Men's Basketball Opens MAC Tournament Against Bowling Green
3/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Kent State Opens MAC Tournament vs. Bowling Green ThursdayThe Kent State University mens basketball team (20-7) opens Mid-American Conference Tournament play against Bowling Green State University (14-16), Thursday, March 11, at noon. The teams, meeting in the quarterfinal round this year, will play for the third time in the last four MAC Tournaments.
Flash Facts Kent State finished the regular season with 13 MAC victories, which tied for second most in a season in school history. The Flashes enter the MAC Tournament having lost their final regular season game for the ninth time in the last 11 years. Kent State owns a 4-1 record against Bowling Green all-time in MAC Tournament games. The Golden Flashes won the MAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed in 1999 and 2001.
Head Coach Jim ChristianJim Christian (Rhode Island 88) is in his second year as the head coach at Kent State, owning a 42-16 (.724) career record. He was top assistant at KSU under former head coach Stan Heath for one season, during KSUs run to the Elite Eight. Christian had assistant coaching stints at Pittsburgh, Miami (Ohio), Western Kentucky and St. Francis (Pa.). In 2002-03 Christian was the National Rookie Coach of the Year by Basketball Times after leading KSU to a 22-9 mark and the MAC East Division title.Christian is assisted by Geno Ford (Ohio 96), Rob Murphy (Central State 96), Rob Senderoff (Albany 95) and Ryan Pedon (Wooster 00), all of whom are in their second year at Kent State.
A Look at Bowling GreenThe Bowling Green State University Falcons (14-16) held on for a 56-54 victory Monday against Ohio in the MAC Tournament first round. Ron Lewis scored 19 points, all in the second half, and blocked two shots in the waning seconds to preserve the Falcons win. Kevin Netter and John Reimold each scored 11 points in the win. Bowling Green held an eight-point lead at intermission, but Ohio rallied and tied the game at 54-54 with 0:48 left. On the year, Lewis leads the team averaging 17.1 points per game. Reimold totals 15.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, while hitting .394 three-point field goals.Dan Dakich (Indiana 85) is 116-88 in his seventh year with the Falcons.
KSU-Bowling Green Series HistoryThursdays meeting between Kent State and Bowling Green is the 133rd all-time. The Falcons lead the series 75-57, but Kent State has won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series. The Flashes lead 4-1 in games played at a neutral location.The Golden Flashes won the most recent meeting between the teams, 80-72, Feb. 14, in front of a national audience on ESPN2. Bryan Bedford scored a career-high 20 points to pace Kent State to the victory, while Jason Edwin had 15 points. The Golden Flashes shot 50.0 percent in the second half to rally from a four-point halftime deficit (see page 5 for box score).
Kent State in the MACThe Golden Flashes have a 332-449 (.425) MAC record in 52 seasons since joining the conference in 1952, with one regular-season championship and three tournament titles. KSU holds a 412-559 (.424) record against teams currently competing in the MAC.Including tournament games, the Flashes have won 63 of their last 81 games against MAC opponents.
Kent State Closes Regular Season with Loss at OhioKent State (20-7, 13-5 MAC) closed the 2003-04 regular season with its fourth straight loss, a 60-59 setback at Ohio University (10-19, 7-11 MAC) March 6. The Golden Flashes, who trailed by as many as 17 points, rallied in the final nine minutes only to fall one point short.For the first 30 minutes of the contest, the Golden Flashes managed to do little right, but down 49-32 with 9:44 remaining, Kent State made a charge. Five straight points made it a 12-point game, then after the team's traded baskets, senior guard Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) drained a three to make it 51-42, KSU's first single-digit deficit of the second half.After an Ohio free throw, Haut nailed a second three with 5:07 to go, bringing Kent State within seven points. The Bobcats pushed the lead back to nine, but senior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) converted a conventional three-point play, which was followed by a layup from freshman forward Scott Cutley (Torrance, Calif./Westchester) that cut the lead to four, 54-50, with 3:48 to go.Ohio then made two baskets, while Kent State picked up two free throws to trail by six, before KSU went on a 5-0 run to get to 58-57 on junior forward Jason Edwin's (Warsaw, Ill./Warsaw) layup with 0:43 left. The Bobcats then converted a pair of free throws for a three-point lead and after a turnover had a chance at a one-and-one with 11 seconds remaining that would have iced the game. But the chance was missed, leading to Haut's three-point attempt from the top of the key that was halfway down but spun out. Edwin layed in the rebound for a one-point game with 1.8 seconds left, but Ohio managed to inbound the ball and the buzzer sounded.Kent State was led by 13 points from Haut and 11 points from Edwin, while Edwards had nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Cutley had seven points and six rebounds in his first career start. Senior guard Matt Jakeway (Flushing, Mich./Austin Peay) added eight points. Jaivon Harris led all scorers with 19 points.
