“It feels real good. It is about time,” Kaman said. “I am more focused on being a better player all around. I am used to practicing real hard against a double team so when they don’t double team me it is easier to score.”

From then on the Panthers really had no stop for Kaman as he crashed the boards stockpiling 17 rebounds, 19 points, one block and two steals in 36 minutes of action, leading the Chippewas (2-1 overall) to a 72-56 victory at Rose Arena.

“We have to play with this kind of intensity this kind of effort,” said CMU Head Coach Jay Smith. “Tonight’s effort; this is how we have to play.”

CMU came out hot, going on a 12-2 run to build an 11 point lead with more than 12 minutes to go in the first half.

The Chippewas became cold right after scoring only 13 points, while Georgia State scored 20 points to cut the CMU lead to 34-30 at the half.

“I am still trying to figure this team out,” Smith said. “I knew Kaman was going to be active but oh my.”

It was in the second half that Kaman really started to hurt the Panthers. They were in foul trouble and lost starting center Nate Williams with 10:40 to go in the second half followed by forward Bam Campbell with 8:24 to go in the half.

“Having a big fellow in the middle, just in case you do get beat hopefully he will be there. He makes you feel a little more comfortable and lets you get into the gaps,” Mike Manciel said.

The second half was dominated by Kaman and Manciel combined they scored 24 second-half points, two more than the Panthers scored as a team.

Manciel accounted for 15 to finish with a game-high 23 points.

“My freshman year I was all post now I have a little bit of an outside game,” he said.

With 10:55 remaining the Chippewas had built a 10-point lead but were able to manage a 22-8 run to put the game out of reach.

“We got them into foul trouble which hurt them because they weren’t very deep on their bench,” Smith said.

For the game the Chippewas shot 40.6 percent from the field, including 20-of-30 from the charity stripe.

They also out rebounded the Panthers 51-27 including 23 on the offensive glass.

“They manhandled us on the boards, we couldn’t stop their big kid,” said Georgia State Head Coach Lefty Driesell. “I don’t ever remember a team of mine getting killed on the boards like that.”

Whitney Robinson added 14 points, and six boards in 31 minutes of action.

Webber finished with nine points, two assists, two steals and one block.

“A victory itself is good no matter who scores,” Manciel said. “As long as we win I don’t think scoring matters to anyone.”

Wednesday
Dayton 81 CMU 65

From the opening minute the Flyers exploited the Chippewas limited size inside.

The Flyers used 6’11” center Sean Finn, and 6’8” forward Keith Waleskowski to open up the inside game which allowed easy points on mid-range jumpers.

Waleskowski scored a Dayton team high 15 points while Finn scored 12 points leading Dayton to an 81-65 win.

For the game the Flyers held a 36-26 lead in points in the paint.

“I don’t think we competed very hard. They brought the game to us and we didn’t take it to them,” Webber said.

The game was tied at seven apiece before Dayton opened up at 15-point lead before taking a 41-28 lead into the half.

“I don’t think we came out with the intensity and the effort that we needed to in the first half,” Smith said.

With 12:12 to go in the second half, Webber scored on a lay-up to take over sixth all time on CMU’s career scoring list as he passed Dan Roundfield. Webber finished the game with 19 points.

The Chippewas got back into the game cutting the Dayton lead to eight but then went cold as the Flyers went on a 6-0 run then stretched it to 21-10 run to go up by 19.

Dayton was able to maintain the lead and hand the Chippewas their fourth straight road loss dating back to last season.

“We need to play like we do in practice in the game and we don’t do that yet. I think that it is a lot of inexperience, not necessarily nervousness but we had guys who have been in the program for four years bring to the team,” Webber said. “We will get there we just have to continue to work hard and the older guys need to step up their games.”

The Flyers were 19-24 from the charity stripe while CMU only attempted 14 making, 11.

“That is because we didn’t compete. There are no excuses we just didn’t compete,” Webber said. “We are missing size but that is an excuse.

They got the ball inside and there was nothing we could do we weren’t physical with them. We should have done something either banged with them a little more and either took their heads off or something to fight

with them and not let them establish position.”

Next up for CMU is a trip to face Oklahoma, the Sooners are not ranked but are in the top 30. They are 1-1 after a 67-55 loss to Michigan State. In their first game of the season they defeated Central Connecticut 66-44.

“They have great athletes, it is a great opportunity to play with the big boys on their court and see what we can do against a top 20 team,” Smith said. “They are awfully athletic and quick. We have to be really solid with the ball they exert a high amount of pressure on the ball. They also rebound their backsides off. Our margin of error shrunk down to a thin line.”

Junior Hollis Price leads the Sooners. He scored 20 points in the season opener and 18 against the Spartans.

Oklahoma has made seven straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament and were the 2001 Big 12 Tournament Champions.

“We have to maintain poise, especially on the road, and execution when the crowd is loud it is going to be a hostile environment and that is what we need to grow. If we play well and take an L, so be it but I think that well help us down the road.”

Men split over break, OK next

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