KENT STATE (5-5, 4-2 MAC) @ TEMPLE (8-2, 6-0 MAC)

Saturday, November 21, 2009 | 1:00 p.m.

Lincoln Financial Field (68,523/Natural Grass) | Philadelphia, PA.

Radio: WNIR/100.1 FM (Tom Linder, Rob Polinsky & Ty Linder)

Internet: K-Zone

Series: Kent State will travel to Philadelphia for the third time in the last four years to face Temple.  The Golden Flashes lead the brief series 2-1.

Last meeting: Kent State 41, Temple 38 | November 12, 2008

Last meeting at Temple: Temple 24, Kent State 14 | November 17, 2007

Temple recent history: Temple is 33-81 since the 2000 season.  Temple is now in its seventh season playing at Lincoln Financial Field.  The Owls left the Big East Conference after the 2004 season.  Temple went 0-11 in 2005 as an Independent, playing nine teams that were bowl eligible.  Al Golden stepped into a total rebuilding job in 2006.  Golden's first recruiting class, now the seniors, have been through it all in their four years.  In their first 17 games they began their collegiate careers at 1-16, losing by an average score of 14-40.  In the last 31 games Temple is 19-12.  Four of those losses came on the last play of the game and six were by a total of 12 points in regulation.  Temple is 10-2 in their last 12 games and in position for a MAC East title.    

KENT STATE Quick Facts

- Kent State can become bowl eligible with a win for the first time since 2006.

- Kent State can still match the school record for conference victories with two games remaining.  The 1976 squad set the mark with six MAC wins.

- A win over Temple would give Kent State three road conference victories in a season for the first time since the 1977 team was 4-0 on the road.

-  QB Spencer Keith has completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,915 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

- RB Jacquise Terry, who is expected to play after coming off the injury at Akron, has rushed for 590 yards on 4.8 yards per carry and four touchdowns.

- WR Tyshon Goode leads the Flashes with 48 catches for 685 yards and five touchdowns.

- MLB Cobrani Mixon leads KSU with 92 tackles while DE Monte Simmons leads the team with 7.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.

- FS Brian Lainhart leads the team with five interceptions.

- Kent State's defense is averaging 8.3 tackles for loss per game which is first in the MAC and fifth nationally.  KSU leads the MAC in and is tenth in the country with 3.0 sacks per game.  The Flashes have forced 21 takeaways which ranks third in the MAC and tied for 28th in the nation.   

- Freddy Cortez is 9/10 on field goals in MAC play.

- Kent State's non-conference opponents this season are a combined 21-20 this season.

TEMPLE Quick Facts

- Temple has won eight consecutive games to take a one game lead over Ohio in the MAC East.  The last time Temple won eight games in a row was in 1973 under coach Wayne Hardin.

- It is the most wins in a season since 1979 when the Owls finished 10-2 with a trip to the Garden State Bowl.

- Temple is guaranteed its first winning season since 1990.  They were also last bowl eligible in 1990.  

- Temple is second in the MAC in rushing offense at 177.8 yards per game, while leading the conference in rushing defense, allowing just 107.2 yards on the ground.

- Temple leads the MAC in kickoff returns at 25.3 yards per return.  The Owls are second in the MAC behind Kent State with 20 sacks.

- Temple is number 25th nationally in turnover margin, number 26th in rushing defense and number 28th in total defense.

- Sophomore QB Chester Stewart has started the last two games for Temple, completing 12-22 attempts for 288 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

- Freshman RB Bernard Pierce is fourth in the country and leads the MAC with 130.8 yards per game to go along with 15 touchdowns.

- Junior defensive back Jaiquawn Jarrett leads the defense with 61 tackles, three interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries.  Alex Joseph has 56 tackles while DE Adrian Robinson leads the MAC and is tied for eighth nationally with 10 sacks.

- The Senior Class, Al Golden's first recruiting class, will be honored during a pregame ceremony.

- This is Temple's 1,000 football game in school history.

