At the beginning of the week, Kent State’s men’s basketball team (19-10, 10-6 Mid-American Conference) had to feel good about their season. The Flashes stood alone at the top of the conference and standout redshirt sophomore forward Jimmy Hall returned to the floor after missing five games with mononucleosis.

 

But over the past week, there has been a build up of uncertainty over where the team will be seeded in the MAC tournament.

 

This uncertainty began Tuesday night when the Flashes gave up a 19-point lead to Miami (12-17, 7-9 MAC) to lose in overtime 86-81. Based on the Redhawks’ record, Miami was the weakest team the Flashes had to play in the last four games.

 

Then, Saturday night’s game would be against a tougher opponent. After winning by 25 points earlier this season, Buffalo (19-9, 10-6 MAC) would again prove to be the better team, winning 71-65.

 

Those two losses dropped the Flashes back to third in the conference, and the final two games of the regular season might not be any easier. Kent State travels to Bowling Green (19-8, 11-5 MAC) Tuesday at 7 p.m. to take on the Falcons, a team that dethroned the Flashes last week for the top spot in the conference. The Flashes lost to Bowling Green at the M.A.C Center in their conference opener, 66-64.

 

Senior forward Richaun Holmes leads the Falcons at 14.4 points per game. Holmes is the only player scoring in double figures per game.

 

Kent State will then wrap up its regular season at home in a rematch against rival Akron (18-11, 9-7 MAC) on Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m. Akron beat the Flashes in their first meeting, 61-52. The loss was one of two suffered while Hall was ill.

 

These two games could be must-wins if the Flashes are to make a run in the conference tournament. Losing both could drop Kent State back to fifth overall, forcing them to win another game at the M.A.C. Center before moving on to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Winning both games gives them the best possible chance to get a top four seed, meaning they’d only have to win two games to win the championship after a first-round bye.

 

Kent State started the week off with things on the bright side. Everything that could go right for the Flashes did. Two games later, and a lot has changed. No longer do the Flashes sit comfortably at the top.

 

Now, with so much on the line, the Flashes start what might be one of the hardest weeks of the regular season. 

Contact  Stephen Means at [email protected].