Be sure to tune in tonight to the 'Inside Kent State Sports Show' from the Water Street Tavern in Kent.  Tom Linder and the gang will have a football wrap up show from 6-7 p.m.  Fans can listen in person at the Water Street Tavern, at Fox Sports Radio 1350 AM or at sportsradio1350.com.

Junior free safety Brian Lainhart, junior linebacker Cobrani Mixon and sophomore punter Matt Rinehart were named to the All-MAC 1st Team on Wednesday.  Junior defensive end Monte Simmons was named to the second team.  It is the most selections on the first team since 1997 when the Flashes had four players on the first team.  Official MAC release.

Fifth year senior Tony Jordanek and juniors Allison Krupko and Alex Lizarribar were named to the academic all-conference teams on Thursday.  Jordanek has a 3.43 GPA while majoring in marketing and finance.  Krupko has a 3.98 GPA while majoring in speech pathology/audiology and psychology.  Lizarribar has a 3.73 GPA as a biological sciences/pre-med major.

The Kent State gymnastics team, ranked 26th in the preseason poll, will open the 2009-10 season on Friday when they take part in the annual Blue and Gold intrasquad scrimmage.  Read a preview of the season and the team here.

Read more about Kent State men's basketball recruit and Massillon Jackson forward Mark Henniger and his relationship with teammate and Akron Zip recruit Josh Egner in today's Akron Beacon Journal.

The Kent State women's basketball team will play at Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt) tonight in Boca Raton, Florida.  The Owls are 2-2 on the season, and are coming off a 66-58 win at Eastern Kentucky on Friday.  KSU (2-1) is coming off a 57-50 loss at Marshall on Saturday.  Jena Stutzman leads the team in scoring at 8.7 points per game, and is coming off a 19 point, five three pointers made performance against Marshall.  Fans can listen to the game at WHLO/AM640 and at KentStateSports.com.  Follow the women's basketball program on Twitter.

KSU Notes – November 24

With Spencer Keith going down with a separated shoulder in Saturday's loss to Temple, the Golden Flashes will look to Anthony Magazu and Giorgio Morgan to try and lead the offense when the Flashes host Buffalo on Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.  Jonas Fortune from the ABJ has the story.

Dave Carducci from the Record Courier is informing the Golden Flash fans that he thinks Magazu will get the start on Friday.  Magazu is a fifth year senior and will be honored with the rest of the seniors prior to the game for senior day.  Dave is also reporting on the KSU football injuries, Chris Singletary's injury rehab, and says that Randal Holt will be reinstated for tomorrow night's game at South Florida. 

Women's cross country runner Alex Lizarribar finished 77th at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana yesterday.  Lizarribar is just the second woman to represent Kent State at the NCAA meet.  

Kent State field hockey star, and MAC Player of the Year Rachel Miller was named to the Longstreth/NFHCA Second team All-American team.  Miller is just the fourth player in KSU history to earn back to back All-American honors. 

This Daily Kent Stater writer has a refreshing take on school spirit at Kent State.

It has been a tough week for the Kent State community.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of Christopher Kernich and Jessica Schenk, who both lost their lives last week.

The Kent State men's basketball team used a 20-1 run to start the second half and had to hang on to beat Samford on Friday night 69-66 on the first night of the Hispanic College Fund Classic.  Chris Singletary, one of six seniors on the team, played like one.  Singletary played with a sense of urgency that you might expect from a senior, scoring 19 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. 

Read Stephanie Storm's article on the game.

HE'S BACK - It was nice to see Rod Sherman back out on the floor for the Golden Flashes.  Sherman redshirted last season while recovering from knee surgery.  Sherman was a busy man in his first game back, chasing around Samford point guard Trey Montgomery while also logging 26 minutes in his new role as point guard this season.  "It was a wonderful feeling," Sherman said.  "It's been a while since I've been out on that M.A.C. Center floor, and I've been thinking about what it would like to get back out there."  Sherman finished 4-10 from the field with 9 points.

SENIOR LEADER - It's only one game, but Chris Singletary really looks like he is embracing the role as "the guy."  Being the guy also means being the senior leader.  Singletary was the one credited for rallying his team at halftime, and it was Singletary's rugged play on the interior that helped the Flashes get a win.  The burly senior from Chicago had 19 points, and knocked down 9-10 free throws.  Singletary's leadership was a main topic in the post game press conference.“The great teams are coached within; they’re not coached by the coach," head coach Geno Ford said.  "They’re going to hold each other much more accountable than we as coaches are able to.”  Sherman also weighed in on his backcourt mate.  “I think it’s because of the passion he has for the game and him being all the way into it.  You can just see the fire in his eyes.  The new guys look at that.  It fires me up, and I’ve been here awhile.”

