[ZachTheZip]

This is the final game against the MAC West until the tournament. CMU is in first place in the West at 6-3. Weird things happen to Akron when they go to Mount Pleasant, and I don't think this time will be any different.

Coach needs to find out what's wrong with Chris McKnight and Steve McNeese. It's a McDisaster when they're on offense. Steve is a guard, so the only way out is to keep shooting until you get your shot back, but maybe cut it back a little so we don't waste to many offensive possessions. I don't know what to think about a forward who can't make shots. Maybe if he can't get a dunk on the play he needs to kick it out to an open guard. Rack up the assists until you can hit your layups, and stop trying mid-range jumpers altogether.

Another road win in the MAC is important, as is getting some kind of momentum going down the stretch.

CMU message board

[Dave in Green]

For better or worse, B. McKnight is the Zips go-to guy. He takes 35.1% of all the Zips' shots. That's not just a high number. It's the 6th highest percentage of any D1 player in the country. Only 5 D1 players take a larger percentage of their team shots than B. McKnight.

That doesn't happen by accident. If someone shoots more than they're supposed to, you know KD is going to have them off the floor and on the bench pretty quick. Even though he's only shooting 40.6% from the field on the season, KD obviously still thinks B. McKnight is the Zips best scoring option. Otherwise he'd be telling B. McKnight to shoot less and others to shoot more.

National Leaders in Percentage of Team Shots Taken

[RowdyZip]

Most interesting quote on that board: Akron is a bigger rival than Can't.

Really?

[ZachTheZip]

Most interesting quote on that board: Akron is a bigger rival than Can't.

Really?

The only West team I would consider something of a rival is Toledo because of how similar the schools are.

[johnnyzip84]

Most interesting quote on that board: Akron is a bigger rival than Can't.

Really?

Maybe CMU places more emphasis on the KD connection?

[ZippyforPresiden...]

For better or worse, B. McKnight is the Zips go-to guy. He takes 35.1% of all the Zips' shots. That's not just a high number. It's the 6th highest percentage of any D1 player in the country. Only 5 D1 players take a larger percentage of their team shots than B. McKnight.

That doesn't happen by accident. If someone shoots more than they're supposed to, you know KD is going to have them off the floor and on the bench pretty quick. Even though he's only shooting 40.6% from the field on the season, KD obviously still thinks B. McKnight is the Zips best scoring option. Otherwise he'd be telling B. McKnight to shoot less and others to shoot more.

National Leaders in Percentage of Team Shots Taken

I am going to agree that Brett McKnight is easily the most versatile and complete offensive threat that this team has. Who else on this team, let alone in the MAC, has the size, inside game and post moves, as well as the range and athleticism that Brett McKnight has?

I'll probably get ostracized for saying this, but he is comparable on the court to Anthony Simpson of K.S.U, although Simpson is slightly taller and Brett is slightly more of a playmaker on the offensive end. The only problem that comes up is that the name of Brett's game is INCONSISTENCY. He's a very talented player, but he can go anywhere from unstoppable to total black hole sometimes. When Brett is on his game the Zips don't lose, but when he's not it's up to someone else to step it up.

I would love for nothing more than to see Brett step up and become the go to guy on this team, because when he's on he's deadly. The inconsistency is really the big issue here, as it seems to have been with the offense at many times this season. But what I'm really wondering is how much Brett's injury is keeping him from breaking out this year? A back injury like that has to cause at least some apprehension to say the least.

Just keep plugging away and playing tougher defense than everyone else in this league. I know Coach Dambrot will have this team focused and up to the task no matter who tries to get in the way. Central had better be ready for the most physical game they've seen in a while.

[lilroodude]

For better or worse, B. McKnight is the Zips go-to guy. He takes 35.1% of all the Zips' shots. That's not just a high number. It's the 6th highest percentage of any D1 player in the country. Only 5 D1 players take a larger percentage of their team shots than B. McKnight.

That doesn't happen by accident. If someone shoots more than they're supposed to, you know KD is going to have them off the floor and on the bench pretty quick. Even though he's only shooting 40.6% from the field on the season, KD obviously still thinks B. McKnight is the Zips best scoring option. Otherwise he'd be telling B. McKnight to shoot less and others to shoot more.

National Leaders in Percentage of Team Shots Taken

I am going to agree that Brett McKnight is easily the most versatile and complete offensive threat that this team has. Who else on this team, let alone in the MAC, has the size, inside game and post moves, as well as the range and athleticism that Brett McKnight has?

I think Conyers is more athletic and is more explosive than Brett, but Brett can shoot better. What we need is to start getting some fast break opportunities with those two. It's going to be a great game on Wednesday; I just hope we bring our A game.

[johnnyzip84]

I think Conyers is more athletic and is more explosive than Brett, but Brett can shoot better. What we need is to start getting some fast break opportunities with those two. It's going to be a great game on Wednesday; I just hope we bring our A game.

