Roberts Wesleyan vs Kent State prediction: Chansey Willis Jr. leads a rebuilt Kent State into its home opener
The Golden Flashes lost most of last season's core, so their first home night against a non-Division I visitor shows what the new pieces look like together.
- Kent State should control a fast game against a non-Division I opponent it beat 111-68 last December.
- Watch Chansey Willis Jr., the preseason All-MAC First Team guard, in his first home game in Kent State blue.
- No spread or total has been posted yet; last season's 111-68 Kent State win is the only head-to-head reference.
New faces in familiar blue
Kent State opens its home slate Friday, Nov. 6, in new blue uniforms, and plenty of the faces inside them are new too. Delrecco Gillespie, Cian Medley and Jahari Williamson all transferred out, and Morgan Safford and Rob Whaley Jr. graduated. That makes last season's team numbers a weak guide to this group.
The headliner is Chansey Willis Jr., a senior guard from Minnesota who was named to the preseason All-MAC First Team. Forward Cameron Williams, a transfer from Moberly CC, also arrives, and Quinn Woidke, a MAC All-Freshman Team member, returns. Coaches picked Rob Senderoff's team fourth in the MAC, and it drew one first-place vote. Senderoff is in his 16th season.
A style built to run
If this roster keeps Senderoff's identity, Roberts Wesleyan is in for a sprint. Last season Kent State played at 71.7 possessions per 40 minutes, 24th-fastest of 365 Division I teams, and its 84.3 points per game ranked 18th. It also lived at the line: its free throw rate (free throw attempts per field goal attempt) was 42.2%, 22nd nationally.
The defense was the soft spot. Kent State allowed 79.6 points per game last season, 322nd of 365, and a pace like that inflates scores at both ends. Against a non-Division I visitor, that mostly means a lot of possessions to stretch the lead and give the newcomers minutes.
What the Xavier exhibition showed
The most recent look came Oct. 23 at Xavier, a 76-70 exhibition loss. Xavier led for over 34 minutes, but Kent State rallied and held the lead for nearly two minutes in the second half before the Musketeers closed it out. No absences were noted in coverage of that game.
Roberts Wesleyan was picked fourth in the East Coast Conference and drew the only first-place vote that didn't go to Daemen. Kent State beat the Redhawks 111-68 on Dec. 6, 2025.
Key players
- Chansey Willis Jr. (Kent State): He started seven games for Minnesota before a season-ending injury and arrives as a preseason All-MAC First Team pick.
- Quinn Woidke (Kent State): A MAC All-Freshman Team member, he is one of the few familiar pieces back after five notable departures.
Numbers that matter
| Last meeting | 111-68 | Kent State's win over Roberts Wesleyan on Dec. 6, 2025. |
|---|---|---|
| Pace, last season | 71.7 | Possessions per 40 minutes, 24th-fastest in Division I. |
| Free throw rate, last season | 42.2% | Ranked 22nd nationally, a steady source of points against smaller teams. |
| MAC preseason poll | 4th | Kent State's spot in the coaches' poll, with one first-place vote. |
Roberts Wesleyan vs Kent State: quick answers
When is Roberts Wesleyan vs Kent State?
Friday, November 6, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.