KEYS TO THE GAME FOR KENT STATE

CONTAIN RUNNING GAME, MAKE TEMPLE THROW THE FOOTBALL – Kent State's defense is going to have to find a way to at least contain Temple's running attack but it won't be easy.  Led by freshman phenom Bernard Pierce, Temple's rushing attack ranks 37th in the country at about 178 yards per game.  Kent State can't let Pierce rip off huge gains in the running game, especially on first down.  And if they do, it could be a long day for the Flashes.  “We need to make Temple throw the ball," head coach Doug Martin said.  "If they can beat us throwing the football, then we have to tip our hat to them and go on.  You can’t let them just run the ball up and down the field because if they do that opens up the play action pass, and that’s what happened to Akron last week.  They were able to hit some huge explosion plays on them.  You’ve got to contain the run and then you can’t give them the deep ball, because that’s really all their trying to throw.”  Since making the quarterback switch to Chester Stewart, Temple's offensive has been more efficient and productive.  “They’ve gotten better offensively, since they made the quarterback change, two games ago I believe it was," Martin said.  "They’ve really gotten more balance in their offense.  That’s really helped them immensely.”

OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION – Kent State is going to have put up multiple touchdowns in this game to be in it.  The Golden Flashes are going to have to throw the football most likely to move the ball up and down the field.  Temple's front seven is their strength, as the Owls are 26th in the nation in rush defense, allowing only 107 yards a game.  “I think the big thing with Temple is their defensive front seven," Martin said.  "They’re really big and strong.  They’ve done a great job defending against the run all year."  As always, turnovers could play a big part in the game and Kent State will need to force some defensively, and protect the football offensively to win the game.  “As long as we take care of the football, the turnover margin goes in our favor, and then our offense has got to go out and score points," Martin said.  "Right now Temple is leading the conference in scoring offense on the East side, so we’ve got to keep pace.”        

SPECIAL TEAMS – Kent State feels they have the advantage on special teams.  KSU leads the MAC in net punting while Temple is 11th in the conference.  The Owls do lead the MAC in kickoff return yardage while Kent State leads the nation in kickoff coverage.  Hopefully Kent State can take advantage of their strengths and limit what Temple does best on special teams.  Freddy Cortez is 9/10 on field goals in MAC play while Temple's Brandon McManus is 9/15 in conference play.  This game is similar to the Ohio game, and if Kent State wants to win they will need all units to play well.  After the Ohio win Martin said, "Just like I told them, I'm not sure we're great in any area, but we're really good together, and we're playing really good team football right now in all phases."  Kent State will need a performance and an effort that reflects that statement to beat Temple on Saturday.  

KENT STATE - Doug Martin, 6th season, 24-44 overall, 17-29 MAC

Game Notes

Statistics

Doug Martin press conference

Interview with Temple football blogger – NewsFlashes

Defense looks to contain Temple's running attack – Daily Kent Stater

MAC East title forecast – Daily Kent Stater

Third winning season in three decades still in sight for Flashes – Record Courier

TEMPLE – Al Golden, 4th season, 18-28 overall, 14-8 MAC

Game Notes

Statistics

Al Golden press conference

Owlified.com

Seniors brought new culture to Owls football – Philadelphia Inquirer

Two freshmen spark Temple's ground attack – Philadelphia Inquirer

Chance to clinch at home – The Temple News

Owls, Chippewas proving their mettle as title game looms: MAC Insider – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Stan Heath led Kent State to the 2001-2002 Elite 8 and a 30-6 overall record, going 17-1 in the Mid-American Conference before leaving after one season for Arkansas.  Heath is now the head coach at South Florida.  Kent State will travel to take on the Bulls next Wednesday, November 25.  According to this report, Heath's program at South Florida could be facing numerous NCAA violations.

Before Kent State plays at South Florida, they will host Rochester College on Sunday evening.  Sophomore forward Justin Greene has been very productive in the first four games of the season, averaging 13.3 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. 

The Kent State women's basketball will play at Marshall on Saturday afternoon looking to improve to 3-0.

