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Game 25- Ball State Cardinals


clarkwgriswold

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The Zips return to the site of JImond Ivey's record setting 48 point performance last year this Saturday to face the 13-11 Cardinals.  The Cards are 4-7 in the MAC and have won two in a row (WMU and NIU).  All_MAC West senior guard Tayler Persons leads Ball State in scoring at 17 ppg, while Tahjai Teague leads rebounding at 7.9 rpg.   They were predocted to finish second in the West in the pre-season poll, but currently sit in the 5th spot.

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Our next two games are @Ball State & @BGSU. I can live with losing the BGSU game as we're currently 3 back from them with only 7 games left. The game we really need is Ball State. With a loss they would slide 1 game behind us and own the tie-breaker. The season hasn't gone the way Ball State expected, but they still have some talent and are more than capable of going on a run given their weak remaining MAC schedule. It's just best for us to bury them that way we don't have to worry about them for seeding.

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I, like many, am concerned with the Zips offense, but I am uncertain as to how concerned I should be.  On one hand, it's difficult to be a good defensive team and a good offensive team at the same time.  They expend so much effort on the defensive end that  they may not have much left at the offensive end.  Also, the great defense slows the game down by extending the other team's possessions and that impacts the flow of the game and limits the Zips offensive possessions.  They are 11th in the MAC in field goals attempted by opponents and correspondingly 8th in field goals attempted.  That's a recipe for lower scoring games.

 

On the other hand, they all too often appear to be standing around on offense.  4 guys watching while one guy dribbles and waits for a screen.  I can't expect them to be Marshall with constant motion, but I am concerned that some of it comes down to scheme. 

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Yes, I do believe points scored/allowed aren't good metrics to measure overall offense/defense as they don't factor in pace. The more possessions in a game, the more points each team is going to score and allow. I look more at efficiency as a better metric. Akron is currently dead last in the MAC in overall fg%, 10th in 3P%, and 5th in ft%. We have the fewest turnovers per game, which is nice, but that probably has a lot to do with the fact we keep tempo at a slower pace.

 

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If you look at our stats in MAC play, we are actually worse although we have been shooting much better in the last 4 or 5 games.  Our field goal percentage is .384 and our 3 point shooting is at .272.  These have gone up because our 3 point shooting was at .21.  I like the MAC stats better in that we can discount the non conference games where we did not play competitive teams and it upped our percentage shooting.

 

Our percentages are getting better because we are taking easier shots.  Jackson took 12 foot jumpers on Tuesday and made them both.  If we ever have a guy come off and screen and shoot a 12 footer without hesitation our shooting percentage would get higher.  It amazes me that I have yet to see a player come off a screen and shoot a 15 foot jump shot.

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I think if Jackson struggles on the road today we will have a tough time winning.  Stats do not lie and when you look at the MAC stats you will see that we need our point guard to play better in order for us to win. 

 

## Player gp-gs min avg fg-fga      fg% 3fg-fga 3fg%   ft-fta ft%      off def tot avg pf dq a to  blk stl pts avg 01

JACKSO 11-11 365 33.2 46-144 . 3 1 9 18-77 . 2 3 4   38-47 . 8 0 9 9 16   25 2.3  23 0  23 24 1  13 148 13.5

 

 

His 31% shooting percentage is the worst of the starters.  He is shooting an anemic 23% from the 3 line with him and Daniel taking the most 3 point shots on the team.  He does not have a positive assist to turnover ratio.  He is making his foul shots which has helped us close out some games.  I believe he is playing better the last few games and have been encouraged to see him making 12 foot jump shots.  He needs to stop shooting the 3 ball as much and get easier shots.  He is super quick but he needs to finish better at the basket and draw some fouls.    It would help us immensively if after he is able to penetrate that he could get the ball to our center.  But that chemistry has not developed and Riak has probably the worst hands on the team.  I love Jackson's quickness and his ability to penetrate but he needs to get that shooting percentage up to 40% and stop hoisting the 3 ball from long range especially early in the shot clock.

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55 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

I think if Jackson struggles on the road today we will have a tough time winning.  Stats do not lie and when you look at the MAC stats you will see that we need our point guard to play better in order for us to win. 