Notes From Ohio The starting lineup used by Kent State was the fifth different one this season. John Edwards' previous career-high in rebounds was 10, first set at Boston College (Dec. 20) and matched vs. Marshall (Feb. 18). KSU's four-game losing streak is the longest since a five-game slide in 1997-98. Kent State scored a season-low 20 points in the first half.
Kent State in the MAC TournamentKent State is making its 21st appearance in the MAC Tournament and its fifth straight trip to the quarterfinal round at Gund Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. All-time, Kent State is 19-18 (.514) in MAC Tournament games. The Golden Flashes have made nine semifinal appearances and played in the championship game seven times, with three tournament titles in 1999, 2001 and 2002.
KSU as the No. 2 SeedThe Golden Flashes have been the MAC Tournaments No. 2 seed six times, posting a 12-4 record. Kent State was seeded second in 1987, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001 and 2003. In all but one of those years, the Flashes advanced to the championship game. In fact, two of Kent States three MAC Tournament titles have been won as the No. 2 seed, in 1999 and 2001.
The No. 2 Seed in the MAC TournamentOverall the No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament has won six championships and made 12 championship game appearances in 24 MAC Tournaments. Since the tournament added a first round in 2000, the No. 2 seed has played in the championship game three times with two victories, including one by Kent State in 2001, a 67-61 victory against Miami. The top seed in the MAC Tournament has won 14 titles, while the third and fourth seeds have won two tournament championships.
Four Straight MAC East CrownsThe Golden Flashes have claimed their fourth consecutive MAC East Division title, each of which have been outright championships. Since the MAC went to divisional format in 1997-98, only Toledo has won two straight divisional championships, and it shared the second of those titles.
Edwards Named MAC Defensive Player of the YearSenior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year Monday (March 8), becoming the second Kent State player to win the award. Demetric Shaw was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year in both 2001 and 2002.John is the anchor of our defense and he does a great job blocking and altering shots, head coach Jim Christian said. At the same time he is our leading rebounder and is very deserving of this award.Edwards is the leagues leader in blocked shots, averaging 2.7 per game with 74 rejections on the year, over 20 more than any other player in the MAC. He also ranks 16th in the country in blocks. This year, he set Kent States single-season and career records for swats. He broke his own single-season mark and with 172 career stuffs Edwards has shattered the previous mark by more than 60.He has also paced Kent State to the MACs leading field-goal percentage defense.A Kent State player has now been named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year four times in the eight years since the awards inception.
MAC Defensive Players of the Year2004 John Edwards, Kent State2003 Chris Kaman, Central Michigan2002 Demetric Shaw, Kent State2001 Demetric Shaw, Kent State2000 Rob Mestas, Miami1999 Robert Kizer, Toledo1998 Bonzi Wells, Ball State1997 DeMar Moore, Bowling Green
Three Named to All-MAC TeamKent State had three players named to the All-MAC Team announced Wednesday, including senior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) earning first team honors. Senior guard Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) was named to the All-MAC Second Team after earning honorable mention a year ago, while sophomore guard DeAndre Haynes (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) was honorable mention All-MAC. The trio led Kent State to its fourth straight MAC East Division title and a sixth consecutive 20 win season this year.Edwards is 18th in the MAC in scoring (13.0), 10th in rebounding (6.4), leads the conference in blocked shots (2.7) and is fifth in field-goal percentage (.516). Haut is just outside the MACs top 20 scorers (12.0), while ranking fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.412) and tied for third in made three pointers per game (2.5). Haynes leads the MAC in assists (5.9) and is second in steals (2.3), while also ranking sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9).Edwards is Kent States fifth All-MAC First Team selection in the last four years, after the Golden Flashes went from 1999 to 2001 without having a player on the first team.
