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

The Golden Flashes head to James Allen Rhodes Arena for the first of two (or more) against the Akron Zips. The game will be available for viewing via television on ESPNU. Tickets can be obtained on line. Tip is scheduled for 9:00PM. Lets hope Fairfield and Quinnipiac keep things moving in Hamden Connecticut.

Kent State and Akron are tied atop the Mid American Conference standings with identical 8-1 conference marks. The Zips have won seven straight games and are doing it with defense. MAC opponents are averaging just 63 points per game against Akron. Leading the way is 6'7 junior Enrique Freeman. The Cleveland product is first in the league in rebounds and fourth in blocked shots. It will be interesting to see how coach Groce uses him on Friday night. Another Zip to watch is Xavier Castaneda. The 6'1 South Florida transfer is currently the MAC's leading scorer averaging just over 20 points per contest.

I have a tendency to undervalue Akron each season and try to convince myself that Buffalo, Toledo, Ohio or Ball State is Kent's biggest threat. But it always turns out to be a waste of time. Kent State and Akron are the two and this one should be fun. There is no doubt that the Golden Flashes can match Akron's tenacity on defense.

The JAR will be loud, the fans will have plenty to say. Wonderful. As it should be. Will the Flashes keep their composure, pack their defense and let their play do the talking? I will say......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv1kApvEPiY

Kent State 70
Akron 68
"So here it is. Akron 68, Kent 67 with 12 seconds play. Thomas will pass it in to Carry who operates at the top of key. 8 seconds now, Carry flips to Jacobs who gives it right back to Carry....Sincere with a stutter step now launches a three.....AND IT GOES! Carry drained it with 1.7 seconds to play. Timeout Akron and the JAR is STUNNED."

GO FLASHES!

Fired up to see this game on the U. It's the second best rivalry game in Ohio only behind UC vs. Xavier.

Have the Flashes played on Fridays rather than Saturdays for a couple years or is this the first season? I suppose it's because the P5 teams play on Saturdays but it does mean the players probably miss more class room time.

The Friday games are typically scheduled as games that are on CBS Sports or they are "flexed" to ESPNU or ESPN2 or something like that.

Kent 216
Akron 1

All the makings of a great game. I think at this point of the season that these are clearly the leagues 2 best teams.

Akron has arguably the leagues 2 best players. Freeman is a jumping jack energizer while Castaneda is red hot his last 3-4 games.

Excited to see how Payton does defending Freeman. He’s one of the few MAC bigs quick enough to slow him down a bit and keep him off of the boards.

Also interested to see if Jacobs and Carry have matured enough to better handle the taunting/swearing that’s likely coming their way. I think they have…

Since both teams normally play great D it may come down to who steps up and makes some big shots.

Fallsdog…you’re game ending sounds great to me!

(02-01-2023 11:13 AM)bopol Wrote:  Kent 216
Akron 1

I’ve followed your advice the last few weeks and lose all the time. I wonder why?

(02-01-2023 01:56 PM)burden Wrote:  

(02-01-2023 11:13 AM)bopol Wrote:  Kent 216
Akron 1

I’ve followed your advice the last few weeks and lose all the time. I wonder why?

You shouldn't bet on college basketball. My predictions are for entertainment purposes only.

I'll be interested to see how we handle the pressure of the moment knowing that our guys have had this one circled since that MAC championship game. Hopefully we stay poised.

I'll also be interested to see if the Akron fans have suddenly realized the game is not about them and they don't have a right to try to insert themselves into the things that occur between the lines. Since of course I have zero expectations here, I'll be curious to see if/when something happens how it is handled. I'd like to think after our last two games in front of Akron home crowds the MAC has made sure they have a plan to handle it, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Last time was objects (ice cubes?) thrown at Carry during a fast break. The time before that was a whistle from the crowd causing Whittington to stop mid layup resulting in a turnover. Both were met with a stern PA announcement to please not do that any more. After the way the game ended the last time we were in the JAR I sure hope the MAC understands that this s#it needs to stop yesterday.

Here's hoping Payton gets his arms pits on the rim every time that collection of mouth breathers start to get "rowdy".

(02-01-2023 08:42 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  I'll be interested to see how we handle the pressure of the moment knowing that our guys have had this one circled since that MAC championship game. Hopefully we stay poised.