 

## Player gp-gs min avg fg-fga      fg% 3fg-fga 3fg%   ft-fta ft%      off def tot avg pf dq a to  blk stl pts avg 01

JACKSO 11-11 365 33.2 46-144 . 3 1 9 18-77 . 2 3 4   38-47 . 8 0 9 9 16   25 2.3  23 0  23 24 1  13 148 13.5

 

 

His 31% shooting percentage is the worst of the starters.  He is shooting an anemic 23% from the 3 line with him and Daniel taking the most 3 point shots on the team.  He does not have a positive assist to turnover ratio.  He is making his foul shots which has helped us close out some games.  I believe he is playing better the last few games and have been encouraged to see him making 12 foot jump shots.  He needs to stop shooting the 3 ball as much and get easier shots.  He is super quick but he needs to finish better at the basket and draw some fouls.    It would help us immensively if after he is able to penetrate that he could get the ball to our center.  But that chemistry has not developed and Riak has probably the worst hands on the team.  I love Jackson's quickness and his ability to penetrate but he needs to get that shooting percentage up to 40% and stop hoisting the 3 ball from long range especially early in the shot clock.

 

I just think Jackson needs to slow down a little on the.  He gets a little rushed sometimes, doesn't get a good base and is off balance and that makes him inconsistent.

 

2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Double team Ivey out of the gate? Or just face guard him? 

 

I don't think Ivery sees anything out of the ordinary as Ball St. has seen more than his once in a lifetime game.

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1 hour ago, 1981 grad said:

I think if Jackson struggles on the road today we will have a tough time winning.  Stats do not lie and when you look at the MAC stats you will see that we need our point guard to play better in order for us to win. 

 

## Player gp-gs min avg fg-fga      fg% 3fg-fga 3fg%   ft-fta ft%      off def tot avg pf dq a to  blk stl pts avg 01

JACKSO 11-11 365 33.2 46-144 . 3 1 9 18-77 . 2 3 4   38-47 . 8 0 9 9 16   25 2.3  23 0  23 24 1  13 148 13.5

 

 

His 31% shooting percentage is the worst of the starters.  He is shooting an anemic 23% from the 3 line with him and Daniel taking the most 3 point shots on the team.  He does not have a positive assist to turnover ratio.  He is making his foul shots which has helped us close out some games.  I believe he is playing better the last few games and have been encouraged to see him making 12 foot jump shots.  He needs to stop shooting the 3 ball as much and get easier shots.  He is super quick but he needs to finish better at the basket and draw some fouls.    It would help us immensively if after he is able to penetrate that he could get the ball to our center.  But that chemistry has not developed and Riak has probably the worst hands on the team.  I love Jackson's quickness and his ability to penetrate but he needs to get that shooting percentage up to 40% and stop hoisting the 3 ball from long range especially early in the shot clock.

 

Wow, Jackson doesn't have a positive assist to turnover ratio? I'm pretty sure he hears about that plenty. That is one of Groce's biggest metrics. Especially as a point guard. He should be in the ballpark of 3 assists to 1 turnover as the lead guard. Not good. 

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15 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

 

Wow, Jackson doesn't have a positive assist to turnover ratio? I'm pretty sure he hears about that plenty. That is one of Groce's biggest metrics. Especially as a point guard. He should be in the ballpark of 3 assists to 1 turnover as the lead guard. Not good. 

 

It'd be a more glaring issue if we were a better shooting team. Hard to get an assist when the guy on the receiving end doesn't make the shot 65-70% of the time. 

Edited by Let'sGoZips94
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Great effort in the first half. Defense is clicking.  Utomi is playing strong and getting inside some. Jackson needs to focus on facilitating and let his offense come to him.  He is forcing it.  We need to drive and get closer shots in the second half, Utomi can dominate inside 15 feet, keep up the defensive effort, and leave with a win.  Jackson needs to play smart.

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When we isolate Utomi underneath good things are happening.  I think we have once again been too reliant on the 3 ball.  WE have shot 15 3 balls and we are shooting 20% from 3 ball land and 33% from the field.  Why does this team keep on making the same mistakes.  Stop relying on the 3 ball and take the ball to the hoop or take some short jumpers.  We have to play to our strengths offensively and it is not shooting the 3 ball.  Feed the ball inside to Utomi.  I also like how Banks has attacked the basket.

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