The UMass Effect ... plus more scheduling info and men's golf goes to Prairie Dunes

The University of Massachusetts may have been a football-only member of the Mid-American Conference, but the school’s decision to leave the league after the 2015 season will have an impact on Kent State’s men’s basketball team next season.

Under the agreement between UMass and the MAC, the Minutemen were required to schedule MAC teams in men’s and women’s basketball. With that requirement now lifted, Kent State’s men’s basketball game at UMass early in the 2014-15 season was removed from the schedule on Wednesday.

Rob Senderoff and his staff have already started to look for another opponent to fill that open date.

The Golden Flashes men’s basketball schedule already includes road games at Kansas and Kennesaw State. The Golden Flashes may also play in a tournament at UTEP.  It also looks like a season-opening game at Youngstown State as part of the newly created Coaches vs. Cancer of Northeast Ohio Tip-Off Doubleheader will happen.

Dan Hipsher

That doubleheader would be an annual event featuring Kent State, Youngstown State, Cleveland State and Akron.

Kent State will host in 2015 when the Flashes will play Cleveland State while Youngstown State plays against Akron at the M.A.C. Center.

The 2016 games are scheduled to be played at Cleveland State with the 2017 games set for the University of Akron.

The men’s basketball home schedule for 2014-15 will also include the return of former Akron head coach Dan Hipsher to northeast Ohio. Hipsher, who led the Zips from 1995-2004, is now at Texas-Pan America, and his Broncos are slated for a late-December trip to play at the M.A.C. Center.

Other games at the M.A.C. Center will feature Loyola Chicago in a return of the 2013 BracketBuster game and a visit from North Carolina A&T.

Yale, Southern Illinois and Illinois-Chicago will all play at Kent State as part of the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic in November. Yale is currently in the CIT’s Final Four.



MORE ON UMASS ... Kent State's football team will play UMass in its final two seasons in the MAC. The Minutemen are scheduled to visit Dix Stadium on Oct. 11.

The Golden Flashes will play at UMass in 2015, and of course there is a one-in-six chance that game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough will be the Minutemen's final game as a member of the MAC.

AN IMPRESSIVE ALL-OHIO CLASS … Women’s basketball coach Danielle O’Banion is getting some impressive early reviews for her third recruiting class at Kent State.

The Collegiate Girls Scouting Report ranks the incoming class at Kent State No. 3 in the MAC. 

All six players in this new class are Ohio natives from winning programs. Add up the records of the high schools where the six played last season and you get a combined mark of 108-17.

Two of the six are McDonalds All-American nominees. Four were All-Ohio selections and three of the six were 1,000-point scorers in their high school careers.

SCHEDULE ROUNDING OUT … The Kent State Women’s Basketball schedule for 2015-16 should be completed in the next week with open dates on Nov. 14 and Dec. 21 expected to be filled.

The schedule tentatively includes home games vs. Youngstown State, Belmont, Arkansas State and Wright State. Road games would include trips to Northwestern, Duquesne, Cleveland State and a tournament at Cal Poly that would feature games with Dartmouth and Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

SPRING FOOTBALL … Paul Haynes will put the Golden Flashes to work in his second spring as head football coach at Kent State beginning April 1 at Dix Stadium.

Mark your calendars to attend this year’s Spring Game on April 26.

NCAA TUNEUP FOR MEN’S GOLF TEAM IN KANSAS… After finishing up spring break in Florida, head coach Herb

Page will take several of the players on his men’s golf roster to Hutchinson, Kan. for a round of golf at famed Prairie Dunes Country Club.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Championships will be held May 23-28 at Prairie Dunes, and Page wants his players to get a chance to become familiar with the course. 

This will be the first time Prairie Dunes has hosted the NCAA Division I Men’s Championships. It has played host to the United States Senior Open in 2006, the United States Women’s Open in 2002, the U.S. Senior Amateur in 1995, the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 1988, three United States Women’s Amateurs and a Curtis Cup match in 1986.

Golf Digest rated Prairie Dunes No. 30 on its list of America’s Greatest Golf Courses in 2007-08 while Golf Digest rated it No. 16 in the United States and No. 25 in the world in 2007.

