DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Kent State @ North Carolina- 8 PM- ESPN

Akron Beacon-Journal

One doesn't have to have been much of a sports fan over the years to have heard a little about the success of the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball program.

''They're the No. 1 team in the country,'' Kent State senior forward Mike Scott said. ''They're known all over. They're on TV all the time. There's a big aura around the whole North Carolina thing.''

The perennial power Tar Heels own such a mystique, Scott and the Golden Flashes need to take care not to get caught up in it. Not while Kent State (10-2) takes its No. 37 RPI and seven-game winning streak to Chapel Hill to face the top-ranked Tar Heels (13-0) tonight in a nationally televised game on ESPN.

''We can't play nobody's jerseys,'' Scott said. ''We have to play them like they're men, just like us. Because, especially when you're younger, you can get caught up in all that. But as you get older, you realize nobody's much better than you. You just
have to go out there and play hard.''

That's what the Flashes have been doing for a majority of the season, misstepping only twice, losing the season-opener to Detroit (61-60) and four games later, a 78-65 loss to Xavier on Nov. 23.

It's seven game winning streak has the Flashes at or near the top of several statistical categories in the Mid-American Conference.

Kent State ranks fourth in scoring offense (74.9) and second in scoring defense (61.0). The Flashes are also ranked first in field-goal percentage (.479), first in 3-point percentage (.394), second in field-goal percentage defense (.416) and second in scoring margin (plus-10.8).

KSU is also first in assists (9.33), first in assist/turnover margin (1.22), second in turnover margin (plus-3.58), third in steals (8.33) and third in blocked shots (3.42).

''In stretches, we've looked as good as any team I've had,'' coach Jim Christian said. ''The fact that we have a bunch of different guys who can step up and make plays really helps us. The other thing is we've played some real good basketball teams, and we've been fortunate to respond every time we've played a good team.''

Riding high on the current winning streak and preparing to open league play this weekend, the game against with the host Tar Heels might appear to come at a bad time.

''But there's no good time to play the No. 1 team in the country,'' Christian said. ''We set it up to test ourselves, and it's going to be an unbelievable test. We're going to learn a lot of things down there.''

Last year, the Flashes played well in a similar tough road environment when they kept it close in a 79-72 loss to No. 6 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

''It's definitely a help to have been there before,'' Scott said. ''It's like anything in life — once you experience it, it's easier to deal with it the second time around. So it helps that I've been there and Q (senior forward Haminn Quaintance) has been there. We're going to lead the team and show them it's nothing but another game in the end.''

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a Kent fan, I've been looking forward to this game for a while. I don't think Kent will win (but I really hope I'm wrong), but I want to see how they play against UNC. This is one of the better KSU teams in recent years, and that actually says something considering the streak that the program is on. They go 9-10 deep on the bench, easily and play a hustle game non-stop. I'm really, really hoping for something amazing from this game, but that UNC team is one of the better teams of recent years as well, IMO. Frankly, for Kent, its nice to have back-to-back years where schools like Duke and UNC don't back out on game commitments right before the season starts like schools such as NC State, Pitt, WVU and OSU have over the past few years.

Kent sucks

Actually Log, I am looking fwd to this game. I will be rooting hard for the Flashes. And, not sure if I told you, but starting here soon I am now a student at Kent. Ewww, I'm one of you. Sickening

The Browns should be scouting this game ... just so they can see who's the next guy they can pick up as a post-draft free agent and turn into a Pro-Bowler.

I guess I'll pull for Kent, being that they are a fellow-MAC school to my vaunted Fighting Falcons.

Quote:

---

And, not sure if I told you, but starting here soon I am now a student at Kent. Ewww, I'm one of you. Sickening

---

Welcome to the dark side...

KENT WILL WIN BY 30!!!!!




I can dream can't I?

KSU lost 90-61, but didn't play that bad. They opened poorly and were trying to do too much (not completely unexpected). They closed well in the first half (although that buzzer-beater was a killer). In the second half, UNC started to pull away and Kent rested their players a little bit. Haminn Quaintance was a beast though. 20 points (on 10-12 shooting), 4 blocks, and 6 boards. He's too short to go to the NBA, probably, but he is fun to watch. The MAC season starts for Kent on Sunday (although they do have two out of conference games left, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and a Bracket Buster game).