NCAAB · Final

Kent State Tops Buffalo in Close Contest

Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 6:30 PM ET · Broadview Arena

Kent State Golden Flashes 87, Buffalo Bulls 81, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Kent State Golden Flashes vs Buffalo Bulls?

Kent State Golden Flashes beat Buffalo Bulls 87-81 at Broadview Arena on January 13, 2026.

Who was favored in Kent State Golden Flashes vs Buffalo Bulls?

Kent State Golden Flashes were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -130 (about 57% implied). The favorite won.

In a closely contested matchup, the Kent State Golden Flashes emerged victorious against the Buffalo Bulls with a final score of 87-81. This game, held at the Broadview Arena, showcased two teams with identical records of 13-4, making it a significant fixture in the NCAAB landscape. Both teams entered the game with strong recent performances, each boasting a 7-3 record over their last ten games, but Kent State's ability to execute in crucial moments ultimately secured their win.

The Buffalo Bulls had a solid home record of 2-1 in their last three games, while their away performance was slightly better at 5-2. In their last five games, they averaged 85.2 points scored while allowing 72.8 points, indicating a potent offense but some vulnerabilities on defense. However, they were coming off a loss against the Ohio Bobcats, which may have impacted their momentum heading into this game.

On the other hand, Kent State had a mixed bag of results in their recent outings. They also held a 1-3 record in away games, but they had been more successful at home with a perfect 6-0 record. Their scoring average in the last five games was 77.4, with an average of 82.6 points allowed, suggesting that while they could score, they were also prone to giving up points. Kent State was also coming off a narrow loss to the Central Michigan Chippewas, which could have added pressure to perform in this matchup.

In terms of head-to-head meetings, this was the second encounter between the two teams in the current season. In their previous meeting on January 10, 2025, Kent State defeated Buffalo 68-49, giving them a 1-0 advantage in the series. This prior victory could have given Kent State a psychological edge going into this game.

Injuries did not appear to play a significant role in this matchup, as no specific players were mentioned as unavailable or affected. Both teams fielded their regular rosters, which contributed to the competitive nature of the game.

The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Kent State favored by 2.5 points, with a total set at 165.5. The odds reflected a close contest, which was indeed the case as the game unfolded. Kent State's moneyline was set at -130, while Buffalo's was +110, indicating that the market favored the Golden Flashes slightly.

Conditions during the game were favorable for basketball, with no adverse weather or environmental factors reported that could have affected play. The atmosphere in the Broadview Arena was likely charged, given the stakes of the matchup and the rivalry between the two teams.

Throughout the game, viewers were treated to a display of skill and determination from both sides. Key plays included several successful free throws by Cian Medley and Ezra McKenna in the second half, which helped Kent State maintain their lead as the game progressed. Medley’s contributions from the free-throw line were particularly crucial in the closing moments, allowing Kent State to extend their lead to 87-78 before Buffalo managed to score again.

As the game drew to a close, Buffalo fought hard to narrow the gap, but Kent State's late-game execution proved decisive. The final score of 87-81 not only highlighted Kent State's resilience but also set the stage for future encounters between these two competitive teams.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	KENT -2.5	165.5 o -105 / u -115	Kent State Golden Flashes -130 · Buffalo Bulls +110

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsDaniel Freitag33Buffalo Bulls
AssistsDaniel Freitag7Buffalo Bulls
ReboundsNoah Batchelor6Buffalo Bulls
PointsDelrecco Gillespie20Kent State Golden Flashes
AssistsCian Medley12Kent State Golden Flashes
ReboundsDelrecco Gillespie15Kent State Golden Flashes

Recent form

Buffalo Bulls

Last 10: 7-3Streak L179.2 scored · 71.7 allowed per game2-1 at home

L80-91at Ohio BobcatsJan 10
W85-72vs Ball State CardinalsJan 3
W81-67at Northern Illinois HuskiesDec 31
W92-63vs Penn State Behrend LionsDec 22
W88-71at Western Michigan BroncosDec 20
L70-73at East Carolina PiratesDec 14
W83-79at UMBC RetrieversDec 9
L69-77vs St. Bonaventure BonniesDec 6
W71-53at Canisius Golden GriffinsNov 29
W73-71at Bucknell BisonNov 26

