Preview: Princeton (2-4) at Kent State (5-2)

Princeton (2-4, 0-0) at Kent State (5-2, 0-0)

Saturday, 7:00 p.m., Memorial A&C Center

Coaches

Princeton: Mitch Henderson, 2^nd year, 22-16

Kent State: Rob Senderoff, 2^nd year, 26-14

Projected lineups

Kent State: F – Mark Henniger, junior, 6-9, 5.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg. F - Chris Evans, Senior, 6-8, 18.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2 apg. G – Randal Holt, senior, 6-1, 16 ppg ,3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg. G – Kellon Thomas, freshman, 5-11, 3.4 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.7 apg. G – Bryson Pope, senior, 6-7, 6.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg.

Key reserve: G – Kris Brewer, sophomore, 6-4, 6.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg.

Princeton: F – Ian Hummer, senior, 6-7, 16 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5 apg, F - Will Barrett, junior, 6-10, 9.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, C - Brendan Connolly, senior, 6-11, 6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, G - Denton Koon, sophomore, 6-8, 5.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, G – T.J. Bray, junior, 6-5, 6.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4 apg.

Key reserve: G – Clay Wilson, sophomore, 6-3, 8.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg

Quick take: Despite losing four starters, the Golden Flashes were picked to finish 3^rd in the MAC’s preseason media poll. Their biggest win of the season so far came against Nebraska last Saturday, when they knocked off the Cornhuskers 74-60 in Lincoln (Nebraska is now 5-1 with a win over Wake Forest).

Kent State’s one returning starter, guard Randall Holt, has expectedly taken over much of the scoring duties, but the Golden Flashes have also a huge start from senior forward Chris Evans. Coming off the bench last year, Evans averaged 9.5 points and 4.1 rebounds in 21 minutes—numbers he’s nearly doubled through the first seven games.

The Golden Flashes, however, will be without starting freshman guard Chris Ortiz, who fractured his foot in Kent State’s 85-78 overtime win against Youngstown State. I’m guessing that coach Senderoff will go with senior Bryson Pope in Ortiz’s absence, though Melvin Tabb or Kris Brewer could be possibilities.

Coach Henderson’s take: “It’s another difficult game. They had a really nice win on the road at Nebraska. Unfortunately we have to react a little bit to what was a really tough loss for us but we’ll be ready to get going. It’s going to be a tough game on the road.”