fallsdog
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Kent State vs. Lehigh
Here is a quick look at Mountain Hawks.
Lehigh's offense has been paced by two guards, 6'5 senior Michael Ojo is averaging 17 points a game and 6'3 sophomore CJ McCollum is right behind him at 16.5 per game. Oddly enough, both players are also among the team's leading rebounders with McCollum averaging 7.5 and Ojo grabbing 5 per game.
Other players to watch are Gabe Knutson, a 6'9 sophomore who is averaging 8 points and 5.5 rebounds through 4 games, 6'2 freshman guard Anthony D'Orazio averages about 7.5 ppg and 6'0 freshman Mackey McNight is scoring 6.5 points per game.
Those are the numbers that jump out. A deeper look shows that:
1) The Mountain Hawks have 11 guys averaging 10 or more minutes per contest.
2) Only 3 of those players are 6'7 or bigger.
3) But they do have guys on the roster listed at 6'10, 7'1 and 6'8.
4) Both of Lehigh's wins have been at home (Wagner and Cornell) and they are 0-2 on the road (Penn State and Monmouth)
So what does all this mean? (like I have any idea) Here is what I think:
Justin Greene should be able to get to the basket. I would imagine that Lehigh will throw plenty of zone Kent's way and try to force the Flashes to shoot from distance. Along with that, Kent should be able to control the boards and out-muscle Lehigh in the paint.
The guards will clearly be challenged. I would expect Lehigh to be somewhat disciplined and to take care of the ball. They will probably be patient on offense, wait for Kent's defense to "break down" and score off of sharp cuts to the hoop.
In closing, as the house is starting to smell like Turkey, this looks like another good test for Kent State's guards. I think that their maturity will be tested but I am glad to see that Lehigh is young too. I would be more concerned if a veteran Patriot League team was coming into the MAC Center on Friday.
Prediction - Kent State 71 Lehigh 58
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11-25-2010 10:11 AM |
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Kent 76
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
C J McCollum played his HS ball about a half-hour south of Kent State, at Glenoak HS in northern Stark County. He had an outstanding year last year for Lehigh and I'm surprised he's "only" averaging 16.5. He can really light it up, but of course Ford and the staff are well aware of that. He wasn't considered a real prospect for MAC level basketball, at least not early on, and Lehigh got him early. Anyway, I'm sure there will be a decent sized contingent of Glenoak folks there, so if it seems like an unusually large number of people are cheering for Lehigh, or at least for C J, that is why.
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11-25-2010 10:36 AM |
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Kent 76
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
I said "only" in my prior post because of what he did last year:
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — GlenOak High School graduate C.J. McCollum was named Patriot League men’s basketball Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, the first time that has ever happened.
The top scoring freshman in all of America at Lehigh University, McCollum averages 23.5 points per game in league games.
“He had a tremendous season and continued to get better as the year progressed,” Mountain Hawks head coach Brett Reed said. “Often it’s difficult for a freshman to continue to produce at the level he has, and I’m happy that the other league coaches recognized him for these honors.
“It’s a testament to our program and how hard our players have worked in receiving these postseason accolades.”
McCollum was named Rookie of the Week eight times this season. A 6-foot-3 guard, McCollum is averaging a team-leading 18.8 points overall this season, and his 544 points are only three shy of breaking the all-time Lehigh freshman scoring mark of 546 set by Daren Queenan in 1984-85. McCollum also is averaging 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals, while shooting 43 percent from 3-point range and 81 percent at the foul line.
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11-25-2010 12:25 PM |
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AlphaFlash
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
These guys are playing us close through the first half. I hope our home court is very loud tonight.
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11-26-2010 08:12 PM |
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Kballard122
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
They are definitely giving us trouble so far. 32-31 Lehigh with 3:47 left in the first. The flashes look sleepy.
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11-26-2010 08:13 PM |
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FlashFan
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
Is it just me or has anyone else lost the WNIR feed with about 4:00 to go in the first half?
(This post was last modified: 11-26-2010 08:15 PM by FlashFan.)
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11-26-2010 08:15 PM |
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Kballard122
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
How did WE not find McCollum? This kid is destroying us inside. I don't know how someone with that kind of talent escaped Ohio.
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11-26-2010 08:20 PM |
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naeskent77
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
McCollum is a monster, Gaines looks good and overall we look good just not on defense covering him, like you said how did we not recruit him?
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11-26-2010 08:37 PM |
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AlphaFlash
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
Where do the team fouls stand?
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11-26-2010 09:13 PM |
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dannyb73
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
WNIR sucks. Always has and is totally unreliable. Monday morning I am going to followup with the guy Joel Nielsen asked me to. Losing the radio feed is totally unacceptable.
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11-26-2010 09:23 PM |
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flashgrad03
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
(11-26-2010 09:23 PM)dannyb73 Wrote: WNIR sucks. Always has and is totally unreliable. Monday morning I am going to followup with the guy Joel Nielsen asked me to. Losing the radio feed is totally unacceptable.
thanks, its beyond frustrating
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11-26-2010 09:24 PM |
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AlphaFlash
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
Dang Gaines, you can't foul!
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11-26-2010 09:29 PM |
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AlphaFlash
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
FOOTBALL & BASKETBALL SATURDAY
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11-26-2010 09:38 PM |
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FlashFan
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
And what an awful day to be Green
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11-26-2010 09:57 PM |
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Kent 76
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
naesketnt and kballard, as I mentioned in my initial post, schools at the MAC level and higher thought he wasn't physically strong enough. Lehigh jumped on him very early. As he continued to improve, other schools (I have no idea whether Kent State was one of them) became involved but as many athletes often do, he stuck with the first school to offer. That is what I read in the papers in the past, and what I'd been told.
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11-26-2010 10:31 PM |
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flashesfan21
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
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11-26-2010 10:39 PM |
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burden
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
I am a little worried with all our close wins at home. What is going to happen on the road? We seem to have an awful tough time stopping guards from penetrating. I know the guy tonight was exceptional but Furman and Robert Morris seemed to do it at will also. Three point shooting was better. I think we only missed the rim twice. It looks like Sherman and Holt are going to have to be our 3 point shooters since no one else can even come close. They pretty much took Greene away in the second half and were daring us to shoot th three. Luckily Rod made a few. That looks like it's going to be a big weakness this year.
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11-26-2010 10:59 PM |
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dannyb73
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
(11-26-2010 10:59 PM)burden Wrote: I am a little worried with all our close wins at home. What is going to happen on the road? We seem to have an awful tough time stopping guards from penetrating. I know the guy tonight was exceptional but Furman and Robert Morris seemed to do it at will also. Three point shooting was better. I think we only missed the rim twice. It looks like Sherman and Holt are going to have to be our 3 point shooters since no one else can even come close. They pretty much took Greene away in the second half and were daring us to shoot th three. Luckily Rod made a few. That looks like it's going to be a big weakness this year.
I think you are worrying for nothing. Lehigh and RMU are quality teams (both favored to win their leagues) and we are a young team that is finding ways to win close games. At home or on the road, when you win close games you are maturing and learning how do get it done in crunch time. Saying Holt is going to have to be one of our main 3 pt shooters is hilarious since he has been BRUTAL this year. Guyton is our best 3 pt shooter by far and Sherman is next. We will be fine, especially since IMO the MAC is going to be weak again this year.
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11-26-2010 11:16 PM |
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Kent 76
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RE: Kent State vs. Lehigh
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11-27-2010 09:18 AM |
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