Kent State baseball head coach Scott Stricklin recently did an interview with BuckeyeStateBaseball.com to discuss the Golden Flashes' baseball program.

Kent State volleyball players Arjola Prenga, Liva Brivule and Meredith Paskert were recently all honored by the Mid-American Conference.  Prenga was named first team All-MAC while Brivule was named second team and Paskert made the all-freshman team.

Kent State men's golfer John Hahn (Hudson) was selected to participate for the 35th annual Western Refining College All-America Classic, November 22-24 in El Paso, Texas.

Recently I had the chance to chat with David Gerson, who maintains the website www.Owlified.com.  Below are his answers to my questions about the Temple football program as they prepare to host Kent State on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.  The game will be shown live on the K-Zone, through the Kent State athletic website.  To see my answers to David's questions, check out his website.

NewsFlashes:  Describe the situation at quarterback.  I know Stewart has started the past two games, but before that Vaughn Charlton was the guy.  Why the switch?  What has coach Al Golden said all season regarding his quarterbacks?  Also, can you describe the attributes of each quarterback, especially Stewart.  In the games I have seen, it looks like they give him a lot of run/pass option stuff and ask him to manage the game and protect the football while the running game gets going.  Is that pretty accurate? 

Owlified:  Both Chester Stewart and Vaughn Charlton are very talented quarterbacks, and have had their opportunities to claim the starting spot. To start of the year, Vaughn earned that spot, and has play exceptionally well in most games. Despite being at the helm during most of the Owls' winning streak, the performances against Villanova and Navy stood out like sore thumbs.  Vaughn Charlton is an absolute leader on this football team. On the field, he has had plenty of success this year. His main attribute would be his strong arm. When Adam DiMichele was injured against Miami (OH) several years back, Charlton came in immediately and threw a touchdown pass. A problem that was seen early, though, was VC's decision making at times. With the ball in scoring position against D-IAA Villanova, he threw his third interception of the day that ultimately lost the season opener. He has progressively improved though since that game, and has led the Owls himself to six wins in a row.

We've seen flashes of Chester Stewart from time to time, as he'd usually enter for a series and run the option. One reason we might not have seen him that much earlier on in the year is because of the problems he's had receiving the snap. There were numerous times where he'd come in to the run ball, but there would be miscommunications between the quarterback and center. Having Chester in the game however, does give Temple another element of attack against opponents: the mobile quarterback. Along with his speed and elusiveness on the run comes a great throwing arm. In the several starts he had last year, it was obvious the kid could air the ball out– the main problem was his accuracy. So far in 2009, his throwing has improved and we've been able to hit many of the open receivers down field.

NewsFlashes:  Talk about freshman phenom running back Bernard Pierce.  What kind of back is he?  What are some of the reasons why he has stepped into the fold in his first year and is having a great season?  Also, at the beginning of the season, what were the thoughts about him making an impact this season?  Was he expected to redshirt? etc.

Owlified:  Bernard Pierce was described as the possible gem of the 2009 recruiting class, and this he has been. Straight out of HS, Coach Golden described Pierce as a mature runner, and a power back. At 6'0" and 212 pounds, that speaks for itself. A solid sized running back, Pierce has the ability to either push the pile forward with his strength, or bounce off an outside tackle and make moves to take it all the way. In addition, a lot of the credit has to go to the enormous offensive line that is giving him the room. These linemen have grown and developed together for several years now, and have become united on both the running and passing coverage.

The past several years, the running game has always been a question to ponder as future seasons have approached. Temple had 3-4 backs on the depth chart last year, and still had struggled to find consistency. Between solid backs entering the system, to cornerbacks taking a shot, there was no solid ground game that could be established by just one player. Things have changed now that the offensive line has established itself, and Bernard Pierce has been able to easily emerge as arguably the best freshman running back in College Football.

Many Temple fans expected Pierce would have his shot since several other backs were redshirted this 2009 season. Bernard has taken his opportunity and seized his chance to claim the starting spot.

