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Last night everybody was a winner thanks to Bud Wentz. In the putting contest, a new target sign was revealed that was 50% larger and had no target hole. The announcers said all that was required to win the $10,000 prize was to hit the sign. The young lady contestant took aim and sent a straight putt right at it. Just as the ball got there, the helpers lifted the sign and the ball passed underneath. The contestant started to walk away but was informed she had indeed won $10,000! Bud was waiting with the check at the other end of the court. The shot for tuition contest took a similar twist. A student was selected as always who could win a semester of tuition by sinking a layup, a foul shot, a three point shot and a half court shot in 30 seconds. It was then announced there would be a substitute celebrity shooter. Ali Ali! He calmly sank the first three shots on his first attempt. After about 10 attempts he banked in the halfcourt shot and the crowd went wild! Kudos to Bud for thinking outside the box to make senior night special.

You are looking live at CPA! ZipsWin!

I know it’s been mentioned already, but kudos to Groce & Co. for green lighting the Evan Wilson start. Very nice.

I just got home. I am: 1) hoarse from screaming; 2) exhaausted; and 3) damn proud to be a Zips fan. We had an obnoxious Kent State fan in front of us rooting for Miami who about 8 minutes on said it was over. As the clock expired I leaned in, grabbed him by the shoulder, and said "I thought you said it was over about an hour and a half ago." It very mush enjoyed that.

Tonight will be the 12th time in the last 18 seasons (minus 2020) that Akron will play in the MAC Championship game. We've been fortunate to have great coaches and players to make it all possible.

I plead complete naivety on this one, I’ve been to the JAR countless times, but is the state of the JAR really a deal breaker for Groce? Or is this primarily a fan issue. Groce doesn’t care about the seating and bleachers does he? If he wins we come, when he plays Kent we come. It has nothing to do with recruiting as he’s proven already with the retention he’s had and the portal guys he’s brought in, many coming from places with top notch facilities. Sure a refurbished or brand new facility shows a deep level of commitment but it could also drain resources from elsewhere. I would think, in no particular order, salaries for his asst pool, NIL, funding for travel/tournaments, nutrition and perks for the athletes, and commitment from the University on things Bud has been paying for e.g. marketing AND ongoing operational support at the highest levels of the MAC are the things that would be much more relevant to him staying or going.

Evan - Waved a great towel. Embraced his role as an energy guy on the bench. A very underrated shooter when given the chance. He'd have have seen PT in Groce's Akron Year #1 and acquitted himself well. Decent all around player for a walk on. Fun kid to root for. Seth - Short, streaky, stocky 3-point specialist. Unwavering confidence in his shot. Not such a great defender. If the Zips were to get in the Big Dance, he'd need to go on a heater if we are to have any chance of winning a game. Good 1-year portal addition. Isaiah - Good blue-collar player. Jack of all trades. Decent rebounder, decent 3-point shooter, decent ball handler. Confident, veteran presence. Good attitude. Gets into trouble driving the lane...not as good a ball handler as he thinks he is. Doesn't necessarily finish at the rim all that well. Never lacks effort. Never sulks.

I’ll start with one of the most obvious items - NIL. Bud has done a great job getting us to where we are (and I’d assume there are others involved as well), but it shouldn’t be all on him/them. Anyone reading this can contribute to the Fear the Roo collective. It would be more convenient if the process was easier, but all you need to do is email info@feartheroocollective.com to get things rolling. If you’re able to contribute, you may not think your individual contribution would make a difference. However,“collectively” us diehard fans can be the difference in keeping or obtaining a player that would otherwise go elsewhere. One player can be the difference. The program has a good thing going. In my mind we are currently in the peak of Akron men’s basketball. We have a great coach (who also seems to be a great person), who brings in players who are great representatives of our University, and have a guy leading the NIL who has a vision. Please consider playing a part in our program taking the next step. info@feartheroocollective.com

As a brief Zips Hoops history lesson - The 1986 Zips led by Bob Huggins played Michigan in Round #1 of the NCAA Tourney. Zips were a 20 point underdog, and Dick Vitale predicted we'd lose by 40. Michigan was led by future NBA'ers Glen Rice, Roy Tarpley and Gary Grant. The Zips countered the 6' 11" Tarpley with Russell Holmes, a 6' 3" football player brought on to to basketball team because Huggins was hamstrung on players. In fact, three football players were needed to fill out the 1986 Zips roster! The Zips lead at halftime 32-30. I enjoyed some ice cold Hudepohl Gold as I watched from Annadale Avenue on a 19" tube TV. The Zips lost 70-64, but played a great, highly competitive game. The 2025 Zips team is in much better shape to compete with Arizona. Our interior shortcomings can be overcome by great coaching and player effort...just like in 1986. Shock the World!