MAC Tournament Live Blog: Kent State Men's Basketball at Miami

SECOND HALF

FINAL ... Miami 71, Kent State 64

Kent State season ends in a first-round loss in Oxford.

It was a frustrating season, but there is help on the way. Kent State will add a post presence in Jimmy Hall next season, and Hall has three seasons remaining and a year of work in this system under his belt. There are also some other nice pieces coming in.

I'm already looking forward to next year.

Brewer finished with 15 points. He and Manley both had open looks from the arc in transition with chances to eclipse two-point leads late.

Willie Moore led Miami with 17 points and six rebounds. Four RedHawks with four in double figures.


0:32.6 ... Rollins backs Thomas into the lane and makes a tough layup over both Thomas and Henniger.

Flashes down 67-62 ... need a score and for Miami to miss free throws.

1:22 ... Two teams spent the last minute trading free throws ... until a tough driving layup by Rollins over Brewer just before this timeout by Miami. That shot has the RedHawks up 65-61.

Brewer has 13 to lead Kent State. K.K. Simmons has added 10 off the bench.

Willie Moore leads Miami with 17.


2:31 ... Brewer missed a transition three for the lead ... Miami then extended to a four-point lead as a wild shot by Moore bounced off of the rim and in.

RedHawks up 61-57.

3:35 ... A lefty drive by Brewer has cut the lead to just two at 59-57... KSU should have another stop as a Miami player whacked Henniger in the head on a defensive rebound ... Instead officials gave ball to RedHawks as it bounced out of bounds.

4:42 ... Kent State run continues ... Derek Jackson added a driving layup for three-point play, and then two Kris Brewer free throws now have the Flashes down just 58-55 with 4:42 to play.

Need a few more stops. Momentum has shifted.

7:22 ... Miami led by 13 until a Dev Manley transition three around the eight minute mark.

KSU will try to continue to cut into Miami's 57-47 lead. Flashes have the basketball coming out of this timeout.

And coming right out of the timeout, Manley has another three to cut the lead to seven points.


11:54 ... Kent State's season is in danger of ending here in round one of the Mid-American Conference tournament.

Flashes are having a tough time with Miami's full-court pressure, and that has helped Miami build a 49-37 lead that could increase with Moore heading to the foul line trying to complete a three-point play out of this timeout.


15:22 ... The RedHawks have their first three of the night, it comes in transition from Willie Moore on the right wing, and it has Miami up 38-33.

Flashes just two points in first 4:30.

FIRST HALF

HALFTIME ... Miami leads 33-31 ... 

Kris Brewer hit a 35 footer at the buzzer to put Kent State up 34-33 ... at least until the officials gathered at the monitor. After a long review, they waved off the basket.

Miami has taken advantage of a kind whistle from the officials to get this lead.

The RedHawks are 13-for-18 from the foul line while Kent State is just 4-for-6.

Brewer has seven points to lead KSU. Henniger has added six points and four rebounds.

Will Sullivan's nine points lead Miami.

After going 7-for-7 from three-point range in the first half of last week's game at Kent State, Miami is 0-for-4 from the arc so far tonight.

Flashes have done a good job on Felder. He has just six points and one rebound at the break.


2:40 ... Kent State in the lead now at 27-25, but play still a bit sloppy.

Flashes have true freshman Marquiez Lawrence in the game, trying to give Henniger a breather while Spicer has two fouls.


7:43 ... A Dev Manley three from the right corner – his first MAC Tournament field goal – stopped the Kent State run.

Miami lead is 23-20.

I'm convinced the officials are getting paid by the whistle tonight. Wish they subscribed to the a less-is-more philosophy.


8:46 ... A foul-aided 9-0 run has Miami up on Kent State 21-17, forcing a Flashes timeout.

Miami is 9-for-14 from the foul line while Kent State is 1-for-2.

11:19 ... Kind of a sloppy start for both teams. Too many fouls both ways, although for Kent State those calls aren't leading to free throws. Miami has already been to the line 10 times, going 6-for-10.

Kent State has the lead, though, thanks to a transition three by Kris Brewer just a few seconds ago.

Miami raced down the floor after that three, but a blocked shot by Khaliq Spicer was called a jump ball. Possession to Kent State will have the Golden Flashes with the ball coming out of this media timeout.

