Late Breaking Game with Kent

 Welcome to COVIDball.

BG was minding their business after the cancellation of the NIU game and thinking about Toledo and BOOM, they are playing tomorrow against Kent.

Crazy year.  I agree with what the MAC is doing...or at least I get it.  If two teams are healthy and have an open date, than let's get the game in now before one or the other has virus issues, which have happened to about half the MAC teams this year.

So, Kent is up next, making it a very tough week for BG, playing two of the top teams in the MAC, probably the top 2 to date.

Kent is really good.  They are 7-4, but their losses are to #7 Virginia in OT, Toledo by 2, twice, and Akron by 4.  They are right on the edge of being very good.  The total of those MAC losses is dwarfed by any one of BG's.  They are 4-3 in the MAC, with wins over UB, OU, WMU and CMU, three teams BG has also beaten.

Their only home loss this year was to Toledo.

So, here is how things stack up.  BG has been struggling and they are now #7 in the MAC in offense.  Kent is #3.  Even given the last "horrendous" game on defense, BG is still #2 in the MAC and that's going to be the key matchup.  BG has got to get stops against these guys.  

The two teams play at exactly the same pace, 72 possessions per game

How does Kent get to just a strong offense.  It is interesting. They are just #6 in shooting, #7 in turnovers and #6 in Free throw rate.  They are #6 in the MAC in FT%, making 75%.  (The MAC is the 9th best FT shooting conference right now).  

What sets them apart is offensive rebounds.  They are #1 in the MAC and #9 in the country in offensive rebounds.  BG is going to need to be on the boards.  Their last three opponents have had good games on the offensive boards, and that's the key to Kent's offense and the key to getting stops.

They don't try that many 3FGs...9th most in the MAC.  They are 7th at making 3FGs and 4th at making 2FGs...BG is 2nd in the MAC defending the 2FG, so that should also be worth watching.

Kent does nothing great nor poorly on defense.  They are #6 against the shot, #9 at forcing turnovers, #5 on their defensive boards and #6 at keeping their opponents off the line.  They lead the MAC in blocked shot percentage.  Here, I honestly feel like BG has to start making some shots.  If they can clear the defensive boards, there should be some transition opportunities since Kent crashes the boards.

Individually, this program operates in a really interesting manner.  They are transfer central.  It's just amazing.

Their leading scorer is Danny Pippen, 3rd in the MAC with 20.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG, a double-double.  He's inflated a little by poor 3FG shooting.  He's tried half of his shots from 3FG range and makes 29%.  He does make 59% of his 2FGs.  He gets fouled a lot and makes 77% of his FTs.  He's also #1 in blocked shots in the MAC.

Mike Nuga is scoring 19.9 PPG. He played JUCO and at Portland State.  He's the most efficient offensive player in the MAC.  He makes 51% of his 2FGs and 43% of his 3FGs and he takes a lot.  He also makes 81% of his FTs.

Tervell Beck is a 6'7" JR and is in his second year at Kent, though it was UNLV before that.  He scored 15 against BG last year.  He's scoring 11PPG on 63% shooting and 5.4 PPG in 24 in minutes.  He also is over 80% at the line.

Justyn Hamilton, a 6'11" transfer from Temple is averaging 6.4 RPG.

Pippen, Beck, and Hamilton are #3,4,5 respectively in the MAC in offensive rebounding.

Overall, the Flashes have 6 players how have played basketball elsewhere.

This is a team with a strong inside game and I worry about the matchup because our best lineup is a smaller lineup.  BG's defense is going to be the key determinant.  We have even played a little zone this year, I wonder if we might see that.

And BG could really use a win heading to the Toledo game Saturday.