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Zips @ Buckeyes — March 15th 7pm on ESPN


ZippyRulz

NIT in Columbus  

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From George Thomas

KD “I give our guys credit. We’ve shown that we can compete at a high level,” he said.

A win over Arkansas, staying right with Villanova for a half early in the season and forcing Ohio State into overtime reinforced that belief.

 

Really?? Arkansas was 16-16, didn't make the NIT, and wants to fire their coach. Playing for a half (less than really) vs Villanova, and taking a garbage OSU team to OT in the NIT doesn't do much for me George

 

Edit-- I guess... I just don't see much of an accomplishment there. I expect them to "compete"

Edited by morris buttermaker
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5 minutes ago, morris buttermaker said:

From George Thomas

KD “I give our guys credit. We’ve shown that we can compete at a high level,” he said.

A win over Arkansas, staying right with Villanova for a half early in the season and forcing Ohio State into overtime reinforced that belief.

 

Really?? Arkansas was 16-16, didn't make the NIT, and wants to fire their coach. Playing for a half (less than really) vs Villanova, and taking a garbage OSU team to OT in the NIT doesn't do much for me George

He said compete, not beat them all. There's little doubt in my mind we can compete with just about anyone, we just need to start winning against them.

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If students/alums keep viewing this program as inferior to others this program will never change. 

Gonzaga use be us and they now compete on a high level.

Butler use to be us and they now compete on a high level. 

If you don't believe in your alma mater don't expect anything to change. 

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43 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

He said compete, not beat them all. There's little doubt in my mind we can compete with just about anyone, we just need to start winning against them.

 

I think this is right on the money.  Excellent.  We're getting better in terms of our ability to compete nationally, but now we need to get WINS, not moral victories. 

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KD has no control. Is that really the shot you want to take at the end of the game? That's on the coach. To me, it just goes to show how bad the MAC is and the competition in the MAC. Ohio State is really bad this year. Also, you can tell the difference in Big Ten to the MAC. Players are so much bigger and a lot stronger. Look for Buffalo to get bounced very early in the first round. Or I will eat crow! I hope that Keith Dambrot doesn't get on his horse and say this is a successful season because I see it as very disappointing. And is Pat even on the team anymore? Haven't heard any mention of him on any of the Zips shows or interviews and was not on the bench at any of the games. The kid plays four years there and nothing about his senior year???

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15 minutes ago, RooYahoo said:

 And is Pat even on the team anymore? Haven't heard any mention of him on any of the Zips shows or interviews and was not on the bench at any of the games. The kid plays four years there and nothing about his senior year???

 

Sounds like he got into some off-the-court trouble.

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One thing I didn't see mentioned here. I thought OSU did a very nice job off of all their time outs. That, and free throws made the difference (in regulation) in my opinion. It sure must be nice to march a recruit through that arena, what a nice venue. Many people that watched the game, asked me this morning if Akron had more fans than OSU fans at the game. Hats off to the Zip fans that went, they must have made enough noise on tv to make a noticeable difference.

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7 hours ago, RooYahoo said:

And is Pat even on the team anymore? Haven't heard any mention of him on any of the Zips shows or interviews and was not on the bench at any of the games. The kid plays four years there and nothing about his senior year???

 

It was mentioned on "The Drive" during the last couple weeks of the season by guest Steve French that his career was over (being a senior) because of an injury.

Edited by Spin
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Some final, random thoughts on the game...

 

There will never be a bigger opportunity lost for the Zips to beat Ohio State in basketball. The Ohio State team I saw on Tuesday night was essentially Ohio U masquerading in Ohio State uniforms. In the MAC, that team would be 10-6. Maybe worse.

 

I do believe the dead-legs excuse. I never saw 3-point shots careen off the backboard like I saw towards the end of that game. From guys like Antino and Josh, who are typically solid. The 4-games in 6 days...with all being do-or-die tourney games, and 4th going to OT was just too much. In hindsight I'm sure Dambrot wishes he'd have played Jimmond a little more, and rested McAdams. Buy I admire that he went with his seniors to win or lose the game. He didn't do that at the end of the Buffalo game (sitting McAdams for the final possession), and I bet it's a regret. 

 

And before anyone writes a sappy "please get of KD's back" post - if you ever were a successful head coach at any level, then you've coached in Championship games against good coaches and great talent. Those games are always dogfights. And you make calls that you, in hindsight, regret...but you make them and live with them. And if people question them...so what...it's part of the deal when you're a coach. 

 

The Zips had at least 12 opportunities to put pressure on OSU with a back-breaking 3-pointer, and came up empty every time. The Zips team I saw the bulk of 2015-16 should have won this game by 15+ points...but it didn't happen.

