You don’t have to ask Ohio coach Jim Christian about Kent State senior Randal Holt and his ability to score 14 points per game from the shooting guard position.
Christian already knows more than most, being that Holt was on his recruiting radar when he was the Golden Flashes’ coach for six years ending in 2007-2008.
Christian acknowledged that little from his Kent State tenure has escaped his memory bank, as he knows the nature of the Golden Flashes’ fans and many of the team’s tendencies heading into a homecoming of sorts on Saturday at their Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.
It is rare if he goes several days without speaking with their coach, Rob Senderoff, a former Kent State (11-8, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) crony whom he considers one of his best friends in basketball.
His old club still runs some of the same plays he instituted during his tenure there.
He admitted on the radio after the Bobcats’ (14-5, 5-0 MAC) win against Miami on Wednesday that there was one thing he did not know about the school from which his coaching roots stem.
“I don’t even know where the visiting locker room is at Kent,” he said.
Though Christian was a member of the coaching staff at Miami when the RedHawks played Kent State at the M.A.C Center in 1996, patrolling the visiting sideline there will be a new, welcomed experience.
“I’m excited for that, and obviously that’s a special place for me and this is a special place for me,” Christian said, standing on The Convo floor. “Once the game goes, the game goes. Their kids don’t care, and our kids don’t care.”
The reception he receives remains to be seen, but one thing’s for certain: The Bobcats want to quiet the crowd just as much as they want it to commend Christian upon his return.
“Kent State fans, they want to see coach Christian come back and lose,” redshirt senior guard Walter Offutt said. “I think it will be a little bit of both — him coming back will be positive, but as far as the game goes, Kent State wants to win.”
The Golden Flashes’ faithful has been starved for home wins this season, as Kent State has gone only 6-5 at home after finishing with three or fewer home losses in every year since Christian took over the program in 2001, with the exception of a five-loss blip in his second season.
Kent State’s home slate is out of the ordinary and Christian’s return might signal a higher emphasis on factors other than X’s and O’s, but Christian said he is focusing on execution, treating the contest no differently than any other conference game.
Reflecting upon M.A.C. Center showdowns against Ohio from the other side of the spectrum, Christian said there was always plenty of anticipation in the air and high expectations for both teams.
“Somebody was coming in to get a big road win, and now we’re that team,” he said about facing Ohio as Kent State’s coach. “We’re trying to go in and win a game in a very difficult place to win.”
Ohio will have its best chance at doing so if it can slow down Holt and senior forward Chris Evans, who comprise Kent State’s leadership corps.
They, and sophomore guard Kris Brewer, account for well more than half the Golden Flashes’ points per game.
Christian said being able to work in the shadow of the team’s two stars has allowed Brewer to blossom into a player with a very bright future.
“He’s an x-factor for them,” Christian said. “When he gets it going, he can score, he can shoot threes, he can really penetrate.”
Still, much of the Bobcats’ game plan centers on shutting down the Golden Flashes’ senior duo, much like they did against Miami’s top two Wednesday.
Holt has scored 7.2 points per game on 31 percent shooting in his six games against Ohio.
“He’s a good shooter,” Cooper said. “He hasn’t really done much against us. We look forward to keeping it going that way.”
jr992810@ohiou.edu
