Game 1—Cleveland State

[zipnetter55]

I actually went to the game and agree with most of the player assessments  and believe utomi can be our best player and all Mac down the line  realisticly, c.s u is not very good, probably at or near the bottom in the horizon league, so don't read too much into our win.  I am dismayed by all the dambrot bashers, but I am ready to move on. I think groce was a good hire, especially under the circumstances. I give him a pass for this season because of the situation, but let's get real  20 wins??, we must have watched different games. Middle of the pack (8-8) would be a successful first season

 

[akronzips71]

37 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I am not on the Parrish/Diggs bandwagon. Diggs was a whirling dervish, and Parrish is a cool cucumber. I'm as bullish on his potential as any Zip I've seen in some time. His defense needs work, but that will come. Offensively, he's beyond his years.

 

Kostelac had a nice block. We'll need him as we face bigger front courts. Looking forward to his minutes increasing as the season progresses.

 

Cotton needs some adjustment time to D-1 hoops. But I like his flair. I look for him to make a big jump from game 1 to game 2. Love his free throw stroke. 

 

Duvivier's dunk is a Top 5 JAR all-timer. I liked his comments after the game when French and Dunn were gushing over it. Loosely quoted - "That was my 'welcome to Akron' dunk. I'll have a couple more of those this year." He reminds me of a shorter Gary Trent. 

 

liked that Groce ran some inbound plays rather that just tossing the ball in to the tallest Zip. 

 

Looks like a loveable team that we can rally around and watch grow. My family enjoyed watching game 1 of the Groce era!

I am totally with you Cap.

Only one game, against a low level D1 team.

But he looks like the real deal, the piece of the puzzle we have been missing for years, a tall athletic guard who can control himself on the court.

K-Lac is the future center. I do not see him like Bardo at all. Poke is exciting, but he comes with a price - 5 fouls. I would really like to see him improve his game, he is freaky athletic.

There is going to be a lot of competition for minutes in the front court.

Speaking of which, in past years we have always been hurting at PG. For the first time in forever we seem well stocked with big, athletic guards.

The sky is NOT falling, this has the potential to be a pretty good team.

 

BTW, I have to harken back to 1967. In the Turner/Williams years, we had some really great D2 teams. They were all gone when I get there in September 1967, we had one returning starter, Jerry Sloan. We were HORRIBLE. The following year they hired Wyatt Webb to coach, he came up with quality players like the great Len Paul, Larry Jinx Jenkins, Larry Quarles etc. We were great again.

 

We are in a way better position. We have quality players, they have to mature and learn to play together.

 

[skip-zip]

44 minutes ago, zipnetter55 said:

believe utomi can be our best player and all Mac down the line

 

If one thing remained the same during the coaching transition, it's probably Utomi's role as a scorer.  I think he may have been the top scorer this year, even if Keith and all of last year's returning roster was still here.  

[skip-zip]

2 hours ago, LZIp said:

I can only find stats ranking the top 250 in APG, but I'd be willing to bet that is #1 or close to it in the nation among centers. No centers were listed in the top 250 which bottomed out at 3.5apg.

 

And he probably should have had even more if so many of his passes out of the paint weren't followed by low-percentage 3-point shots, on a team that took a ton of 3-point shots.  

 

Every coach is going to try to take advantage of what they have.  Having a big, strong, skilled 300 lb. Center made that situation work for that team.  This team won't have that advantage, so obviously the coach is going to have to find other areas where we might be able to leverage what we have against opponents.  

Edited November 14, 2017 by skip-zip

[1981 grad]

I think that everyone thinks going into the year that having so little experience and so many new faces is a negative.  But it also a positive.  Every player on this team know that there is no set lineup, no guys that have guarenteed playing time, no star that is going to get the ball on every play.  If you play hard defense, play well, and show the coach that you belong on the court, there are minutes for you on the floor.  In the past KD had his players that were almost guaranteed minutes.  It worked for KD and it worked for the team.   But I enjoyed watching different players with more athleticism and having no idea who will come on next and how long they will remain on the court.  If familiarity builds complacentcy, this team should be the least complacent team in the MAC.  Go Zips! 

[Z.I.P.]

11 hours ago, Dr Z said:

ESPN replay found here.

 

Watching!  First half...We look slow and unathletic; no motion offensively away from the ball; taking bad shots out of rhythm.  NO way we could beat anyone but Arkansas Cream Puff playing like that!

Edited November 14, 2017 by Z.I.P.

[skip-zip]

16 minutes ago, Z.I.P. said:

Watching!  First half...We look slow and unathletic; no motion offensively away from the ball; taking bad shots out of rhythm.  NO way we could beat anyone but Arkansas Cream Puff playing like that!

 

Can't we just hope that the rest of them only shoot 10 of 26 from the free throw line?

[ZipsVoice]

2 hours ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Looks like a loveable team that we can rally around and watch grow.

I agree with you Cap'n..

[zipfan84]

On 11/11/2017 at 8:34 PM, lilroodude said:

Where can I get a Sayles jersey? And Duvivier with the HAMMER!

 

Edit: Should've queued up Zombie Nation and highlights of the block instead of the dot race and smile cam.

 

Yep. Nothing like taking the crowd out of the game after a nice run. Those pre-scripted events should ONLY happen during media timeouts.

[ewbrooman1]

On 11/12/2017 at 3:49 PM, AyYo said:

Probably will, in time.

You'd think they'd have them already with all the ESPN3 games last year.

[clarkwgriswold]

All too often the activities during the break seem to be on a concrete schedule where no one thinks they can vary from the schedule.  As a result, it kills the excitement in the building.

Edited November 15, 2017 by clarkwgriswold

[MDZip]

Rutgers thumped Cleveland State last night 70-38. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

44 minutes ago, MDZip said:

Rutgers thumped Cleveland State last night 70-38. 

 

Only scored 22 in the 1st half and 16 in the 2nd half. I am INCREDIBLY glad we beat them the other day. 

[skip-zip]

2 hours ago, MDZip said:

Rutgers thumped Cleveland State last night 70-38. 

 

No surprise.  I think everyone is probably thrilled that this was the year that we drew an awful opponent, and a JAR home game, in the Coaches vs. Cancer game.  

[kreed5120]

3 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

No surprise.  I think everyone is probably thrilled that this was the year that we drew an awful opponent, and a JAR home game, in the Coaches vs. Cancer game.  

When have we ever faced a good team in the Coaches vs. Cancer game?

[skip-zip]

I never said we did.  I said this one was awful.