Flashes are 6-for-13 from the field and 2-for-4 from three.

Miami is 3-for-8 from field and 0-fo-2 from three ... Nice after Miami was 7-for-7 in the first half against KSU last week.

15:48 ... Kellon Thomas with another fast start. He has five of the Golden Flashes points in an early 7-5 lead. Thomas drilled a long three on a pretty crossover at the top of the key in transition.

A few of the Flashes need to settle down. Some of the young players are speeding things up a bit.

PREGAME

Derek Jackson has a bandage on his chin. The Kent State guard fell hard, face first to the court in practice last night. He had to get eight stitches. 

He says he is ready. Hopefully that’s the case for all of the Golden Flashes, who came out flat when they faced the RedHawks just six days ago in Kent. The Flashes fell behind by 20 in the first half and didn’t have enough gas in the tank to come back.

How the junior backcourt trio of Jackson, Kris Brewer and Devareaux Manley play in this one will probably be the biggest key. When the Flashes won 75-63 here in Millett Hall on Feb. 19, those three combined for 53 points. Last week, they combined for 19. And then at Akron on Saturday, they combined for 21 on 8-for-27 shooting.

This game will not have a MAC Tournament feel. Millett Hall is significantly emptier than last month when we were here. That’s probably a good thing when you consider how little experience the Golden Flashes will draw on for this game.

The player with the most MAC Tournament experience is Derek Jackson at 104 minutes in 11 games scoring 39 points … and those were all while playing for Central Michigan.

Darren Goodson has scored the most points in the MAC Tournament while wearing a Kent State uniform – 20 points in two games last season. The Flashes’ other senior, Mark Henniger, has scored nine total points in five MAC Tournament games totalling 45 minutes.

Kris Brewer has played three MAC tournament games, scoring a total of 13 points (4.3 per game average), and Devareaux Manley has yet to make a field goal in two MAC Tournament appearances. His only two points in 16 minutes of tournament play have come at the foul line.

This will be the first extended MAC Tournament action for most of this group.

An obvious key for tonight is finding a way to slow Will Felder, who has had big games in every game vs. Kent State this season. He was 10-for-18 from the field for 26 points with nine rebounds in Kent last weekend. In game one vs. the Flashes he scored 23 on 6-of-9 shooting.

KSU can’t let him keep getting deep touches without putting a body on him.

Veteran officiating crew: Larry Scirotta, Mike Sanzere and Chris Beaver

Live Blog: Kent State Men's Basketball at Akron

SECOND HALF

FINAL ... Akron 58, Kent State 54



0:26.3 ... Two missed free throws by Akron's Betancourt lead to a Dev Manley three from the left corner. Ends a nearly five-minute drought from the field.

Flashes trail just 55-54.

1:29 ... Two critical turnovers in a row ... Tied at 51-51, but then Henniger with an illegal screen fouls out. Then Spicer-to-Jackson pass goes into Kent State bench.

Two possessions without a shot.

Zips turn both into buckets on other end and lead 55-51.

3:18 ... Another wild finish coming?

Kent State and Akron are tied 51-51. The Flashes will have the ball after an illegal screen call on Forsythe.


4:09 ... Timeout Zips as Kent State has answered another Akron run. Zips were up six, but now Kent State has grabbed a 51-50 lead on a sweeping hook in the lane by Darren Goodson.

Quincy Diggs has helped the Kent State cause taking deep jumpers on consecutive possessions that were very poor shots.


7:42 ... Kent State having all kinds of problems on offense, forcing bad shots.

The Flashes are just 4-for-22 in the second half (18.2 percent), and yet still down just three points at 46-43.

8:35 ... Treadwell layup has Akron in the lead at 44-43 ... First Zips lead since 8-6.

KSU calls timeout after a string of poor possessions.

10:40 ... Kent State has handled this first run by Akron. The Flashes now lead 43-39 thanks in large part to the play of its sophomores.

Kellon Thomas just hit a 17 footer and is now 5-for-5 from the field with a team-high five rebounds. Thomas leads all scorers with 13.

Khaliq Spicer has added another two-handed dunk ... his third of the game ...and he has eight points.

Treadwell is just 1-for-9 ... Wonder when the sleeping giant will get it going.

