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MAC tournament thoughts

by Mike Hrusch on March 13, 2010

After watching as many games as I did the past couple days at The Q in Cleveland, it seems like the Kent State men's team lost about a month ago. After being at the arena for about 13 hours each of the past two days, I didn't have much time to sit down and give any coverage of the disappointing quarterfinal loss…So I'll give you random thoughts.

- Thursday night's KSU loss had to be the worst performance of any Kent State team in that building (Gund Arena/Quicken Loans Arena) ever, including MAC tournaments and Rock N' Roll Shootouts.

- What a bizarre scene it was for all us Kent State fans. Suddenly, it was like all the core values and beliefs, the cornerstones of the Kent State program were non-existent against OU. Defense, toughness, getting to 50/50 balls, playing well in the MAC tournament, it all had evaporated.

- It was like I was watching a movie, a horror movie.

- It was like my worst nightmare was becoming a reality as it played out before me, except I couldn't wake up.

- Its a sad bit of irony that Chris Singletary's final MAC game was plagued by his poor free throw shooting and foul trouble, two things that haunted him in his entire career. With that said, Kent State loses that game by 30 without him. Even though it doesn't end in a MAC tournament championship, Singletary re-wrote his story this season and the final chapter was a good one for him.

- Mike McKee did not have a great senior year individually. But that's where it ends. I don't know that there has been a better representative of the Kent State men's basketball program in the last 12 years.

- The joke made by Geno Ford before the tournament now makes me a little sick with the way it played out. Before the tournament, Ford joked how Bassett (who is at his third school after IU and UAB) is playing so well that he wishes he would go find a fourth school. We couldn't guard him in Kent and he really exploded Thursday night.

- It's hard to really game plan much for a perimeter player. I would have liked to see something done with a little more urgency, a little more radical to try and slow down Bassett. Pressuring his ball wasn't working. In fact, he said it played right into his hands after the game. Outside of doubling him off ball screens, not much was done. Maybe we could have dusted Ian Pinckney off the bench earlier and said, "Whatever you do, deny him the ball, if he gives it up don't let him get it back."

- OU is far from your typical nine seed. They play with a confidence and they expect to win. They went 0-4 in the regular season against Kent State and Akron with the most lopsided point spread being a seven point loss. They were everyone's dark horse for the tournament, so much so that they can't even be considered much of a dark horse.

- Next year is definitely a transition year for Kent State but they have two pretty good building blocks coming back with Sherman on the perimeter and Greene inside.

- I hate to say it, and Kent State fans don't want to hear this, but suddenly these past two seasons the tide has turned and now the MAC tournament is Akron's turf. Watching them win these close games, I knew they were going to win. They make winning plays down the stretch, and yes, they get some breaks and bounces. The key is, they put themselves in position to have some good luck.

- The difference is this year, and the part that really stings, is that Kent State was the best team in the league for the entire grind, the entire four month process of the season and couldn't get to the semis for the second straight season.

- Do I hope KSU gets a home NIT game? I am not sure. Sometimes its better to have your last impression of the team at the M.A.C. Center be that Miami game. Packed house, Hall of Fame night, life was good. An NIT game that brings in maybe 3,000 people…maybe they play on the road.

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Kent State men begin MAC tournament against Ohio

by Mike Hrusch on March 11, 2010

in men's basketball

After winning the MAC regular season championship for the fourth time in school history, the Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball team will begin the MAC tournament on Thursday night when they take on the Ohio Bobcats at 7:00 p.m. at The Q in downtown Cleveland.

While much has been made about the easier road in the tournament and unfavorable match ups, Kent State will win if they can use a familiar formula that they used all season. Defense, rebounding, making hustle plays and TOUGHNESS. Kent State is the toughest, most physical team in the league. They have an opportunity to make this special season even better and it starts tonight.

I will be at The Q all day starting around 11:00 a.m. to watch all four ballgames today. I have gone to this tournament every year since it has been in Cleveland, since I was in 8th grade! I can't wait to get there. I will have my Kent State coverage up at some point late tonight or early Friday morning.

“They are playing their best basketball," Ohio coach John Groce said. "I've watched their Akron film, and they were unbelievable, phenomenal - maybe the best I've seen a MAC team play in any given game in my two years (at Ohio). They're playing lights out."

Read Stephanie Storm's preview article in the Akron Beacon Journal.

