MORAGA, Calif. — The final matchup inside UCU Pavilion of 2023 will feature a pair of 2023 NCAA Tournament teams, as the Gaels play host to the defending MAC Champion Kent State Golden Flashes. The Gaels are coming off of a brutal four game in seven day stretch in which they went 3-1, and will look to close out non-conference play with their ninth win before starting WCC play in the New Year.
THE DETAILS
Saint Mary's Gaels (8-6) vs. Kent State Golden Flashes (7-4)
Friday, December 29 at 5:00 PM
UCU Pavilion - Moraga, Calif.
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FREE THROW CONSISTENCY
Coming into last week's three game slate, the Gaels had shot sub 70% from the free throw line in six straight, and had not once shot better than 76% from the stripe. That changed last week, with the Gaels shooting better than 80% in all three contests. On the week, Saint Mary's shot, 33-38 from the free throw line, good for 86.8%. Mitchell Saxen put up a stellar 9-11 performance on the week from the stripe, while Augustas Marciulionis (8-8) and Joshua Jefferson (7-7) did not miss. It was the Gaels best three game free throw shooting stretch since the 2021-22 season, when SMC went 40-42 (95.2%) from the line against LMU, Santa Clara and San Diego between Feb. 5 and 10.
MAKING THE GAELS TICK
Augustas Marciulionis has been the definition of stellar point guard play in his last over his last seven contests. Over that stretch, Augustas has averaged nearly 14 points per game, and has collected 31 assists, having at least three in each contest. Over this past week's three matchups, the Gaels were +59 with Augustas on the floor. Now a junior, Marciulionis has really seemed to come into his own this season, showing why Head Coach Randy Bennett tabbed him as the starting point guard this season.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN FLASHES
The defending MAC Tournament Champions, the Kent State Golden Flashes, make their way to Moraga to wrap up non-conference play for the 2023-24 season. The Golden Flashes are off to another strong start at 7-4 under the 13th year direction of Head Coach Rob Senderoff. Picked to finish second in the MAC this season, the Golden Flashes graduated 2023 MAC Defensive Player of the Year Malique Jacobs and First Team All-MAC Selection Sincere Carry. That said, this season, they have been led by their two preseason all-conference honorees, Chris Payton Jr. and Jalen Sullinger, averaging a combined 29.7 points per game. The two do it in very different ways, with Sullinger, a 5-10 shooting guard, knocking down 43% of his perimeter jump shots, and Payton, a 6-7 power forward, connecting on 53% of his shots inside the arc and also shooting at 78% from the free throw line in 73 trips. Both Payton and Sullinger played big minutes off the bench for Golden Flashes a year ago, but the team also returns last year's starters Giovanni Santiago (2022-23: 7.5 PPG, 38% 3pt) and Cli'Ron Hornbeak (2022-23: 5.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG). Santiago will run the point for Kent State, while Hornbeak mans the center position, with both serving in facilitator roles. Rounding out the starting five is wing Reggie Bass, who transferred to Kent State from Central Michigan after earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors. VonCameron Davis is the top scoring option off the bench, and can start against bigger opponents for the Golden Flashes, like the Gaels. Kent State is a physical team, who likes to draw contact in the low post, and make teams pay by converting at the charity stripe. The team ranks in the top-25 in free throws made per game and free throw percentage, so the Gaels will need to avoid pointing Kent State at the line. That physicality does carry over into their defensive play as well, as they are committing 19 fouls per game on average. This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the Gaels and Golden Flashes, and their first since the opening round of the 2011 NIT. The Gaels lead the all-time series 3-2.
