Kent State's Delrecco Gillespie put on a show at Alumni Arena, leading his team to an 87-81 win over Buffalo. Gillespie's impressive stat line of 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists was the driving force behind Kent State's victory. The Golden Flashes' strong first half, in which they outscored Buffalo 44-30, set the tone for the rest of the game. Despite a strong effort from Buffalo's Daniel Freitag, who scored 33 points and dished out 7 assists, Kent State's balanced attack and Gillespie's dominance proved too much for the Bulls to overcome.
The first half was marked by Kent State's hot shooting and stifling defense, which held Buffalo to just 30 points. The Golden Flashes' offense was clicking on all cylinders, with Gillespie and Rob Whaley Jr. leading the charge. Whaley Jr. chipped in with 16 points and 10 rebounds, providing a strong complement to Gillespie's efforts. On the other side, Freitag struggled to find his rhythm in the first half, scoring just 10 points as Buffalo trailed by 14 at the break.
In the second half, Buffalo made a concerted effort to get Freitag involved, and he responded with 23 points after halftime. However, Kent State's offense continued to hum along, with Quinn Woidke adding 15 points to help keep the Golden Flashes ahead. Despite a late push from Buffalo, which saw them cut the deficit to just 4 points with under a minute to play, Kent State's lead proved insurmountable. Ryan Sabol and Tim Oboh provided some spark for Buffalo, scoring 16 and 13 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Golden Flashes' strong team performance.
This game was a Quadrant 3 matchup for both teams, and the win will likely have a positive impact on Kent State's tournament resume. With a current net ranking of 140, Kent State want to build on this win and continue to climb the rankings. For Buffalo, the loss will be a missed opportunity to bolster their own resume, as they fell to 14-7 on the season. The Bulls' net ranking of 173 will likely take a hit, making their path to the tournament a bit more difficult.
The victory is a reflection of Kent State's depth and talent, as they were able to overcome a strong individual performance from Freitag and emerge victorious. As the season wears on, Kent State want to build on this win and make a push for a tournament bid. With Gillespie leading the charge, the Golden Flashes have the potential to make some noise in the postseason. For now, they'll enjoy the win and look to keep their momentum going as they continue through their schedule. The win over Buffalo is a significant one for Kent State, and it will be interesting to see how they follow it up in their next game.