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

Well, last night, anyway, taking 2 of 3. What the heck is with Akron and OU? They sure have had disappointing seasons, but it would be just Kent State's luck that one or both gets hot just in time for the MAC tournament.

Eastern Michigan was too much for Akron last night. OUCH. Right now it is all about seeding. Lets hope Toledo can pull off a miracle tonight against Buffalo!

(02-03-2011 10:00 AM)Kent 76 Wrote:  Well, last night, anyway, taking 2 of 3. What the heck is with Akron and OU? They sure have had disappointing seasons, but it would be just Kent State's luck that one or both gets hot just in time for the MAC tournament.

I guess I'm not totally surprised by Ohio being just Ok, since someone here pointed out in the preseason, how is this team any better than the one that went 7-9 in the MAC last year? Yes, they got hot at the right time, but they weren't any better - especially losing the player that shot the heck out of Kent last year in the tournament (who's name my mind seems to have blocked out).

Akron seemed to be getting over the hump and would equal Kent as a consistantly good squad in the MAC. So I am totally surprised by their mediocrity. I thought they would go 11-5 in the MAC. Now they need 8 in a row to make that happen. Just OUCH!

EDIT: For bad English.

Ohio can't play defense or get a defensive board. Markedly worse team than last year.

Armon Bassett was a game-changer. He was easily the best player on the floor when he wanted to play, which really wasn't all that often. He almost single-handedly carried them through the MAC tourney and the win vs. G-town. If I recall, Cooper was a non-factor in the game vs. us at the Q. They lost Bassett (and Stephen Coleman and at least one other guy who was supposed to be a decent 4, I think) and really didn't improve the talent around Bassett to any significant degree as their play shows. They have real deficiencies in several spots and no one to cover them up. Plus, they apparently have no real size coming in next year either. Groce's record is making O'Shea look like a genius.

Akron peaked in the last year of the St.V-St.M boys, although that team never went anywhere. They went to the NCAA once with an inferior team to that one. They have gradually declined in talent and really have no go-to player. They have a bunch of role players. Marshall is still developing and Cvetinovic is decent, but the team does not play well together and overall is a bit soft. They played their best game against us. I also heard that Cvetinovic is likely going back to Europe to play pro next season which will be a real blow.

Assume a better Marshall next season, but teams will just collapse on him and make it very difficult everyone else, none of which are very impressive. The fr. guard Abreu is OK. Not as good as Hitchens was as a freshman, but the guards have not developed very much under Dambrot so we'll see what happens to him.

I'm really not sold on Dambrot like others are. I think his teams have consistently under-performed. It was crime what he did to the one really good team he had in terms of scheduling and preparing them to make a run. That team was capable of playing at a higher level than they ever did, but their RPI/SOS never gave them the chance because it was so soft. So the team never got battle toughened and wound up in the NIT when Miami hit the prayer to win the MAC tourney.

(02-03-2011 12:54 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(02-03-2011 10:00 AM)Kent 76 Wrote:  Well, last night, anyway, taking 2 of 3. What the heck is with Akron and OU? They sure have had disappointing seasons, but it would be just Kent State's luck that one or both gets hot just in time for the MAC tournament.

I guess I'm not totally surprised by Ohio being just Ok, since someone here pointed out in the preseason, how is this team any better than the one that went 7-9 in the MAC last year? Yes, they got hot at the right time, but they weren't any better - especially losing the player that shot the heck out of Kent last year in the tournament (who's name my mind seems to have blocked out).

Akron seemed to be getting over the hump and would equal Kent as a consistantly good squad in the MAC. So I am totally surprised by their mediocrity. I thought they would go 11-5 in the MAC. Now they need 8 in a row to make that happen. Just OUCH!

Not OUCH, it is celebration time! A zit is still a zit.
EDIT: For bad English.

(02-03-2011 11:06 AM)fallsdog Wrote:  Eastern Michigan was too much for Akron last night. OUCH. Right now it is all about seeding. Lets hope Toledo can pull off a miracle tonight against Buffalo!

Toledo only down 5 at half. Go Rockets!