clarkwgriswold Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 (edited) Wow, how can we already be 15 games into the season? The Zips head to Muncie Friday night to face the 10-4 Ball State Cardinals. Ball State started the MAC season with an impressive 90-83 win at Toledo. This matchup features two of the MAC's top big men in Enrique and Payton Sparks. Sparks, a 6'9" sophomore center, was named to the MAC's preseason first team and is averaging 13.1 ppg and 7.7 rpg on the season. He is one of 4 players on the BSU squad averaging between 13 and 14.5 points. Scoring is led by 6'4" sophomore guard Jaylin Sellers at 14.5 ppg. 6'5" junior guard Jarren Coleman is the second leading scorer at 14.2 ppg. The team is led by their new coach, Michael Lewis, previously an assistant at UCLA. The Cardinals were predicted to finish fourth in the MAC pre-season poll. They played a pretty weak OOC schedule. The game is at 8:30 p.m. on CBSSN (grrrrrr). Edited January 4, 2023 by clarkwgriswold 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 Finally looking forward to a game again. Our second half performance vs. NIU got my Zips Basketball juices flowing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoyalZIP Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 40 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: The game is on ESPN+ at 7:00 p.m. This is actually an 8:30ET tip on CBSSN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 10 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said: This is actually an 8:30ET tip on CBSSN. Thanks. Fixed. Not sure what I looked at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 On the road against a tough Ball State team was going to be tough as is. Assuming Castaneda is out, this is going to be an uphill battle. We're going to need more out of Hankerson this game and hope Tavari, Tribble, Hunter, and company can all chip in if we hope to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoyalZIP Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 58 minutes ago, kreed5120 said: On the road against a tough Ball State team was going to be tough as is. Assuming Castaneda is out, this is going to be an uphill battle. We're going to need more out of Hankerson this game and hope Tavari, Tribble, Hunter, and company can all chip in if we hope to win. Last night definitely showed that Hank is solidly in his role as a complimentary player. And he’s a good one, but he’s ultimately not going to be a guy that can replace any of X’s production, and his offensive production is hurt most by X being out. Tavari has absolutely got to be better. NIU has one decent guard, but Tavari was still pretty bad last night. He nearly fouled out on stupid reaches at midcourt. And he was alligator arming bunnies he started the year hitting. A couple open 3s weren’t even close. After the Nevada game, I assumed we’d see pretty steady growth out of him, but this team’s ceiling is far smaller at this moment with him in charge. And that’s fine, as: 1. X should be back soon, and 2. He’s a true freshman PG. Tribble was good yesterday, but it took him so long to get going. That first half was yet again full of missed shots within 5 feet. Friday will be a lot tougher against a better team. Hunter was pretty invisible, but did show some nice hustle and good body language. Maybe he’ll come around, my hopes are not high. This should be a great college basketball game to watch on Friday, I’m glad it’s on national TV as it is well deserved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z.I.P. Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 5 hours ago, LoyalZIP said: Last night definitely showed that Hank is solidly in his role as a complimentary player. And he’s a good one, but he’s ultimately not going to be a guy that can replace any of X’s production, and his offensive production is hurt most by X being out. Tavari has absolutely got to be better. NIU has one decent guard, but Tavari was still pretty bad last night. He nearly fouled out on stupid reaches at midcourt. And he was alligator arming bunnies he started the year hitting. A couple open 3s weren’t even close. After the Nevada game, I assumed we’d see pretty steady growth out of him, but this team’s ceiling is far smaller at this moment with him in charge. And that’s fine, as: 1. X should be back soon, and 2. He’s a true freshman PG. Tribble was good yesterday, but it took him so long to get going. That first half was yet again full of missed shots within 5 feet. Friday will be a lot tougher against a better team. Hunter was pretty invisible, but did show some nice hustle and good body language. Maybe he’ll come around, my hopes are not high. This should be a great college basketball game to watch on Friday, I’m glad it’s on national TV as it is well deserved. GoZips.com schedule does NOT show any TV. What network is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted January 4, 2023 Report Share Posted January 4, 2023 11 minutes ago, Z.I.P. said: GoZips.com schedule does NOT show any TV. What network is it? Supposed to be on CBSSports Network. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 (edited) Is this on CBSSN? LOL. Through which streaming service do you guys get CBSSN? Edited January 5, 2023 by clarkwgriswold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 I get CBSSports Net via Hulu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 Game is on CBSSportsNetwork. Channel 322 if you have Akron Spectrum. 8:30pm following Toledo and WMU. Same as usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 Carried on YouTube TV too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 and FUBO. Is it not carried anywhere? 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 So, it's on CBSSN? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipsrule Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 36 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: So, it's on CBSSN? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indians4841ks Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 Do we know if X will be out again or do we have to wait and see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 2 hours ago, indians4841ks said: Do we know if X will be out again or do we have to wait and see? Did George ask in the NIU post game presser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 1 hour ago, Captain Kangaroo said: Did George ask in the NIU post game presser? "John, will Ohio State beat Purdue on Wednesday?" Nope, don't think he did. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoyalZIP Posted January 5, 2023 Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 Zips +2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 5, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2023 This game worries me. Ball State has decent, good sized, guards and a rare good MAC big man. I still don't have a real comfort level with this Zips squad. I trust Groce to get the most out of them and I am confident they will give effort, I'm just not sure of the talent level as compared to some of the other recent Groce Zips teams. I hope to hell I am wrong and this is one of my annual mid-season panics! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 6, 2023 Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 I have a bad feeling about this one. For good reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkwgriswold Posted January 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 Just now, NWAkron said: I have a bad feeling about this one. For good reason. Good, they seem to do well when we both have a bad feeling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1981 grad Posted January 6, 2023 Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 The Zips on the road have sucked this year. They may be without their best player. They have started slow on offense even when they have their best player. I will be impressed if they can keep it competitive in the first half after a slow start. I hate to be a pessimist but would not be surprised if they are down by double digits in the first half and spend the 2nd half trying to recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWAkron Posted January 6, 2023 Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said: Good, they seem to do well when we both have a bad feeling! I'm being a bit more serious this time. Coach Lewis impressed me when he was able to bring Sparks back into the fold. Lewis, a former UCLA assistant, I'm sure sees Muncie as a transition job to something much bigger. He may be the only coach in the MAC still wearing a suit and tie during games and his assistants do the same. He's building his brand. On "Over the Pylon" someone commented that Akron's lost to the tough teams. However, looking at Ball State's record, Toledo's been there toughest match up apart from San Jose State. Edited January 6, 2023 by NWAkron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted January 6, 2023 Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 (edited) Tribble said the Zips need a hit-first mindset, challenging opponents from the outset beginning Friday. “We just been getting off to slow, flat starts. It starts with me and some of the older guys on our team,” he said. “We just got to come out in, set the rules and get that intensity. The younger guys feed off us.” GT also gives an update on X & Clarke, but please give the article a click. Edited January 6, 2023 by Blue & Gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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