Game 15- Ball State

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[clarkwgriswold]

The Zips offense is just painful to watch when they get in that mode of overdribbling and not moving.  There was way too damn much of that in the last 10 minutes last night.

 

Last night was Kobe Mitchell's time to step up.  He was given 27 minutes.  The result-  0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 turnover.  No team can survive on an 8 man rotation when three of them (Mitchell/Hunter/Lyles) combine for 5 points, 3 rebounds and 0 assists.

 

I love the effort Groce gets out of this squad but continue to be concerned about the talent level and this concern is really magnified when X is out.  

[Z.I.P.]

3 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

https://sports.yahoo.com/university-akron-mens-basketball-team-041619197.html

"The Zips went without a field goal for the game’s final 11 minutes. Players didn’t move. There was little ball movement.

“Until we have better ball and player movement and execute better offensively, we're going to lose games,” Groce said. “So, you're going to have to figure out how to create more open and easy shots. The shots were too difficult. I didn't think we exercised much patience. I thought the ball player movement was awful. Last seven minutes of the game, too much hero ball over dribbling. It was just bad.” "

3 assists as a team is the fewest I can recall...EVER.

[Let'sGoZips94]

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

"The Zips went without a field goal for the game’s final 11 minutes. Players didn’t move. There was little ball movement.

“Until we have better ball and player movement and execute better offensively, we're going to lose games,” Groce said. “So, you're going to have to figure out how to create more open and easy shots. The shots were too difficult. I didn't think we exercised much patience. I thought the ball player movement was awful. Last seven minutes of the game, too much hero ball over dribbling. It was just bad.” "

3 assists as a team is the fewest I can recall...EVER.

 

Dambrot? Is that you?

 

 

1000% unacceptable. In the era of the Transfer Portal, nobody should get a redshirt IMO. Prather, Mosengo, etc. We need to see what they can contribute offensively since nobody else wants to contribute outside of X and Freeman.

Edited January 7, 2023 by Let'sGoZips94

[Blue & Gold]

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

"The Zips went without a field goal for the game’s final 11 minutes. Players didn’t move. There was little ball movement.

“Until we have better ball and player movement and execute better offensively, we're going to lose games,” Groce said. “So, you're going to have to figure out how to create more open and easy shots. The shots were too difficult. I didn't think we exercised much patience. I thought the ball player movement was awful. Last seven minutes of the game, too much hero ball over dribbling. It was just bad.” "

3 assists as a team is the fewest I can recall...EVER.

Why is Groce complaining like he’s a spectator on ZipsNation? It’s his job to install offense. It’s his job to make sure they’re moving. We were standing around like a 6th grade team. I’ve seen a million high school games better played than that.
 

It’s also Groce’s job to recruit players who can play at this level. Give me Ali, Dawson, X, and Tavari. The rest of Groce’s recruits look like D-2 players. Groce doesn’t get credit for winning the lottery with Freeman.

 

Kobe Mitchell looks like he’s going to crap his shorts when someone passes him the ball.  He passes up open 3’s to pass the ball… to Tribble… on the perimeter. 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Blue & Gold

[LoyalZIP]

After taking a bit of a step back from the edge overnight, I’d say I’m willing to call this one of the more promising losses of the season. With X out, all of the foul trouble, all of the missed shots, all of the bad offense, this was a one possession game with about 2 minutes to go, on the road against a damn good team. If they had come out like they did against Marshall and been behind by 10+ all night, I would feel differently. But I think last night, while disappointing, gave me more of an indication that this team may be further along than I had thought going into this week. They took the punch in the mouth early and kept their composure all night.
 

Now, while Kobe has come a long way on the defensive end, he’s become so passive on offense. Same with Tavari, though he does shoot it more. If you watch his play vs. Nevada compared to anyone since, he looks so hesitant and small. He rose up with confidence in the Caymans, but has shrunk with the grown expectations. 
 

Hankerson showed this week that on the offensive end, he needs X running the show in order to make a difference. He can’t create, and the only guards that have done any creating are X and Tribble—one of which who can shoot. Unfortunately, while I think there’s a lot of talent on this roster, they play making is only coming from X and Freeman. There are no other playmakers, guys that make everyone else on the floor better. The feeling of Mike Dawson’s absence grows. 

[zipsrule]

53 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

The feeling of Mike Dawson’s absence grows. 

How true.

[GJGood]

2 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

After taking a bit of a step back from the edge overnight, I’d say I’m willing to call this one of the more promising losses of the season. With X out, all of the foul trouble, all of the missed shots, all of the bad offense, this was a one possession game with about 2 minutes to go, on the road against a damn good team. If they had come out like they did against Marshall and been behind by 10+ all night, I would feel differently. But I think last night, while disappointing, gave me more of an indication that this team may be further along than I had thought going into this week. They took the punch in the mouth early and kept their composure all night.
 

Now, while Kobe has come a long way on the defensive end, he’s become so passive on offense. Same with Tavari, though he does shoot it more. If you watch his play vs. Nevada compared to anyone since, he looks so hesitant and small. He rose up with confidence in the Caymans, but has shrunk with the grown expectations. 
 

Hankerson showed this week that on the offensive end, he needs X running the show in order to make a difference. He can’t create, and the only guards that have done any creating are X and Tribble—one of which who can shoot. Unfortunately, while I think there’s a lot of talent on this roster, they play making is only coming from X and Freeman. There are no other playmakers, guys that make everyone else on the floor better. The feeling of Mike Dawson’s absence grows. 

I believe Clarke is a pretty good ball handler and facilitator at the top of the offense as well even if he is not a scorer. I think Tavari is going to be a star in the MAC if he chooses to stick around but right now we are in the “growing pains” stage.

Having both X and Garvin out in addition to the inexperience of Tavari is the Zips biggest detriment right now. That said this game was more competitive than I thought it would be going in and that was without the knowledge of the foul trouble that was coming

[Blue & Gold]

2 hours ago, GJGood said:

 I think Tavari is going to be a star in the MAC if he chooses to stick around but right now we are in the “growing pains” 

The way he runs the pick-n-roll with that tear drop in the lane he’s itching to be a 20 PPG scorer next year.

Edited January 8, 2023 by Blue & Gold

[clarkwgriswold]

Ball State has to he happy with their MAC start.  They were predicted to finish 4th in the MAC preseason poll and they've already beaten the teams predicted to finish 2nd and 3rd.

[Z.I.P.]

So...Zips have ANOTHER potential Puerto Rican National Team player? 🤔

[NWAkron]

14 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Ball State has to he happy with their MAC start.  They were predicted to finish 4th in the MAC preseason poll and they've already beaten the teams predicted to finish 2nd and 3rd.

That's also nice.  Thanks for sharing.