The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(12-05-2019 11:59 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  

(12-05-2019 11:19 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  A little too much Akron praise for my taste on this thread. They're improved from last year for sure... But let's not crown yet. They just beat a Marshall team by 12 last night that Toledo beat by 26 a few weeks ago.

Also, Walker never shot below 37% in a season. The Akron dude is at 35%. Let's not crown him yet either.

I will vote then most likely to have their coach burst a blood vessel in his forehead screaming at a ref 30 seconds into a game though. In that regard, they are the clear gold standard of the MAC.

The difference in shooting percentages between Walker, Pippen, and this Williams kid also have to take into account their position. Walker was lower because he is a guard. Bigs should have a higher FG% than guards.

Both points well taken ... especially the gold standard.

(12-05-2019 11:19 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  A little too much Akron praise for my taste on this thread. They're improved from last year for sure... But let's not crown yet. They just beat a Marshall team by 12 last night that Toledo beat by 26 a few weeks ago.

Also, Walker never shot below 37% in a season. The Akron dude is at 35%. Let's not crown him yet either.

I will vote then most likely to have their coach burst a blood vessel in his forehead screaming at a ref 30 seconds into a game though. In that regard, they are the clear gold standard of the MAC.

Who has Akron defeated? Marshall is 2-5; looking at the Sagarin ratings, Marshall is Acorn's best win, ranked 217. With the Louisville game, Akron was down 55-35 after halftime, and were down 77-67 with 0:40 left. A 6-point loss on paper looks closer than it really was.

Wright State, Towson, and Fort Wayne are all better wins than Marshall

I love ESPN+. I get to watch MAC basketball almost every night, and if not every night, then often 2-3 games in one day. What I like best is that we get a much better picture of all the teams in the conference much earlier than we used to when we might only see them when they played us. I've seen every team in the conference play at least a half plus parts of other games and besides ours, have seen multiple whole games by Toledo, UB, Akron, CMU, Miami, Ball St., OU, and BG.

At any rate, what I've seen is that there are several teams that could wind up in the one seed. (I'd never try to guess who is gong to win the MAC tourney, especially in December.) Toledo looks like the most talented team and they play in the weaker division, although that doesn't mean that much with the 18 game conference schedule: each team play 10 games within division and 8 games out of the division. That's not enough to matter a lot when overall MAC record determines seeding with no regard to division. (Please, MAC, do away with divisions in basketball. One set of standings, 1-12. Thank you.)

Right now, it looks like Toledo and an injury free BG at the top, then Kent and Akron, and maybe Buffalo, although Buffalo seems to have more problems that will need to get resolved before March than the others and has a new coach to try to do it. I think that will keep them from a 1-4 seed. NIU, Ohio, CMU, and Ball St. will have their nights when they are very tough to beat, but also have issues that keep them out of the top third. WMU, Miami, and EMU look to have some insurmountable problems that will prevent them from getting over .500 in conference.

So I guess now we don't need to play out the season. Got it all figured out. Seriously, this is going to be a fun season with more parity than we've had in a while. Love it.

Anyone have any scouting reports for CSU?

(12-05-2019 11:59 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  

(12-05-2019 11:19 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  A little too much Akron praise for my taste on this thread. They're improved from last year for sure... But let's not crown yet. They just beat a Marshall team by 12 last night that Toledo beat by 26 a few weeks ago.

Also, Walker never shot below 37% in a season. The Akron dude is at 35%. Let's not crown him yet either.

I will vote then most likely to have their coach burst a blood vessel in his forehead screaming at a ref 30 seconds into a game though. In that regard, they are the clear gold standard of the MAC.

The difference in shooting percentages between Walker, Pippen, and this Williams kid also have to take into account their position. Walker was lower because he is a guard. Bigs should have a higher FG% than guards.

I get your point and don't disagree, but Williams plays more on the perimeter than a typical big. He's attempting 6.9 2pters per game vs. 7.9 3pters per game. He's also only shooting 25% from 3 despite having 15 more attempts than the next highest player. Groce let's just guys shoot regardless of how good they are at it...

Slightly off topic, but I noticed after five home games our biggest attendance was for the season opener against Hiram. And that drew 2400. Hard to believe a 7-1 team with the tradition Kent has can barey get 2,000 people to a game.

(12-06-2019 02:07 PM)JimJoyce Wrote:  Slightly off topic, but I noticed after five home games our biggest attendance was for the season opener against Hiram. And that drew 2400. Hard to believe a 7-1 team with the tradition Kent has can barey get 2,000 people to a game.

MARKETING ... MARKETING ... MARKETING ... PROMOTION ... MARKETING ... MARKETING ... MARKETING.

The product is there. The local market is right at their feet. Unlike FB, where they have to draw well from 5-10 miles and out, Kent BB doesn't draw well from 5-10 blocks away!!!

It's not just going to happen. Kent needs a LOCAL MARKETING plan and to work at it. But clearly they don't.

I’m sure the ESPN/MAC deal has hurt many teams in league at the gate. I know many people look outside before coming to the MAC Center and if it isn’t 50° and clear, they stay home and watch online. Hard to combat that.