15:08 ... Akron run has come early. Kent State jumped ahead to its biggest lead of the game at seven points, but the Zips have since battled back to tie at 37-37.

The Zips got a little help from the officials, who took away a tip-in basket by Ortiz. Bo Boroski claiming the ball was in the cylinder, but replay showed it clearly was not.

Kellon Thomas is the star of this one, though. He is 4-for-4 from field, 1-of-1 from three, 2-of-2 from line. He also has five rebounds.

Ibitayo has come up big for the Zips, too. He has 11 points and is 3-for-3 from three.

Treadwell, meanwhile, is just 1-of-9 from the field and has been a non factor. Have to expect that will change.

FIRST HALF 

HALFTIME ... Kent State leads 32-27 at halftime despite the starting power forward and center spending most of the first half on the bench.

Kellon Thomas has come to play. He is 3-for-3 from the field, eight points and three rebounds from the point guard spot.

Demetrius Treadwell is really struggling for Akron, going just 1-for-7 from the field and scoring just three points in 15 first half minutes.

The ability of Kent State's guards to get anywhere they want on the floor against Akron's defense has been the biggest key to the Flashes building this five-point lead. That ability to penetrate and finish or dish has Kent State outscoring Akron 22-10 in the paint.

The Flashes are shooting 11-for-17 in the paint and just 2-for-11 on the perimeter.

Halftime numbers, Akron shooting just 37.5 percent from floor (9-for-24) and 54.5 percent from the line (6-for-11).

Kent State is at 46.4 percent (13-for-28) despite missing its first six shots from the field. In the last 18 minutes of the half, the Flashes shot 59 percent from the floor.

Derek Jackson also having a good first half for the Flashes with six points on 3-of-4 shooting.

Kris Brewer is starting to get it going, making his last two while attacking the rim after an 0-for-4 start.

Akron run is coming. Can the Flashes hold off that run?



3:11 ... Flashes trying to survive in some serious foul trouble.

Ortiz and Henniger both have two fouls, and that is forcing big minutes for freshman Marquiez Lawrence, who hasn't seen much playing time of late.

Devareaux Manley has three fouls for the Flashes.

And despite a 9-3 foul differential and Akron attempting five more free throws, KSU is clinging to a 25-24 lead.

Kris Brewer with a nice drive and lefty finish at around the four minute mark got the junior on the scoreboard. Hopefully that gets him rolling.


7:36 ... Khaliq Spicer has six points off of the bench, including four on two-handed dunks on great drive and dishes by Thomas and Jackson.

The Flashes guards are getting anywhere on the floor that they want, and that's a big advantage early.

They need to get Kris Brewer going, however. Brewer is 0-for-4 from the field, and he is having a hard time defensively keeping up with cutting Akron guards.

Lead for the Golden Flashes is 19-16.

11:47 ... Kent State up 13-8 at second media timeout and in large part due to the work of the guards on the defensive end.

Kellon Thomas and Kris Brewer have three defensive rebounds each as the Flashes have held the Zips to one-and-out on just about every possession.

Three by Manley and transition jumper by Thomas on the other end.

15:10 ... Kent State leads it 6-5 at the first media timeout. The Flashes have settled in a bit after an 0-for-5 start from the floor that included two point-blank misses by Mark Henniger and another by Chris Ortiz.

Two acrobatic layups by Derek Jackson, including one on a backdoor cut and then find by Darren Goodson, helped the Flashes right the ship. Kellon Thomas with a nice driving layup has helped. Flashes 3-for-11 now, but Akron just 2-for-7.

PREGAME 

6:45 p.m. ... As always, Ty Linder and I have the radio call tonight on WHLO 640 AM.

The game is also simulcast online on iHeartRadio's Golden Flashes Network and on WHLO's iHeart station.

Questions and comments during the broadcast, tweet at me at @CarducciKSU, and Ty and I will discuss on the air.

6:34 p.m. … I had some internet issues prior to tonight’s game, but finally have it all sorted out.

Officials are Terry Wymer, Bo Boroski and Buddy Mayborg. A veteran crew. Wymer used to be a fixture in the Kent State-Akron rivalry games before he started working more Big Ten games.