I'll also be interested to see if the Akron fans have suddenly realized the game is not about them and they don't have a right to try to insert themselves into the things that occur between the lines. Since of course I have zero expectations here, I'll be curious to see if/when something happens how it is handled. I'd like to think after our last two games in front of Akron home crowds the MAC has made sure they have a plan to handle it, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Last time was objects (ice cubes?) thrown at Carry during a fast break. The time before that was a whistle from the crowd causing Whittington to stop mid layup resulting in a turnover. Both were met with a stern PA announcement to please not do that any more. After the way the game ended the last time we were in the JAR I sure hope the MAC understands that this s#it needs to stop yesterday.

Here's hoping Payton gets his arms pits on the rim every time that collection of mouth breathers start to get "rowdy".

At the last game when Akron’s crowd got out of hand (profane group cheers directed at Carry), I thought Akron’s President or AD should have grabbed the PA announcers microphone and talked to his students. Pull a “Sam Whyche” if you will. May have not helped but at least their leadership would have done something to try to stop it.

I personally would have gone nuts if our students behaved like that!

Whenever we play at Akron, our team should know what to expect by now and I certainly expect every one on our bench to be on their best behavior.

(02-02-2023 03:56 AM)Old Man Flash Wrote:  

(02-01-2023 08:42 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  I'll be interested to see how we handle the pressure of the moment knowing that our guys have had this one circled since that MAC championship game. Hopefully we stay poised.

I'll also be interested to see if the Akron fans have suddenly realized the game is not about them and they don't have a right to try to insert themselves into the things that occur between the lines. Since of course I have zero expectations here, I'll be curious to see if/when something happens how it is handled. I'd like to think after our last two games in front of Akron home crowds the MAC has made sure they have a plan to handle it, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Last time was objects (ice cubes?) thrown at Carry during a fast break. The time before that was a whistle from the crowd causing Whittington to stop mid layup resulting in a turnover. Both were met with a stern PA announcement to please not do that any more. After the way the game ended the last time we were in the JAR I sure hope the MAC understands that this s#it needs to stop yesterday.

Here's hoping Payton gets his arms pits on the rim every time that collection of mouth breathers start to get "rowdy".

At the last game when Akron’s crowd got out of hand (profane group cheers directed at Carry), I thought Akron’s President or AD should have grabbed the PA announcers microphone and talked to his students. Pull a “Sam Whyche” if you will. May have not helped but at least their leadership would have done something to try to stop it.

I personally would have gone nuts if our students behaved like that!

Whenever we play at Akron, our team should know what to expect by now and I certainly expect every one on our bench to be on their best behavior.

People get caught up in the spirit of things and all want to be like the Cameron Crazies. Hypocritical that fans are able to get away with doing and saying what our team got crushed for last year in that idiotic video. Last year things got a little out of hand at a basketball game I was at (UVA @ JMU) when the JMU students directed some expletives at UVA coach Bennett to sit down when he stepped out of line himself. The school came up with a whole new program to remind the students it won't be tolerated and have made efforts to prevent it from happening again.

https://jmusports.com/sports/2022/8/11/D...etter.aspx

It's up to the referees, the MAC and the University of Akron to create a safe and positive environment. If they can't, there should be technical fouls until everyone gets the point. The whole rivalry needs to cool off a little because it is getting ridiculous.

The Akron fans are obnoxious. Kent State's players are thugs. Yeah yeah yeah.

Play ball baby!

(02-02-2023 12:08 PM)fallsdog Wrote:  The Akron fans are obnoxious. Kent State's players are thugs. Yeah yeah yeah.

Play ball baby!

Can’t have fans throwing ice on the floor and can’t have our players going in front of a fan section cursing at them and flipping them the bird.

That’s NOT what college basketball should be about!

I don’t disagree. I just feel like fans on both sides are heck bent on throwing stones.

I loved watching Dambrots teams and I think Groce’s teams are tough as nails too. Best games of the year watching Kent compete with Akron. The rest matters not to me.

(02-02-2023 06:03 PM)fallsdog Wrote:  I don’t disagree. I just feel like fans on both sides are heck bent on throwing stones.

I loved watching Dambrots teams and I think Groce’s teams are tough as nails too. Best games of the year watching Kent compete with Akron. The rest matters not to me.

Go Flashes!

This morning Kent State was the underdog getting 1.5 -- now I see Kent State -1.5

Money coming in on the Flashes.

Shout out to Quinnipiac and Fairfield for being timely with their game tonight haha. Here we go. This one is for some of the marbles.

Let’s go men! Jump on them and don’t let up!

Mute this broadcast. Unless I am wrong. Ugh. These two schleps are calling the game via zoom.

Like a couple of stretch fours. Give me z break.