Capacity Crowd Not Enough To Lift Kent State In 57-53 Loss To Cleveland State
11/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score (.PDF)
Sellout crowd of 6,327 is the largest November crowd in school history
KENT, Ohio – There wasn't an empty seat in the building. Despite playing in front of a capacity crowd of 6,327 that enters the record books as the largest November home crowd in school history, Kent State could not overcome a poor shooting night in a 57-53 loss to Cleveland State at the M.A.C. Center.
The defeat is the first of the season for the Golden Flashes (2-1) which didn't make a three-pointer until 1:12 left to play and shot just 1-17 from three for the game. Cleveland State (4-0) didn't fare much better shooting the ball, but made just enough clutch free throws down the stretch to complete a wire-to-wire victory after starting the game on a 14-2 run.
Kent State was never able to quite climb out of the 14-2 hole that was fueled by a 1-4 performance from the field and four turnovers in the first four minutes. The Vikings eventually took a 30-21 lead at the half, before the Golden Flashes trimmed the margin to five on three separate occasions in the first 10 minutes after the break. The way Kent State dominated the second half in the first two games of the season the Blue and Gold faithful kept anticipating a game changing run only it never quite materialized.
The defining moment came with just under five minutes to play. A short jumper by senior forward Justin Greene (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pulled the Golden Flashes to with four (44-40). Kent State then regained possession after a forcing a missed three from Cleveland State. The Golden Flashes went back inside to Greene on the other end of the floor who kicked the ball out of a double-team to an open Carlton Guyton (Chicago, Ill.). Guyton's three-point attempt rolled around the rim but slipped out. That would be as close as Kent State would get until the final minute however as the Vikings D'Aundary Brown nailed a three with the shot clock winding down to push the lead back up to seven points with only four minutes remaining.
Junior Chris Evans (Chesapeake, Va.) provided another set of electrifying plays on both ends of the floor as he finished with a team high 14 points and eight rebounds. Greene added 13 points and seven rebounds for Kent State which held a 42-37 edge on the glass.
The five-game home stand continues on Monday night as the Golden Flashes play host to Louisiana at 7:00 pm. For ticket information contact the Kent State Athletics Ticket Office at 330-672-2244.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Team Notes:
• Sellout-crowd of 6,327 is the largest non-conference home crowd since 1971 (7,456 vs Purdue)
• Largest November crowd in school history
• Kent State did not make a three-pointer until 1:12 left in the game, but it extended its streak to 399 consecutive games with a made three-pointer. Streak started second game of the 1999-00 season vs Wis.-Parkside (Nov. 29) after an 0-9 performance vs Youngstown State the game before.
• Kent State has out scored all three opponents in the second half this season
• Kent State is allowing only 58.8 ppg this season
Individual Notes:
• Second consecutive game in double figures for Chris Evans. Evans is averaging 14.5 points in the last two games.
POSTGAME QUOTES:
Kent State Senior Guard Michael Porrini
On frustrations in the game
"I take full responsibility for the loss. If I come and take care of business they way I usually do, I believe the whole game would be changed. I know that I have to come and bounce back on Monday and the rest of the season. It's the third game of the season. We have to learn, if we don't lose right now, we will lose in the end. We are playing for March. March isn't here right now. We're going to make mistakes but you have to live and learn."
On emotions of the game
"I think I was so anxious to play. I was so anxious to get into the game and I let my emotions get the best of me. If I'm off or I'm rushed, it's going to have an effect on them as well. I have got to do something to get my team into more of a rhythm as well."
Kent State Senior Forward Justin Greene
On the loss
"I think we rushed shots and we didn't make shots that we normally make. We rushed shots in the first half. The second half we got good looks but we didn't knock them down."
On missed 3-pointers
"We just wanted to keep playing and play our game. We thought that a couple of them would fall, unfortunately they didn't. You have nights like these when you play basketball this early in the season. We have to correct out mistakes and get after it tomorrow in practice. It's going to be a tough one, but we'll be back and ready to play on Monday."
On sold out crowd
"It was big, we appreciated that for them to come out and support us that early in the year. I don't think there has been a sell out this early since I've been in Kent State. It was a good crowd. Hopefully they can keep coming back, but everything starts with Mike and me. We didn't set the tone."
Kent State Head Coach Rob Senderoff
On turnovers
"I have to give them credit because if we were the only team that they turned over then I would say "How did this happen". But they've been doing that to everyone that they've played. You have to give them credit when they deserve credit. They forced twenty-two turnovers, we forced twenty. It's not like we didn't force turnovers, we do that too. I thought we'd be able to turn them over more than they'd be able to turn us over. That's not to take anything away from them because they're a great team."
On CSU's big plays
"The four-point play for them was big. Those are big plays, they made them and we didn't. That's why they win. To their credit, they had freshman step up and make them. In a pressure game, they deserve a lot of credit."
On any sense of panic
"It is one game in November. I'm not hitting any panic button over one game in November. Under no circumstance am I trying to put this on us. They deserve a lot of credit. They played very well."