Good to have him back on the whistle for this one. 

Talking with Kent State’s coaches before this one and they are talking about how the attitude tonight has to be one of going to war … especially on the glass where they need bodies on bodies for 40 minutes. They need a similar attitude defensively, with forwards forcing Akron’s bigs out of the paint and guards trying to pressure the Zips weaknesses in the backcourt to force turnovers while also finding a way to dig down and help in the post. 

Win and get a little help and a home first-round MAC Tournament game on Monday is still a very real possibility. Going on the road to either Miami or Northern Illinois is no bargain, and then win and have to return right back to northeast Ohio for the next round. That won’t be easy, so the Flashes have to come out with a greater sense of urgency than they had against Miami on Tuesday night. My guess is with Akron on the opposite bench, that won’t be a problem.

Starting lineup for the Flashes: Brewer, Thomas, Ortiz, Henniger, Jackson.

Starting lineup for the ZipsL Treadwell, Evans, Ibitayo, Diggs, Johnson

Live Blog: Kent State Men's Basketball vs. Miami University

SECOND HALF

FINAL ... Miami 73, Kent State 61

As is usually the case in a game like this one, the Flashes didn't have enough in the tank to battle back in the second half.

The run started a little too late, and then some questionable three-point shots on tired legs led to KSU going cold after pulling to within eight points.

Disappointing end to the home careers of Mark Henniger and Darren Goodson here at the M.A.C. Center. Would have liked to see them go out on a better note, although Henniger had a nice game with 11 points and a career-high four blocked shots in 26 minutes. Henniger also hit all four of his shots from the field and all three of his free throws.

K.K. Simmons was a big part of the comeback with 11 points – nine of them coming in the second half. He also had three steals in 19 minutes.

Manley led the way for KSU with 12 points in 29 minutes.

Felder was the best player on the floor, though. The Miami forward finished with 26 points on 10-for-18 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 from the line. He also grabbed nine rebounds in 38 minutes.

Flashes will need some help now to avoid going on the road for a first-round MAC Tournament game.


3:24 ... A 5-0 Miami run has helped Miami handle this Kent State run. The lead is back out to 13 points.

7:48 ... Another Miami timeout as Kent State has trimmed the RedHawks lead to just eight points on a Henniger layup.

Flashes trail 59-51. Hopefully they didn't dig themselves too deep a hole.

Since Miami jumped up 24, the KSU run is 18-3.


9:55 ... Flashes run continues ... another Simmons steal leads to a Jackson three... then two Henniger free throws.

Flashes down just 57-45.

10:43 ... Finally a little life for Kent State. A layup for a three-point play by Henniger. Then a steal in the backcourt for an easy Simmons layup. Flashes inch closer.

11:54 ... No run yet. Kent State trails 57-35 and time is running out.

The Flashes have to find a way to pressure the basketball and speed up the Miami offense.

Kent State is shooting just 3-for-10 from the field while Miami is 4-for-10.

Need 12 minutes of perfect basketball to get back in it.

15:50 ... Kent State has made up no ground in the first 4:10 of the second half. 

A layup by Kellon Thomas drawing a foul for a three-point play looked helped, but then the Flashes gave it right back seconds later when Thomas was slow on a back-door cut by Rollins, giving the RedHawks an easy layup and a three-point play of their own when Thomas whacked Rollins on the arm.

Miami has been sloppy in the second half, offensively, but Kent State isn't doing much on the other end, going 2-for-8 from the field with a turnover on the offensive end. 

FIRST HALF

HALFTIME ... Miami 45, Kent State 25

Easily the worst half of basketball of the season ... and longer.

Kent State not doing much of anything right. Started out 2-for-2 from three, but missed the last six. Just 10-for-26 from the field. A total of 12 turnovers against just three assists.

Teams can be flat on senior night but this is as lifeless as I've seen a team.

Miami ends the half shooting 7-for-7 from three point range and 17-for-27 overall (63-pct).

The RedHawks need only one more three to match season high of eight in a game.


3:05 ... Nightmare continuing for Kent State.

RedHawks are 7-for-7 from three-point range. They are just a 29-percent three-point shooting team ... That's 11th out of 13 teams in the MAC.