 

The OSU fans were nice. I wanted to hate them, but they were all very respectful. The cheerleaders from both programs performed together at one point, and the arena even played the Akron fight song over the PA system during a break. That's unheard of in any road game, let alone a tightly-contested tournament game.

 

Referees did a nice job. Absolutely no homer element.  If those guys ref'd the MAC finals, we'd have won the game. No way Buffalo would have only 1 foul whistled in the first 17 minutes of the 2nd half.

 

Big Dog has developed into a Big 10 talent. OSU really had no answer for him. I think he fouled 2 guys out? His free throw misses were brutal. But you can't knock a guy when he puts forth an effort like we've seen from him over the entire season. Zeke came to UA with the accolades, and had a very nice career. But a dominant senior season puts Big Dog as UA's #1 all-time best center. Who'da thunk that last season?

 

Kwan had some big blocks. He's a good at-the-rim defender, but he's not a good on-ball defender. Especially so the further away he gets from the hoop. It will be interesting to see how he works on his game over the off season.

 

We really need the redshirted kids to step up and contribute in 2016-17. There are plenty of game-minutes to be had for the kids that put in the most work this off-season. The coaches need to re-evaluate themselves, and the program too. What can be done differently to better prepare the Zips for post-season success? The scheduling mindset of the past decade appears to be in obvious need of re-evaluation. Is it better to play a freshman with upside than upper-classmen who may have maxed-out? Who redshirts? Who leaves?

 

I don't have much more to offer that already hasn't been said. It was a fun ride, but an all-too abrupt stop. See you at InfoCision.

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19 hours ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

There's that, and we probably would have shot a little better at home in the JAR.

 

Could've played OSU and UF in back-to-back games at the JAR. Even with the seeding screw job, we still had the opportunity to guarantee Florida coming to the JAR. This is all salt on the wound in my opinion.

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  • 2 weeks later...
1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

,http://www.cantonrep.com/article/20160329/SPORTS/303299991/16946/SPORTS

 

What on earth is going on down in Columbus?  4 of last year's 5 signees have left the team.  Is Thad Matta seriously crashing & burning?

 

2013 RPI - 9

2014 RPI - 25

2015 RPI - 38

2016 RPI - 74

 

These players surely didn't sign up to be part of a sinking ship.

 

And as much as we are all disappointed that we did not win down there a couple of weeks ago, I'm sure it was an embarrassment to their program to have their postseason highlighted by a first round NIT game in front of only 4,000 people (some of which were Akron fans), while getting taken to overtime by their supposed "ugly stepsister" school up in NE Ohio.

 

I really believe that Matta and his program really got knocked down a peg when they got booted out of the first round of the NCAAs by their neighbor in Dayton two years ago.  We would have likely been the nail in the coffin for him.  It's anyone's guess what they decide to do with him, but they are surely very bothered by the rapid slide downward.       

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Yeah, that's strange. They could have potentially been really good next year as they weren't losing anyone and the team was comprised predominantly of freshman and sophomores. Perhaps there was some fallout with the team. I'm hesitant to think a coaching change is happening as the pool of candidates shrinks by the day. I'd have to imagine Thad will be on the hot seat next year and losing 4 players from a top 5 recruiting class certainly won't help his ability to keep his job.

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Maybe they'll consider Dambrot. Or maybe they'll stay internal with Jeff Boals. Or go after Lamont Paris. OSU basketball doesn't have the pull of their football program, but they'll still have the pick of every top assistant and mid-major head coach. Whoever it is, their fans will moan and complain that they didn't spend an obscene amount of money to pull in a Coach K or John Calipari or a current NBA head coach.

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I think they probably know where they stand in terms of luring a coach.  Matta himself was plucked from an A-10 school after a 4th place finish, but I'm sure he was riding a little popularity wave after making a dramatic Elite 8 run in the tourney that year. 

 

What's even probably more alarming for them than the plummeting RPI over the last several years is their nosedive in placement in their own league. 

 

It goes 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th.  And the top teams in that league are now blowing them out by huge margins.  Not looking good for Mr. Matta.

Edited by skip-zip
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  • 9 months later...
3 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Keeping an eye on the OSU basketball this season...if the Zips don't win the MAC, I predict a Buckeyes/Zips NIT rematch.

 

Thad is bad.

 

I was surprised that the Suckeye Faithful weren't squawking after last year.  Are people calling for his head now?

 

I actually thought they might be a little better than expected when they gave Virginia a run earlier in the year, but they're really Tanking now.  

 

If we do play them again this year in the NIT, they'll probably certainly put us on the Road again, regardless of rankings.  And since OSWho will probably get an early exit from their conference tournament again, it will be the same scenario all over again.  They will have several days rest, and we will likely be playing our 4 game in 6 days again.  

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