Photo by Kathryn Deuel

Members of the Kent State dance team perform during the half-time show.

Photo by Greg Ruffing

The M.A.C.C. is awash with celebration following Kent State's victory over Akron.

3:25 p.m. Ticket takers Sessions and Raley are still standing at their ticket booths, but things have slowed down considerably. Now the action is inside the gym.

3:35 p.m. Culbreth wanders out of the main concessions stand after the mob of people, who rushed his booth before the game, have gone into the gym.

"This is ridiculous," Culbreth sighs for at least the fifth time that day. "We can't keep up. We have at least five cases of everything gone, and halftime hasn't even started. We've got people running over to the Student Center to bring us extra cases of food." Culbreth says in the short time the public had been in the M.A.C.C., they had already gone through dozens of pizzas.

3:42 p.m. There's a timeout on the court. The dancers and cheerleaders rush out as the pep band begins to play, with the back row of tuba players moving from side to side. The cheerleaders and Flash are hoisted into the air. The Akron players walk out onto the court amid all the festivities.

3:49 p.m. A weak voice from the pep band begins to chant, "K-S-U!" Others soon follow.

3:52 p.m. Two free throws by Huffman put the Golden Flashes up 41-24 before going into halftime. "Let's make some noise" flashes on the scoreboard as the fans begin to exit out of the bleachers. On the court, preparations are being made to honor the Varsity "K" Hall of Fame inductees.

3:55 p.m. A line of about 13 men has formed outside the men's restroom.

3:57 p.m. Evon Whorton, John Whorton's mother, sits courtside, holding a basketball in her lap. She is all smiles — and not just because her son's team is up by 17 points. "It's my baby's day," she says. "It's special whether they win or lose."

4 p.m. The Akron cheerleading squad joins with the Kent State cheerleaders and dancers for a special halftime extravaganza. As the dance team is showcased, hoots and hollers are bellowed out of the student section. High-flying bodies are being launched across the court. The back row of the pep band proudly holds a sign telling the dancers they love them.

4:06 p.m. The Golden Flashes come back out onto the court. Catch Us if You Can begins to fill the M.A.C.C. 4:10 p.m. Let the second half begin.

4:15 p.m. The "FAT-BALD-CON-VICT" chant begins as Bosley steps up to the foul line. He misses his first shot. And the taunts of the crowd intensify.

4:18 p.m. Paul Mastriana, a 1970 journalism and accounting graduate of Kent State, rides the elevator up to his seat in the loge. This is his first time sitting in the loge, which allows its patrons to watch the game from beyond a glass-like separation.

"It's very comfortable," he says. "There's room to move around, and it's more relaxing. But you don't have the crowd noise up here. When you are out in the arena hearing the crowd, it's a whole different thing."


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