NewsFlashes:  Who are the main playmakers on the defense?  How has Temple been able to rank 26th in the nation in rush defense?

Owlified:  Temple's playmakers are found on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. 

As we've mentioned, Bernard Pierce has been a difference maker in many of Temple's matchups. In addition, the Owls have a number of wide receivers that can absolutely punish a defensive back for giving him too much room. WR's Michael Campbell, James Nixon, Jason Harper, and Joe Jones all have emerged as go-to wide receivers. They have been used both on airing the ball out, but also the wide receiver reverse. Two of these guys are converted running backs, and the other two are just speedsters– the Owls have incorporated trickery into their playbook to utilize the elite speed of these offensive threats.

On defense, the Owls strength comes directly from the defensive line. Both the ends and tackles have been able to penetrate offensive lines game in and game out as well as stifle the run games. The linebackers have also played crucial roles and have made major impacts. In addition, safeties Dominique Harris and Jaiquawn Jarrett have had stellar seasons to propel the team to this 8 game winning streak.

Temple's defense has been consistent through Al Golden's tenure, and part of this is probably attributed to the constant underclassmen stepping up and making plays. Temple's defense has carried this team to its success through the rebuilding process has become the face of the program.

NewsFlashes:  On Saturday Temple will honor their seniors, and Al Golden's first recruiting class.  Talk about how influential those seniors have been in getting Temple's program on solid ground, and now in the position to compete for championships in the Mid-American Conference. 

Owlified:  They were the first ones. These guys have been through the absolute rock bottom all the way to the improvement and now winning. These players had the guts to step into an organization that was on the brink of dropping football, and have led the way to the slow and steady revival. Their commitment has not only bettered the team, but also themselves as players– I believe we'll be seeing a few of these guys playing on Sundays in the near future as well.

NewsFlashes:  Since Al Golden took over the Temple program in 2006, the Owls have gone 1-11 in 2006, 4-8, 4-4 MAC in 2007, 5-7, 4-4 in 2008 and now 8-2 and 6-0 in the MAC this season.  Has there been a signature moment or a signature win during Golden's tenure that signaled things were on the right track, or that the program was really headed in the right direction?  Did it come this year at any point?

Owlified:  Al Golden's first win in that 2006 season is probably the signature win– that game got the ball rolling for the transformation of the Temple football program. However, this improvement is a snowball effect. Every win, this team has honestly gotten better. Years two and three had promising seasons, but these teams were still too young too do everything right, and taste success. Year four was GOLDEN'S team, with the remaining players from BW (he who shall not be named) having graduated.

This 2009 season has been the year of truth: Coach Golden's had his time to bring in his talent, and put his rebuilding strategy into effect. The results have shown, and there's nowhere to go now but up for Temple University Football.

NewsFlashes:  Last season Temple lost three games on the final play of the game.  This season they have won a five point game, a three point game and a two point game.  Has there been any talk about how Temple is winning some close games this season and not last season?  Obviously some luck goes into it, but is there anything more to it than that?  Also, I imagine it helps to win MAC games by 24, 16 and 39 points so the team hasn't had to put themselves in a close game situation due to their dominance in those games.   

Owlified:  Of course. The stereotypical Temple football is the team that blew the lead, or gave up the last second touchdown. Every senior for Temple has experienced that at some point, and the maturation has shown. These guys make sure now though that they don't have to be in that position.

Winning these MAC games is important, as our main goal has been to win a MAC Championship, go to a bowl game, and establish ourselves based off that. It's great to see that we're winning the games we should, but also that we are "playing with the big boys".

It's great to be a Temple football fan, alumnus, and player. That's all there is to it. We're back.

MEN'S BASKETBALL – KENT STATE 70, Youngstown State 61

Kent State used a 13-0 run in the second half to pull away from the Youngstown State Penguins on Wednesday night at the Beeghly Center to post a 70-61 win.  Tyree Evans began the run at the 10:25 mark of the second half with a three pointer and ended the run at the 7:40 mark with another three pointer to give the Flashes a 53-40 lead.

