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Best Zips Team in Program History? (DI Only)


UAZip0510

What team was the best in school history? (Division I only)  

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For me the debate comes down to the 2006-2007 team and the 2012-2013 team. Yes, the 2006-2007 squad didn't even win the MAC (Damn you Penno) but that was a hell of a team. I think I'd have to go 2012-2013 though - the win streak, the Top 25 ranking, the MAC Championship thrashing of OU...the season ended in embarrassing fashion, but I still think that was the best Zips team of all-time before Abreu messed up.

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Sorry UAZip, to me there is no debate. As much as I loved the 2007 team, I think it was mainly because it was our first time in the MAC final and it was the first time we felt that we can actually "DREAM" about being in the dance. But when you think about it reasonably, let's look at the 5 starting positions if I remember correctly...

I will take:

- Zeke over J-Wood (5)

- Tree vs Romeo (4) will be a tie

- Linhart vs Kretzer is also a tie

- Walsh over Dials (2)

- Harney (was playing PG) over Joyce (1)

When it comes to the bench, I feel that Gilliam, McAdams and Forsythe are definitely better than Middleton, Quade Milum, and Bardo.

Again, that 2007 team has a very good spot in my heart because what they did at their time was unprecedented. I have great respect and appreciation for those guys but with all due respect, I feel that if Milum, Middleton, Bardo, and Joyce were graduating HS in 2012-2013, they will not even be recruited to play at Akron.

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Interesting views, I have it a little different....

Zeke vs. J-Wood... I'd go with Zeke although Wood was more of a force on offense and the boards

Tree vs. Romeo... with Zeke there I take Tree for sure, no Zeke and its a tie because of Romeo's blocks and D

Linhart vs. Kretzer... I like Linhart much better on D, but Jake on O... here's the kicker I like McAdams here as a blend of both

Walsh vs. Dials... I'll take Dials for his leadership and energy not that BW is lacking in those areas just more from Nick

Harney vs. Joyce... at the PG spot this is Dru hands down, most important stat for a PG is A/TO ratio which is a Dru strength plus he could score and defend. Nick may be better overall with his height and inside game but not at PG.

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Joyce clearly deserves his due credit here. He doesn't have Harney's athleticism, but he's probably the 2nd best floor leader of all time, only trailing Eric McLaughlin. And Dials could take over that role, when needed.

Jake has yet to make the contributions that Nate made to the teams he played with. I give Dials the nod over Walsh for the same reason.

Romeo was the top player in the MAC his Senior year. Until that is duplicated, he has no equal on the Zips roster.

If Wood wasn't carrying so many "Center" responsibilities his Senior year, he may have ended up being the best post player ever. In fact, image what Wood accomplishes if he had even been able to play next to an average "Center"? Zeke can't equal him in offensive ability or rebounding, but somewhat equalizes the equation with the impact he had on some wins and losses with his stature and shot blocking ability on the defensive end.

I think the only real equalizer for the 2013 team is when you get to the bench guys. And I also feel like the 2013 team had more pure athletic talent. Comparing the two also gets tough when you have to give 2013 credit for the first breakthrough in our national ranking.

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I understand the poll to be based on which team was best over the course of the season at full strength and not just in the last few games of each season when a key player might be missing. So the 2012-2013 team should not be considered with Nick playing out of position but with Alex at PG. The 2012-2013 team was considerably weakened without its regular starting PG over its last few games yet still won the MAC tournament by dismantling OU's returning Sweet 16 team in a major upset.

I thought some of the earlier teams played with a lot of heart. But I think the 2012-2013 team edges earlier teams by virtue of deeper talent in the full rotation. Going all the way back to the Len Paul and Bill Turner days, those guys were immensely talented individual players. But I don't think those teams had the same level of depth of the 2012-2013 team.

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I'll take 85-86. Marcel Boyce loses to none of the other listed teams. Take it to the bank!!!!

I loved that team too, but that wasn't my vote.

But I will tell you this much.....when comparing personnel on the 3 teams we have been discussing, I will scoff at anyone who rates any players higher than Romeo Travis and Marcel Boyce until they are wearing a "Conference MVP" title.

And I will also give the 1986 team credit for one other thing:

They competed in the NCAA tournament against a #2 Seed, and almost pulled out a victory. That was, BY FAR, our best showing ever in the tournament.

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I agree.

Buford was able to start alongside Nick Van Excel for a Final Four UC program. And McLaughlin's number hangs from the JAR rafters.

No doubt. Thanks for mentioning how Buford ended his career, which is not remembered by many people.

In fact, this was a guy who excelled at Akron as a freshman and sophomore under Huggins, absolutely carried a sinking ship of a team in his 3rd year under Crawford (including a dramatic win over Keith's unbeaten Ashland team), and then sat out a year and started on a Final-4 team in Cincy under Huggins. What a phenomenal career, despite the tumultuous situations.

And what more can anyone say about the Cricket. As you point out, the most recent person to have his number retired. Ran the point for a conference title team as a Freshman, and never looked back.

Sorry to say that Dru and Dials come nowhere close to this.

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