Jump to content

Game 32—EMU [MAC Tourney Rnd 2]


Recommended Posts

2 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

I have about 10 more hours to stay ahead of myself, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.  

 

It's a strange feeling.  Almost like playing with house money.  I've become used to the Zips being a favorite and having trepidation that they might blow it.  This whole underdog thing just feels weird. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

 

That's darn near a 100% Guarantee.

 

For God's sake, our 2011 tournament championship team that won 23 games was a #15

 

Maybe they wouldn't look solely at the record, but we'd be a last place team in a crappy conference winning a conference tournament. 

 

Book it in Dayton.  

 

I'm in agreement that Akron would be a 16 seed. I just don't think they would be one of the 16 seeds who has to play in Dayton. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

It's a strange feeling.  Almost like playing with house money.  I've become used to the Zips being a favorite and having trepidation that they might blow it.  This whole underdog thing just feels weird. 

Absolutely!!!   Did you see the video on Twitter of the players and Groce celebrating after the WMU game?  It's pretty cool.  Everyone is jumping around except Daniel who is sitting down with a towel over his face.  Cotton pulled him out of the fire.

 

Maybe EMUs lack of fan support, a tradition of choking in the tourney, and almost 6 days off will deliver to the Q a flat team of Hurons 

Edited by NWAkron
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I've become used to the Zips being a favorite and having trepidation that they might blow it. 

 

Certainly less pressure and expectations when you're the underdog.  Maybe that's why we've won this tournament as a #5 and #6 seed.  

Edited by skip-zip
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

I'm in agreement that Akron would be a 16 seed. I just don't think they would be one of the 16 seeds who has to play in Dayton. 

 

Fair enough.

 

Like I said earlier, the only way to avoid it is to hope for a lot of bottom-feeder teams from low level conferences to win their conference tournaments.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Absolutely!!!   Did you see the video on Twitter of the players and Groce celebrating after the WMU game?  It's pretty cool.  Everyone is jumping around except Daniel who is sitting down with a towel over his face.  Cotton pulled him out of the fire.

 

Maybe EMUs lack of fan support, a tradition of choking in the tourney, and almost 6 days off will deliver to the Q a flat team of Hurons 

Do you have a link to the video you mentioned?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, LZIp said:

To continue the discussion - how much merit would you give a tourney win in Dayton as a 16 seed?

 

As much as a Participation Trophy. With that being said, if you told me we'd win a 1st round game in Dayton this year, I'd be incredibly happy, but that has to do more with how this season has gone/expectations. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, LZIp said:

how much merit would you give a tourney win in Dayton as a 16 seed?

With this team, I would say an 8 on a 10 scale. To win in Dayton would mean we won the MAC tournament, and an NCAA tournament game. I've never seen that. I would love that in year one of this rebuild. If a Zips fan didn't see the future as bright now, I believe they would after those accomplishments. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, LZIp said:

To continue the discussion - how much merit would you give a tourney win in Dayton as a 16 seed?

Is it equivalent to beating Kansas in Round #1? No.

 

But it would be HUGE. The Zips first NCAA D1 tourney win!

 

What a story...a nationally televised game...in front of a packed house in Dayton where the Ohio fans would be 98% on our side...the team with 7 scholarship players wins a tourney game to advance to the field of 64? Sign me up!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elton says Toledo is first game.  The bracket says Buffalo has the first game.  Is there anyone at the Q now who could tell me who is warming up?

 

On Cleveland.com, Elton didn't trash the Zips.  He said "the Zips don't care" and foul a lot.  And if we are "shooting it" EMUs going to have a problem.  

Edited by NWAkron
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

As much as a Participation Trophy.

 

13,000 people from the Dayton area would be there to see it (minus the sections for the 4 teams playing that night).  A potential recruit might see that as a positive.  Who knows.

 

And for Akron, we'd at least be able to say that we technically won a game in the Big Dance.   And earn the honor of getting beat by the #1 seed by 70 points.  

 

So, I'm mostly agreeing with you.  But, there might be a positive or two.  But we'd have to WIN.    

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Elton says Toledo is first game.  The bracket says Buffalo has the first game.  Is there anyone at the Q now who could tell me who is warming up?

 

On Cleveland.com, Elton didn't trash the Zips.  He said "the Zips don't care" and foul a lot.  And if we are "shooting it" EMUs going to have a problem.  

 

#1 Seed SHOULD be playing the first game.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ya..Toledo is in our side of the bracket, so I would think they are at 6:30 right before us.

 

As for my answer to my question - my initial thought is that I wouldn't really "count" it. Probably because I've been conditioned to think that any win we have in the tourney will be a result of a big upset. BUT I bet the 12 seeds who win their play in game count it and think it means something. All higher seeds in the tourney count their wins and think they mean something even though they are the favorites and aren't pulling off a big upset. We shouldn't discount our win just because it would come against the hands of an equal or lesser opponent.

 

For the record, I feel much more confident in a 16 seed play-in win vs a SWAC or MEAC champion than I do about us winning our conference tournament.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, LZIp said:

To continue the discussion - how much merit would you give a tourney win in Dayton as a 16 seed?

 

Was wondering how long it'd take for discussion.  I'd consider it a great win for us, especially given the circumstances, but certainly not the same as an actual tournament win to advance to the Round of 32.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

Personally, I feel the tougher and more enjoying feat would be winning the MAC tournament as an 11 seed over beating a ~.500 MEAC/SWAC team.

 

I agree with this, hence my comment about the MAC being a top 10-12 conference RPI/ratings wise. I strongly dislike the MAC, but they are most definitely superior - consistently - to about 15+ conferences. 

 

I also struggle to put much merit on what has become a money game for the NCAA by design. I never liked the play-in game when it was, what, 2 16-seed games? Now I really hate it with higher seeds in there. It's all about squeezing every last dollar out of these schools. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

Elton says Toledo is first game.  The bracket says Buffalo has the first game.  Is there anyone at the Q now who could tell me who is warming up?

 

On Cleveland.com, Elton didn't trash the Zips.  He said "the Zips don't care" and foul a lot.  And if we are "shooting it" EMUs going to have a problem.  

 

Buffalo is the first game, with Can't/Balls to follow. The top seed's side always goes first, with the opposite side in the evenings. 

 

Currently, Buffalo is up 37-24 with 4 minutes to go in the first half. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

On Cleveland.com, Elton didn't trash the Zips.  He said "the Zips don't care" and foul a lot.  

I had to watch the video to see what he meant, because no team that fights back from a 27-4 deficit can be accused of not caring.

 

Alexander was speaking of the Zips relentless defense, and the fact that they don't care if they foul out. Players will use all 5 fouls if that's what it takes. No easy opponent bucketst. 

 

Can't complain about that observation. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

I had to watch the video to see what he meant, because no team that fights back from a 27-4 deficit can be accused of not caring.

 

Alexander was speaking of the Zips relentless defense, and the fact that they don't care if they foul out. Players will use all 5 fouls if that's what it takes. No easy opponent bucketst. 

 

Can't complain about that observation. 

Right.   That's how I understood it as well sorry if it didn't translate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...