‘We have to play better’: Kent State men's basketball struggles late in loss to Charleston

KENT — A couple of second-half runs doomed the Kent State men's basketball team on Sunday evening.

The College of Charleston, with the help of its 3-point shooting, defeated the Golden Flashes 84-78. The Cougars (3-3) became the first team to score score more than 80 points this season against the Golden Flashes (4-3).

Reyne Smith scored 21 points and Frankie Policelli added 16 to lead Charleston. They combined for nine of the Cougars 13 3-pointers.

“They made a ton of winning plays when they needed to, and they're a tough team,” coach Rob Senderoff said. “There are a lot of championship-level players on their roster, and they competed that way, especially down the stretch.”

The Cougars (3-3) entered the game shooting 24% from behind the arc, but shot 6-of-14 from 3 in the first half on their way to shooting 13-of-32 on 3s.

“We didn’t do what we needed to take away 3s,” Senderoff said. “We have to get better to win games like this; our schedule is not easy.

"All the games we're playing this season are going to be similar to Charleston.”

After a 20-12 run in the final eight minutes of the half, KSU led 41-35.

However, to start the second half, the Cougars hit five 3-pointers to fuel a 17-0 run, taking a 52-41 lead.

“We didn't come out with a great mindset,” Senderoff said. “They got out in transition, and we didn't get to shooters.”

The Golden Flashes responded by making four of their next five shots, cutting the deficit to  54-52.

“Teams will go on runs throughout the game," junior guard Jalen Sullinger said. “It's how you respond. And I think we responded the right way.”

There were three lead changes during the second half, and the game was tied four times.

The Cougars went on a 12-4 run, scoring all points from the free throw line or in the paint, to take a 66-56 lead with nine minutes left.

Led by Sullinger, who scored a game-high 23 points, the Flashes briefly regained the lead 73-71 in the final four minutes and were down just two in the final minute.

But the Flashes were limited to one basket in the final three minutes. And the Cougars didn't miss a shot over the game's final six minutes to close out the game, going 4-4 from the field (with two more 3s) and 6-for-6 from the foul line.

“They made every big play that a good team makes,” Senderoff said. “And unfortunately, we didn't make the ones we needed to, so we'll learn need to learn from it and get better as we move forward.”

Redshirt junior VonCameron Davis led KSU’s bench, scoring a season-high 19 points.

“Just being ready when coach puts me in,” he said. “Knowing my worth to the team and just playing hard and doing what I need to do.”

Kent's bench scored 30 points Sunday and over the last three games, KSU reserves have averaged 29 points a game.

“We have to get better as a team,” Senderoff said. “It's not about the bench or the starters or this or that we've have to play better, and that's the bottom line.”

KSU shot 50%, compared to Charleston's 44.6%, but the Cougars offset that by outscoring the Flashes 39-18 beyond the arc. Kent shot 6-of-21 on 3s.

“They've got great shooters that just weren't making shots early in the year,” Senderoff said. “But the fact that they shot 32 3s is a problem.”

The Flashes remain home this week, hosting Shawnee State at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Bears (3-3) are an NCAA Division II program averaging 75 points per game. After losing their opener 96-40 to Division I Morehead State, the Bears have played five Division II programs.

“We’ve had a couple of tough losses this season,” Davis said. “But we have to find a way to toughen games out, and hopefully, we can make those tough plays play in the next game.”

Senderoff said these early games are lessons for when Mid-American Conference play begins Jan. 2.

“I don't have a crystal ball and can't tell you how we're going to play in January,” he said. “But if we learn from these things, then it'll help us, and if we're making the same mistakes in January and February we're making today, then that's a problem.

"So it’s my job, and our staff's job, to teach the guys what they need to learn, and it's our player's job to learn it and then go out and execute.”

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kent State men's basketball loses to College of Charleston