TV: Fox Sports Ohio (alternate channel)

MAC Tournament Alternate Channel Information

MAC tournament central

Kent State game notes

Even as No. 1 seed, KSU has tough road ahead – Record Courier

Man of Steel – KentWired.com

MAC men's tournament: What to watch for – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Court vision: As three MAC players tip off Thursday, they'll carry the strength of their biggest boosters – Cleveland Plain Dealer (Randal Holt and his father)

To get more invitations to the NCAA dance, Mid-American schools must take a tougher road – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Ohio game notes

Men's Basketball: 'Cats brush off underdog role heading to Cleveland – The Post

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KSU women beat CMU 68-55

by Mike Hrusch on March 10, 2010

in women's basketball

It couldn't have been an uglier first half for the Kent State women's basketball team (20-9) in their MAC quarterfinal game on Wednesday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland against Central Michigan.

After losing first team All-MAC performer Jamilah Humes with two fouls at the 14:09 mark of the first half, the Flashes bumbled and stumbled their way to 17 first half turnovers and 21-percent shooting on 6/28 field goals. The sloppy first half led to a 21-28 deficit at halftime.

With Humes able to play the entire second half, Kent State turned it around. Humes finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists, with 22 of those points coming in the second half. Kent State also poured in five three pointers in the second half to break the game open. Humes got the message delivered at halftime by the Kent State coaching staff. The Flashes recovered to shoot 61-percent in the second half.

"Really we weren't playing with character is the message I got out of it," she said. "We needed to hear that to light a fire under us. We just all knew that if we didn't step up in the second half, we would be going home."

"We played very poorly in the first half and I thought we frankly played without energy in the first half," KSU coach Bob Lindsay said. "I thought the second half we played great defensively with entirely different energy. I thought we went to the offensive boards with a lot of energy in the second half and that was the difference in the game."

Yoshica Spears had 12 points, nine rebounds and six steals while Taisja Jones chipped in with 10 points and 11 rebounds. The Golden Flashes advance to Friday's semifinal against Toledo in a game that will be televised by Fox Sports Ohio. The Rockets beat defending tournament champion Ball State 67-56 in the first game of the day.

Box Score

Flashes win after fiery second half – Akron Beacon Journal

Kent State storms past Chipps in 2nd half – Record Courier

Humes leads the way for Flashes to advance – Record Courier

Strong second half sends Flashes to semifinals – KentWired.com

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Kent State women take on Central Michigan

by Mike Hrusch on March 10, 2010

in women's basketball

The third seeded Kent State women's basketball team (19-9) will take on sixth seed Central Michigan today at Quicken Loans Arena at about 2:30 p.m. The Flashes defeated the Chippewas 82-76 back on January 27. CMU (12-17) is an up tempo team that likes to shoot three pointers. If Kent State were to win they would take on the winner of the first game of the day that features Toledo and Ball State.

MAC tournament central

Kent State game notes

Central Michigan game notes

Flashes have redemption on their minds – Record Courier

SINGLETARY ON FIRST TEAM, GREENE ON SECOND TEAM – Today the MAC announced the All-MAC teams as well as the All-Freshman team. Chris Singletary made the first team while Justin Greene was named to the second team. Apparently Rod Sherman isn't one of the best twenty players in the conference since he didn't even make honorable mention. Read the full release.

NEWS AND NOTES – Dave Carducci from the Record Courier checks in today about extending Geno Ford's contract, the process for a new athletic director and the wide open field for both the men's and women's MAC basketball tournaments.

SHERMAN PROFILE – The Daily Kent Stater staff recently sat down with men's basketball guard Rod Sherman.

KSU WRESTLING – The Kent State wrestling team had three MAC champions and five NCAA qualifiers in the Golden Flashes' second place finish at the MAC championships in Mount Pleasant, Michigan over the weekend.

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Kent State basketball notebook

by Mike Hrusch on March 9, 2010

in men's basketball, women's basketball

SIMPSON WINS SIXTH MAN AWARD - Anthony Simpson was named the MAC Sixth Man of the Year on Tuesday. Simpson averaged 8.8 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. KSU is 13-0 when he scores in double figures. "Anthony is an easy choice for the award, we were undefeated when he scored in double figures so his impact with our team is clear," said Kent State head Coach Geno Ford. "Unselfishly he volunteered to come off the bench this season and consistently provide us a lift every time he stepped on the court. This is a well deserved honor for him."

Simpson is the second Kent State player to earn Sixth Man of the Year honors joining Kevin Warzynski who won in 2006.

In other awards announced Tuesday, Akron's Jimmy Conyers was named Defensive Player of the Year while Ohio's D.J. Cooper was named Freshman of the Year.