Kent States All-Time All-MAC First Team Selections1953 Percy Grenfell1955 Dan Potopsky1957 Dan Potopsky1959 Oliver Wallace1960 Oliver Wallace1963 Dennis Klug1971 Ruben Vance1972 Ruben Vance1977 Burrell McGhee1978 Burrell McGhee1979 Burrell McGhee1980 Trent Grooms1985 Anthony Grier1987 Bill Toole1988 Reggie Adams1989 Reggie Adams1990 Ric Blevins2001 Trevor Huffman2002 Trevor Huffman, Andrew Mitchell2003 Antonio Gates2004 John Edwards
Golden Flashes Best in MAC Since 1998-99Since the 1998-99 season, Kent State is 81-27 (.750) in MAC regular-season games and has posted 142 overall victories, for the best marks in the conference. Miami is second with 64 MAC victories and Toledo is second with 108 overall wins in that stretch. Including tournament games, the Flashes have won 63 of their last 81 (.778) games against MAC opponents.
20 Wins AgainWith its 70-55 win against Creighton Feb. 21, Kent State registered its sixth straight 20-win season, a feat no other MAC team has accomplished. During Kent States run, the rest of the MAC has produced 12 20-win teams, which was accomplished by eight different teams. Of those eight, three won 20 games two times, but none of them did so in consecutive years.Toledo (1976-81) and Ball State (1988-93) are the only other teams to win 20 games in five consecutive seasons. During the last six years Kent State has posted records of 23-7 (1998-99), 23-8 (1999-2000), 24-10 (2000-01), 30-6 (2001-02), 22-9 (2002-03) and 20-7 (2003-04). Ball States six-year record during that run was 142-50 (.740), while Toledos was 123-46 (.728). Kent States current six-year record is 142-46 (.755).
Haynes Ranked NationallySophomore guard DeAndre Haynes (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) leads the MAC in assists and is second in steals, but he is also ranked among the nations best in those categories. Haynes is 25th in Division I in assists (5.9) and 35th in steals (2.3). Troy States Greg Davis leads the nation in assists (8.4), while St. Bonaventures Marques Green leads in steals (3.9).
Edwards 16th in Nation in BlocksSenior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) is 16th in the nation in blocks, averaging 2.7 per game. Edwards reset his own single-season record for rejections and has 74 blocked shots on the year, nearly doubling his output of 41 from last season. Emeka Okafor of Connecticut leads the country in blocks (4.5).Earlier this season, Edwards surpassed John Whorton on Kent States career blocked shots list. Whorton posted 107 in 115 career games from 1996-2000. Edwards now has 172 swats in his four years.
Haut 40th in Nation in Three-Point Shooting PercentageSenior guard Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) moved into the national leaders in three-point field-goal percentage for the first time this season, currently ranking 40th. Haut is connecting on .412 (68-of-165) of his attempts. Brad Lechtenberg of San Diego leads the nation at 51.1 percent.Haut is one of the most prolific long-range shooters in Kent State history, currently ranking second in all-time in made three-point field goals (194), while also placing sixth all-time in percentage (.415).
70s the Magic NumberIn the regular season, the magic number for Kent State has been 70. The Golden Flashes are 15-0 when scoring 70 points or more and are 14-5 when holding the opposition below 70 points.
