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

I think the comment about needing to play intense defense for 40 minutes a night might be the key. No team can do that. There will be off nights now and then. We have a top notch defense but a blah offense at best. It’s tough to overcome that offense every night especially as the season wears on. Also Akron might just be a slightly better team as we sit today.

(02-04-2023 08:33 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 08:16 AM)Lester Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 05:39 AM)dannyb73 Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 01:14 AM)JimJoyce Wrote:  

(02-03-2023 11:24 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Listen, we weren't going to beat them 3x. Better getting this loss out of the way now.

This is such a loser mentality.

Really? Owning the fact that we aren't THAT good is a loser mentality? Being a realist is a loser mentality? Go ahead and live in your fantasy world. You are probably the guy we see wearing a mask in your car when driving by yourself.

And you're probably one of those guys who finds a way to bring masks and vaccines into every conversation, even when they are not remotely relevant.

Confused why you just brought masks and vaccines into a conversation when they are not remotely relevant.

Apologies to Lester. My comment was supposed to be tongue in cheek about why are you even bringing this up? I missed the earlier comment where it came into the conversation inexplicably. 2021 called it wants it's dumb online argument back, amirite!?!

Akron's always tough because they design their team the same way we do. Focus on defense. Hounding our guards has yielded good results so they're a really tough matchup for us.

The big difference between our teams is they play aggressive defense without fouling, we don't. We are 46th in the country in fouls per game Akron is 288th. I haven't gone back and looked but I feel like this has been a trend for years. I don't know that fixing our fouling issues without hurting our defense is realistic so on defense I'd really just like to see us keep doing what we're doing.

Offense is where we need to figure something out. We need to find ways to get guys in spots where they can succeed. We have way too many players with years if experience as successful college players who are offensively less efficient than their career numbers. That's a clear sign that out offense is inefficient, not the individuals. It's not individuals slumping, it's the offensive scheme not resulting in guys getting the shots they need to be successful.

Any word on Gio?

(02-04-2023 10:21 AM)Muskrat Wrote:  

One thing - Carry and Jacobs are the two best defenders, and Carry played 40 minutes and Jacobs 38. Would a little more rest, say play 35 minutes a game help? I don't know. Just a thought.

That could have been a last minute change due to the injury too
Anyone here any word on Gio yet?.

Not a surprising result on he road vs a team playing their best ball of the season.
It tough to win on the road against the top teams. We win on our court in March because: MAC.

(02-04-2023 03:14 PM)AlphaFlash Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 10:21 AM)Muskrat Wrote:  

One thing - Carry and Jacobs are the two best defenders, and Carry played 40 minutes and Jacobs 38. Would a little more rest, say play 35 minutes a game help? I don't know. Just a thought.

That could have been a last minute change due to the injury too
Anyone here any word on Gio yet?.

Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten about Gio. I'm sure that is why they played so many minutes.

IMO, the team might need to develop an offense that doesn't have Carry taking 13 3-point shots. Carry is really good at dribbling and passing in traffic and they need to figure out how to work that more in the tough games.

I really think the team was hurt by Gio's injury. Sullinger is a fine player, but I don't think that the D is as good as Gio.

I still like Kent's chances to win the MAC.

Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

(02-04-2023 06:31 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

I'm guessing no news is bad news for GIO ....

(02-04-2023 06:50 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:31 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

I'm guessing no news is bad news for GIO ....

No news is normal news for when it comes to Kent State basketball.

(02-04-2023 07:05 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:50 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:31 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

I'm guessing no news is bad news for GIO ....

No news is normal news for when it comes to Kent State basketball.

So true, anti-zip! I wonder if there is any other D I basketball program with a winning tradition for more than 20 years that is less covered by the media and that puts out less information?

(02-04-2023 08:18 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 07:05 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:50 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:31 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

I'm guessing no news is bad news for GIO ....

No news is normal news for when it comes to Kent State basketball.

So true, anti-zip! I wonder if there is any other D I basketball program with a winning tradition for more than 20 years that is less covered by the media and that puts out less information?

With the exception of Toledo and Buffalo ... no major media outlets regularly cover any other MAC programs with dedicated beat writers. In the not too distant past the Columbus Dispatch, the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dayton Daily News, Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Toledo Blade, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press all covered MAC teams on a regular basis with most having dedicated beat writers. That's not the case with any of them any more.

The Blade only covers UT. Unless there is some kind of drama (negative??) going on at BG, they barely pay attention there any more. It wasn't that long ago the Beacon and PD had dedicated beat writers for both Kent and Akron. Now neither cover Kent at all, and the BJ just pays courtesy attention the Zips. It's a different world these days for media coverage.

(02-05-2023 08:38 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 08:18 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 07:05 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:50 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:31 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

I'm guessing no news is bad news for GIO ....

No news is normal news for when it comes to Kent State basketball.

So true, anti-zip! I wonder if there is any other D I basketball program with a winning tradition for more than 20 years that is less covered by the media and that puts out less information?