FORD FOR MVP? On Monday men's basketball coach Geno Ford was named MAC Coach of the Year. Kent State gets a lot of contributions from a lot of players but Ford and his staff are the ones that put all those pieces of the puzzle together. Stephanie Storm has the story.

SINGLETARY PROFILE – The Daily Kent Stater staff sat down with senior Chris Singletary. Check it out here.

ANOTHER BATTLE WITH THE BOBCATS – Kent State will take on Ohio for the third time this season on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Kent State swept the regular season series with Ohio this season, but it wasn't easy. Kent State won a two point game in Athens and a seven point game in Kent in which they trailed by double digits in the second half. Ohio is playing their best basketball of the season, winning nine of their last 14 and four of their last five. They overcame a nine point deficit on Sunday at Ball State to advance to Cleveland. "I couldn't be more proud of our guys," coach John Groce said. "Every coach's goal is to be playing its best basketball at this time of the year. We've weathered some things. For most of the year, I've been hard on them to mature and to value possessions. We've finished close games a lot better lately."

Groce and his players are looking forward to another meeting with the Golden Flashes.

"I have a great deal of respect for Kent State," Groce said. "We've had two really hard fought games with them and our guys have a great deal of respect for Kent State and are really looking forward to competing against them and the challenge of playing them for a third time on Thursday night." It isn't a fun matchup for Kent State when you have guards like D.J. Cooper and Armon Bassett running around making plays everywhere. "Matching up with Ohio is a concern because quite frankly they had a shot to beat us at their place," Ford said. "They are more than capable of beating us and winning the whole thing."

VS. OHIO IN THE MAC TOURNAMENT – Kent State is 4-3 against Ohio all time at the MAC tournament. The last time they played was on March 10, 2006 when the Flashes beat the Bobcats 72-59 in the semifinals on their way to capturing the championship. Kent State is 2-2 in Cleveland against Ohio.

UNSELFISHNESS PLUS DEPTH MAKES FOR GOOD CHEMISTRY FOR FLASHES – Kent State has used a formula of unselfish play combined with depth to go along with good chemistry to have a special season. "I think that our kids have been really unselfish and that's why we've won," Ford continued. "We've been pretty deep this year going into the bench. Some nights guys get a lot of shots, other nights they don't. We haven't had to deal with really any chemistry problems throughout the season and that's why we had a good year."

NOT MUCH AT LARGE BUZZ – Coach Ford continues to speak out on some of his frustrations and disappointment with there not being much talk of his team being an at large candidate should they not cut down the nets at The Q. "It's been somewhat frustrating to watch the ESPN shows where they're talking about teams…It's discouraging and a little disappointing from the stand point of, If having an RPI of 42 and a non-conference strength of schedule of 20 is not enough, then tell me what is. I don't know what else we really could have done. We've had as good a year as what we could have." For Kent State to get in, it will most likely take a win on Saturday night. "Coach Coles had a great quote," Ford said. "Everybody shows up for dinner in Cleveland and there's one piece of chicken that we all got to fight for."

LAING ON HIS WAY – You would think having your athletic director on the NCAA selection committee could help Kent State's chances. That isn't really the case. Kennedy isn't allowed to speak about the Mid-American Conference and has to leave the room when and if Kent State is discussed. Speaking of Kennedy, he leaves today for Indianapolis to start the process of selecting the NCAA teams. He will be sequestered until selection Sunday. Kennedy will be in Milwaukee at the Bradley Center for the first two rounds of the tournament before traveling to St. Louis for the regional before being in Indianapolis for the Final Four.

WINNING IT FOR LAING – It had to be a special moment for Ford and his staff along with his players to send Kennedy out with a regular season championship in his last year. Kennedy will retire at the end of the academic year. "All of our kids really wanted to win it for Mr. Kennedy," Ford said. "That was brought up by a player in team meetings earlier in the year. When we were 1-2, and we were looking like we were being pronounced dead on the scene, we had a pretty good meeting. We try not to have a ton of meetings. We had a good meeting and that was said by one of our players, that it was Mr. Kennedy's last year and we really needed him to go out on the right note."

WOMEN TAKE ON CENTRAL MICHIGAN – Bob Lindsay's women squad will take on number six seed Central Michigan on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. in a quarterfinal game. The Flashes beat the Chippewas 82-76 back on January 27 at the M.A.C. Center in Kent. The Daily Kent Stater is previewing the women's tournament with a profile on Jamilah Humes and Taisja Jones. Humes was named first team All-MAC while Jones was named third team All-MAC on Tuesday.