The game got sloppy down the stretch in the final four minutes with Kent State committing fouls and turnovers to help the Penguins cut the lead to 63-57.

Nevertheless, the Golden Flashes improved to 3-1 on the young season.  Evans led KSU with 18 points.  Justin Greene had 17 points and 5 rebounds while Rod Sherman had 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.  Anthony Simpson had his best game of the season with 12 points and 6 rebounds. 

The team played without Chris Singletary, who is out with a meniscus injury and will undergo surgery on Friday for it.  His timetable to return is uncertain at this point.

Box Score

IN THE ZONE – Kent State played a lot of 2-3 zone on Wednesday night, and fans should be able to expect to see more of it in the future, especially without Chris Singletary.  “We really worked on it yesterday," Associate head coach Rob Senderoff said.  "We had it in all season.  We’ve worked on it a few times here and there and we actually played some zone against Wisconsin-Green Bay at one point in the second half.  We know that we were going to have an unconventional lineup and at times we played Brandon Parks, Justin Greene and Anthony together.  We knew couldn’t play with them man, with that type of lineup.  Youngstown State is a much better slashing team than they are a shooting team so it worked out well for us tonight.”

JUSTIN GREENE – Justin Greene has had a very solid start to the season.  The former baseball player growing up, Greene had 17 points and five rebounds on Wednesday night to follow up his 20 point performance on Sunday against Green Bay.  “He’s a smart player," Senderoff said.  "He played for a winning program for four years in Brooklyn.  He’s just one of those guys, when you look at him you don’t see much.  He’s a little bit sloppy and he doesn’t run real well but when he catches the ball at the basket he can score and he can pass and then defensively he seems to cover up things well.  He’s not real athletic and he’s not real tall.  He has long arms so he’s able to block some shots and he’s also able to rotate and be in the right place and cover up some things.  He’s getting better and better and we knew that with him.”   

ONE POSSESSION AT A TIME – The Kent State men's basketball team will attempt to weather the storm without Chris Singletary.  It won't be easy, it certainly won't always be pretty, but play by play, game by game, Kent State will try to navigate their way through the rest of the schedule without their best player.  I know the games will get tougher, but for one night anyway, I was encouraged to see Kent State's effort, excitement level on the bench and adjustments on the floor. 

JOYCE ERA OFFICIALLY BEGINS - Cameron Joyce from SVSM saw his first official action in a Kent State regular season game, playing the final 1:34 of the first half.  Joyce missed the front end of a 1 in 1 free throw attempt.

PRACTICE TIME – Kent State will actually get some practice time now.  After playing four games in six days, Kent State won't play again till Sunday when they host Rochester College (Michigan.)  Kent State will have the day off tomorrow. 

Additional Coverage:

Kent State Picks Up 70-61 Road Win At Youngstown State – KentStateSports.com

Second-Half Run Leads Kent State Past Men's Basketball, 70-61 – YSUSports.com

KSU men pull away in second half to defeat Penguins – Record Courier

Kent steps up without injured swingman Chris Singletary – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Double the fun: Men's basketball – Daily Kent Stater

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – KENT STATE 70, Youngstown State 55

Kent State overcame an ugly, sluggish start, to rebound and defeat YSU 70-55 in the first game of the doubleheader.  Jamilah Humes had 14 points while Yoshica Spears had 12 points and 13 rebounds in her first collegiate start.  Kent State out rebounded YSU 50-32. 

"It wasn't a real pretty game offensively, but it is a good win for us," said head coach Bob Lindsay.  "We compensated with a poor shooting game with the rebounding aspect of the game.  There were positives in this game today, and we'll take those positives."

