On Jan. 21 the Kent State men’s basketball team was sitting at a .500 record both overall and in the Mid-American Conference.

The Flashes are now 14-9 on the year and 9-4 in the MAC after beating Bowling Green 76-68 for their fifth straight win. 

It was a slow half offensively for the Flashes.

“We had a couple stretches where we struggled,” head coach Rob Senderoff said. “I think this was the second time in league play that Bowling Green was held under 70, and that was a goal of ours.”

Kent State shot just 39 percent (11-28) and 38 percent (5-13) from behind the arc. The team also struggled from the foul line shooting just 28 percent (2-7).

KSU also had issues turning the the ball over, having 12 turnovers. 

However, the Flashes defense was able to force 13 turnovers in the first half to keep the team up by one with a score of 29-28 at the half. 

“About a month ago we probably couldn’t have gotten the lead back,” Senderoff said. “That’s developed in the growth of our team and our players.”

For most of the second half, Kent State and Bowling Green went back and forth on offense. 

That was until Kent State went on a 14-4 run towards the end of the half to put them up 67-55. 

KSU drastically improved on offense, shooting 60 percent (17-28) and 53 percent (7-13) from the three-point line.

Redshirt junior guard Sincere Carry led the way with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Redshirt sophomore Giovanni Santiago has seemed to have found his rhythm, scoring 18 points with four assists and two rebounds. Graduate student guard Andrew Garcia added 16 points with eight rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.

“Everybody is just playing more confident,” Santiago said. “Our energy has been great all the way from the bench to the guys that are playing.”

The Flashes will look to keep the win streak going when the team takes on Akron on Friday.

“Akron is very, very good,” Senderoff said. “We’ll have to play really well to win on the road there, that was probably our best win of the season at home.”

Jacob Hansen is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].