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Ford on 'All Bets Are Off' today

by Mike Hrusch on March 8, 2010

in men's basketball

Kent State coach Geno Ford will appear on the television show "All Bets Are Off" on SportsTime Ohio. Ford is scheduled for 3:45 p.m.

The interview will be replayed at about 12:45 a.m. tonight.

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Ford named MAC Coach of the Year

by Mike Hrusch on March 8, 2010

in men's basketball

Kent State men's basketball head coach Geno Ford was named the 2010 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in a vote by the league's media association.

Ford led KSU to their fourth regular season title in school history and the number one seed in the upcoming conference tournament. During league play Kent State shot 51-percent and averaged 40 points in the second half, an increase of more than 10 percent and eight points per half.

It is the seventh time in history that a Kent State coach has won the award.

“This is an award that obviously a lot of people have had a hand in,” said Ford. “Rob Senderoff has done a tremendous job with our offense, Armon Gates and Bobby Steinburg were instrumental with our defense and Jaden Uken was outstanding with our daily preparation for practice and games. You have to credit our accomplishments this season to the players who performed at a high level and shared that one vision required for a team to be great.”

“We have great support from the University and Athletic Administration here at Kent State,” stated Ford. “Our success is made possible due to the commitment we receive from Director of Athletics Laing Kennedy and President Lester Lefton.”

Western Michigan's David Kool was named MAC Player of the Year. Kent State's Chris Singletary finished in second with Justin Greene finishing in third.

Complete MAC Release

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MAC Report Online announces basketball awards

by Mike Hrusch on March 7, 2010

in men's basketball

MAC Report Online has announced its basketball awards.

Geno Ford is coach of the year. Anthony Simpson is sixth man of the year while Chris Singletary was named defensive player of the year.

Western Michigan's David Kool was Player of the Year and Ohio's D.J. Cooper is the newcomer of the year.

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Konz will try to impress at Thursday Pro Day

by Mike Hrusch on March 7, 2010

in Football

Tony Grossi from the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes today that former Kent State linebacker/tight end/H-back Jameson Konz will try to impress NFL people on Thursday at his pro day in Kent.

Konz has the size (6-3, 233) and speed (4.5 seconds in the 40) that could make him a weapon in the NFL. Best of luck to him.

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Flashes beat Akron 74-61 to win MAC regular season championship

by Mike Hrusch on March 6, 2010

in men's basketball

AKRON – Kent State played a near perfect game to defeat Akron 74-61 on Friday night in front of a national audience on ESPN2. The Flashes won their fourth MAC regular season championship in school history and third in the last five years. Kent State receives an automatic bid to the NIT with the win, if needed. KSU also clinched the #1 seed in the upcoming MAC tournament and will play the winner of the Ohio @ Ball State game on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at The Q in Cleveland.

Senior Anthony Simpson led KSU with a career high 23 points to go with his nine rebounds. Simpson was extremely impressive displaying a smooth jump shot to go with his usual athletic finishes at the rim. The Flashes improve to 13-0 when Simpson scores in double figures. Rod Sherman chipped in with 15 points and Chris Singletary had 11.

In the first half Kent State weathered an early storm of unsure play by responding with a 14-1 run and never looked back. Kent State held Akron without a field goal for a six minute stretch and just 27-percent shooting in the first half to take a 31-23 lead into the break.

“To win a conference championship, we must win on the road. I thought we played really well throughout and Akron was not great in the first half and that was probably the difference,” said Kent State Head Coach Geno Ford. “We were able to get a comfortable lead and Akron could not get the score close enough that we could fold to its pressure.”

Kent State shot a sizzling 64-percent in the second half to put the game away. It is the ninth time in the last 14 games that Kent State has shot 50-percent or better in the second half. The Flashes led by as many as 20 points in the second half when freshman Randal Holt put in a short jumper at the 4:58 mark.

During the first six or seven minutes of the second half everything when Kent State's way. While Simpson was taking over offensively, it seemed like all the loose balls went to KSU, all the hustle plays were made by the Flashes.

The Zips did not play very well at all. Rhodes Arena was rocking before the game with 5,545 fans in white ready to propel Akron to victory. The problem was, Kent State followed a perfect script by taking a lead early and taking the crowd out of the game.

"That's probably the first time in my six years that we've gotten our ass beat that bad at home," Akron head coach Keith Dambrot said. "The score wasn't even indicative of how they beat us. They played well. We just didn't play with any discipline. We had no offensive discipline, no defensive discipline. Whatever team has won this series has taken better shots than the other team. Our shot selection was awful. We got outside of our realm. We didn't play as a team."

