The MAC has suspended four Kent State players — three deep reserves and a key starter — for at least half of Saturday night’s conference championship game with an NCAA tournament bid on the line.
Their crime?
Chanting “F–k Akron” in a Snapchat video while flipping the middle finger. Starter Malique Jacobs, plus Cli’Ron Hornbeak and Julius Rollins, mised the first half of Saturday night’s matchup against Akron, while DJ Johnson is suspended indefinitely.
Jacobs is Kent State’s second-leading scorer. Johnson, Hornbeak and Rollins barely play, with none of the three appearing in games in recent weeks. Johnson does most of the rapping and talking in the video, over a song called “F–k Akron” playing in the background. The other three appear over his shoulder briefly in the video.
Though Kent State swept Akron in two regular season meetings, they were blown out by 20 on Saturday. Akron clinched the MAC’s automatic NCAA tournament bid with the win.
The below video contains profanity.
The players were celebrating a semifinal win over Ohio and posted a Snapchat video about their hated in-state rival.
“I’m disappointed this occurred,” said MAC commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. “This does not represent the values of Kent State or the Mid-American Conference. However, I commend the leadership of Kent State for being proactive in addressing this matter and collaborating with my office to bring this situation to resolution.”
Jacobs led Kent State with 19 in the Ohio win.