You are here > VanDelaySports.com > MAC Football > MAC Basketball - NCAA Tournament - Kent vs. Pittsburgh

NCAA Tournament - #12 Kent vs. #5 Pittsburgh

With Kent State’s first-round NCAA Tournament match-up with Pitt slated for Friday, it’s time we look a little deeper at this game and Kent’s shot at pulling the upset.

This game has a little history, as nearly all Kent State fans, and most MAC fans know, the Pitt Panthers were the last team that the Golden Flashes knocked off on their way to the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament in 2002. Mid-American Conference junkies would like nothing more than to see Kent repeat the feat in 2006.

Pitt might not be the best match-up in the world for Kent, but it’s certainly not a bad draw either. The other 5 seeds this year are Syracuse, Washington, and Nevada. Not even looking at each match-up, I personally think that Washington and Syracuse are primed for early upsets this season, and would have made pretty good opponents for Kent.

On the other hand I’m glad that they stayed away from Nevada. I never prefer to see a MAC team match-up against another mid-major in the first round, like when Central Michigan drew Creighton in the first round 3 years ago. Call it the “Take that Billy Packer” principle, but I just feel like the MAC can prove so much more by knocking off the #3 or so team from the Big East, Big 10, ACC, or SEC than it can by knocking out another mid-major.

Looking at this game there are several factors that Kent State will obviously need to focus on to be successful.

• As goes Carl Krauser so go the Panthers
• Aaron Gray is BIG and he rebounds a lot. Nate Gerwig is going to need to play physical with him at all times, and Gray is probably going to demand a double-team around the hoop.
• KSU needs top games out of everyone, but especially Jay Youngblood and DeAndre Haynes who were not at their best in Cleveland this week.

Carl Krauser is good and he’s going to get “his.” There’s no denying this, the Golden Eagles will just need to work to contain him and limit his assists and steals. It only makes sense to give this assignment to DeAndre Haynes who did a great job of harassing point guards Calvin Cage, Antonio Chatman, and even Kashif Payne at the MAC Tournament.

The Pitt front-court of 7’0” Aaron Gray and 6’9” Levon Kendall has “match-up problems” written all over it. As I type I’m sure Jim Christian is working on a scheme to keep the ball out of the post on D as much as possible. If that doesn’t work we could see more Isaac Knight and Julian Sullinger than you’d expect in this big of a game because the Flashes will need every foul they can get to control the Pitt frontcourt. Gray and Kendall are both mediocre free-throw shooters on their best days, and Pitt as a team is an atrocious team at the line, something that plagued them in their 2002 loss to Kent.

Kent State needs to be clicking on offense. They might not get a bunch of great inside looks at the hoop with the size of this Pitt team. If they could go after Gray early and get him in foul trouble that could be beneficial, but it depends on how tightly the referees are officiating this one.

Kent’s going to need their big-time shooters like DeAndre Haynes and Jay Youngblood to be on. Kevin Warzynski, the MAC Tournament MVP, has enough of an outside game that he can play away from the hoop too if needed, which is good. If Armon Gates can step-up and have a game like he did against Buffalo in the MAC Quarterfinals that would be great for the Flashes. Basically if the Golden Flashes can knock down some open shots that will stretch the Pitt defense and give them more open looks inside. But until Kent proves that they can shoot it, the inside should be locked down pretty solid.

Final Thoughts
Can Kent State win? Certainly. Will Kent State win… They certainly have a shot, but it’s going to take a complete game from everyone on their team to do it. Pitt has a history of getting knocked out early in the NCAA Tournament, which can only help. Kent has the talent to do it, it just depends on if everyone is clicking or not.

By Dan Whitmyer, VanDelaySports.com Head Basketball Writer

published 03.16.06

MAC Tourney Semifinal Recap: #7 Toledo 77, #3 Akron 69

MAC Tourney Semifinal Recap: #1 Kent 72, #5 Ohio 59

MAC Tourney Quarterfinal Recap: #5 Ohio 73, #4 Miami 58

MAC Tourney Quarterfinal Recap: #1 Kent 76, #8 Buffalo 67

MAC Tourney Quarterfinal Recap: #3 Akron 72, #6 WMU 57

MAC Tourney Quarterfinal Recap: #7 Toledo 78, #2 NIU 77