Box Score

Additional Coverage:

Kent State Women's Basketball Improves to 2-0 with 70-55 Win at Youngstown State – KentStateSports.com

Nortey Scores Career-High 20 as Guins fall 70-55 to Kent State – YSUSports.com

KSU women start slow, end fast in win over YSU – Record Courier

Double the fun: Women's basketball – Daily Kent Stater

KENT, Ohio – Kent State senior guard Chris Singletary (Chicago, Ill. / Florida Prep) will miss the next few games for the Golden Flashes after suffering an injury to his meniscus.  Singletary is scheduled for surgery on Friday and is expected to miss between two and six weeks, and possibly longer.

Named to the preseason All-MAC team, Singletary led Kent State (2-1) with 19 points and seven rebounds in the season opening 69-66 win over Samford last Friday.  He is averaging 11.0 points and 4.7 rebounds through three games this season for the Golden Flashes.

Apparently, the injury occured on the game tying basket in regulation that Singletary put in during Sunday's game vs. Green Bay.

The Kent State women's and men's basketball teams will play the Penguins from Youngstown State in a doubleheader tonight at the Beeghly Center on the campus of Youngstown State University.

Both games can be seen live at the Horizon League Network's website.

Radio: WNIR/100.1 FM, www.KentStateSports.com

MEN'S BASKETBALL, Kent State (2-1) @ Youngstown State (1-1), approximately 7:35, or 30 minutes after women's conclusion

Kent State game notes

Sherman making quick transition – Daily Kent Stater

Youngstown State game notes

Penguins host Kent tonight – Youngstown Vindicator

This is a big game for both teams.  Whenever it is a regional rivalry game like this one, a lot is on the line.  For Youngstown State, this is a measuring stick game.  Kent State has long been a benchmark for teams in the area, and the Penguins want to see where they stand so far this season.  Excitement is at a high level at YSU, and for good reason.  The Penguins return four starters and ten letterwinners from last year's team.  The backcourt tandem of DeAndre Mays and Vance Cooksey gave KSU fits last season, scoring 21 and 24 respectively, and both those players return.  Head coach Jerry Slocum is counting on the team's improved depth to be a major factor this season.  Kent State will have to match YSU's intensity for the game, keep Chris Singletary on the floor, get to the free throw line, and they should win, but it won't be easy as the last five meetings have been decided by single digits, with Kent State going 3-2 in those games, including a loss during the Elite 8 season of 2001-2002.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, Kent State (1-0) @ Youngstown State (0-2), 5:15 p.m.

Radio: WHLO/640 AM, www.KentStateSports.com

Kent State game notes

Women's basketball looks to continue perfect start – Daily Kent Stater

Youngstown State game notes

Women try for first victory tonight at home – Youngstown Vindicator

Kent State will be a heavy favorite in this one.  Cindy Martin's first season saw her Penguins go 3-27.  The Lady Penguins have lost their first two of this season by 20+ plus points in each.  YSU only has seven healthy bodies for tonight.  Injuries have crippled the original 12 player roster.  KSU comes in after coming from behind to beat Robert Morris on Friday, 62-57.  KSU leads the all-time series 24-12, and has won three in a row.

The Plain Dealer featured its MAC Women's Basketball Preview today.  Below is the note about Kent State:

Holding steady: Kent State was picked to finish second in the MAC's East Division, despite the fact the Flashes lost their leading scorer and rebounder from last season, Anna Kowalska, and had no returning player named to the preseason All-MAC team.  What coach Bob Lindsay does have is a bevy of accurate outside shooters who anchored the second-best 3-point shooting team in the nation last season (39.8 percent).  Three returnees shot better than 41 percent from behind the arc last season: Senior Rachel Bennett (41 percent), junior Stephanie Gibson (48.4) and sophomore Jena Stutzman (44.2).  If 6-3 freshman Leslie Schaefer from Wisconsin can lead Kent's inside-game-by-committee, the Golden Flashes could easily meet expectations.

FOOTBALL

The Kent State football team still has a lot to play for.  They are going for their first winning season since 2001 and the first team to win seven games since 1987.  The Daily Kent Stater is taking a look at the game.

Temple has a chance to clinch the MAC East with a win and an Ohio loss. 