Groce should at least give his brother a good birthday present this year.

Once in football too (shockingly)!

I don't think he will leave. He's well-paid, leads the best program in the MAC, has wonderful support from donors, and will have a loaded senior class next year. I do hope people realize how lucky we are, though. To have a legendary coach in Keith Dambrot for 13 years and then immediately shift to another legendary coach in John Groce for 8 years now and counting? That type of longevity - while winning - just doesn't happen often at the mid-major level. If either guy didn't have that loyalty and bring that longevity, we could have very easily become what Buffalo is now.

Akron has received a vote in the AP Poll. Poll Tracker hasn't updated yet, so I don't know who voted for us.

Seeing all these portal transfers make me sad for the MAC, and sad for the state of college basketball. Year ago Don Ohlmeyer famously said "The answer to all your questions is money." Sucks what greed and money do to just about everything good. For whatever inexplicable reason the planets aligned and the Zips got John Groce and Bud Wentz at the precise time we needed them, or we'd be in the same boat and everyone else. So grateful for those guys. But it all can come crashing down at any second, and we'll be like Buffalo and Toledo...losing our best players because they're chasing a couple quick bucks rather than getting a meaningful degree and making lifelong friendships with college teammates. The bulk of the portal transfers are pure basketball mercenaries majoring in eligibility. Kowalczyk spoke the truth...it'll be interesting to see where these guys end up in 20 years...with the $38,000 in NIL long gone, and no college degree to fall back on. For every decent MAC player that ascends to a P4 school with success, there are 15 who sit the P4 pines eagerly awaiting the season's end and the chance to transfer yet again.

Can I say, okay, I'm saying it here and now! I've watched Akron Zips basketball since the late 1960s, and THIS is the best Akron team of them all. This team has much of the same talent level, athleticism, physicality and grit as the legendary 1972 NCAA College Division national finalists, but I have to think the mental toughness and strength of Groce's squad is unprecedented. These guys are "no ka 'oi". They da bes' brah!

I also posted the on the Around the MAC thread. 2024-25 MAC Men’s Basketball All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award Winners Coach of the Year: John Groce, Akron Player of the Year: Nate Johnson, Redshirt Junior, Guard, Akron Defensive Player of the Year: Nate Johnson, Redshirt Junior, Guard, Akron Freshman of the Year: Brant Byers, Forward, Miami Sixth Man of the Year: Shammah Scott, Senior, Guard, Akron All-MAC First Team Nate Johnson, Redshirt Junior, Guard, Akron Tavari Johnson, Junior, Guard, Akron Ugnius Jarusevicius, Junior, Forward, Central Michigan VonCameron Davis, Redshirt Senior, Forward, Kent State Peter Suder, Junior, Guard, Miami All-MAC Second Team Da’Sean Nelson, Senior, Forward, Eastern Michigan Jalen Terry, Senior, Guard, Eastern Michigan Jalen Sullinger, Senior, Guard, Kent State Sam Lewis, Sophomore, Guard, Toledo Chansey Willis Jr., Junior, Guard, Western Michigan All-MAC Third Team Javontae Campbell, Junior, Guard, Bowling Green Anthony Pritchard, Senior, Guard, Central Michigan Kam Craft, Redshirt Sophomore, Guard, Miami AJ Clayton, Senior, Forward, Ohio Jackson Paveletzke, Junior, Guard, Ohio Sonny Wilson, Sophomore, Guard, Toledo All-MAC Honorable Mention Isaiah Gray, Senior, Guard, Akron Jermahri Hill, Junior, Guard, Ball State Payton Sparks, Senior, Center, Ball State Shereef Mitchell, Graduate Student, Guard, Ohio Javan Simmons, Sophomore, Forward, Toledo MAC All-Defensive Team Nate Johnson, Redshirt Junior, Guard, Akron Javontae Campbell, Junior, Guard, Bowling Green Anthony Pritchard, Senior, Guard, Central Michigan Cli’ron Hornbeak, Senior, Center, Kent State Shereef Mitchell, Graduate Student, Guard, Ohio MAC All-Freshman Team Sharron Young, Guard, Akron Jamai Felt, Forward, Bowling Green Ben Michaels, Forward, Buffalo Brant Byers, Forward, Miami Elijah Elliott, Guard, Ohio

New AP Poll. Two votes for the Zips!

He did it once and he took a lot of abuse and got canned. Why put yourself and your family through that again. Nothing good came of it. Correction: Something good did come of it: This board gained Illini Zip.

