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Some improvement but don't expect too much. They lost to Walsh 89-80. First of all Walsh is a good team. They were quicker than us, especially inside and they had a first class guard in Funderbaugh (24 pts and 5 threes mostly off screens).

As far as we are concerned we have two recruits that show some promise. Montia Johnson who scored 17 in 28 minutes from the 4 position. A solid offensive player. The second player was a three, Larissa Lurken. She scored 14 including 3/4 from 3 point land. She can't create her shot though. Has to be wide open to get the shot off. She did have a good basketball sense though. Seemed to make the right pass and get the big rebounds. For a freshman there is some hope.

The rest of bigs have there feet in cement however. Only Leonard (8 minutes and 5 points) showed some offensive skills. Cici Shannon can block shots and score some. When she is out there our defense is better but she was in foul trouble early and it hurt us. To me it looked like it could be a chronic problem but we will have to wait and see. Bachmann got herself open for four layups but unfortunately she has Barroilet disease and missed them all. She has a way to go.

One disappointment is the same three guards from last year played almost all the minutes. None of the guard recruits look like they are going to play much.

(11-06-2013 09:48 PM)burden Wrote:  Some improvement but don't expect too much. They lost to Walsh 89-80. First of all Walsh is a good team. They were quicker than us, especially inside and they had a first class guard in Funderbaugh (24 pts and 5 threes mostly off screens).

As far as we are concerned we have two recruits that show some promise. Montia Johnson who scored 17 in 28 minutes from the 4 position. A solid offensive player. The second player was a three, Larissa Lurken. She scored 14 including 3/4 from 3 point land. She can't create her shot though. Has to be wide open to get the shot off. She did have a good basketball sense though. Seemed to make the right pass and get the big rebounds. For a freshman there is some hope.

The rest of bigs have there feet in cement however. Only Leonard (8 minutes and 5 points) showed some offensive skills. Cici Shannon can block shots and score some. When she is out there our defense is better but she was in foul trouble early and it hurt us. To me it looked like it could be a chronic problem but we will have to wait and see. Bachmann got herself open for four layups but unfortunately she has Barroilet disease and missed them all. She has a way to go.

One disappointment is the same three guards from last year played almost all the minutes. None of the guard recruits look like they are going to play much.

Another look

Walsh University sas 8-18 last year. In Division II. It does have a good Division I transfer (the one with 24 points) and a good freshman (but frighteningly, she led all rebounders at 5-foot-5).
The difference in the game: (besides that Division I Kent should have better players): Walsh shot 46 percent on three pointers and made 21 of 25 free throws. It scored 25 points off turnovers. Kent made 33 percent of its three-pointers and 17 of 24 foul shots.
I could see some hope. The offense clearly was better. The team never scored 80 points in a game last year. It has only three part-time starters back. It showed good new post players in 6-4 Cici Shannon and 6-1 Montia Johnson. Freshman Larissa Lurken and sophomore Rachel Mendelsohn showed some quick release on three-pointers.
Nobody else showed much.
Coach Danny O’Banion was her usual upbeat self after the game. She liked her team’s effort and pointed out that Shannon – a key defensive player– was in foul trouble in the first half.
She now has her players in her system.
It's only her second year. But she needs post depth, some kind of defense and better play from her two seniors.
It was only an exhibition.
But Walsh?

Regular season opens at 2 p.m. Sunday at the M.A.C Center against Eastern Kentucky (18-12 last year).

What I saw was that there was some skill in Kent's players, but not a lot of intensity. Walsh ended up with rebounds we should have had, they got open shots that should have been defended better inside.

When the game started off, for the first 2 minutes, Kent looked they'd dominate. They got some surprise steals and looked like they'd control the boards. But that didn't last very long.

Me to self: It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter.

(11-07-2013 09:18 AM)axeme Wrote:  Me to self: It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter.

You nailed it, axeme. I keep telling myself that but haven't convinced myself yet.

(11-07-2013 07:57 AM)Slinkin Street Flash Wrote:  What I saw was that there was some skill in Kent's players, but not a lot of intensity. Walsh ended up with rebounds we should have had, they got open shots that should have been defended better inside.

When the game started off, for the first 2 minutes, Kent looked they'd dominate. They got some surprise steals and looked like they'd control the boards. But that didn't last very long.

Lack of intensity maybe but I saw it as a lack of quickness inside.

(11-07-2013 09:18 AM)axeme Wrote:  Me to self: It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter. It's just an exhibition. It doesn't matter.

I think I tried that last year. It usually doesn't work though.

So, the here comes the big question. How many games can this team win this year? Am I being optimistic if I guess 5?

Number of wins:

Who knows?

It's just an exhibition, albeit it not an impressive one.

Just three part-time starters back from last year, which means a lineup that's never played together.

I'd be very happy with a .500 season.

Having only three starters back from last year's team cannot be a bad thing. I'd be ecstatic with a .500 season but I would think it would be very unlikely. Clear progress is the best we can hope for, I'm afraid.

Recap/Box Score of last nights loss to Walsh from http://www.kentstatesports.com: http://www.kentstatesports.com/news/2013...10613.aspx

Season preview video from Coach O'Bannion:
http://www.kentstatesports.com/news/2013...30812.aspx

(11-07-2013 01:27 PM)axeme Wrote:  Having only three starters back from last year's team cannot be a bad thing. I'd be ecstatic with a .500 season but I would think it would be very unlikely. Clear progress is the best we can hope for, I'm afraid.