Brett easily has the most diverse offensive skill set on the team. Others have hit the nail on the head with him as far as the lack of consistency goes. The other concern I have with Brett is that he seems to be involved in far more than his fair share of mis-communications on the court. This often leads to a silly turnover on the offensive end, or an uncontested shot on the defensive end. Who knows, maybe it's because he's not on the court with his brother as often this year? But this would be an area in which I'd like to see some improvement.

BTW, the CMU game is Tuesday, not Wednesday.

[infofan]

Did anyone notice the link and story on the CM message board that they are totally redoing and expanding CMU's arena? That was arguably the one single gym(arena) that was worse than ours facility wise. Now well be at bottom. I know we should be happy that we got Infocision Stadium but its hard to see all these new or renovated arenas everywhere (Buffalo, Toledo, BG, CMU, etc) except here. It has to hurt our recruiting.

[RowdyZip]

The MACC is more of a dump than the JAR. You can't even see the scoreboard from the top 1/3 of the seats. Hasn't hurt K-ent yet. I want a new arena, but it's not make or break for most kids.

[MaxZIP]

Did anyone notice the link and story on the CM message board that they are totally redoing and expanding CMU's arena? That was arguably the one single gym(arena) that was worse than ours facility wise. Now well be at bottom. I know we should be happy that we got Infocision Stadium but its hard to see all these new or renovated arenas everywhere (Buffalo, Toledo, BG, CMU, etc) except here. It has to hurt our recruiting.

It will be interesting to see what they do. Right now the place is a middle of the road high school gym. They have the space to put new/improved seats and add some amenities.

As for the JAR and MACC Center...They are two peas in a pod. I think that the running track around the JAR is obsolete now that treadmill and elliptical technology has become commonplace. The university should be able to do something to dress up the joint but that is not for discussion on this thread.

[infofan]

The MACC is more of a dump than the JAR. You can't even see the scoreboard from the top 1/3 of the seats. Hasn't hurt K-ent yet. I want a new arena, but it's not make or break for most kids.

I hate to acknowledge or compliment Can't for anything but IMHO the MACC is better than the JAR. The lobby is bright open, 1000more seats and they are raised up in 2nd level so walkers arent in your way, blue/gold loge is nice vantage - and sells beer,statistic scoreboard always on and works realtime, and 20 rows of student bleachers right behind basket is how it should be- (not 4 rows half empty). Im just saying that I know we have limited funds and the soccer facility is at top of list. But Id love to hear some official word on a new or renovated facility 3 or 4 years down the road, like BG andCMU has. Stroh center hasnt even broken ground yet but it is a done deal, as is the CMU even center.

[mes102]

Brett McKnight suspended tonight...great...this is ridiculous...I wonder what stupid thing Brett did while he was in Mount Pleasant...because team's been in Mt. Pleasant since Saturday...

[RowdyZip]

The MACC is more of a dump than the JAR. You can't even see the scoreboard from the top 1/3 of the seats. Hasn't hurt K-ent yet. I want a new arena, but it's not make or break for most kids.

I hate to acknowledge or compliment Can't for anything but IMHO the MACC is better than the JAR. The lobby is bright open, 1000more seats and they are raised up in 2nd level so walkers arent in your way, blue/gold loge is nice vantage - and sells beer,statistic scoreboard always on and works realtime, and 20 rows of student bleachers right behind basket is how it should be- (not 4 rows half empty). Im just saying that I know we have limited funds and the soccer facility is at top of list. But Id love to hear some official word on a new or renovated facility 3 or 4 years down the road, like BG andCMU has. Stroh center hasnt even broken ground yet but it is a done deal, as is the CMU even center.

I guess I'll have to respectfully disagree. While the lobby absolutely is much better than the bat-cave that is the JAR concourse, the Arena itself absolutely is not. We arrived a couple weeks back about 15 minutes before tip, took our seat on the sideline upper concourse about 2/3 of the way up, only to realize our view of both the center scoreboard and the side video boards were obscured by a 3 foot thick steel girder. I'm not sure how the folks up there could enjoy the game, unless you somehow kept score on a program and periodically checked your accuracy. Instead, we moved to the lower 1/3 of seats in the end section on the sidelines. From here, you weren't able to see about 1/4 of the court on the near side without standing up, plus their auxilliary media was stationed along the walkway there. Just horrid.

Sad to hear about Brett, hopefully it doesn't cost us like the game vs EMU. Still, what can you say? Dambrot RUNS this program, rather than the players running the team. K-ent: on-court assault and ejection=one game suspension, Akron: skip class=one game suspension.

Also good to hear the ISP radio working well...

[ZachTheZip]

It will be interesting to see what happens to our offense without Brett. Maybe some other player will get the chance to stop up. Or maybe we'll get shut down.