I will agree with you in that Kent State has not invested in marketing and promotions in many, many years.

Marketing, promotions, etc. would surely help. The key is to try to get a huge student turnout. But, there really isn't much interest in "mid-major" college sports among the people in northeast Ohio. The vast majority would prefer watching "Top 25" type teams and pro sports on TV than go to a Kent State game, no matter how good the teams is doing.

The Hiram game had the largest student turnout of the year so far. A group of them snuck into the lower reserves near where I sit and I heard them complaining there was no where for them to sit in the student section. Middle section taken up by the band, other end taken up by the doners lounge. For that game the sections next to the band were packed. They have not been since.

(12-06-2019 06:11 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  The Hiram game had the largest student turnout of the year so far. A group of them snuck into the lower reserves near where I sit and I heard them complaining there was no where for them to sit in the student section. Middle section taken up by the band, other end taken up by the doners lounge. For that game the sections next to the band were packed. They have not been since.

Frankly ... KSU does as well or better than all other MAC (non-Buffalo) teams in student attendance, especially in league play. I still say there is absolutely no reason KSU can't generate 2,500 or more consistently from the city of Kent, with more coming for the better (???) mid-major games on the home schedule. Combined with students, that's a base of 3,500 which should grow from there as the team shows its potential post-season chops.

That 2,500 or more should/would include teachers and administrators on campus. Then when someone drives down from Cleveland, experiences downtown before and/or after the games, and gets home before midnight it feels like a worthwhile and shared experience instead of ... 'why am I the only one doing this.'

Cleveland college hoops fans only have Akron-Kent to choose from until CSU gets a pulse.

(12-06-2019 06:11 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  The Hiram game had the largest student turnout of the year so far. A group of them snuck into the lower reserves near where I sit and I heard them complaining there was no where for them to sit in the student section. Middle section taken up by the band, other end taken up by the doners lounge. For that game the sections next to the band were packed. They have not been since.

Its a moronic look. The department said its because kids dont show up. Well, then get them there!

I have heard students complain that "they took our section away to put up cocktail tables for boosters". That end zone was the "fun area for students". So the powers to be, takes it away. What a way to run a ship.

(12-09-2019 04:38 PM)GFlash68 Wrote:  I have heard students complain that "they took our section away to put up cocktail tables for boosters". That end zone was the "fun area for students". So the powers to be, takes it away. What a way to run a ship.

I agree with the students.
The tables look ridiculous.
Get rid of them and invite the students back.

Agree.... dump the stupid tables. Put the donors in the glass enclosed lounge. JN isn't listening to any of this though. People keep $%^& about the tables and nothing happens.

It's a bad look.
Whoever made this decision in clueless.
There should be students behind both hoops.
Most of the people at the tables are more interested in
what they are eating or drinking than the game itself.
Is there another school in the country that has a similar setup?
Just curious.

Last year they went back to a student section after spring classes started.

I hate the tables, too.

For donors, who pay far less of the athletic budget than student fees.

(12-09-2019 08:00 PM)Skinny Pete Wrote:  It's a bad look.
Whoever made this decision in clueless.
There should be students behind both hoops.
Most of the people at the tables are more interested in
what they are eating or drinking than the game itself.
Is there another school in the country that has a similar setup?
Just curious.

I think Kent has had this setup for the last three years with no changes, but the same complaints, until conference play begins. Then the bleachers come back.

So for the first two months of the season potentially curious fans get to read constant bellyaches with nobody apparently listening ... not a good look to draw the curious fan through the door.

By the time Kent changes back any decision by the curious to check the team out has quite likely been made ...

Is this really worth bar-b-que meatballs, dry chicken strips and a beer to a select few???

Agree. Not only are the cocktail tables a bad look, but the site of the collapsed bleachers against the wall is very high school. Projects very poorly.

I don't understand why the powers in charge don't utilize the glass-enclosed area at the other end. Move the fans that want to carouse up there. Talk about another bad look, even when the MACC is packed, the glass-enclosed area always appears to be empty.

The overhaul of the MACC cannot come soon enough.

I'll say this about it. I suspect the "students pay more fees" argument doesn't hold water with the powers that be because from a dollars and cents perspective it doesn't matter if the students come to the games or enjoy their experience, they are paying their fees regardless and students get in free so getting more students at games doesn't help the bottom line. Not saying I agree with that view at all, just pointing out if the bottom line is the concern these are facts.

Ignoring dollars I think starting the season out like this hurts the environment for the games by the time they bring the bleachers back. Right now we're 8-1 and playing a really entertaining brand of basketball. We should be building excitement among the student body and creating a home court advantage. Not pushing the kids that want to come up into the rafters.

Last comment on this... I've never watched a game from those tables, but is it actually a good view? I wouldn't think so being at floor level set back behind the cheerleaders and basket.

Ok real last comment this time... I privately hope every game to see Pippen smash a block into the food because it would be really funny watching refs clean food off the ball. Come on Danny we believe in you!!