Another week away from Kent might not be such a bad thing for the Kent State men’s basketball team.

After a clunker of a home loss to Princeton Saturday night, the Flashes (5-3) pack their bags once again this week for games at Bucknell and Xavier.

The road has been friendly to Kent State this season, with the Flashes posting a perfect record in their first two games away from the M.A.C. Center.

Kent State defeated Nebraska 74-60 Nov. 24, and outlasted Youngstown State 85-78 in overtime Wednesday night.

The Flashes’ brief one-game home stand didn’t yield similar results. Kent State struggled from the opening tip and fell to Princeton, 62-50, its third home loss of the season. The team that took the floor for Kent State looked much different from the squad that played well enough to earn its first road victory against a Big Ten opponent since 1970.

Kent State will look to get back to its winning play tonight when it travels to Lewisburg, Pa., to face Bucknell (7-1). But after struggling to defend Princeton center Brendan Connolly (11 points, three rebounds in 23 minutes Saturday), the Flashes will face an even tougher challenge in Bucknell center Mike Muscala.

The 6-foot-11 senior scored 29 points and grabbed 19 rebounds on Saturday, leading Bucknell to a come-from-behind victory against Columbia. Muscala is averaging a double-double for Bucknell in 2012, with 17.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Senior guard Bryson Johnson and junior guard Cameron Ayers also average double figures in points, with 12.9 and 11.4.

Kent State is led by seniors Chris Evans and Randal Holt. Evans scored 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the loss to Princeton. Holt managed just nine points versus Princeton, but scored 21 points in the win against Youngstown State.

The Flashes and Bison tip off at 7 p.m. at Bucknell’s Sojka Pavilion.

Contact Nick Shook at [email protected].