Kent State vs. Fairfield updates

[stevehare Rivals]

Follow along as Kent State plays at Fairfield on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in a second round NIT game.

KSR's Ryan Lewis will provide the updates.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Anyone that makes a prediction in this thread on today's game gets a FREE one-year subscription to KSR. WOW...can't beat that!

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Go in-depth on this match-up with advanced stats and more.

KSU vs. Fairfield

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Look for Carlton Guyton to start in place of Justin Manns as the Flashes play the match-up game.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Looks like both teams are going to throw up a bunch of 3's today. So far, KSU has 2, Fairfield has 1, but leads the Flashes, 7-6.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Defense hasn't gotten off the bus yet. 7-6 Fairfield two mins in. Holt has two 3's already.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Flashes can't slow down Derek Needham--it's Needham 7, Kent 8.

Fairfield up three.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

ESPN's Doug Sherman is announcing the game. He's no relation to Rod Sherman.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Manns checks in and hits a jumper. Greene sitting down for a breather. 13-12 Fairfield.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Flashes working inside now as Porrini's bucket cut Fairfield's lead to 1, but Fairfield responds with another 3 and it's 15-12.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Guyton this a jumper and a 3 to tie the score at 17.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

I don't think it's fair Fairfield is allowed to shoot from the upper deck. How do you defend those long 3's?

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Boy does Needham have jets or what? He has 13, Greene just scored his first points.

23-21 FU

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Took over 11 minutes for Justin Greene to score...the Flashes can't go another 11 without getting him involved.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Manns with a thunderous block on one end and then a dunk on the other. 25-23 FU

 

[stevehare Rivals]

I think I spotted four Kent State fans at the game.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Porrini hits a 3--Kent's first lead, up by one, 26-25 with 5:14.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Originally posted by RyanLewisOhio:
Manns with a thunderous block on one end and then a dunk on the other. 25-23 FU

"LIKE"

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Holt hits his third 3-pointer of the half. He now has 11 and Kent has a six-point lead.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Very fast-paced first half. 35 all. Needham has 18, Holt has 11

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

First half notes:

--high octane flow, both teams pushing the ball and shooting it from anywhere on the floor
--FU's Needham is faster than anyone on KSU's roster, and is also shooting well. He has 18 points on 7-11 shooting and 4-8 from 3-point range.
--Holt is Kent State's leading scorer with 11. He scored KSU's first eight points.
--Both teams made five 3-pointers in the half. Kent took 11, FU took 13.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Looks like FU's band is wearing "Smash the Flashes" T-shirts.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Originally posted by stevehare Rivals:
Anyone that makes a prediction in this thread on today's game gets a FREE one-year subscription to KSR. WOW...can't beat that!

A little late to the party, but Kent State 77-71.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Holt picks up a couple of buckets in transition, he now has 15. It's 45-43 FU with 14:00 remaining.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

While Fairfield is a solid program, it's games like this we need to win if we want to be in line with how we envision our program.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Holt hits another 3! He has tied Needham with a game-high 18 points.

Game also tied, 49-49.

Talk about mirror images of each other. Similar playing styles, shooting patterns, even similar individual performances right now.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Originally posted by stevehare Rivals:
Look for Carlton Guyton to start in place of Justin Manns as the Flashes play the match-up game.

Shouldn't we have gone with two big men and force them to adjust to the physical mismatch? They'd be forced to take their lone big man off Greene or risk covering Manns with a much smaller guy. I know Manns has had his ups and downs, but has been coming on strong lately and I think would use his size advantage very well. I never understand when you have a mismatch in your favor you take it out of the equation and play right into their hands. If you had a very fast player would you sit him so he was slower like the defenders? And you could sit Manns back in the low post playing zone to cover up his defensive deficiencies and let him swat shots like Zeke.
This post was edited on 3/20 12:49 PM by Polish-Hammer

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Sherman throws in his first bucket, 52-49 Flashes with 11:30 left.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Sherman and Greene getting involved. 58-52 with nine minutes to go.

Porrini is heading to the bench, grimacing.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Looks like Fairfield is going to live or die by the 3.

And as I say that, Hawkins drives the lane for a bucket and-one.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Did Greene stop off in Brooklyn and stay there?

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Give FU credit, they're not allowing any entry passes and when they do he is instantly surrounded and sometimes triple-teamed.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

Fairfield's game plan certainly included stopping Greene.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Rod Sherman just drove past Needham and dunked on Ryan Olander, a seven footer.

Wow.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

OK, thanks. I am not able to watch the game. If they're doubling down on him isn't that more reason by we play Manns more and exploit a size mismatch downlow? They wouldn't be able to defend those 2 properly.

 

[stevehare Rivals]

PH...I think Manns and Greene would help KSU on the offensive end, but I would guess Geno's decision to play Guyton instead of Manns had more to do with slowing Fairfield down on the defensive end.

So far, I think it's working as KSU leads.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Think it's a matchup thing, running and spreading the floor.

 

[Polish-Hammer]

Rod is SOOOOOOOO strong to the hoop, if Greene took notes and went to the hoop possessed like Rod then he'd be an absolute beast.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

1:02 remaining, Kent holds a 4-point lead, 68-64, and the ball.

 

[RyanLewisOhio]

Holt is fouled with 45 seconds left and hits both FTs. Kent 70-64.

Orlander hits a put-back with 32.5 seconds remaining, 70-66.