For some, three is a magic number. For others, it’s lucky number seven. And the No. 60?
When it comes to the University of Akron (11-7, 3-1) and Kent State (12-5, 2-2), that’s the almost sure sign of victory for either team in the backyard brawl, which will be renewed for the first time this season today at Rhodes Arena.
In 24 of the past 26 meetings between the two Mid-American Conference powers, the first team to score 60 points came out the victor.
“Who looks up information like that?” UA coach Keith Dambrot asked with a brief laugh.
Well, facts are facts, and in this hotly contested rivalry, each team needs every advantage — psychological or otherwise — that they can get to eke out a victory.
The reality for the Zips is that there’s another magic number to go with that 60. It’s 70, Dambrot said, the significance being that they cannot give up 70 or more points in the game or it’s a sure sign they will lose in today’s sold-out “White Out” game at UA.
Given that the Flashes average a shade more than 70 points and that the Zips are coming off a loss in which they gave up 82 points to Buffalo, they will have to tighten defensively. The Flashes also are coming off a 22-point whipping, courtesy of the Ohio Bobcats, a team the Zips beat last week.
The Flashes will be looking to take out their misfortune on someone. Their greatest rival would be the perfect choice.
“They’re more dangerous against us no matter what they’re doing because they’re going to play against us,” Dambrot said. “I think that’s one of the things we fight and they fight every night. We both have that bull’s-eye on our backs because we won so many, so we’re always going to get Kent’s best shot and we’re going to give Kent our best shot.”
As for KSU’s version of reality?
The Flashes are 2-2 in the conference. The prospect of not falling too far behind the Zips and Bobcats in the MAC East could prove enough of a motivation.
Dambrot answered evasively when first asked to qualify the importance of tonight’s game.
“They’re [two games] both important because both presidents want to win. That’s the hard part about having schools 15 miles apart,” he said. “If they’re winning a lot of games and we’re not against each other it’s kind of like Michigan and Ohio State. If you don’t beat them some of the time you’re not going to have a job.”
But a quick flashback to the not-too-distant past allowed him to reflect and reconsider the statement.
“Is the first more important than the second? I think they’re all important,” he said. “The third was the most important last year.”
The next meeting will be either March 2 or 3 in Kent.
Buzzer beaters
Kent State holds a 69-63 advantage in the series, which dates to the 1915-16 season. The Zips have won two of the past three in the series. … The Zips are 38-22 at home against the Golden Flashes. … In the past three games against Kent State, junior center Zeke Marshall is averaging 12.3 points, nine rebounds, five blocked shots and 1.3 assists. … Today’s game is the 12th time in the past 13 regular-season meetings that either UA and/or KSU is in first place or is playing for first place in the MAC East (dating to 2005-06).
George M. Thomas can be reached at gmthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Zips blog at http://zips.ohio.com. Follow the Zips on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/GeorgeThomasABJ.