7:24 ... Miami lead has swelled to 30-16. Kent State isn't doing much of anything right. Sloppy on offense. Not working hard enough on the defensive end, allowing too many second-chance points.

11:26 ... Easily the sloppiest start we've seen by Kent State. I've watched teams play tight on senior night, but this is starting to get scary as the Flashes have turned the ball over eight times.

Miami – an awful three-point shooting team – is 4-for-4 from the arc and 9-of-12 from the field. Twenty and 21-percent three-point shooters have hit from deep.

15:22 ... An extremely sloppy start to senior night for Kent State as seniors Darren Goodson and Mark Henniger have combined for three of the Golden Flashes' four early turnovers.

Miami is up 12-5 in large part due to the turnovers and Kent State doing a very poor job of getting back in transition, including after the Flashes' own made baskets.

And the worst turnover of the night just came on the inbound pass as Brewer threw it right to a Miami player ... a 15-5.

PREGAME

6:50 p.m. ... Mark Henniger and Darren Goodson were just honored on Senior Night here at the M.A.C. Center.

Flashes will try to send them off on a good note and guarantee them one more home game on Monday in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

6:40 p.m. ... One of the reasons Miami came back to make the score respectable on Feb. 19 was pressure defense in the last 10 minutes forcing a glut of Kent State turnovers. The Flashes have experienced some difficulties with full-court pressure.

The good news, though, is Kent State should have a target number.

The Flashes are 3-0 in games in which they turn the ball over 19 times. I've never heard of a number like that.

Senderoff had a good sense of humor about the stat when I informed him of it, saying "well, we know what we have to get."


5:35 p.m. … Tonight is arguably the most important game of the year thus far for Rob Senderoff’s Golden Flashes.

Kent State has a chance to secure a home game in Monday’s Mid-American Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament’s first round. With five wins needed to capture a title without claiming a bye, it is important for the Flashes to eliminate the pressure that would be created by a long travel day on Sunday and Monday before returning home to northeast Ohio for the start of the second round in Cleveland.

The Flashes should have some good feelings about tonight’s game against Miami considering the ease with which they dispatched of the RedHawks on Feb. 19 in Millett Hall. That game was not as close as the 75-63 score, considering Kent State led by 22 with 10:55 to play.

Of course, games are supposed to be easy when you shoot 15-for-26 from three-point range, as the Flashes did that night. That was Kris Brewer’s big 9-for-11, 7-for-7 from three-point range, 28-point effort. Devareaux Manley added 5-of-8 from the arc.

Manley has been on fire of late, making 61 percent of his threes (17-for-28) in the last four games.

Miami was just 3-of-9 from the arc in the loss to Kent State and isn’t much of a three-point threat. The RedHawks can hurt the Flashes the most by getting to the line, where they had a 28-attempt-to-7-attempt advantage in that earlier meeting.

Will Felder was a one-man show for Miami, scoring 23 points while going 6-for-9 from the field and 11-for-13 from the foul line. The 6-foot-7 senior is averaging 14 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 53-percent from the field this season. 

Felder runs the floor hard to get easy baskets and is a good scorer from 17 feet and in. Mark Henniger and Khaliq Spicer will need to avoid biting on his pump fakes and sending him to the line, where he is shooting 82 percent this year on 115 attempts. He will also turn it over (4 times in the last meeting) if the Flashes give their bigs some help with dig downs from their guards.

Will Sullivan is the biggest threat from three-point range, where he is shooting 43 percent. Jaryd Eustace (32 percent off the bench) is the only other perimeter player on the team who makes better than 28 percent of his threes.

With Miami boasting only marginal size, the Flashes were effective moving the basketball in Oxford and not just settling for the quick three. In the last few weeks, Kent State has made a concerted effort to get the ball into the paint. Look for that continue tonight with threes coming on drive-and-kick and extra passes.

Miami is also one of the worst teams in the country in allowing second-chance points. Kent State scored just five second-chance points on nine offensive rebounds at Miami. Improving on that mark will be important tonight considering its hard to depend on shooting again at a 58-percent clip from the arc. 

Live Blog: Kent State Men's Basketball at Ohio University

SECOND HALF

FINAL ... Kent State beats Ohio 75-61 on Senior Night at the Convo

The shocking stat is star guard Nick Kellogg going 0-for-6 from the field and 0-for-4 from the arc and scoring just two points in his final home game.

