HADLEY, Mass. (Interstat) — Kent State built a large first-half lead and withstood a second-half push to defeat Massachusetts 69-59 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Mullins Center. The Golden Flashes led 35-24 at halftime. The Minutemen cut the deficit to six points in the second half but got no closer. Quinn Woidke led Kent State with 19 points, while Delrecco Gillespie added 18 points and two blocks. Leonardo Bettiol scored 14 points for Massachusetts. Kent State improved to 10-2. Massachusetts fell to 8-4. An announced crowd of 3,104 attended.

HADLEY, Mass. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by cold shooting and critical second-half stops, the Kent State Golden Flashes grinded out a 69-59 victory over the Massachusetts Minutemen in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday at the Mullins Center. The Golden Flashes, improving to 10-2, never trailed after the opening minute but were forced to withstand a persistent second-half push from the Minutemen, who fell to 8-4. Kent State’s 11-point halftime cushion proved vital as both teams labored offensively after the break. Kent State’s defense set the tone early, holding Massachusetts to just 24 points on 7-of-28 shooting in the first half. The Golden Flashes built their lead to as many as 13 points before halftime, capitalizing on a 13-5 advantage in points off turnovers. The Minutemen, however, emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, opening the second half on a 13-5 run to cut the deficit to 40-37 with 16:18 remaining, fueled by Leonardo Bettiol and Daniel Hankins-Sanford inside. The game’s pivotal sequence came shortly after that surge. With the lead trimmed to three, Kent State’s Delrecco Gillespie answered with a tough turnaround jumper. On the ensuing Massachusetts possession, the Golden Flashes’ defense forced a miss, and Gillespie secured the defensive rebound. He then found Morgan Safford in the corner, who drained a critical three-pointer to push the lead back to eight and force a Massachusetts timeout with 16:18 left. That sequence halted the Minutemen’s momentum for good. Massachusetts would get no closer than six points the rest of the way, as Kent State’s defense repeatedly forced difficult shots. The Minutemen shot just 32.7% from the floor for the game, including 6 of 18 from three-point range. Kent State was not much more efficient, shooting 42.1% overall, but made key plays when needed. Gillespie, a 6-foot-8 forward from Benton Harbor, Michigan, was the game’s most impactful player, finishing with 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 35 minutes. His defensive presence, including two crucial late-game blocks on drives by Massachusetts’ Bettiol and Marcus Banks, helped seal the win. Guard Quinn Woidke led all scorers with 19 points for Kent State, hitting three three-pointers. For Massachusetts, Bettiol, a 6-foot-9 forward from Roncade, Italy, provided the primary offensive spark with 14 points, though he was hampered by five turnovers. The Minutemen struggled to find consistent scoring elsewhere, with only Hankins-Sanford reaching double figures alongside Bettiol. The game was a stark contrast in styles. Kent State, organized by the Mid-American Conference, won by dominating inside with 30 points in the paint and by converting Massachusetts’ 14 turnovers into 13 points. The Minutemen, who held a slim 14-10 edge in fastbreak points, could not overcome their overall shooting woes or contain Gillespie on both ends of the floor. A crowd of 3,104 watched as the game’s final score of 128 combined points fell well below the over/under line of 166.5, underscoring the defensive nature of the contest. Kent State now looks ahead to a road test at Purdue on Dec. 29. Massachusetts will return to action quickly, hosting UMass Boston on Monday.

Preview of Kent State vs. Massachusetts Men’s Basketball HADLEY, Mass. (Interstat) — Two of the Mid-American Conference’s hottest teams will meet in a high-stakes non-conference showdown Saturday when the Kent State Golden Flashes visit the Massachusetts Minutemen at the Mullins Center. Kent State (9-2) enters riding a potent offense, averaging 94.5 points per game, but is looking to rebound from its first loss since November, a 88-78 defeat at Portland on Dec. 14. The Golden Flashes are led by guard Delrecco Gillespie, who scored 21 points in that loss and is averaging 16.7 points over his last five games. His versatility was on full display in a Nov. 22 win over Cleveland State, where he posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Massachusetts (8-3) has won five straight, including an impressive 103-95 road victory at Florida State on Dec. 13. The Minutemen’s surge has been fueled by guard Daniel Hankins-Sanford, who matched a career-high with 24 points against the Seminoles. Over the winning streak, he is averaging 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, providing consistent scoring alongside teammate K’Jei Parker, who also dropped 24 points at Florida State. This matchup pits Kent State’s high-octane attack against a UMass defense that has held opponents to 70.2 points per game during its five-game win streak. The Golden Flashes have topped 90 points in seven games this season but were held under 80 in their loss at Portland. The game serves as a final major non-conference test for both squads before MAC play begins in January. Kent State will look to re-establish its offensive rhythm on the road, while Massachusetts aims to defend its home court and extend its streak to six, leveraging the momentum from its best win of the season. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Kent State visits Purdue on Dec. 29, while Massachusetts hosts UMass Boston on Dec. 22.