Kent State men’s basketball team season ended on March 16, but the beginning of next season started right after. 

The Flashes have lost multiple key players to the transfer portal which includes redshirt junior forward VonCameron Davis, junior guard Jalen Sullinger, sophomore guard Reggie Bass and freshman guard LA Hayes. 

Davis and Sullinger were starters for coach Rob Senderoff while Bass came off the bench. Hayes saw a small amount of playing time as a young player. 

Davis had a great junior season for Kent State averaging 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. Davis also had a remarkable Mid-American conference tournament performance, averaging 18 points and eight rebounds over a three game run where bottom-seeded Kent State made the championship. 

Davis grew into a force in the post and will be targeted as a versatile forward who can score, rebound and defend. 

Sullinger earned the MAC Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2022-2023 season, scoring 8.6 points including 56 three-pointers. 

The Flashes needed a big year from him, and he delivered with 15.4 points per game while playing the most minutes with 34.4 a game. 

The sharpshooter also buried 83 three-pointers this season at a 40% rate. Sullinger will look to bring his shooting and playmaking to a new program next season.

Bass is looking to transfer to his third team in three years. Bass came to Kent State after earning the MAC Freshman of the Year award while playing at Central Michigan. 

He averaged 12.4 points per game including a 40 point performance against Northern Illinois. Since the transfer to Kent State, Bass had an up and down season. He scored 8.7 pointer per game while also scoring double figures in ten games. 

Bass also showed his ability to get to the free throw line shooting 77-91 on the year despite only playing 26 games. 

He missed the MAC tournament run due to an injury. Bass will look to find a new home that can utilize his offensive talent. 

LA Hayes saw the floor in 13 games and started one in his freshman campaign. 

Hayes showed flashes in his lone start against Shawnee State where he scored nine points along with four assists and four steals. Hayes will look to build on performances like this for a new team. 

A possible landing spot for him is Duquesne, as they recently hired his former high school coach’s son Dru Joyce III. 

Joyce coached Hayes to two state championships at Saint Vincent-Saint Mary high school. 

Around the MAC

The rest of the MAC has had a total of 25 players enter the transfer portal, some of which had notable seasons:

• Bowling Green guard Marcus Hill (20.5 ppg, first-team All-MAC)
• Buffalo forward Isaiah Adams (12.8 ppg)
• Buffalo forward Jonnivius Smith (8 ppg, 8.3 rpg)
• Central Michigan guard Derrick Butler (10.7 ppg)
• Central Michigan center Markus Harding (10.2 ppg)
• Eastern Michigan guard Tyson Acuff (21.7 ppg) committed to Rutgers
• Northern Illinois guard David Coit (20.8 ppg)
• Northern Illinois guard Zarique Nutter (15.4 ppg)
• Northern Illinois forward Xavier Amos (13.8 ppg)
• Toledo guard Dante Maddox Jr. (15.6 ppg)
• Toledo guard Ra’Heim Moss (15.5 ppg)
• Toledo guard Tyler Cochran (14.4 ppg)

Western Michigan, Akron and Ohio have had no players enter the transfer portal.

Matt Franos is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected]