Preview: Surging Kent State Visits Struggling Central Michigan in MAC Play

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Saturday when the Kent State Golden Flashes visit the Central Michigan Chippewas in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball game at McGuirk Arena.

Kent State (12-3, 2-0 MAC) enters riding a wave of momentum, having won seven of its last eight games, including a 96-93 home victory over Bowling Green on Tuesday. The Golden Flashes’ high-powered offense is averaging 84.5 points per game.

Central Michigan (4-12, 0-2), meanwhile, looks to halt a six-game losing streak. The Chippewas’ last win came against non-Division I Olivet on Dec. 17, and they are coming off an 82-69 loss at Akron.

The matchup features two of the conference’s top individual scorers. Kent State is led by dynamic guard Delrecco Gillespie, who is averaging 21.6 points per game. He is coming off a 32-point performance against Bowling Green and scored 28 points with nine rebounds in a win over Northern Illinois on Jan. 3.

Central Michigan will counter with guard Tamario Adley, its most consistent offensive threat. Adley is averaging 12.1 points and 3.9 assists per game. He scored a season-high 20 points in the loss at Akron.

Kent State’s success has been bolstered by strong supporting play. Guard Morgan Safford added 22 points against Bowling Green, and point guard Cian Medley dished out 10 assists in that contest.

For Central Michigan, finding secondary scoring behind Adley is critical. Forward Nathan Claerbaut provides an interior presence, averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game.

The Golden Flashes have dominated recent matchups, winning the last five meetings. In their only game last season, Kent State defeated Central Michigan 79-73 on Feb. 20, 2025.

Saturday’s game tips off at 2:30 p.m. EST. Kent State will look to maintain its share of the early MAC lead, while Central Michigan seeks a desperately needed conference win to turn its season around.