Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. 

Date: February 26th, 2019 7:00 PM

Opponent: Kent St.  (19-8, 8-6 MAC)

Site: MAC Center

TV: None

Radio: Ohio Radio or TuneIn Radio

Webcast: ESPN+

Kent St. statistics, roster and media guide.

Kent St. Fan Site:  Flash Fanatics

Saturday was such a gut-check win, and I was proud to watch the team fight through that one against a good team. Facing facts we had an abnormally good shooting night, which allowed us to overcome a lot of turnovers. I think we've been more selective lately with our outside shooting and it paid dividends in our last three games (yes, even against Buffalo). Buffalo has put on an offensive clinic against us in our last two games at UB. They just haven't missed anything. We did defend well for long stretches against BG, which was key to overcoming deficits and holding on to the win. Turnovers still have to come down. Did you notice that when the shots are going down the other team doesn't appear to have the same athletic advantages that folks are always harping about? I know our game isn't reliant on brute athleticism, but saying we just aren't athletic is untrue and doesn't really get to the root of our struggles. Can we string together similar shooting performances? Time will tell. it would be good to turn this into a winning streak. Can we beat Buffalo on any given day? Probably not. But I think we can beat anyone else. Right now, Can we leapfrog Ball, NIU and Miami and snag a home game? That's a tough call, but if we have any success in these last four games, we could very well be back to back vs Miami again in an 8-9 game.

Exactly DFC. Hate to oversimplify things but our struggles really boil down to outside shooting (including free throws) and turnovers (and specifically the turnovers of one particular player).

You do realize that athleticism can translate into good or bad shooters right? The lack of athleticism kills our guys because it keeps them from being able to create their own shots. BVP and Block can only catch and shoot because they can't drive or create their own shots. Murrell is horribly unathletic and therefore cannot create his own shot. Doug times his blocks very well but I wouldn't really call him athletic. Carter, Kirk and Preston all have shown signs but not consistently. Look, for example at our amazing Sweet 16 team. If shots weren't falling who could you count on to drive to the hole or hit pull up jumpers? Walt, DJ, TJ, Rico and even Ivo. Heck, even Nick could drive and hit a few pull up jumpers. Tell me anyone on our current roster who can do that?

And if you don't think turnovers are caused by a lack of athleticism you have never played.

I hope I eat my words and I hope I am wrong but tonight we lose by 20. Mark it down.

We are 7.5pt underdogs

The best and most current example of this premise is none other than ESPN's new mid-major darling to cover: Ja Morant. The dude is EXPLOSIVE and skilled, and still turns it over as much or more than TK. So there's that.

It's amazing how easily my point is completely missed/misinterpreted.

Did the KSU play-by-play guy on the ESPN+ broadcast seriously not know free throws don’t start until the 7th team foul?

OU..OH NO... this is getting tiring {men's basketball}. I heard we have baseball and softball teams. I have attended a few throughout the years and if you catch a night . its really nice for the family. Let us gather ourselves and let things fall into place ..I will be in the Convo tomorrow to watch the Ladies team play. it should be a good one.. peace, love, recycle.

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A solid effort by the Bobcats against a team, yet again, that was not firing on all cylinders through out a majority of the game. Once they do, the game is over. This was a winnable game seemingly for awhile, yet the Bobcats just don't appear to have the horses needed to finish it out. The win over Bowling Green was clearly an anomaly: a win where the whole transcended the sum of its individual parts for one brief and shining moment. I don't see what there is to build upon. From where I am standing, the Bowling Green win marked the absolute Zenith of this year, and this team will now relax back into being over matched and out of their league in the MAC, especially as the MAC race heats up. Leaves me wondering how many of these players would be starters on other teams in the MAC right now? Hats off to each of them though for making the most of their God-given talent. After all, they will always be beloved members of the Bobcat family, win or lose.

I said a couple weeks ago in a post that I wanted to see progress going down the stretch. Between BG and last night, I think we've seen it. The team looked great in the 2nd half moving the ball, but once Walker banked in that bullcrap three, he got his confidence back and we were toast. Again, a couple missed free throws could have made all the difference. Great effort, Bobs.

I didn't get to watch, but listened to the whole game. Murrell's name was called often when he was on the floor, so a solid game for him. Marty and Rob had great things to say about Preston as well.

Whether anyone agrees or not, I stick by the opinion that the difference in most games Ohio plays is that the other team has more guards and wings that can make things happen than Ohio does. Walker and Avery are examples. Held them to very little for much of the game, but when crunch time came, they made a couple plays that made the difference.

I'm really starting to jump on the Preston bandwagon and thinking he may be a future star in this league. As a team, we played a very good offensive game last night... so good that I wondered who the hell those guys were. We're competing, but we need to win a couple more to have any confidence going into the tourney. I think the shot selection has been excellent, but it certainly looks that way when they go in versus the clang clang clang that we experienced the entire first half of the mac schedule.

This loss, combined with Miami's win over BG pretty much seals our fate as a road team in round 1.