Recordpub.com - Opportunity to gain taste of postseason tops KSU's list

By David Carducci
Record-Courier staff writer
Never heard of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament?
Don't know anything about Oakland University?
That is no real surprise. This is the first year of the CollegeInsider.com event, and the Golden Grizzlies' only real national exposure arrived in 2005 when they were the the winners of the play-in game to the NCAA Tournament.
It may not sound exciting, but playing in a brand new tournament filled with mid-major teams, including a little-known opponent from suburban Detroit, does not mean Kent State's 10th postseason appearance in 11 years is a waste of time.
The Golden Flashes travel to Oakland University tonight hoping some of their younger players will gain some much needed experience for future runs in far more important tournaments.
"We are going there to try to win the game," said KSU head coach Geno Ford. "But we'd also like to get some of our young guys an opportunity to play in a postseason game so hopefully next year, if we get back to the NCAA Tournament, they can benefit from this experience."
Ford pointed to the long-held belief at Kent State that a deep run in the 2000 NIT helped to inspire the Flashes' first NCAA Tournament win in 2001 and the "Elite Eight" march of 2002. KSU teams went on to appear in a postseason tournament every year until 2007.
"I felt that it was a big negative that the only year in the last 11 that we didn't play in the postseason was the year that preceeded our going to the NCAA Tournament when we scored just 10 points in the first half," said Ford, referring to the ugly start in a first-round loss to UNLV in last year's NCAA Tournament. "I think our guys had some stage fright. They got nervous, and while I won't disagree that playing in the NCAA Tournament is a whole lot more pressure packed than the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, there is a different intensity to playing in the postseason, and I want our guys to experience that."
While few fans may have heard of Oakland University, the Golden Grizzlies offer a worthy opponent and a difficult atmosphere, to make tonight's game a reasonable simulation of NCAA Tournament intensity.
Oakland is 22-12 overall and a perfect 9-0 on its home floor this season. Like Kent State, the Grizzlies boast a "big three" in point guard Jonathon Jones, who leads the nation in in assists (266), shooting guard Erik Kangas, who is third in the nation in 3-pointers made (127), and 6-foot-11 Keith Benson, who blocks better than two shots per game.
"Jones gets into the lane a lot, and while he's great at creating for others, he is also a capable scorer," said Ford. "Kangas may be the best catch-and-shoot scorer we've played all year. He is very similar to (Michael) Bramos in Miami, who we had a tough time matching up with this season. Kangas is one of those guys who will run off a screen, catch it, shoot it and it usually goes in.
"And their big man in the middle, Benson, can be a game-changer. He almost averaged a double-double. We have to find a way to neutralize him around the rim," Ford said.
Kangas leads Oakland in scoring at 18.7 per game. Benson and Jones are averaging 14.1 and 13.6, respectively.
"Offensively, they run a ton of set plays," said Ford. "They are very, very good on offense. And at the defensive end, they play some 1-3-1 zone and some man-to-man. But they have Benson in the paint, and he changes a lot of shots. We won't get many easy putbacks against him. They pressure you on the perimeter and almost force you to drive."
KSU (19-14) would love to win, advance in the CollegeInsier.com tourney and extend its streak of 20-win seasons to 11 consecutive years, although the goal of gaining experience for younger players may mean some changes to the rotation.
Seniors Al Fisher, Julian Sullinger and Jordan Mincy will start, and they will probably be on the floor at crunch time if the game is close. But look for true freshman Justin Greene and Brandon Parks to see increased minutes at the center spot. Fisher may end up splitting most of his time with Mincy at point guard to allow Tyree Evans and Mike McKee the bulk of the action at the two-guard. Even little-used true freshman Alex Grimsley might see some action.
"Guys like Tyree Evans and Mike McKee play substantial roles for us, but they have no postseason experience," said Ford. "We have six first-year guys, and none of our inside guys have played in a postseason game other than Julian Sullinger. It's important that guys like Al Fisher and Jordan Mincy play well for us to have a chance to win, but it's also important that some of our other guys learn what it takes to help us win in the postseason in the future. That's why I'm excited we drew such a good team for this first-round game. If we win, it's a really big win for us. It would get us to 20 wins. It would keep our season alive, and it would be really good for our confidence, now and in the future."

David Carducci can be reached at dcarducci@recordpub.com

5.	Posted by DavidCarducci March 18, 2009
	Not a Bad Guy, Your argument doesn't hold water ... Kent State's non-conference games this season included: Illinois (NCAA tournament qualifier at 24-9) ... KSU had the lead going into the final minute. Texas A&M (Also an NCAA tournament qualifier at 23-9) ... KSU had the lead late in this game, too. Kansas (defending national champion, heading back to NCAA tournament of course at 25-7) Saint Mary's (one of the last teams out on the bubble in NCAA tournament ... They are in if Mills doesn't get hurt ... a top seed in the NIT after a 26-6 season) Western Carolina (obviously a game KSU should have won ... BUT, they tied for the championship of SoCon's North Division) KSU missed a free throw with a few seconds left that would have won this one in regulation. Temple (NCAA tournament qualifier with a 22-11 record) Cleveland State (headed to the NCAA tournament after a 25-10 season) Morehead State (probably the most difficult draw a MAC team received in the BracketBuster ... headed to the NCAA tournament as OVC champs) This is scheduling cream puffs? I'd argue that only Miami plays a more challenging schedule out of the MAC. You obviously know nothing about Oakland University. I watched them tonight, and they probably would have won the MAC if they were in the MAC. Kangas=Bramos, and they have 6-11, 6-10 and 6-9 ... Not many mid-majors are that big. Yes, KSU scheduled a few games where they would be significant favorites. So does every team in the nation ... For example: THE DUKE BLUE DEVILS -- They played such impressive teams as Presbyterian (ever hear of them), Montana, UNC Asheville and Georgia Southern in their non-league schedule. Talk about elephants and mice. THE PITTSBURGH PANTHERS -- They played Fairleigh Dickinson, Maryland-Baltimore County, Akron and Miami out of the MAC, Vermont. THE NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS -- they played a bad Penn team, Cal Santa Barbara, NC Asheville, Evansville (a team that KSU may have played in this postseason tournament had the Flashes beaten Oakland), Valparaiso, Charleston. Now, here's something that most teams around the country do to help them get to 20 wins ... They pay for home games. Basically, they buy wins. Kent State won't do that. Can't afford it. KSU's streak of 20 wins is extremely impressive ... They've done it at the mid-major level ... no other mid-majors other than Creighton (hardly a mid-major anymore) has been able to put together that kind of streak. I'm glad that you care about Kent State's golf, wrestling and baseball teams. You should support them. Those teams work very hard and have some great kids on the rosters ... But if you hate Kent State basketball so much, you have a choice ... don't pay attention to it. There are some good kids who have played basketball on Kent State's men's basketball team, too ... Some of those guys worked very hard over the years and are very proud of the run of 20-win seasons. To belittle that is insulting.