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CNN Live At Daybreak

Kent State's Golden Flashes Make Sweet Sixteen

Aired March 21, 2002 - 06:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You know one of the joys of following the NCAA Basketball Tournament is seeing how far the so- called Cinderella teams go. Well, the Kent State Golden Flashes have proved they're no flash in the pan. They've reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time and they're hoping to survive and advance again.

Kent State's sports information director Will Rolsen joins us live on the phone from Lexington, Kentucky where the team is set to play Pittsburgh tonight.

Good morning, Will.

WILL ROLSEN, SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR, KENT STATE: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Are you psyched?

ROLSEN: I think the team really is. We're looking forward to it. First time we've ever gotten this far so we'll have to see what happens tonight.

COSTELLO: We called Vegas this morning, Will, the odds that Kent State will win its division, 100 to 1. Do your players think of themselves as long shots?

ROLSEN: No, everybody tosses around that term Cinderella, but really this team didn't get, you know, to the Sweet Sixteen on, you know, last second shots or any lucky plays. It really -- you know we're able to pick Oklahoma State and Alabama and really prove that they belong at this point in the tournament.

COSTELLO: There are a lot of Cinderellas in this year's tournament, though. In fact, the team you're playing tonight, Pittsburgh, is another Cinderella team. Why so many Cinderella teams in the NCAA Tournament this year?

ROLSEN: You know there's a big thing called parity in terms of scholarship limits and everything. And really there's such a, you know, great number of good players out there that if good coaches find them, you know teams are able to turn it around and really have good seasons.

COSTELLO: You know I have heard this sentiment that at the big schools, like Indiana, the players are going pro in their junior and senior years and at the smaller schools, like Kent State, the juniors and seniors are still playing and that sort of evened the playing field. Do you agree with that?

ROLSEN: I would certainly say so. We have four seniors who are four of our top six players and really the core of what we've been able to do over the last four seasons. And not to mention that three of those four are fifth year seniors, so we're even more experienced than your average team.

COSTELLO: What has Kent State's success in basketball done for the university as a whole?

ROLSEN: Oh it's just been incredible. We've gotten a lot more excitement on -- you know on campus with the students and just with the general public. And it's really, you know, put ourselves on the map in terms of the college athletic environment.

COSTELLO: You know I have to be honest, I went to Kent State, and whenever I tell people that they always think of May 4. So maybe they'll think of something else if the basketball team continues to advance.

ROLSEN: We certainly hope so. I mean you know there's really no reason to compare basketball success to May 4, 1970, but at the same point, you know we'd like to move on and show that, you know, Kent State can be known to something else, you know, both athletically and academically.

COSTELLO: And you guys realize how many office pools you've destroyed?

ROLSEN: Yes, you know the surprising thing is a lot of teams picked us to win in the first round but I doubt too many had us going this far in the tournament.

COSTELLO: OK, Will Rolsen, we'll let you get back to sleep because I know you have a big night tonight. Thanks for joining us live by phone this morning.

ROLSEN: Thank you very much.

COSTELLO: Bye.

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