2008 Woodie Awards
Kent State wins second title in three years
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Sports
Kent State won its second Mid-American Conference title in three seasons Saturday with a 74-55 win against Akron in Quicken Loans Arena.
Haminn Quaintance scored 16 points as the Golden Flashes won their fifth overall tournament title, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The win caps a dominant MAC season for Kent State, as it won the East Division title and also had the conference's player of the year, coach of the year and defensive player of the year. Quaintance also was named the tournament MVP.
Senior forward Mike Scott scored 14 points and had 13 rebounds and Al Fisher, the conference player of the year, had 12.
The Golden Flashes (28-6) closed the first half on a 16-1 run and led 33-20. Akron cut the deficit to 51-41 with 8:20 remaining after a basket by Nate Linhart. But Scott scored on a jump shot and was intentionally fouled after a steal, making both free throws.
Akron (23-10), which was knocked out of NCAA Tournament contention last season on a last-second shot by Miami, went only 18-for-33 from the free throw line. KSU shot 16-of-18 from the line.
A nearly eight-minute scoring drought by Akron in the first half allowed Kent State to take a sizeable 33-20 lead heading into halftime.
Kent State lead by at least 10 the entire second half and shot 50.3 percent for the game.
Akron's Jeremiah Wood was the only Zip to score in double figures. Wood finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. He went 5-of-14 from the free throw line.
Semifinals
Kent State 49, Miami 47
The Golden Flashes shot only 35.8 percent from the field, but pulled out a 49-47 win on Friday.
Fisher's jump shot with three seconds remaining gave the Golden Flashes the win on their final possession.
MU's Tim Pollitz missed a shot at the buzzer that would have tied the score.
Fisher led KSU with 11 points, but shot only 4-for-15.
The lead changed nine times throughout the game, and Miami led as late as five minutes remaining.
However, Rodriquez Sherman's jump shot gave the Golden Flashes a 44-43 lead they would never relinquish.
KSU also beat Toledo 77-57 to reach the final.
Akron 73,
Western Michigan 62
After beating Central 81-60 in Thursday's quarterfinals, Akron took care of the Broncos on Friday.
The Zips shot 58.7 percent and forced WMU into 14 turnovers.
Akron began the game on a 10-2 run and never trailed.
Sophomore Chris McKnight led the Zips with 16 points.
AU led 37-24 at halftime.
WMU guard David Kool scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and senior forward Joe Reitz scored 19 points and had nine rebounds.
sports@cm-life.com
Haminn Quaintance scored 16 points as the Golden Flashes won their fifth overall tournament title, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The win caps a dominant MAC season for Kent State, as it won the East Division title and also had the conference's player of the year, coach of the year and defensive player of the year. Quaintance also was named the tournament MVP.
Senior forward Mike Scott scored 14 points and had 13 rebounds and Al Fisher, the conference player of the year, had 12.
The Golden Flashes (28-6) closed the first half on a 16-1 run and led 33-20. Akron cut the deficit to 51-41 with 8:20 remaining after a basket by Nate Linhart. But Scott scored on a jump shot and was intentionally fouled after a steal, making both free throws.
Akron (23-10), which was knocked out of NCAA Tournament contention last season on a last-second shot by Miami, went only 18-for-33 from the free throw line. KSU shot 16-of-18 from the line.
A nearly eight-minute scoring drought by Akron in the first half allowed Kent State to take a sizeable 33-20 lead heading into halftime.
Kent State lead by at least 10 the entire second half and shot 50.3 percent for the game.
Akron's Jeremiah Wood was the only Zip to score in double figures. Wood finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. He went 5-of-14 from the free throw line.
Semifinals
Kent State 49, Miami 47
The Golden Flashes shot only 35.8 percent from the field, but pulled out a 49-47 win on Friday.
Fisher's jump shot with three seconds remaining gave the Golden Flashes the win on their final possession.
MU's Tim Pollitz missed a shot at the buzzer that would have tied the score.
Fisher led KSU with 11 points, but shot only 4-for-15.
The lead changed nine times throughout the game, and Miami led as late as five minutes remaining.
However, Rodriquez Sherman's jump shot gave the Golden Flashes a 44-43 lead they would never relinquish.
KSU also beat Toledo 77-57 to reach the final.
Akron 73,
Western Michigan 62
After beating Central 81-60 in Thursday's quarterfinals, Akron took care of the Broncos on Friday.
The Zips shot 58.7 percent and forced WMU into 14 turnovers.
Akron began the game on a 10-2 run and never trailed.
Sophomore Chris McKnight led the Zips with 16 points.
AU led 37-24 at halftime.
WMU guard David Kool scored 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and senior forward Joe Reitz scored 19 points and had nine rebounds.
sports@cm-life.com
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