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

ENJOY the week everybody!

The Kent State Golden Flashes will represent the Mid American Conference in the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The selection committee placed KSU in the Midwest Region and gave the Flashes a #13 seed. Their opponent will be the Indiana Hoosiers of the Big Ten Conference. The Big Ten, of course, includes fourteen teams and Indiana finished the regular season as the runner up before losing in the semifinals of the conference tournament in Chicago.

Simply stated, the Hoosiers are good basketball team. One of eight Big Ten teams to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, IU finished the regular season with a 22-11 overall record including a 12-8 conference mark. Wins over Xavier, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Purdue (twice) jump off the page immediately. Two players that have already gotten some run on this thread are Trayce Jackson Davis and guard Jalen Hood Schifino.

Jackson Davis is a 6'9 senior who averages 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. He shoots 57% from the field and leads the team in blocks and is one off the team lead for steals. Schifino is a freshman from Pittsburgh who was the highest rated recruit in the Big Ten when he signed with the Hoosiers. Although keeping these two in check will be critical for KSU, the Hoosiers have plenty of balance to go along with their stars.

6'7 senior Miller Kopp and 6'8 senior Race Thompson both average 7.9 points per game to go along with some pretty good three point shooting from Kopp (58 made attempts) and some good rebounding from Thompson.

I could go on and on with the stats but that wouldn't change the following:

Indiana is a traditional Big Ten power who once again went toe to toe with the best in the league and in the nation. At home, they were nearly unbeatable. Thank goodness this game is not at Assembly Hall OR as someone mentioned earlier, Columbus Ohio. I'm sure there will plenty of Hoosier faithful in Albany, so let them travel.

The 2023 Golden Flashes will not be in awe of IU. Sure, Kent State didn't run the gauntlet schedule that IU played, but what mid major can say they did? But playing as well as they did on the road against Houston and Gonzaga didn't happen by accident.

I think the keys for the Golden Flashes will be the same as they've been all year. *Defend like wild men while limiting fouls.
*Value possessions and don't force shots.
*I know, I know, the analytics are getting tough to follow. I'll add get to the free throw line and call it a day.

Can't wait for Friday. These guys EARNED the right to be here. Enjoy the week fellas!

GO FLASHES!

I’m happy with this matchup. Glad it’s not in Columbus as IU would have 10,000 fans there. Kind of an up and down IU team. Very tough at home but only 7-9 in road/neutral site games.

Two future NBA draft picks in their line-up. We have no one who can come close to guarding Jackson-Davis. I’m thinking our guards will give them fits.

Should be a good game!

SH!T!!!!

Hate this game for multiple reasons.

1) They'll spend the week regurgitating Robs exit from there on TV instead of the storyline about the kids and the school.

2) Indiana has one of the top 3 big men in the tournament. Kent's depth at the position will be tested and stretched. Even somehow ending w/an even hed-to-hed matchup (pts/reb) at that spot will be daunting.

3) Freshman Schifino may be the best NBA backcourt talent in the country. Jacobs will have his hand full, and refs won't give him no breaks.
Again, finishing with an even hed-to-hed at that spot is also daunting ... and breaking even with Schifino and the Indiana post in the same game is not a bet I'd put my last dollar on.

Just sh!tty.

Seems like we always play Indiana

Would have preferred Tennessee or Virginia but it is what it is. Going to be tough against Trayce Jackson-Davis

Kent 435
Indiana 11

A squeaker.

(03-12-2023 06:12 PM)cleveland Wrote:  SH!T!!!!

Hate this game for multiple reasons.

1) They'll spend the week regurgitating Robs exit from there on TV instead of the storyline about the kids and the school.

2) Indiana has one of the top 3 big men in the tournament. Kent's depth at the position will be tested and stretched. Even somehow ending w/an even hed-to-hed matchup (pts/reb) at that spot will be daunting.