The Bobcats inside game was also limited as T.J. Hall and Maurice Ndour both shot just 1-for-7 from the field.

More coming on www.kentstatesports.com


1:27 ... Kellon Thomas ans Kris Brewer step to the line and go 4-for-4.

The lead is 71-61, but the Flashes are poised to handle things from the line where they are 18-for-21 today.


2:20 ... A Henniger old fashioned three-point play answering an old-fashioned three by Taylor earlier has played a big part in holding off another Ohio run.

Bobcats not going away, though. Wilkins with a three before this timeout has cut the KSU lead to 67-57.



4:47 ... Kent State doing a good job of keeping Ohio from scoring in transition. After getting 20 transition points earlier this year in Kent, the Bobcats have just two fast-break points today.

The Flashes have had a few killer turnovers in the last minute and that has allowed Ohio to cut the lead to eight points at 61-53.

Stevie Taylor just converted an old fashioned three-point play after a Jackson turnover, but that was on a very questionable  call against Kris Brewer who appeared to be in position to get a charge call ... planted outside of the circle.

Free throw difference is 24-14 in Ohio's favor.

7:58 ... Every time Ohio starts to put together a run, Dev Manley has an answer.

He hit a three from the right corner on an inbound pass at around the nine minute mark. He just hit another from the same corner to put Kent State up 59-48.

Manley leads all scorers with 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range.

As a team Kent State is 9-of-14 from the arc.


11:03 ... Six second-half points by Antonio Campbell off of the bench and a tough fadeaway jumper on the baseline by Javarez Wilis have led another mini run by Ohio. But Kent State still maintains a 49-40 lead.


15:24 ... A Devareaux Manley three has ended a mini Ohio Bobcats run. The Flashes lead is 43-31 even as Ohio continues to get second looks on the offensive end. The Bobcats have 12 offensive rebounds.

And After a foul with 14:59 to play, Kent State has already committed its seventh foul. Ohio will be shooting free throws the rest of the day.

FIRST HALF 

HALFTIME ... Kent State leads Ohio University 36-24

Back-to-back three-point plays by Derek Jackson gave Kent State a 36-22 lead late in the half before a questionable foul sent Ohio back to the foul line.

Kent State just can't catch a break with officials this season.

Yes, some of that may have to do with their reliance on threes earlier in the year. But now Kent State is attacking the rim and can't get the same calls opponents are getting.

Here are some interesting numbers:

Kent State attempted 24.9 free throws per game in the non-conference season ... when they were shooting more threes and attacking the paint less.

In MAC play, the Flashes are attempting 17.9 free throws per game.

Opponents were shooting 22.5 free throws per game in the non-conference season. They are attempting 26.3 per game. That's a huge difference.

And on the road, the average free throw attempt difference is -11.3 per game for Kent State.

Today Ohio has attempted 15 free throws to Kent State's six.

Kent State has attempted 25 field goals today and only eight of them have been threes. The Flashes have hit six of those threes.

Brewer is 2-for-2 from the arc while Jackson and Manley are both 2-for-3.

Here's the strangest number of the day, though ... Ohio has nine offensive rebounds, but the Bobcats are getting out-rebounded by Kent State 24-16.

Ohio shot just 20.7 percent from the floor in the first half (6-of-29). Kent State, despite missing a ton of layups, shot 48 percent (12-for-25).



3:35 ... The Kent State lead is now 30-18 as the defensive clinic continues.

This is probably the best I have seen the Flashes follow a game plan all season long. Jim Christian is probably the best offensive mind in the league, and Kent State defenders aren't falling for any of the wrinkles in this Bobcats offense.

Ohio is being forced into tough shots, and making just 6-of-24. The Bobcats are staying in this game only with free throws (12 attempts so far).



7:15 ... The Kent State run reached 17-0.

The lead is now 22-12 for the Golden Flashes, who are putting on a defensive clinic.

I sat in on film sessions yesterday and this morning, and a complicated game plan clearly sunk in with this group.

