Herd Host Looking to Break Losing Streak Against Kent State
by Grant TraylorHuntington News Network Sportswriter
Huntington (HNN) — The Kent State Golden Flashes have owned Marshall at their home court in basketball competition over the years. Now, Marshall gets the opportunity to give the Flashes the same home hospitality on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005.
Kent State (13-7, 5-4 Mid-American Conference) has not won a conference game on the road this season and has lost eight straight dating back to last season.
Marshall (3-14, 0-8 Mid-American Conference) will look to extend the Golden Flashes road futility and pick up the team's first conference victory of the season.
Leading the way for Kent State is Kevin Warzynski with 12.8 points per contest. He scored 20 against Marshall in Kent State's 75-66 win over Marshall at the M.A.C. Center on Jan. 22.
The Golden Flashes also house Jason Edwin, who was the MAC player of the week for the week of Jan. 24-30.
Edwin received the honor by averaging 16 points a game in wins over IPFW, Buffalo and Marshall. During that span, he hit 9-of-14 three-point attempts, including a perfect 4-of-4 against the Thundering Herd.
In the game on Jan. 22, Marshall found themselves down 42-22 before crawling back late. That has been the norm for Marshall's basketball team this season as they have been behind at the half in 13 of 17 contests. Marshall's only win after trailing at the half came against WVU on Jan. 11.
After trailing by 20 to Kent State at the half, Marshall climbed within six at 67-61 late in the second half, but four consecutive missed three-pointers helped Kent State escape with the win.
A.W. Hamilton scored 20 points in the contest while Tre Whitted scored 18 and Mark Patton had a double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds.
Marshall is also on a four-game home losing streak with the last victory coming against High Point on Dec. 21, 2004.
Kent State holds the all-time lead in the series 27-26, but Marshall has a 4-3 home advantage since rejoining the MAC in 1997.