3) Freshman Schifino may be the best NBA backcourt talent in the country. Jacobs will have his hand full, and refs won't give him no breaks.
Again, finishing with an even hed-to-hed at that spot is also daunting ... and breaking even with Schifino and the Indiana post in the same game is not a bet I'd put my last dollar on.

Just sh!tty.

I would hope that we are long past the Indiana story point. Rob has proven himself more than enough in the 15 years since that happened that he is a class act and a great coach. Let it go.

(03-12-2023 07:14 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(03-12-2023 06:12 PM)cleveland Wrote:  SH!T!!!!

Hate this game for multiple reasons.

1) They'll spend the week regurgitating Robs exit from there on TV instead of the storyline about the kids and the school.

2) Indiana has one of the top 3 big men in the tournament. Kent's depth at the position will be tested and stretched. Even somehow ending w/an even hed-to-hed matchup (pts/reb) at that spot will be daunting.

3) Freshman Schifino may be the best NBA backcourt talent in the country. Jacobs will have his hand full, and refs won't give him no breaks.
Again, finishing with an even hed-to-hed at that spot is also daunting ... and breaking even with Schifino and the Indiana post in the same game is not a bet I'd put my last dollar on.

Just sh!tty.

I would hope that we are long past the Indiana story point. Rob has proven himself more than enough in the 15 years since that happened that he is a class act and a great coach. Let it go.

Exactly! Anybody reaching for that story after all this time ought to be embarrassed.

Game is 9:55 Friday night on TBS.

(03-12-2023 07:36 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  

(03-12-2023 07:14 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(03-12-2023 06:12 PM)cleveland Wrote:  SH!T!!!!

Hate this game for multiple reasons.

1) They'll spend the week regurgitating Robs exit from there on TV instead of the storyline about the kids and the school.

2) Indiana has one of the top 3 big men in the tournament. Kent's depth at the position will be tested and stretched. Even somehow ending w/an even hed-to-hed matchup (pts/reb) at that spot will be daunting.

3) Freshman Schifino may be the best NBA backcourt talent in the country. Jacobs will have his hand full, and refs won't give him no breaks.
Again, finishing with an even hed-to-hed at that spot is also daunting ... and breaking even with Schifino and the Indiana post in the same game is not a bet I'd put my last dollar on.

Just sh!tty.

I would hope that we are long past the Indiana story point. Rob has proven himself more than enough in the 15 years since that happened that he is a class act and a great coach. Let it go.

Exactly! Anybody reaching for that story after all this time ought to be embarrassed.

I don't want to put words in his mouth... But I bet he agrees with you. I definitely agree with you... But I also think it's going to be a storyline.

9:55 on Friday….

Not a huge fan of that time slot. But bring ‘em on!

I grew up in Albany, have a place to stay. been in kent for 49 years. see you there!

Am I seeing this right? $400 for upper level???

Maybe wait for a promo code?

I see upper level center court for $180-$200 and similar prices lower level on the ends.

(03-12-2023 06:18 PM)burden Wrote:  Seems like we always play Indiana

Them or Temple.

(03-12-2023 09:15 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  

(03-12-2023 06:18 PM)burden Wrote:  Seems like we always play Indiana

Them or Temple.

We’ve played Temple once in the NCAAs, in 1999.

(03-12-2023 08:48 PM)axeme Wrote:  I see upper level center court for $180-$200 and similar prices lower level on the ends.

Lots of seats available around $150 or less:

https://www.vividseats.com/ncaa-mens-bas...on/3949654

(03-13-2023 07:18 AM)goldenflash99 Wrote:  

(03-12-2023 09:15 PM)Muskrat Wrote:  

(03-12-2023 06:18 PM)burden Wrote:  Seems like we always play Indiana

Them or Temple.

We’ve played Temple once in the NCAAs, in 1999.

Right. I don't know why I typed "Temple", other than I'm getting awfully old. I meant Pittsburgh.

I also remember a 24 hour of basketball extravaganza between Kent and Temple that tipped at like 10:00AM from the MAC Center one year. Temple out lasted the Flashes that morning.