2010-11 Kent State Men's basketball schedule

Golden Flashes will have at least two non-league games broadcast on ESPN

KENT, Ohio –  Golden Flash fans from across the country will have the opportunity to watch the men's basketball team this season as a pair of nationally televised games highlight the 2010-11 hoops schedule.  

In addition to hosting Robert Morris on Nov. 16 at 8:00 a.m as part of ESPN's third annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, Kent State will travel to perennial Southeastern Conference power Florida on Dec. 9.  The RMU game will air live on ESPN and serve as the home opener for the Golden Flashes while the showdown with the Gators marks the first ever meeting between the two schools and will be shown on ESPN2.  KSU is also participating in the ESPNU BracketBusters event for the ninth consecutive season the weekend of Feb. 19.  Having hosted BracketBuster games the past two years, the Golden Flashes are slated for a road game this season.

Kent State will be well tested before the early morning contest on Nov. 16 as the team begins the season with three games in three days.  The Golden Flashes stay local for the World Vision Classic which runs from Nov. 12-14 at Cleveland State.  KSU will square off against Bryant, CSU and Iona during the opening weekend before returning on Nov. 23 to wrap up the event against Urbana.  

"We have a lot of new faces on our team this season so playing three games in three days to start off the year gives us an early opportunity to see how the make-up of our team is going to pan out," said Head Coach Geno Ford.

Celebrating 60 years of basketball in the M.A.C. Center this season, the Golden Flashes host Furman on Nov. 19 and Lehigh on Nov. 26 before Louisiana-Monroe pays a visit on Dec. 2.  On Dec. 5 KSU makes only the second trip to the state Alabama in school history when the team heads to Birmingham to face UAB.  

Following the Florida game on Dec. 9, Golden Flash fans will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline Dec. 12 when former coach Stan Health brings his South Florida squad to Kent.  Kent State finishes off the non-league schedule as home games against Youngstown State (Dec. 21) and James Madison (Dec. 31) sandwich a tip to Morehead State on Dec. 28.  

"On top of our nationally televised games we put together a highly competitive non-league schedule that includes three NCAA teams among the six that reached the post season last year," said Ford.  "We played the 27th toughest non-conference schedule in the country a year ago and I expect this season to be just as challenging."

Defense of the MAC regular season crown starts in January with the Golden Flashes on the road for three of the first four conference games beginning with the short trip over to Akron on Jan. 8.  The first round of divisional play also includes trips to Ohio (Jan. 15) and Buffalo (Jan. 19) with home games coming against Bowling Green (Jan. 11) and Miami (Jan. 23).  

Crossover play into the MAC West consists of home contests against Toledo (Jan. 30), Central Michigan (Feb. 5) and Eastern Michigan (Feb. 9) with road games coming at Ball State (Jan. 27), Western Michigan (Feb. 2) and Northern Illinois (Feb. 12).

Kent State returns to East intradivisional play at Miami on Feb. 16 before the BracketBuster trip on Feb. 19.  The final push for the MAC regular season crown has the Golden Flashes hosting Buffalo (Feb. 24) and Ohio (Feb. 26) before a trip to Bowling Green (Mar. 1).  For the sixth straight year Kent State and Akron will square off in the regular season finale.  KSU hosts the game which will take place on either March 4 or 5 depending on possible television opportunities.

First round play of the MAC tournament takes place on March 8 at campus sites with the quarter, semi and finals moving to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland March 10-12.  Coming off a 24-10 season and their third Mid-American Conference title in five years, the Golden Flashes have four returning letterwinners and a combination of eight newcomers and eligible redshirts this winter.  

Follow the action live for every game on WNIR 100.1 FM.  The official home of Kent State men's basketball.