Ford and Dambrot on Kent State/Akron

Geno Ford

on Akron game:   

“We’re not in a position to let down. We’re fighting uphill still. We’ve already stubbed our toe in our home building. So we can’t afford any home losses. We’re going to have to play well. They’ve got a good team. They guard well. It’ll be an emotional game. Both teams will play physical. We’re going to have to make some plays down the stretch to have a chance.

on crowd and student section for Akron:

"We need the students to get their butts out here and get in the building.  I think the biggest thing with our student turnout is when they come they end up having a good time because where else do you get encouraged to act like an idiot?  We love it.  When they come they generally have a good time and make a good time out of it.  Saturday's game being on ESPN, being a national TV game, I would expect we'll have a good turnout and we're going to need a good turnout.  We need our students to show up and be loud and be vocal and go try to get another one."

Keith Dambrot

on Kent State/Chris Singletary: 

"Kent's good.  And Buffalo's good.  They just caught them on a bad night.  If Kent wants to play, they're pretty good.  They've got two high-major guys in Singletary and Tyree Evans.  The teams that are old in this league win.  It's a man's league.  It's a mini-Big Ten. It's not a finesse league.  It's not like the Horizon.  It's not like the Ohio Valley."

"They have a guy they can play through.  Chris Singletary is probably the best passer in the league.  They can overcome ball pressure.  They remind me of the old OU teams with Jeremy Fears and that.  When they want to play, they're great.  When they don't want to play, they're just OK.  Sometimes Kent doesn't feel like playing."

"They have some guys who are really good who don't get credit like Mike McKee.  Chris Singletary probably doesn't think I respect him, but I think he's the best player in the league.  To me, Singletary and [David] Kool are the best two guys."

on freshman center Zeke Marshall in his first Kent State game: 

"I'm not going to say a word (to Zeke about Kent).  They're trying to bully the guy.  He has to be ready.  If he's good, he's good.  Fine.  What we have to do is develop the guy.  He might not get to where he's consistent this year.  Zeke can talk about all those big games he played in high school.  He has no idea. He has no clue when it comes to big games.  Nervousness has never been his problem.  He has been unemotional at times."