Sunday’s Men’s Basketball Results
Kent State 76, Wright State 72 (OT)
Massachusetts 84, Central Connecticut State 77
No. 2 Purdue 97, Akron 79
South Dakota 83, Western Michigan 78
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Kent State 76, Wright State 72 (OT)
Box Score
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. – Kent State Men's Basketball (4-1) finished up play in The Greenbrier Tip-Off River Division on Sunday afternoon defeating Wright State University in overtime by a 76-72 final score. The Golden Flashes erased a second half deficit to force OT tying the game at 62 before pulling away from the Raiders. Kent State went 2-0 in their first ever appearance in the event.
A rock fight right from the opening tip, The Golden Flashes and Raiders traded blows the entire opening 20 minutes. Wright State held a 13-10 lead at the second media break, and a 19-18 Kent State lead by the third. Kent State was led by Delrecco Gillespie and Rayvon Griffith posting 10 points and eight points in the first half respectively. Wright State spread the ball around allowing them to keep pace with the Blue and Gold with neither team taking an advantage on the scoreboard into the break (32 all). Wright State built a lead in the second half that saw Kent State trailing 45-51 with 10:26 left to play. The Blue and Gold utilized a 16-12 run to close within three points in the final two minutes as cousins Rob Whaley Jr. and Gillespie grinded out tough layups and free throws. A free throw by Morgan Safford and a turnaround jumper from Cian Medley tied the game at 62 in the closing seconds to force overtime. Kent State continued to both outshoot and outrebound Wright state as they did in the closing minutes of the second. The Flashes finished off the Raiders with a 14-9 run with most of their points coming from Gillespie. 76-72 was the final.
Kent State out rebounded Wright State 46 to 32, which worked as one of the difference makers down the stretch in the second half and overtime. Delrecco Gillespie has now posted five double doubles in five games following a 26 point, 17 rebound performance against Wright State. The senior racked up 56 points, 30 rebounds, five assists, and a pair of blocks in two games at the event. Other double-digit Flashes included Cian Medley with 10 points and seven assists, and Morgan Safford with 10 points and nine rebounds. Safford exits The Greenbrier just three points shy of 1,000 on his college career.
Kent State will return home to the MACC to host Eastern Kentucky University on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Massachusetts 84, Central Connecticut State 77
Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. -- Massachusetts basketball (3-1) utilized a 51-point first half performance to earn an 84-77 win over Central Connecticut State (2-2) on Sunday afternoon at the Mullins Center.
The Minutemen were led by Junior K'Jei Parker who set a new career high in points, scoring 22 points with six triples and two assists. Leonardo Bettiol recorded his second double-double of the season with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Marcus Banks Jr. contributed 11 points over the afternoon with four assists, three rebounds, and a pair of steals.
The Blue Devils were led by Darin Smith Jr. who tallied 18 points and an assist in the matchup.
Massachusetts opened the game with an 8-0 run over two minutes capped by a Banks Jr. triple for an early lead.
The Blue Devils tallied their first point with a free throw by Jay Rodgers.
Both teams traded baskets highlighted by a corner 3-pointer from Luka Damjanac to extend the Minuteman lead back to 17-7 with 13:19 on the clock.
A layup from Leonard Bettiol gave Massachusetts a 21-11 with 11:39 remaining in the half.
K'Jei Parker went on a personal 8-0 run to extend the Massachusetts lead to 29-11 with 9:34 left in the first half. Bettiol and Daniel Hankins-Sanford combined for a 5-0 UMass run, making the score 34-13 with 7:42 on the clock.
A dunk from Nico Ashley cut the Massachusetts lead back to 34-15 on the next possession.
After trading points, Banks Jr. found Dimitri Clerc under the basket for a dunk to extend the Minutemen lead, 38-17.
CCSU answered with a 9-2 run over nearly three minutes to pull them within 14, 40-26.
With 1:59 left in the half, Parker led an 11-2 run, giving Massachusetts a 51-28 advantage at the break.
The Blue Devils began the second half with a 13-0 run over nearly three minutes to cut the deficit to 10, 51-41.
Parker answered with a basket from beyond the arc, snapping a Minutemen scoring drought for a 54-41 lead.
The teams matched points with a pair of free throws by Ashley, bringing CCSU within eight with 14:14 left in the game.
Baskets from Dwayne Wimbley Jr. and Bettiol gave Massachusetts a 65-51 lead with 13:15 to play.
The Blue Devils came within eight but a three pointer from Banks Jr. gave the Minutemen some insurance with 9:13 on the clock.
The teams traded baskets, with a layup by Danny Carbuccia keeping the UMass lead at 80-66 with 4:56 remaining.
Gabe Spinelli sparked an 8-0 comeback run in the final four minutes to pull CCSU within six.
Marcus Banks Jr. sank a pair of free throws to ice the game, giving Massachusetts an 84-77 win.
The Minutemen fly to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Jam and face Charleston on Friday, Nov. 21 with tip-off set for 3:00 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with live updates and links available at umassathletics.com or @UMassMBB on X (Twitter).
