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Kent, OH – After coming off a home-opening 107-93 overtime loss on Monday to Troy, the Kent State looked to rebound against the Cornell Big Red. Kent State is coming off a 24-14 2024-25 season in which they reached the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament (MAC) and the third round of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), losing to Loyola Chicago. The Golden Flashes graduated four impact players last year and is now looking for older players to step up to lead them this season. Kent State topped Cornell tonight, 110-102 in a shootout.
It was a fast start for the Golden Flashes as 6’4 graduate guard Morgan Safford started things off with a catch and shoot three-pointer to get Kent State on the board first. Safford used his quick burst off the dribble to create offensive opportunities all night for the Golden Flashes. The game would turn into a shooting exhibition in the first half as Cornell’s 6’2 senior guard Connor Noard would take it upon himself to lead the Big Red in scoring 34 points on 10-of-18 from the field, including 5-of-12 from behind the arc. He used his quick burst and muscular build to create contact on drives and force defenders to commit fouls in the paint as he shot 9-of-9 from the free throw line.
From a scouting perspective, Kent State’s Morgan Safford showed he was the best player on the floor, getting to his spots and being lethal all night in the catch and shoot, scoring 34 points on a robust 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the field, including shooting 9-of-15 (60.0%) from deep. The graduate guard showed that he has a strong mechanical shot release and follow-through on his shot. Safford also made his impact felt on the defensive end as Kent State stepped up its energy in the second half, accumulating four steals. Another big impact player was starting senior forward 6’8 Delrecco Gillespie, who finished with a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. He led the defensive effort for the Golden Flashes using his quick feet to contest basket drives and vertical and lateral length to contest and challenge shots at the rim, coming away with two blocks on the night.
Kent State’s starting point guard, junior 5’11”. Cian Medley contributed with 12 points in 26 minutes, knocking down 3-of-4 from behind the arc and forcing a steal. Even though Medley didn’t jump out with his numbers statistically, he showed he can handle the starting point guard responsibilities, handling the ball versus full-court pressure while staying strong defensively himself in the pick and roll and on switches in the halfcourt. Graduate forward/center 6’7, 289-pound Rob Whaley Jr. also impacted both ends of the floor for Kent State with his physicality on the glass. He used his weight and big body to create low-post scoring opportunities as he chipped in with 10 points in 16 minutes of action.
Two players who didn’t necessarily stand out in the box score but made huge impacts in the game were freshman backup point guard 6’2 Omer Hamama, who had 10 assists and seven points in 19 minutes, and graduate 6’9 forward Magnus Entenmann. Hamama orchestrated the offense all night for the Golden Flashes, showing he could handle full-court pressure and facilitate the ball, finding open shooters. The duo of Omer Hamama and Morgan Safford were in sync all night in the high pick-and-roll and catch-and-shoot game for Kent State. Entenmann made all the little winning plays for Kent State. He secured seven rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, and displayed his high motor by being the first to dive on the floor after a loose ball, forcing jump balls and turnovers in a close second half. Entenmann has physical strength and tools that also jump out when evaluating him, which he uses to make small impacts on both ends of the floor.
Despite the lead being close at times in the first half, Kent State never trailed, leading 78-60 in the second half. A few late defensive stops by the Golden Flashes secured their first win of the 2025-26 season.
This article was written by Nate Koesel, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.
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