Kent State Is Making a Major Statement

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Another year, another upstart.

Kent State is in the Elite Eight after a 78-73 overtime victory over Pittsburgh Thursday that leaves the Golden Flashes one victory from the Final Four.

“We want to be known on a national scale just like Gonzaga and other mid-level teams that had to earn everything they got,” guard Trevor Huffman said.

The Golden Flashes (30-5) have won 21 games in a row. Their 22nd would be their biggest--the NCAA South Regional final Saturday against Indiana in Rupp Arena for the trip to Atlanta.

They have come to the point where other so-called mid-majors have failed in recent years.

Rhode Island in 1998, Gonzaga in 1999 and Tulsa in 2000 all reached a regional final before losing.

All Kent State has to do is beat the Hoosiers--a team it upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year.

“We know Indiana is a different team than when we played them last year,” Huffman said. “They have a tough player in Jared Jeffries. It’s going to be a good, tough game.”

Kent State’s victory over Pitt (29-6) was hard-earned, but deserved.

The Golden Flashes led by as many nine points, but Pitt kept fighting back.

Pitt’s Brandin Knight tied the score, 66-66, with 55 seconds left in regulation, and Kent State had to survive Julius Page’s missed three-point attempt at the end of regulation.

In overtime, Antonio Gates scored six of Kent State’s 12 points, and the Golden Flashes made all eight free throws--six in the final 41 seconds.

Gates finished with 22 points and eight rebounds, and Huffman added 17 points.

Page and Knight each scored 18 for Pitt, but Knight fouled out in the final minute of overtime.

Mention of Cinderella is inevitable, but Kent State is no fluke.

In the tournament, the 10th-seeded Golden Flashes have upset Oklahoma State, Alabama and Pitt--three teams that spent time in the Associated Press top 10 this season.

“We didn’t like this Cinderella tag,” Coach Stan Heath said.

“But I told the team, if you look at the true definition of Cinderella, she was a girl no one gave anything to, who tried to find a way to get to the dance and got the prince.”

Pitt Coach Ben Howland called Kent State a very good and very well-coached team, but hoped his team’s accomplishments wouldn’t be forgotten.