Kent State In Bracket Buster IIThe Golden Flashes appeared in the Bracket Buster for the second straight year, as part of a national showcase of some of the top mid-major programs. Last season, Kent State played Hawaii in a game featured on ESPN2 and although the Flashes fell 79-78, the teams played to a sellout crowd of 6,327 at the M.A.C. Center.
team (tem) n. 1. A group on the same side. 2. A group organized to work together.Throughout the season, the Golden Flashes have exhibited numerous qualities to prove that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Some examples: Kent State is fourth in the MAC in scoring average at 73.7 points per game, but has only one player among the leagues top-20 scorers, John Edwards, who ranks 18th averaging 13.0 points per contest. The three scoring leaders all have at least one player in the top 15 in scoring, with Western Michigan and Toledo each placing two in the top 15. The Golden Flashes lead the MAC and are 12th in the country in three-point field goals made per game at 8.7, but have only player in the conferences top 10 in made three pointers, Eric Haut at 2.5. KSU is the MAC leader and 13th in the nation in assists, averaging 17.1 assists per game, and while two players are ranked in the top 15 in the conference, DeAndre Haynes (5.9) and Matt Jakeway (3.2) combine for just half the teams total number of assists. In 14 conference games, the Flashes have four players averaging 10 points a game; John Edwards (13.7), Eric Haut (12.1), DeAndre Haynes (10.3) and Bryan Bedford (10.0). On the year eight players average between five and 13 points per game.
Nations Leading Assist Teamsthrough 3/8/04Team Ast. APG1. Arizona 520 19.32. Murray State 628 19.03. Sam Houston State 530 18.94. Connecticut 555 18.85. North Carolina 498 18.46. Gonzaga 528 18.27. Chattanooga 535 17.88. Troy State 532 17.79. Kansas 475 17.610. Georgia Southern 508 17.511. UAB 472 17.512. Oral Roberts 479 17.113. KENT STATE 461 17.114. UCF 510 17.0 Illinois 459 17.0
Kent State Shares the RockKSU leads the MAC and is 13th in the nation, averaging 17.1 assists per game. The Flashes, always looking for the extra pass to get an open shot, are recording an assist on 66.5 (463-of-696) percent of their made field goals.The Flashes tallied a school-record 36 assists in the win vs. Cleveland State Dec. 17, bettering the 34 set against St. Josephs (Ind.) 12/9/98. Kent State has gone over 20 assists in a game seven times this season.
Six Golden Flashes Post 20Senior Bryan Bedfords 20-point outing against Bowling Green (Feb. 14) marked the sixth different Golden Flash to post a 20-point performance this season. Senior Eric Haut leads all Flashes with six 20-point efforts, while senior John Edwards has had three and junior Jason Edwin has two. Sophomore DeAndre Haynes and freshman Rashard Turner have had one 20-point game.
Christian Used to the Close OnesSecond-year head coach Jim Christian has had many games come down to the wire in his two years. Since the start of last season, Kent State has played 34 games decided by 10 points or less, posting a 22-12 (.647) record in those games. The Flashes are also 14-8 (.636) in games decided by five points or less and have played in five one-point decisions in the last two seasons.
Kent State Among Nations Statistical LeadersIn the latest national statistics release, Kent State ranks in the top 75 in eight of the 13 statistical categories that the NCAA compiles. The KSU Sports Information Office compiled the sum of all rankings for Kent State and compared that with the other teams in the MAC and the top 25. The Flashes average statistical rank is 68.8, second in the MAC, and among the nations top teams, Kent States average national statistical rank bests 15 of the top 25.
Senior ExperienceThe Golden Flashes senior trio of John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson), Bryan Bedford (Racine, Wis./Case) and Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) have played in a combined 372 games at Kent State. Bedford has played in every game in his Kent State career and has a chance to become the all-time games played leader at KSU. The trio are now three of the top-5 career-games-played leaders in Kent State history. Bedford (No. 3 all-time) played his 128th straight game March 6, Edwards (No. 4) appeared in his 125th career game and Haut (No. 5) played his 119th career game.
KSU Among Nations EliteSince the start of the 1998-99 season, Kent State ranks 10th nationally with a .763 winning percentage (142-44) and is also 12th in total victories, for the highest marks among MAC schools. Duke University tops both lists with 181 wins and an .879 winning percentage. Through 2/27/04.