The Flashes bigs are keeping their feet in the paint and not falling for guarding Treg Setty or Maurice Ndour when they set up 15-to-20 feet on the perimeter. Force those lower percentage shots with good close outs late instead of giving up the easy dunk.

11:36 ... Kent State defense has been excellent, with the exception of maybe a few too many fouls.

The Bobcats didn't score a point from last media timeout to this media timeout, and that has allowed Kent State to extend its current run to 11-0.

Kent State leads it 14-8 despite shooting 4-of-12 from the field and missing a few too many looks right on top of the rim.

Kris Brewer is off to a nice start ... 2-of-2 from three-point range for 6 points. Derek Jackson also has 6 points, the first six of the game for the Flashes.


14:44 ... Good start for the Flashes, despite having a tough time converting while attacking the rim just as they did at Bowling Green on Tuesday.

But following the defensive game plan to a tee has led to some turnovers and misses by the Bobcats. Mark Henniger kept both feet in the paint instead of chasing Ndour to the corner for a spot up, throwing off a possession. Then a good plug on a drive led to a turnover and bust out the other way.

The Flashes are doing a nice job of playing physical with Ndour on the defensive glass since allowing an offensive rebound on the game's third possession.

PREGAME

1:50 p.m. ... It is spring break here in Athens, but we still have a pretty good crowd here at the Convo with a little over 10 minutes to go before the tip.

The "OZone" student section still has a nice turnout. Kent State might not get the break you'd expect for a spring-break game.

Senior Day may also help this crowd. Nick Kellogg just received a nice ovation as he was introduced to the crowd. His father Clark, of CBS Sports and formerly of the Indiana Pacers, is in attendance.

Kellogg has really improved in his senior season. Earlier in his career he was primarily a spot-up shooter. But just like former Kent State star Chris Evans between his junior and senior seasons, Kellogg dramatically changed his game during the last offseason. Seniors are keys to winning at this time of year. Kellogg continues to get better. For Kent State, Mark Henniger and Darren Goodson have struggled during the MAC season. Their challenge is to up their games in these last three MAC dates and the upcoming tournament. If Goodson can play like he did in the 2012-13 MAC regular season and Henniger like he did in the non-conference season this year, Kent State is a very tough out.


1:28 p.m. ... Kent State will continue its fight for a home first-round game in the upcoming Mid-American Conference men’s basketball tournament, and a win today at Ohio University or on Tuesday against Miami University at the M.A.C. Center would go a long way towards securing that opportunity. 

According to some quick math by men’s basketball sports information director Jay Fiorello, if the Golden Flashes can beat Miami and the teams with the better records win out in the other East Division games today and next week, KSU would get a home game.

And of course a win today would help. While Ohio University is 19-9 overall and 9-6 in MAC play, this Bobcats team has some issues heading into March. Stevie Taylor’s injury is limiting him to about 10 minutes per night, and that means extended minutes for Javarez Willis at the point. Willis is turnover prone, so don’t be surprised if Kent State pressures him for 94 feet.

Taylor has enjoyed some success against the Golden Flashes in his three seasons, including the Bobcats’ win in Kent earlier this season. His loss makes it tougher for Ohio to score in its halfcourt sets, so the Bobcats will look for points in transition even more than that game from January when they scored 20 points on the break.

Ohio gives up a ton of offensive rebounds, so Kent State’s 3, 4 and 5 need to crash the offensive glass. The ability to balance getting second-chance points while also getting back to stop Ohio in transition will be the biggest keys to the game. If the Flashes can get 15-plus offensive rebounds, they’ll find themselves in position for an upset. At the same time, they have to keep Jon Smith and Maurice Ndour off of the offensive glass. Smith is one of the best offensive rebounders in the MAC, but the slight-framed Ndour may have hit a bit of a wall late in the season.

Derek Jackson will draw the assignment on Ohio senior Nick Kellogg. KSU understands that Kellogg will get his 14-to-20 points tonight. What the Flashes can’t allow is another surprise player to have a career night agains them.

I’m hoping for a big game from Kris Brewer and Dev Manley. The Bobcats guards are not great defenders, so Brewer and Manley should be able to work for good looks. Injuries are also forcing Jim Christian to use more zone than he likes. That should set up some perimeter looks for the likes of Manley, who was on fire at the Convo in shoot-around early this morning.