Furman vs. Kent State Game Notes

Greenville, S.C. – The Furman men's basketball team will open a three-game road trip on Friday night when it visits the M.A.C. Center in Kent, Ohio, to face the Mid-American Conference's Kent State Golden Flashes.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Furman enters the contest at 2-0 after scoring a 69-67 victory over UNC Asheville on Tuesday night at Timmons Arena.  The win, Furman's second straight over the Bulldogs, helped the Paladins to a 2-0 start for the second straight year and third time in the past five seasons.

Senior Amu Saaka leads the Paladins averaging 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while senior point guard Darryl Evans has added 15.5 points per game.   Another senior, Noah States, has posted 13.5 points and 7.0 boards per contest in the opening two games.

Kent State, picked to finish second in the MAC East Division, improved to 3-1 with a 62-59 victory over Robert Morris on Tuesday in a game that was played at 8:00 a.m. as part of ESPN's College Tip-Off Marathon.  Forward Justin Greene has led the Golden Flashes averaging 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season.

Friday's game marks the first meeting between Furman and Kent State and just the third game ever between the Paladins and a Mid-American Conference opponent.  Furman split a pair of games with Bowling Green, winning on the road in 2006-07 before falling at home against the Falcons the following season.

The Paladins will continue their road trip on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. contest against South Carolina State in Orangeburg, S.C., before travelling to Penn State on November 28.