 - Kent State 88 vs. Western Michigan 73
- Jan 16, 2018 - Kent State 73 vs. Western Michigan 71