Having 3 part time starters back from last years team is a bad thing. As I said, I was very disappointed she did not come up with one recruit that could crack the line-up at the one or two guard. God help them if one of those three part time starters get hurt and they even get worse at guard. I would say somewhere between 5-8 wins at best. It really bothers me she did not recruit better. She could promise a starting role to any good recruit and yet she could not find a guard. I am afraid are program has a real bad reputation right now and things are not going to change very fast. Not the current coaches fault but not something a young inexperienced coach finds easy to handle.

(11-07-2013 03:49 PM)burden Wrote:  

(11-07-2013 01:27 PM)axeme Wrote:  Having only three starters back from last year's team cannot be a bad thing. I'd be ecstatic with a .500 season but I would think it would be very unlikely. Clear progress is the best we can hope for, I'm afraid.

Having 3 part time starters back from last years team is a bad thing. As I said, I was very disappointed she did not come up with one recruit that could crack the line-up at the one or two guard. God help them if one of those three part time starters get hurt and they even get worse at guard. I would say somewhere between 5-8 wins at best. It really bothers me she did not recruit better. She could promise a starting role to any good recruit and yet she could not find a guard. I am afraid are program has a real bad reputation right now and things are not going to change very fast. Not the current coaches fault but not something a young inexperienced coach finds easy to handle.

Well, that's what I was implying--we would most likely be better off with fewer of last year's starters being able to crack the lineup. When you have one of the worst seasons in school history, it's time for a complete overhaul.

(11-07-2013 04:31 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(11-07-2013 03:49 PM)burden Wrote:  

(11-07-2013 01:27 PM)axeme Wrote:  Having only three starters back from last year's team cannot be a bad thing. I'd be ecstatic with a .500 season but I would think it would be very unlikely. Clear progress is the best we can hope for, I'm afraid.

Having 3 part time starters back from last years team is a bad thing. As I said, I was very disappointed she did not come up with one recruit that could crack the line-up at the one or two guard. God help them if one of those three part time starters get hurt and they even get worse at guard. I would say somewhere between 5-8 wins at best. It really bothers me she did not recruit better. She could promise a starting role to any good recruit and yet she could not find a guard. I am afraid are program has a real bad reputation right now and things are not going to change very fast. Not the current coaches fault but not something a young inexperienced coach finds easy to handle.

Well, that's what I was implying--we would most likely be better off with fewer of last year's starters being able to crack the lineup. When you have one of the worst seasons in school history, it's time for a complete overhaul.

I understood what you were saying. I just wanted to second the motion.

Ten second backcourt installed in women's game this year. Trying to speed up the game. We will see how our guards handle pressure and how well we can pressure other teams. After last year, I think we have the potential and with the new players and with time playing together I think we will win games. WE SHALL SEE.....

Blog from Carducci during Walsh University game: http://kentstatedavidcarducci.blogspot.com/

Won by one point when Mendelson (22 pts) buried a three with 2 seconds left in OT. Lurkin had 18 and Montia (forgot her last name for the moment) 15. No doubt they are better offensively. Defense still a problem as they let an EKU guard go off for 26. We will have to fix that later. For now a win is a win.

By the way after seeing EKU today I am even more impressed by how Walsh played on Wednesday.

A major confidence builder. Winning shot in the last seconds of overtime (75-74). Coming from behind from at least seven points nine times. Against a team that beat Miami at Miami two days before.

There are some very happy players and coaches. Some even tried to lift up Rachel Mendelsohn, who scored the game winner and 19 other points.

Everybody on the team played. Nine played at least five minutes.

Nice stuff from the box score: Eight blocked shots, five by transfer Cici Shannon. Double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) from transfer Montia Johnson. 17 points from freshman Larissa Lurken, including 11 free throws. Backup center Heather Bachman, who looked terrible in Friday’s exhibition had seven rebounds (though no points). Team shot 82 percent free throw shooting. It had 19 turnovers – not great but in early games last year they were making 30.

And Mendelsohn’s 21 points – seven of 17 baskets, 7 of 7 three pointers. She didn’t even start – senior Amber Dunlap did. Wonder how last that will long?

Worrisome things from the box: Point guard Ashley Evans had zero – zero – assists. Shannon was only 3 for 9 and seven points from short range. (I don’t think she’ll ever be a scorer, but she’ll average 7 to 10 rebounds and two to five blocks a game. I’ll take that.)

That EKS guard with 26 points had 27 against Miami.

It was a one-point win against a team that probably will be around .500. I’ll take it.

On Thursday, it’s Duquesne (1-1 this year, 24-8 in ACC last year, three starters returning) at 7 p.m. at the M.A.C.C. Much, much tougher.

Full box:

http://www.kentstatesports.com/boxscore....ll&id=2231

Team Sports Information story, which in includes a couple of quotes from O'Banion:

http://www.kentstatesports.com/news/2013...33133.aspx

(11-10-2013 04:43 PM)burden Wrote:  Won by one point when Mendelson (22 pts) buried a three with 2 seconds left in OT. Lurkin had 18 and Montia (forgot her last name for the moment) 15. No doubt they are better offensively. Defense still a problem as they let an EKU guard go off for 26. We will have to fix that later. For now a win is a win.

By the way after seeing EKU today I am even more impressed by how Walsh played on Wednesday.

Yes, has to be a great confidence booster to get a “W” early in the year.