UAB – Kent State will now put on their track shoes on and try to defeat the fast-paced, athletic UAB Blazers.  UAB defeated Green Bay in Friday's first game, 68-56.  They feature Elijah Millsap, younger brother of NBA forward Paul Millsap.  UAB's game is predicated on their pressure defense and their athleticism.  “They are a very, very good team,” said Ford.  “They are big, they are athletic, they can score inside, they can make jump shots.  We are going to have to shoot the ball better and play better.  But I’m sure Samford, UAB and Green Bay will all play better in game two.  That’s what happens.”

Additional Coverage:

Kent State opens season with 69-66 win over Samford – KentStateSports.com

Bulldogs' late rally falls short at Kent State, 69-66 – SamfordSports.com

Vocal Singletary leads Flashes men's basketball team to win in opener – Record Courier 

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Kent State opened with a come from behind victory at Robert Morris, winning 62-57.  Rachel Bennett and Ellie Shields had 14 points a piece.  Story.

Note:  Read about the Kent State men's cross country team in today's Akron Beacon Journal

Extra work pays off in a hurry for KSU cross country

KENT STATE-AKRON NOTES

The Kent State football team is taking a very business like approach into their game at Akron on Saturday afternoon.  All season, coach Doug Martin has gotten his team to focus on every game being a "one game MAC Championship game."  This game will be no different.  “I talked to (the team) Sunday night, and I told them I don’t want to hear anything about wagon wheels and rivalries,” said Martin. “All of that will take care of itself.  What we need to focus on is just what we’ve done the last three or four weeks. We’ve been very focused and very single minded about each one of these games being their own championship.  This one is no different.  We have to go play this one the same way.  We can’t let any of those outside distractions cloud our view of things.  We’ve played very well the last couple weeks because we have been very, very focused.”

Dave Carducci from the Record Courier is writing about the big game this weekend.

The Daily Kent Stater is breaking down the Flashes' focused approach as well.

Kent State has put a limited number of 250 student tickets on sale for Saturday's game.  They are at a discounted price of $10.  I suggest students take advantage of that deal and gobble up those tickets then get themselves over to InfoCision Stadium on Saturday.

The game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio, as well as on ESPN360.com.  Kent State alum Jeff Phelps and Hanford Dixon will have the call.  The game will also be available over the K-Zone.  

Both teams have put up their game notes at their respective athletic websites.  Kent State.  Akron.

GoZips.com has put up a video of what the Wagon Wheel means to them.  Kent State fans, what does it mean to you?

KSU Notes – November 4

The Cleveland Plain Dealer has published their MAC Men's Basketball preview today.

The Daily Kent Stater profiles men's cross country runner Aiman Scullion.

Debbie Bell won her fourth career MAC Field Hockey Player of the Week this week.  Against Ball State on Sunday, Bell scored five goals which is a career high for her and tied a NCAA single-game high this season.  The Golden Flashes will start the MAC Tournament on Friday in Muncie, Indiana.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Kent State defeated Ohio Northern last night in an exhibition game at the M.A.C. Center 75-66.  Tyree Evans led the way with 24 points, including 19 in the first half.  Justin Greene had 16 points and 7 rebounds while freshman Randal Holt had 12 points, seven assists and just one turnover.

Box Score

Tyree's 3s lead Kent State to victory – Daily Kent Stater

Flashes edge Polar Bears, 75-66 – Kent Sports Report

- Chris Singletary and Rod Sherman did not play as both recover from their injuries.  Singletary is out with a sore ankle and Sherman is recovering from a dislocated elbow.  Both are expected back for the season opening weekend.

- It is obvious that rebounding and defensive toughness still have the potential to be an issue with this team.  The much smaller Ohio Northern team out rebound the Flashes 39-37. 

- Kent State still has a long way to go on defense, as pointed out by head coach Geno Ford.  Kent State struggled with putting ONU away.

- Ohio Northern is coached by John Rhodes, who is in his first year.  MAC fans may remember him as a long time assistant and player at Ohio University.  He inherits a program that has had 19 consecutive winning seasons.

- Tyree Evans looked impressive shooting the basketball on Monday.  And yes, the argyle socks that Evans debuted last year were worn by him last night. 

- Freshman Randal Holt, from Cleveland Glenville High, looked very promising.  Starting at point guard, Holt displayed quickness and vision.  It is clear that Holt is better in the open court at this point, and he attacks the basket with some aggression when given the opportunity.  "He’s somebody who is going to need to make a quick adjustment to life at the Division I level," Ford said.  "It’s a far cry from playing the point in high school.  He’s doing well and has been pretty effective and it’s going to be a good chance for him in the pre-season to get some major minutes, maybe even more than he would have gotten."        

