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

Not Invited Tournament = Akron

Akron, at 5, plays at No. 4 Northwestern.

I am really suprised that Cleveland St. made the NIT. They are seeded 6th and our going to play on the west coast. The way they finished I did not expect it.

I am looking forward to tomorrow evening. Cavs tickets, followed by Zips vs. Northwestern and most likely DVR Cleveland State. You can keep Southern Miss vs. Kansas State, Iowa State vs. UConn and Virginia vs Florida State....I love the NIT!

Zips look like dogshit early.

Akron fan, repeat after me: I believe that we look like crap, I believe that we look like crap, I believe that we look like crap. You get the point.

Danny you may be correct, but bet on this. It pains me to say it, but Akron will not be out coached. It was obvious that when we played them, if we wanted to beat them, we had to beat the players because KD was not going to be the reason for a loss. I hate the zits, but for now, KD is the best coach in this conference and this is no knock on Sendy. This was Sendy's first year and he will get better.

I don't care the reason for anything. Akron lost. Makes me a happy fella.

Just got back from the NU- Akron game. A few random observations:

1. Zeke Marshall does not look like a kid having fun. He looks moody, mutters to himself and keeps looking over at the bench. This kid is a tremendous talent and I wish we had him. But he looks tormented. Wonder if he’s got the leadership ability the Zip need next year?

2. Qunicy Diggs is the Zips best player.

3. Surprised Carmody let the 'Cats get into a foot race in the second half. NW is many things...disciplined, precise, but not athletic by any stretch. It’s that sort of momentum change that have fans discouraged about Carmody.

4. The Zips got real hospitality from the refs. Many calls were bad- especially the no calls on steps by Abreu.

5. I generally agree with GF68 on Dambrot, but somebody blew the last play. The Zips looked completely disorganized. Two guys, Gilliam and Diggs, got hot in the second half. Seemed like an easy call. Inbound to a shooter with 3 seconds left- catch and shoot. Assume KD called a play in the time out- wonder why his team looked so confused?

Tonight was a rare win-win-win for me this season. My ‘Cats go on, the Zips go home and the MAC looked good.

The Zips got hospitality from the refs? Man, it didn't look like that from what I was watching. I thought Northwestern was getting away with a ton of junk that was being called on Akron on the other end.

The Cats were hacking the heck out of Zip ballhandlers. Oh well.

Well, Akron will be in a similar position in 2012-2013 that KSU was in this past season. I can only imagine that expectations will be high. The big differences are that they will have a veteran head coach and some depth in the paint.

All that said, I did enjoy watching them lose but on the other hand my interest in the NIT just took a real nose dive after CSU and Akron bit it.

A little NU guard, Soboloewski, probably disagrees with you. He got knocked into the friggin’ band by a shove by Zip under the basket. No call.

Not even going to list all the no calls on walks, especially by Abreu.

All’s well that ends well, but from pretty good seats behind the Zips bench, the 'Roos got a warm welcome by the guys in stripes.

If you look closely at the zits team, you will see that KD has built this team after the KSU 2002, Gary Waters mold. There is a tall one in the middle, (Edwards or Gerwig), very athletic forwards in Diggs, Treadwell, Cintenovic, (Gates, thomas, Massey) and depth at guard. With this lineup, he rotates a lot, does plug and play. Next year, his team will have more maturity and experience. This is the mid-major formula for success against power programs. 3rd, 4th, and 5th year players, and lots of them, can compete with one and done s if rotated a lot and has great chemistry. KD copies well and that makes him smart.

As for the final play, I think that play was designed and run almost perfectly. I played on a team and we used that play many times when the ball is taken out under the bucket. It is basically a double screen for the player taking the ball out to get in, come around the double screen, receive the ball, and get the shot. KD, IMO, was going for the win, not the tie as he should have, being on the road. Abreau got a pretty good look, and just missed the shot. He was the right one to take the shot because Diggs would have a blanket on him. Diggs shoots the 3 very well and he has the temperament for that situation.

(03-13-2012 10:45 PM)FlashFan Wrote:  1. Zeke Marshall does not look like a kid having fun. He looks moody, mutters to himself and keeps looking over at the bench. This kid is a tremendous talent and I wish we had him. But he looks tormented. Wonder if he’s got the leadership ability the Zip need next year?

Losing Jeff Boals was huge. If he had time with Zeke, you'd see a different player.

I know he is not great but I would do anything to have Zeke on our team. I think our coaches would really develop him even more and he would be a force. I wonder if his mind and heart are fully in it. When he is fully focused he can be a force offensively and defensively. When he is not he can be a liability on the floor. I always say what if JG had Zeke's size and athleticism. Then I remember that he probably would not be playing in the MAC.

I don't know about that. I think so much of Justin Greene's post game is a result of being 6'7/6'8. If he were 7'0 I don't know that we would have seen as many drop stops, pivots and floaters.

I guess you are right but can you imagine those drop steps/ floaters coming from a 7 footer.