The Kent State men’s basketball team was picked to finish 3rd in the Mid-American Conference by The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook that was recently released.
Akron and Miami are picked one and two in the league, followed by the Golden Flashes.
Kent State senior Rico Gillespie was named to the All-Conference pre-season team.
“Each game was almost better than the last as the season went on for him,” KSU Head Coach Rob Senderoff told Blue Ribbon about Gillespie. “Now it’s a matter of him going from a guy who was not on a scouting report – or low on a scouting report – to now being a guy who will be prominent on the other team’s scouting report. How can he handle that?”
The Kent State frontcourt was named the top in the league with Gillespie, newcomer Rob Whaley Jr. and others expected to solidify the baseline.
The Flashes open the 2025-2026 season three weeks from Monday when they host Troy in the MAC vs. Sun Belt challenge round one.
SCRIMMAGES: Kent State is scheduled to conduct a closed door scrimmage with Canisius this Saturday at the MAC Center. Canisius is coached by former KSU coach Jim Christian. On October 25 the Golden Flashes head to Saint Bonaventure to battle once again with the long time scrimmage partner Bonnies.
KEN POM RELEASED: The initial KenPom rankings were released over the weekend, with the Flashes ranked 125. Akron leads the MAC at 94, with Miami at 127, Ohio at 154 and Toledo at 166. Troy comes in at 124 and November 10 opponent UNC-Wilmington at 120. The MAC is rated 18th out of 31 conferences.
PREVIEW SHOW: Join us on Tuesday, October 28 from 6-8pm on Spaces on X, for our Kent State Basketball Preview Show. We’ll be talking to Kent State women’s guard Corynne Hauser, women’s head coach Todd Starkey, Morgan Safford from the men, Senderoff, as well as broadcaster Dane Richardson.