- Former KSU star Haminn Quaintance sat behind the Flashes' bench on Monday night.

- In an effort to help raise proceed for the Corey Cline Memorial Fund, the Kent State men’s basketball team will play an exhibition game at the College of Wooster this Saturday, Nov. 7.  All proceeds from the game will to benefit the Fund, which among other things will generate a scholarship in Corey’s name for the College of Wooster Nursery School.  “The game is a way for us to pay tribute to Corey, the Cline family and the extended Wooster community,” said Head Coach Geno Ford.  “We are honored to be part of the game and look forward to having a positive impact with everyone involved.” The three-year son of long-time Wooster assistant coach Doug Cline, Corey was killed in an auto accident last February.  Game time is set for a 7:00 pm start. 

- Kent State came in at #29 in the first CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.  Akron checked in at #8.  Kent State was the second highest ranked team in the MAC.

FOOTBALL NEWS, NOTES

KSU junior defensive end Monte Simmons was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week for his three sack, five tackle effort on Saturday while also forcing a fumble.

Simmons, punter Matt Rinehart, and wide receiver Tyshon Goode were all recognized by the College Football Performance Awards for their performances on Saturday.  All three were named honorable mention for their respective positions.

Flashes getting closer to bowl game – Akron Beacon Journal

Records may differ, but defenses both excel for Akron, Kent State: Mid-American Conference Insider – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Competition heats up for MAC's three bowl slots: Mid-American Conference Insider – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Kent State (5-4, 3-1): Kent has the most work to do, and perhaps the toughest challenge getting to seven wins. Desperate Akron (1-7, 0-4) has nothing to hang its hat on, other than knocking KSU off its title chase. With a win, Kent still has games at Temple and vs. Buffalo. It's East Division title or nothing, as Kent will likely trail either NIU or Ohio for any possible at-large bowl opportunity.

Monday with Mike: Potential BCS matchups – Rivals.com

All hail Kent State. The Golden Flashes beat Western Michigan 26-14 Saturday for their third victory in a row. Temple is getting a lot of attention — and rightly so — for its six-game winning streak, but Kent State is the Owls' main competition in the MAC East race. The teams meet Nov. 21 at Temple, and the MAC East title very well could be on the line. Kent doesn't do much on offense, but like Temple, it wins with defense – especially against the run. Kent State is 5-4 overall and 4-1 in the MAC, and the one conference loss came by one point to Bowling Green in a game in which BG scored the winning touchdown with five seconds left. Kent State let a 12-point lead slip away in the final five minutes.

AKRON NEWS, NOTES

Zips rue missed opportunity – Akron Beacon Journal

J.D. Brookhart Press Conference – GoZips.com

KSU ROUNDUP

The Kent State men's cross country team won their first MAC title in school history in Athens over the weekend, while dominating the field.

The Kent State field hockey team won a share of the MAC Championship on Sunday with an 8-0 victory over Ball State.  KSU will play the winner of the Missouri State/Miami game on Friday in the MAC Tournament.

The Kent State wrestling team was picked to come in 2nd place in the MAC in the pre-season rankings.  Check out this preview.

If you listen to Kent State head coach Doug Martin and Ohio head coach Frank Solich, they sound pretty similar.  Both coaches speak of balanced football teams. 

Both teams feature exceptional special teams that are able to change the complexion of games, and use it to score touchdowns.  The Bobcats have blocked three punts this season.  They also feature a kick return and a punt return for a touchdown this season.  KSU has scored touchdowns on kickoffs and blocked field goals, the coverage units have also been great this season. 

Ohio leads the nation in takeaways with 23 and relies on forcing turnovers to change the momentum of the game in their favor.  KSU has forced 16 turnovers on the season and are a +5 in turnovers in conference play.

Both teams feature offensive lines who are diverse in their ability to play physical and also run well that have gotten better throughout the season. 

Both teams are two of the better speed teams in the Mid-American Conference.  KSU and Ohio both have big play potential on offense and have had many big plays this season.

The teams weaknesses are also similar.  Both teams struggle with third down conversions and red zone offense.

SNEAK PEEK AT KEYS TO THE GAME

1.  Turnover battle

2.  Making big plays on special teams/limiting Ohio's ability to make big plays on special teams

3.  Attacking Ohio's man coverage through the air and down the field with a vertical passing game

4.  Playing with passion and pride to win a key MAC East football game while embracing the opportunity to play in a meaningful October game.