Big M.A.C.C. AttackKent State has made the M.A.C. Center a tough place to play since the start of the 1997-98 season. The Golden Flashes have posted a 81-14 (.853) record since then, including a 68-11 (.861) mark since the start of the 1998-99 season.
Better Than AdvertisedIn winning the MAC East Division championship for the fourth straight year, Kent State once again proved the pundits wrong, finishing higher than selected in the MAC Preseason Poll. For the second straight year, Kent State was chosen to finish third in the MAC East, only to win the division.In fact, all but two years since divisional play began in 1997-98 the Flashes have finished the year better than expectedYear Pick-Finish Year Pick-Finish1997-98 6th-2nd 2001-02 1st-1st1998-99 6th-2nd 2002-03 3rd-1st1999-00 2nd-2nd 2003-04 3rd-1st2000-01 2nd-1st
Five Straight Postseason AppearancesKent State also is in search of a sixth consecutive postseason bid in 2003-04. The Golden Flashes have made five straight appearances in either the NCAA Tournament or NIT, marking the most in the MAC since Miami made six in a row from 1992-97. Kent State appeared in three NCAA Tournaments in the current stretch (1999, 2001, 2002) and two NITs (2000, 2003).
Call it Kent State Magic?Head coach Jim Christian and the Kent State coaching staff are mastering the late rally. Five times in the last two seasons, the Golden Flashes have rallied from behind in the final minute to win or send a game to overtime. At Boston College Dec. 20, Kent State trailed by three with six seconds to play, but tied the game and sent it to overtime. Earlier this year at SMS, Kent State trailed by one with 0:14 to play and won 64-63. The previous game, KSU was behind by two with 3.3 seconds remaining at IPFW, but pulled out a 67-66 win on a 35-foot three-pointer. Last year, the Flashes were down by two with 0:02 left at Buffalo, but a three-pointer at the buzzer lifted KSU to a 69-68 victory. And last season against SMS, KSU trailed by six with 42 seconds to go, but pulled out an 88-84 win in overtime.
Gates Signs Pro Contract... With San Diego Chargers!After a record-setting senior season at Kent State, in which he earned honorable mention on the All-America team, Antonio Gates continued his playing career in the professional ranks, but not in basketball. The 6-3, 260-pound collegiate forward is now a tight end with the San Diego Chargers.Gates signed the day following the NFL Draft with San Diego. He had not played in a football game since his senior year of high school. He closed his rookie season with 24 catches for 389 yards and two touchdowns this season and was the third-leading receiver for the Chargers.Gates, an undrafted free agent, was fourth among rookie tight ends in receptions and led all first-year tight ends in receiving yards.
Close Games, but no OTKent State has played five one-point games in the last two years, but oddly enough, none of the games have needed extra time. Interestingly, each of Kent States last eight overtime games have not ended with a one-point decision.
Three Earn MAC East Player of the Week Honors This YearJunior forward Jason Edwin (Warsaw, Ill./Southeastern [Iowa] C.C.) earned MAC East Player of the Week accolades Feb. 23, after leading KSU to wins against Marshall and Creighton. He averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the two games, including pouring in a career-high 25 points in the Bracket Buster win against Creighton (Feb. 21). He also tallied his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Marshall (Feb. 18).Senior center John Edwards (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) performance against St. Bonvaventure Dec. 27 earned him MAC East Division Player of the Week Honors Dec. 29. Edwards posted a then-career-high 21 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocked shots in KSUs 74-46 win. He was 8-of-16 from the field in the game.Sophomore guard DeAndre Haynes (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) clutch play at IPFW and SMS earned him MAC East Division Player of the Week honors for the week ending Nov. 30. He led the Golden Flashes to a pair of one-point wins, closing a 67-66 triumph at IPFW (Nov. 25) with a 35-foot three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left, followed by hitting a pair of free throws with 10.7 seconds remaining at SMS (Nov. 29) to cap a 64-63 win.