Stay tuned for later in the week as I talk to a Temple football blogger and my preview on Friday as always.

VOLLEYBALL

The Kent State volleyball team lost last night to Buffalo in a MAC tournament game.

Courtesy: Kent State Athletic Communications

DeAndre Nealy    Jr.   F    6’6”    230    Detroit, Mich. / Mott J.C. [Mich.]

Carlton Guyton    Jr.    G    6’4”    175    Chicago, Ill. / Mineral Area C.C. [Mo.]

Eric Gaines    Fr.   G    6’4”    180    Chicago, Ill. / Hillcrest H.S.

Mark Henniger     Fr.    F    6’8”    190    Massillon, Ohio / Massillon-Jackson H.S.

Kenny Knight     Fr.    F    6’7”    205    Cincinnati, Ohio / Aiken H.S.

KENT, Ohio – With six seniors on the roster this season, Kent State men’s basketball Head Coach Geno Ford will have a lot of shoes to fill for next season.  The biggest step in rebuilding next year’s roster is already complete as the Golden Flashes signed five players in the November early signing period.  Joining the KSU program next fall are DeAndre Nealy, Carlton Guyton, Eric Gaines, Mark Henninger and Kenny Knight. 

A 6’6”, 230 lbs forward, Nealy signs with Kent State out of Mott Junior College [Mich.].  He capped off a well decorated 2008-09 season by earning NJCAA All-American Honors, on top of his all-region and conference player of the year awards.  For the season, he averaged over 15 points and eight rebounds and led all levels of college basketball with an astounding 7.6 blocks per game. 

 “DeAndre is a very athletic post player who comes from a great junior college program coached by legendary Steve Schmidt,” said Ford. “He is a tremendous shot blocker with great timing and a good rebounder that should have a positive effect for our program on the defensive end.”

A product of Detroit Central High School which also produced for KSU All-American Antonio Gates, Nealy averaged 16 points and helped lead Mott to a 35-2 record and the 2008 NJCAA National Championship, where was named all-tournament MVP as a freshman.  After taking Mott to a 29-6 mark last season, he was ranked the No. 26 junior college recruit in the country by Rivals.com and was the top rated NJCAA Division II player. 

“In 19 years, I’ve never coached a player like DeAndre who could have such an impact on a game defensively,” said Schmidt.  “Plus, he has really come along way into developing into a complete player.  I am happy with the way Coach Ford and the Kent State staff stuck with him throughout the recruiting process and expect him to thrive with their program.”

“I have always known about Kent State’s winning tradition and know a few former players like Jay Youngblood who played at Mott and Antonio Gates, said Nealy.  “The coaches made me feel very comfortable with everything and helped me see that I need to be in a place where I am surrounded by people who care.”

Guyton, is a 6’4”, 180 lbs long, athletic guard that had a huge summer for his Illinois Ice and Bobcat AAU squads.  In four games this season, he leads Mineral Area College with 13 points per game including a season-high 21 in a 68-66 loss to No. 6 ranked Southwestern Illinois College in the Cardinals last game. 

“Carlton is a multi-talented perimeter player who can play all three wing positions on offense and defense, said Ford.  “He is unselfish with great vision and the ability to create his own shot at anytime.  With the departure of our current perimeter players to graduation (Chris Singletary, Mike McKee and Tyree Evans), he has the opportunity to come in and contribute right away.”

Starting the final 15 games of last year, he helped lead his team to a 19-12 record and a Region XVI Championship game appearance.  As a high school senior at Rich South in Chicago, Guyton averaged 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and shot over 75 percent from the foul line while earning all-conference honors. 

A 6’4”, 180 lbs guard, Gaines averaged 13 points last season for Hillcrest High School, which also produced former KSU standout Armon Gates.  A versatile, athletic wing that can play the shooting guard or small forward, he is ranked as one of the top 20 recruits in the class of 2010 for the state of Illinois.