Kent State Golden Flashes

Last 10: 7-3Streak L188.6 scored · 78.3 allowed per game1-3 away

L85-87at Central Michigan ChippewasJan 10
W96-93vs Bowling Green FalconsJan 7
W77-73vs Northern Illinois HuskiesJan 3
L60-101at Purdue BoilermakersDec 30
W69-59at Massachusetts MinutemenDec 20
L78-88at Portland PilotsDec 14
W111-68vs Roberts Wesleyan RedhawksDec 6
W96-84vs Austin Peay GovernorsDec 4
W123-59vs Penn State Shenango Nittany LionsNov 30
W91-71vs Cleveland State VikingsNov 22

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
Miami (OH)	32-2	-	18-0
Akron	29-6	1	17-1
Kent State	24-10	4	14-4
Toledo	19-15	7	11-7
Bowling Green	18-14	9	9-9
Ohio	15-17	9	9-9
Buffalo	17-15	11	7-11
Massachusetts	17-16	11	7-11
Ball State	12-19	11	7-11
Central Michigan	10-21	12	6-12
Western Michigan	10-21	14	4-14
Eastern Michigan	10-21	14	4-14
Northern Illinois	9-21	10	4-14

Box score

Stat	Kent State Golden Flashes	Buffalo Bulls
Field goals	31-63	26-58
Field goal %	49	45
Three-pointers	11-28	10-24
Three-point %	39	42
Free throws	14-18	19-27
Free throw %	78	70
Rebounds	46	29
Offensive rebounds	13	6
Defensive rebounds	33	23
Assists	25	23
Steals	3	10
Blocks	3	2
Turnovers	12	5
Team turnovers	0	0
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	4	17
Fast-break points	5	19
Points in the paint	40	30
Fouls	19	17
Largest lead	15	3
Lead changes	6	6
Time in front	91	6

How the scoring went

2nd Half55-47Daniel Freitag makes 12-foot jumper (Ryan Sabol assists)
2nd Half58-47Quinn Woidke makes 27-foot three point jumper (Cian Medley assists)
2nd Half60-47Delrecco Gillespie makes layup (Cian Medley assists)
2nd Half61-47Delrecco Gillespie makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half61-50Daniel Freitag makes 27-foot three point jumper (Ezra McKenna assists)
2nd Half63-50Rayvon Griffith makes layup (Cian Medley assists)
2nd Half63-52Mikhail Pocknett makes layup (Ezra McKenna assists)
2nd Half63-53Mikhail Pocknett makes free throw 1 of 1
2nd Half63-56Ryan Sabol makes 27-foot three point jumper (Daniel Freitag assists)
2nd Half64-56Rob Whaley Jr. makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half66-56Delrecco Gillespie makes layup (Rayvon Griffith assists)
2nd Half66-58Tim Oboh makes 4-foot hook shot (Daniel Freitag assists)
2nd Half66-60Daniel Freitag makes layup (Angelo Brizzi assists)
2nd Half66-62Angelo Brizzi makes layup (Ryan Sabol assists)
2nd Half68-62Rob Whaley Jr. makes 4-foot dunk (Cian Medley assists)
2nd Half68-63Tim Oboh makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half70-63Rob Whaley Jr. makes layup
2nd Half70-64Daniel Freitag makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half70-65Daniel Freitag makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half70-66Noah Batchelor makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half70-67Noah Batchelor makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half72-67Delrecco Gillespie makes layup (Cian Medley assists)
2nd Half74-67Rob Whaley Jr. makes layup
2nd Half74-69Ryan Sabol makes 12-foot jumper
2nd Half77-69Cian Medley makes 24-foot three point jumper (Rob Whaley Jr. assists)
2nd Half77-72Ryan Sabol makes 26-foot three point jumper (Daniel Freitag assists)
2nd Half79-72Cian Medley makes layup
2nd Half79-73Daniel Freitag makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half79-76Ryan Sabol makes 28-foot three point jumper (Mikhail Pocknett assists)
2nd Half80-76Morgan Safford makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half81-76Morgan Safford makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half82-76Cian Medley makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half83-76Cian Medley makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half84-76Cian Medley makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half84-77Ezra McKenna makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half84-78Ezra McKenna makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half85-78Cian Medley makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half86-78Cian Medley makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half87-78Morgan Safford makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half87-81Daniel Freitag makes 24-foot three point jumper (Angelo Brizzi assists)