hold a 6–3 edge in MAC tournament games, with Kent State picking up wins in 1998, 2008, and 2017, and Akron defeating the Flashes in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2022. Kent State also has local rivalries with the Cleveland State Vikings from Cleveland State University and the Youngstown State Penguins from Youngstown State University, both members of the Horizon League and located in Northeast Ohio near Kent. The series with Cleveland State began in 1933 when Cleveland State was Fenn College, though was discontinued after 1945. It resumed in 1971 and has been held regularly since then. Kent State leads the Vikings 31–23 following an 81–59 win in Kent early in the 2019–20 season. The series with Youngstown State began in 1929 and lasted through 1960. It resumed in 1998 and has been held regularly since then. The Flashes lead the series 31–16 following a 111–78 Kent State win at Rhodes Arena in Akron to open the 2017–18 season, the Flashes' ninth straight win in the series. Kent State, Cleveland State, Youngstown State, and Akron signed a four-year agreement in 2014 to create the Northeast Ohio Coaches vs. Cancer doubleheader, a season opening event featuring the region's Division I basketball programs that rotates to each of the four schools. Kent State hosted the inaugural doubleheader in 2015, followed by Youngstown State in 2016 at the Beeghly Center, Akron in 2017 at James A. Rhodes Arena, and Cleveland State in 2018 at the Wolstein Center. References External links