When Kent State can get that many contributions from their team and play like they did tonight, they will be extremely tough to beat in Cleveland at the MAC tournament.

As for Ford and his staff, they will enjoy the championship and the break.

"The perception of Kent State basketball is that we're a national program," Ford said. "We've had a team for 100 years, but we've only done this four times in our history. What we did is pretty special."

Box Score

KEYS TO KENT – In our preview we said points in the paint, defend the three and rebound margin would all be keys. The Flashes passed the test. They out scored Akron 44-30 in the paint, Akron went 3/19 from three point range for 16-percent and Kent State out rebounded Akron 36-30. All that adds up to a winning formula for Kent State against Akron. Add in a 34-12 advantage in bench points (23 for Simpson), and Kent State rolls.

FLASHES EXERCISE GATES' DEMONS – Kent State assistant coach Armon Gates did not win a MAC championship his senior year. He didn't beat Akron his senior year. In fact, he went 0-3 vs. the Zips and played his final collegiate game against them in the MAC semis in 2006-2007. On Friday night, a couple of his former teammates had his back. "Coach Gates just told me, 'Congratulations,' Singletary said. "That's something we weren't able to do his senior year. Akron beat him three times. It's always big to come here and get a win."

"THE ROCK" IS BACK – Rod Sherman, nicknamed "The Rock" his freshman season by Jim Christian for his steady play, gave the Flashes a huge lift on Friday night with 15 points. Sherman is a bad matchup for Akron. He is too big, strong and athletic for Akron's smaller guards. Keith Dambrot had some praise for Sherman after the game. "Rod Sherman is the reason they win. Rod Sherman didn't play last year. You do the math. He is a winning guy. Right now, they have three guys who are First Team All-MAC."

MAC TOURNAMENT IS SET – The pairings for the MAC tournament are set. Check out the bracket. The Flashes get the prime #1 seed slot at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday against the Ball State/Ohio winner. I'm picking the Bobcats to make it to Cleveland. That's not a real fun matchup for Kent State. A couple weeks ago I quietly picked Ohio as my dark horse in the tournament…I think a lot of people did.

MORE TOURNAMENT – Let me speak out on something while I'm on the subject. Kent State plays for championships. Regular season championships and tournament championships. All year I have heard, "Who cares, the whole season comes down to three days in Cleveland." Go in Kent State's lockerroom and try telling their six seniors that a regular season championship doesn't mean much. To steal a quote from Geno Ford, "When you have a chance to put up a banner and get a ring, you put up a banner and get a ring." Kent State has separated themselves from the rest of the league. For the second time in the last three seasons, the Flashes have put themselves in position for an NCAA at large bid. The talk is real, check the resume, watch them play. They have done it with the 26th toughest non-conference schedule, going 9-5 in those games. They have seven wins over teams with 20 or more victories this season. The regular season is the grind. "The tough one to win is the regular season championship," Ford said. "The fun one is the tournament, because you get to go to the NCAAs."

OK, LAST THOUGHT ON TOURNAMENT – If Kent State is good enough and if they are the best team in the MAC (which looks pretty clear after Friday night), they'll win the MAC tournament. If the Flashes have to run the East gauntlet of Ohio, then either Miami or Buffalo then Akron again, so be it. If they are good enough, they will win. I don't want to hear about the easier road or anything like that. Is the #3 seed the easier road? Well you would think, it's been that way for a while since the West division has lagged behind. I'm a Kent State fan and I'm greedy. I want it all. I want a MAC regular season championship, I want the #1 seed and I want a MAC tournament championship. I want to beat Buffalo again to get another top 100 RPI win and hopefully get a 10 or 11 seed in the NCAA tournament. That's how I am thinking. If Kent State loses in the MAC tournament then they lose.

KENT STATE

Kent State wins MAC Regular Season Title With 74-61 Win Over Akron – KentStateSports.com

Flashes capture MAC title, defeat Zips 74-61 – Akron Beacon Journal

Kent State blasts arch-rival Akron for MAC regular-season title – Record Courier

Kent State men's basketball teams wins showdown with Akron for MAC title – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Kent State overwhelms Akron amid big-game hoopla at Rhodes Arena – Cleveland Plain Dealer

Flashes clinch MAC title with blowout over Akron – KentWired.com

Flashes turn big game into big route – MAC Report Online

AKRON

Men's Basketball Downed by Kent State in Rivalry Game – GoZips.com

Rematch likely for Zips, Flashes – Akron Beacon Journal

Liveblog – Kent vs. Akron – Rasor on the Zips