“I saw Eric play this summer and was extremely excited about him.  He is the type of guard that excels in the Mid-American Conference because he is long, can handle the ball, and has good size for a perimeter player,”  said Ford.  “As he works on his outside shot and skill set, he will become an excellent player for us and we are very excited to have him at Kent State.”

Known for his defensive versatility, Gaines also runs the floor well in transition.  In addition to his 13 points, he littered the stat sheet with 3.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game last season for a team that went 20-10. 

A local product from nearby Massillon-Jackson High School, Henninger is a 6’8”, 190 lbs forward that averaged over 20 points and eight rebounds a game last season.  In addition to Federal League Player of the Year honors, he was also named special mention all-state while playing for Mark Fuline. 

“Mark fell in love with Kent very early on in his search for a college, said Fuline.  “The instant respect he had for the coaches and program made it a very easy decision for him to make.”

A player with a high basketball IQ, Henninger has the ability to stretch the defense with his jump shot and can finish around the rim.  

“Mark is somebody that we have recruited for over two years now and we are thrilled he choose to come to Kent State,” said Ford.  “We are extremely excited that a local player of his caliber chose to come to KSU.  He is a great student that comes from a great family and will be an excellent representative of our university.”

Knight is a 6’7”, 205 lbs forward playing for Aiken High School in Cincinnati this season.  A high energy post player, he is extraordinarily active around the basket on both ends of the floor.  Coming off a very good AAU season, Knight played with the Queen City Prophets for coach Ozzie Davis and really matured as a player. 

“Kenny is a great athlete very assertive on the glass that should really blossom in our program,” said Ford.  “He is your prototypical MAC four-man, who plays with a lot of passion and can have an impact on the game by blocking shots, rebounding and defending.”

After transferring from Winton Woods High School, Knight sat out last season.  A decent shooter with range to hit the outside shot, he was rated among the top 2010 players in the state of Ohio.

From the Ohio.com blog Varsity Letters…

Kent State offered a scholarship to Middletown senior defensive end Rashad Frazier (6-6, 225) on Monday night, according to Cincinnati.com.

Frazier also has offers from Bowling Green and Miami University.

KSU Notes – November 17

David Carducci from the Record Courier is checking in today with some news and notes.

The Kent State football team is preparing to play Temple this Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  Temple features freshman running back Bernard Pierce, who has established Temple freshman records with 1, 308 yards and 15 touchdowns.  Temple also has a capable backup in Matt Brown.

Two freshman spark Temple's ground attack – Philadelphia Inquirer

The Kent State volleyball team will host Buffalo tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the first round of the MAC tournament.  Senior Jenny Keck was recently named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week.  Earlier in the season she was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week.  Keck becomes the first player in history to be named defensive and offensive player of the week in the same season.

The Kent State baseball program recently welcomed five new players who signed in the early signing period.  Read a little more about Josh Pierce from Avon, Ohio.

Here is video of the last second shot in yesterday's wild game, when Green Bay defeated Kent State in overtime 87-86.

Last second shot

Kent State junior guard Rod Sherman was named the MAC East Player of the Week for his performance over the weekend during the Hispanic College Fund Classic.  Sherman was named MVP of the tournament and helped lead the Flashes to a 2-1 record.  He averaged 14.7 points per game, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 50 percent from the floor.  That's not a bad return for Sherman, who missed of all last season while recovering from knee surgery, then dislocated his elbow a few weeks ago, and is also trying to get his conditioning and his legs underneath him after sitting out the full season.

Aiken senior forward Kenny Knight (6-7, 225 pounds) has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Kent State.  Aiken is in the Cincinnati Metro Athletic Conference.  The school planned a signing ceremony this morning.

Redshirt sophomore wrestler Dustin Kilgore has been named the Kent State Athlete of the Week for his performances at the Oklahoma Gold Tournament over the weekend.

Former Kent State quarterback Julian Edelman scored his first career touchdown last night, as his Patriots lost to the Colts, 35-34.  Edelman caught a nine yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady at the 7:19 mark of the second quarter.  It was Edelman's first game back since breaking his arm in a October 18 game against Tennessee.