clarkwgriswold

I love how Jay Bilas rants about how the refs are letting players get away with excessive contact yet Enrique gets whistled every time he breathes near an opponent.

Fantastic! Thanks for the update Mom. Congrats. We've been lamenting the Zips need for a stretch 4 and Kwan keeps coming to mind from his time here.

I'm confident that there's a community college near Kansas City, Missouri that can use a guy that shoots 36% from the field. He seemed like a nice kid when I heard him in a post-game interview. Who knows what goes on in the head of a 23 year old kid who's lost his ability to do what he does best. I want to be angry in that he appears to have bailed on the team but who knows what else may be going on in his life. Hopefully, it works out was well for him as it did the Zips.

When I was considering transfers out I didn't even think of Trimble as I already considered him long gone!

I love the half court trap stuff we saw late in the season that drove Carry and Sears mad. I think we'd see a lot more of it with a deeper squad. A lot of who sticks around will obviously depend on the post-season debriefing of the players. The coaches may see something in Wynn leading them to believe he has a future role or they may coax him out the door.

I have forgotten that Wynn used up his one opportunity to transfer without sitting when he came here. He is not likely to be at a point of being a graduate transfer.

It is certainly going to be an interesting off-season. Absent the staff bringing in a couple of shooters, I think we'll see more of X off of the ball next year with Clarke. Tribble, Tavari, etc. running the point. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a starting five that does not include one or two of our late season starters. I could see a scenario where someone like a Tribble or Dawson returns to the bench. While it might seem like a step back for a player like that, those two have the right attitude to manage it and I think they could still play a lot of minutes and be effective and successful in that role. Having that experience and spark off of the bench would be nice. At this point we all know that Groce gets his best combinations on the floor, not his most individual talents. I am going to distribute a sign up sheet for all of us to volunteer to rebound for Enrique's 1000 per day 10-15 foot jumpers. If he can develop that shot it will open up his game and enable the Zips to more frequently get a second big on the floor. If there's an odd man out, I suspect it is Wynn. I appreciate his late season contributions but I can't imagine he's content with his place in the rotation. As previously mentioned, I wish we knew more about the freshman red-shirts. I liked what little I saw about Kalle. Those we can't fit into the Enrique rebounding schedule will be assigned to spotting for Kalle in the weight room.

X was a 4 to the extent that he could really pull down rebounds, at a rate of nearly 9 a game. He could also play down low when needed. Ali is a 3. He's never going to have the mass to play in the post if needed and his ball skills aren't those of a guard. I hope he develops a little more patience and anticipation as he matures as a player. Up to now he seems to make up his mind that he's going to try to score and there's no going back once he makes that decision. I wouldn't worry about anyone getting displaced by a solid transfer. You can't have enough good players.

He'd be a 7 footer in the MAC. As long he's not Khadim Gueye or Mark Kostelac he'd be fine.

The new thread is up. 👍

Starting up this one to give us a discussion point for the off-season. Hopefully, the transfer portal will not take away any of our established core but you can never tell given the transient nature of current college athletics and the impetuousness of college age males. Certainly, a MAC championship and a NCAA tourney berth should help to retain and attract new talent. We'll also have the red-shirted freshmen and Kalle on board. Groce and staff can have today off to get back from Portland but next season starts tomorrow!

That late season and tournament run may be the finest example of coaching we've seen in Akron basketball in a very long time. I like the kids on this team but there have been much more talented UA teams that didn't accomplish half of what this team did. It was accomplished by getting 8 players to completely buy into the system and give full effort for every second they were on the floor. That kind of effort and attitude across the board is an exceptional accomplishment. Those kids were also well prepared for all of their games, even on short turnarounds. Also, the staff showed considerable patience with kids like Clarke and Wynn and that paid off in the end. Kudos to Groce and his staff. Enjoy those tournament bonuses guys. They were well earned.

The improper screen is the least called violation in all of basketball. I'm always calling it out from the stands at the JAR (against the opponent of course). That's what made it so frustrating. Sure, it was a foul but they could have called a dozen of those in the game. As for Freeman, I think he's hurt by being the only big doing the dirty work down low. Another big that could defend down deep and help on the boards would relieve him of the pressures to do it all and as a result decrease his fouls. I think depth really hurt this team. Another couple of contributors would have really helped in the long run. It's a shame that our Ball State quitter and St. John's head case didn't work out. As for Ali, we've learned that once he's made up his mind to take a shot there's no turning back. I always told the kids I coached that the refs will not bail you out when you are out of control. He wasn't fouled on that drive but even of he was I think the refs may well have swallowed their whistles unless it was egregious.

Goodnight everyone. Proud of our boys.

I'm trying to figure out whether the announcers love UCLA more or the cameramen love the UCLA cheerleaders more.

C'mon Zips!

1st illegal screen called in all of NCAA basketball this season. Chicken $h!+.

No need to panic. Preparation trumps pressure.

The blue bloods always get the love from the refs.

Freeman gets mugged twice with no call then gets called for some ticky tack BS at the other end.

I got the sweats every time the ball goes near Freeman on defense.

Evan Wilson is the Zips best cheerleader.

No foul by Dawson there.

Okay, half way there.

Getting too late into the shop clock and bring forced into bad shots.