Dave Carducci from the Record Courier writes about one of those keys to the game.  That is being able to attack Ohio's man coverage with a vertical passing game.  That game plan is not unlike the one used in 2007 during a 33-25 Kent State victory. 

Kent State field hockey (10-6, 6-1) won at Michigan yesterday 1-0.  The win notches KSU's best road record since 2000 at 7-3.  KSU has won seven of the last eight games and six out of the last seven on the road.

John Hahn (Hudson) has been selected MAC Golfer of the Week.

Junior cross country runner Scott Hilditch has been named MAC Cross Country Runner of the Week.

The 'Inside Kent State Sport' show will air from 6-7 p.m. tonight on AM 1350.  Fans can also listen at sportsradio1350.com.

OHIO BOBCATS FOOTBALL LINKS

Bowl game bill could leave OU clawing for cash – The Post

Football: Backs use 'team before me' mentality – The Post

Watch Frank Solich's press conference from Monday as he talks about the upcoming game – OhioBobcats.com

The show 'Bobcat Blitz' will air on Friday at 6:00 p.m. on SportsTime Ohio and preview the upcoming game with the Golden Flashes.

Former Kent State football players and current Cleveland Browns Josh Cribbs and Abe Elam will return to Kent next week as special guests on the ‘Inside Kent State Sports’ show.  The show will take place as it always does at the Water Street Tavern in downtown Kent on Thursday, October 8.  The show will air from 6:00 to 8:00P.M. on Fox Sports Radio 1350 AM and sportsradio1350.com.  The broadcast will feature a Homecoming game preview as well as previews to the men’s and women’s basketball teams for the 2009-10 season.  Cribbs and Elam will be available afterwards to meet fans.  The doors open at 4:00P.M.

Kent State QB Spencer Keith is off to a very good start in his college football career.  Keith is one of only five true freshmen in the country to start at quarterback this season.  Keith leads the MAC and is 34^th nationally with a 149.40 passer rating.  As a senior last year at Pulaski Academy, Keith led the country with 5,310 passing yards while leading his team to an Arkansas state championship.  His head coach Kevin Kelley did not believe in punting the football on fourth down so it was up to Keith to make a play.  The Daily Kent Stater profiled Keith in today’s paper.

The Plain Dealer's Elton Alexander weighed in on Doug Martin's plan to continue to play both Keith and Giorgio Morgan in his MAC Insider today.

Two for the show: It's rare, but Kent State coach Doug Martinsaid the Golden Flashes (2-2, 1-0) will continue to play two quarterbacks in redshirt sophomore starter Giorgio Morgan and true freshman Spencer Keith.  "Giorgio's healthy, and he'll start," Martin said. "But we're going to play them both, similar to what we did [last] Saturday. I like that situation right now as the competition makes them both better.  "The big advantage we have is, when Spencer came in against Iowa State and had such a huge game, that sealed the deal for our players. It's not an issue when he comes in. They know he is going to produce."  Indeed. To date, as the backup, Keith is 32-of-49 for 381 yards, four TDs and two interceptions. Morgan is 33-of-59 for 261 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions.

Martin met the media on Monday afternoon.  Watch.

Baylor’s electric quarterback Robert Griffin will not be able to play the rest of this season and that is a shame for college football, because he is a special player.  At this point, he says there is an 80 percent chance he’ll have season ending surgery.  While the team will miss Griffin, they have confidence in Blake Szymanski.  “Losing your starting quarterback is never a good thing, and I love Robert to death,” Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek told the Waco Tribune.  “But we’re going to be OK. If Blake hadn’t worked his tail off, I’d be worried. I feel real confident in him.”

Baylor coach Art Briles met the media to discuss this week’s game against the Golden Flashes.  Watch.

The men’s basketball team got a great opportunity to bond as a team and also improve on the basketball floor during their 10 day, 4 game trip to Italy last month.  The team finished 3-1.  The team will start official practice on October 16.  Head coach Geno Ford, center Brandon Parks and forward Frank Henry-Ala talked to the Kent Stater about the trip.

The team conducted picture day last week and wore their road blue jerseys in the team picture.  The uniform will have a logo patch on the back of them to commemorate the University’s Centennial.  The team wore the blue jerseys in the pictures because they have new white uniforms and they hadn’t arrived yet. 

Walk on player Brian Frank is the son of Kent State Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Robert G. Frank.

Judy Devine recently donated $1.2 million to the athletic department, making it the third largest donation in the department’s history.  During her 31 year tenure with Kent State athletics, Devine has always strived to improve gender equality at Kent State.

Kent State cross country runner John Minen became the third different runner to win MAC Runner of the Week for Kent State.  Scott Hilditch won it last week and Aiman Scullion won it for the week of September 8.