Haut Closing in on 1,000Senior guard Eric Haut (Lansing, Mich./Walter French Academy) shot at 1,000 career points has diminished, but he still has an outside chance to become Kent States 23rd player to reach the milestone. He currently has 953 points, needing 47 to get to 1,000 points. A starter each of the last two seasons, Haut has scored 763 (80.0%) of his career points the last two seasons.
CAREER 1,000-POINT SCORERSName Total1. Trevor Huffman (1998-02) 1,8202. Burrell McGhee (1976-79) 1,7103. Anthony Grier (1981-85) 1,5654. Eric Glenn (1986-90) 1,5365. Andrew Mitchell (1998-02) 1,5336. Larry Robbins (1981-85) 1,5207. Nate Reinking (1992-96) 1,4568. Kyrem Massey (1997-01) 1,3379. Trent Grooms (1976-80) 1,26810. Reggie Adams (1985-89) 1,23811. Harold Walton (1988-92) 1,23212. Antonio Gates (2001-03) 1,21613. John Whorton (1996-00) 1,17314. Dan Potopsky (1953-56) 1,12215. Leroy Thompson (1947-50) 1,12016. Doug Grayson (1966-69) 1,11217. Tony Banks (1988-92) 1,10518. Ed Norvell (1995-99) 1,07119. Terry Wearsch (1983-87) 1,04420. Fred Klaisner (1946-50) 1,01521. Tom Lagodich (1967-70) 1,01322. Mike Klinzing (1990-92) 1,006 Eric Haut (2000-04) 953
Kent State Solid in Non-ConferenceWith the ESPN Bracket Buster win against Creighton, Kent State posted a winning record in non-conference play again this season, doing so for the sixth straight year. The Golden Flashes are 51-17 (.750) in non-conference games since the 1998-99 season, thanks in large part to an 14-6 (.700) record in non-conference road games during that stretch.
How Bout HaynesIn back-to-back games against IPFW and SMS, sophomore guard DeAndre Haynes (Detroit, Mich./Southwestern) hit the big shot to catapult Kent State to a victory. Against SMS, Haynes dropped in a pair of free throws with 10.7 seconds remaining to give KSU a 64-63 win. Four nights earlier, with 3.3 seconds to play, Haynes hit a 35-foot shot from near midcourt that pushed Kent State to a 67-66 victory at IPFW. He also hit a game-tying three pointer with 1.1 seconds left at Boston College to force overtime.
Brown Doubles His PleasureSophomore forward Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich./Ferndale) recorded his first career double-double, one of just three the Golden Flashes have had this season, tallying 19 points and 12 rebounds in Kent States 67-66 win against IPFW.
Flashes Post 61 in First HalfAfter scoring just 49 points against Rhode Island, Kent State bettered that total in each half against Cleveland State Wednesday, including a 61-point outburst in the first half. The point total was the highest in a half since a similar 61 points against Marshall Feb. 19, 2002.Kent State last had more than 61 points in a half when it posted 65 points in the second half against Wilberforce Nov. 25, 1998, in a 110-50 victory.
Stunning DebutsRedshirt freshman guard Rashard Turner (Peekskill, N.Y./Bridgton [Maine] Academy) scored 21 points in his first game as a Golden Flash, becoming the first player to score 20 points or more in his Kent State debut since John Whorton scored 20 points in his first game at KSU, an 84-55 win against Ferris State Nov. 23, 1996.Turner was 7-of-9 from the floor and 4-for-6 from three-point range Friday, and also added three assists and two steals.Not to be outdone, junior forward Jason Edwin (Warsaw, Ill./Southeastern [Iowa] C.C.) and freshman forward Scott Cutley (Torrance, Calif./Westchester) each scored 13 points in their Kent State debuts. Cutley also had five rebounds, while Edwin tallied three assists.
Coming Up NextThe winner of the Kent State-Bowling Green quarterfinal game will play the winner of Miami vs. Ball State, in the second semifinal, Friday, March 12, at 8:30 p.m. The game will be carried to a regional audience on Fox Sports Net.For more information on the MAC Tournament, log onto: www.mac-sports.com.