With the exception of Toledo and Buffalo ... no major media outlets regularly cover any other MAC programs with dedicated beat writers. In the not too distant past the Columbus Dispatch, the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dayton Daily News, Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Toledo Blade, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press all covered MAC teams on a regular basis with most having dedicated beat writers. That's not the case with any of them any more.

The Blade only covers UT. Unless there is some kind of drama (negative??) going on at BG, they barely pay attention there any more. It wasn't that long ago the Beacon and PD had dedicated beat writers for both Kent and Akron. Now neither cover Kent at all, and the BJ just pays courtesy attention the Zips. It's a different world these days for media coverage.

Very true, Cleveland. The changes over the last several years in the "traditional" news media have been astounding, and in my opinion not for the better. While "sports" is essentially entertainment and therefore not terribly important, the deleterious effect of all the changes on society as a whole has been very significant. I'll stop there, as to expand my comment further would be outside the scope of this forum.

(02-05-2023 08:38 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 08:18 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 07:05 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:50 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:31 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  Meanwhile, the loss at NIU isn't looking as bad as it once did, as it looks like they are going to be 6-4 and in 5th place. They are up 14 at BG with about eight minutes to go.

I'm guessing no news is bad news for GIO ....

No news is normal news for when it comes to Kent State basketball.

So true, anti-zip! I wonder if there is any other D I basketball program with a winning tradition for more than 20 years that is less covered by the media and that puts out less information?

With the exception of Toledo and Buffalo ... no major media outlets regularly cover any other MAC programs with dedicated beat writers. In the not too distant past the Columbus Dispatch, the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dayton Daily News, Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Toledo Blade, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press all covered MAC teams on a regular basis with most having dedicated beat writers. That's not the case with any of them any more.

The Blade only covers UT. Unless there is some kind of drama (negative??) going on at BG, they barely pay attention there any more. It wasn't that long ago the Beacon and PD had dedicated beat writers for both Kent and Akron. Now neither cover Kent at all, and the BJ just pays courtesy attention the Zips. It's a different world these days for media coverage.

I understand what’s happened to the Newspaper industry but our own University has still not posted any type of coverage of Friday nights game on its athletic website (it’s now 9.30 Sunday morning). Amazing and sad…

Yes, Old Man Flash. It's sad but not all that surprising.

(02-05-2023 10:40 AM)Muskrat Wrote:  Yes, Old Man Flash. It's sad but not all that surprising.

Nothing on the football page about signing day and that was last Wednesday. Big time sports!

Gio broke his hand.

(02-05-2023 11:36 AM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Gio broke his hand.

Fck

(02-04-2023 06:00 PM)bopol Wrote:  I really think the team was hurt by Gio's injury. Sullinger is a fine player, but I don't think that the D is as good as Gio.

Meant to comment on this. I don't really think Sullinger is Gio's replacement. Sullinger had a big role with Gio in and his role was only growing. He's a guy that can hit near 50% from three and score off the dribble with ease. We don't have guys like that. Sullinger's minutes will increase with Gio out, and I am excited to see what he can do with that. But I think Rollins, Carry, and Jacobs will be counted on to replace the minutes as well.

If I'm the coach today I start drawing up sets that start with Carry dribbling up top offset to one side, Payton in the short corner on the other side and Sullinger on the wing on the other side. Set a screen to that side by the wing or big on the other side. Goal being to get Carry driving room going to the side Payton and Sully are on. Do you help on Carry with Sully's man? If so you're giving up and open 3pt look to a 49% shooter. Do you stay on Sully and help with the big to cut off Carry's drive? If so you're giving up an Alley oop to a guy shooting 70%. Or do you gamble that Carry won't hit an open mid ranger where he has been automatic.

(02-05-2023 11:55 AM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(02-04-2023 06:00 PM)bopol Wrote:  I really think the team was hurt by Gio's injury. Sullinger is a fine player, but I don't think that the D is as good as Gio.

Meant to comment on this. I don't really think Sullinger is Gio's replacement. Sullinger had a big role with Gio in and his role was only growing. He's a guy that can hit near 50% from three and score off the dribble with ease. We don't have guys like that. Sullinger's minutes will increase with Gio out, and I am excited to see what he can do with that. But I think Rollins, Carry, and Jacobs will be counted on to replace the minutes as well.

If I'm the coach today I start drawing up sets that start with Carry dribbling up top offset to one side, Payton in the short corner on the other side and Sullinger on the wing on the other side. Set a screen to that side by the wing or big on the other side. Goal being to get Carry driving room going to the side Payton and Sully are on. Do you help on Carry with Sully's man? If so you're giving up and open 3pt look to a 49% shooter. Do you stay on Sully and help with the big to cut off Carry's drive? If so you're giving up an Alley oop to a guy shooting 70%. Or do you gamble that Carry won't hit an open mid ranger where he has been automatic.

Sounds a helluva lot better than what we saw Friday! Gotta have our best shooters get up a lot more shots. Carry going 2-13 from 3 will usually mean an L!