Junior Kevin Warzynski pushes his way past defenders for a layup against Buffalo earlier this year. The men’s team travels to Marshall today and is hoping to come home with its first Mid-American Conference road win.

Credit: Matt Goul

Playing the last-place team with no conference wins is not necessarily a telling game.

For Marshall, there may be an exception.

Kent State has yet to win a Mid-American Conference game on the road. Marshall has yet to win a MAC game at home or on the road. One or the other will give when the Flashes (13-7, 5-4 MAC) play at Marshall (3-14, 0-8 MAC) tonight.

If coach Jim Christian can take any relief in the road losses, it’s that other teams have not fared better.

Between Ball State, Ohio, Western Michigan and Toledo — the Flashes’ conference road defeats — only Western Michigan has lost a home game entering play last night. The Broncos had a 25-game home winning streak, which was the second-longest in the nation, before losing 66-65 to Ball State.

Kent State’s three non-conference losses are even more staggering.

Marquette (15-5) had a 34-game home winning streak snapped by No. 14 Arizona earlier this season. The Golden Eagles have two home losses. Old Dominion, which was 18-3 going into last night’s home game with Drexel, is undefeated at home. No. 5 Boston College is undefeated.

“When you really get tested in this league is on the road under adverse situations,” Christian said. “When another team makes a run and gets into the game, you have to respond.”

Bracket Buster announced

Southern Illinois will be Kent State’s opponent as part of ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday Feb. 19.

The Salukis (16-5, 7-2 Missouri Valley Conference) have three straight NCAA Tournament appearances and conference titles to boast. The Flashes beat another MVC team, Creighton, in last year’s Bracket Buster game. This is the third time Kent State is playing at home in the Bracket Buster’s three years.

Contact men’s basketball reporter Matt Goul at [email protected].