Fun to watch Isaiah Gray celebrate the big win with his teammates!

ZipsNation, we are off the NCAA Tournament. I don't want to post an individual game thread because this is the year we go beyond one game! Here's hoping for a regional site that's easily travelable. I'll be out of town the next couple of days so I wanted to get this thread up so you guys could get rolling. Go Zips!

Square peg, round hole.

It's just a general comment. It's great to want new seating, better scheduling, better players, etc... All of those things cost money. The administration is telling us more cuts are coming. If you are a fan, you can do your part to make up the difference. Buy a better seat. Make a donation to the Zip Athletic club. Make a donation to the collective. UA is not a P-4 school with large numbers of rich alumni. LeBron is not going to come rescue us. My experience in this world is you get what you pay for.

When Ohio State lost to Oregon this year (the same team they clubbed in the Rose Bowl), Urban Meyer said a big reason was the Buckeyes non-conf schedule. He said the speed and athleticism of Oregon was unlike anything they had seen. Basketball is different but maybe the Zips need to see a Big Boy in December every year so they know what it looks like in March. The Sun Belt and Ivy League aren’t Big Boys. Still, great year, great program and a great coach.

Seems like things are kind of percolating right? Finally got some buzz, sustained conference success, good kids on the team, the culture, finally some good marketing.. We're right there if we want to take the next step. Today would be a good day for it

I do not want to offend anyone but I was hoping to read comments about our game tomorrow and not guessing who may or may not transfer. Lets enjoy the moment where we can get our first NCAA victory. Go Zips!!!

Today's Beacon article on Nate- https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2025/03/20/akron-zips-basketball-ncaa-tournament-arizona-nate-johnson-tavari-johnson-john-groce-miami-toledo/82491030007/

After rewatching the final, I know you can say this about a lot of players who play well, But the Zips do not win that game without Amani Lyles. He was so clutch in so many ways, he must have been watching Enrique because 14 rebounds in 26 minutes is dog work. Six of them were offensive rebounds, which is the same number as the rest of the team had and only one less than Miami had. Plus obviously his clutch rebound at the end with that fantastic outlet pass. But he was also the guy boxing out Miami when Nate Johnson made his game tying shot near the end. Just an amazing game for him for somebody you just never thought was going to be that kind of a contributor last year. The Cavs had the Block, the 3 and the D, the Zips had the D, the Outlet and the Euro. 😊

Nope

Yes but he wasn't "in the room" when North Carolina was selected because there's no way there could be any back room dealings or any deals made without him there. Pisses me off that Boise State beat St. Mary's Clemson and San Diego State, and were left out while North Carolina with exactly one quad 1 win was included.

Amani Lyles was a man in this game. I think his three pointer in the second half started the confidence and his rebounding was superb. Great outlet pass for the game winner. Incredible poise and determination by the team in the second half. They took the best punch Miami had and recovered. So much resilience.

My drunk self has convinced me that we're about to mount a comeback

Alabama State won their semifinal game. That means all 4 participants in the ABC made it to their semifinal at the very least, with Omaha, Alabama State and potentially Akron reaching their conference finals. Lamar lost to McNeese St in their semifinal game, Omaha won their conference, and we will see what happens with ASU & Akron. People scoffed at the ABC, but it was a mini version of the MAC tournament - 3 games in 3 days vs above average competition. UPDATE: 3/4 teams have at least made their conference final. Akron Basketball Classic produces champions.

This is a positive for the University. It both gives them an infusion of cash to reduce debt and also reduces annual maintenance costs. I hope whoever bought it is able to redevelop it into something that will be useful for the community.

I took off my glasses and pounded a table too.

Under 1 hour now.

Miami. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Still angers me years later.

Everything about the seating areas in the JAR feels rickety. Reduce capacity to make it all chair back. Newer, more solid (even perhaps cushioned?) chair back seats because even the current chair backs feel rickety. Don't mention the rickety GA bleachers. The older I get the harder the bleachers feel. There aren't even railings to hold on to as you climb the GA bleachers (even rickety railings would be better than no railings at all). I generally try to take guys to the games & I've had at least 3 comments this year alone about how they were expecting a nicer facility for D1 basketball (that's putting their verbalized sentiments graciously). 4 of my guys are getting older & aren't as mobile as they used to be. They simply can't navigate the rickety GA bleachers (which are an accident & a lawsuit just waiting to happen when they begin to fill) so always just sit in the front row of GA. Then, of course, they can't usually see the action on the floor due to the infamous railing & people constantly walking (or even just standing 😡) on the track. The JAR needs some very real TLC.

My mother always taught me if you don't have something good to say, don't say anything at all. I hope UA provides him with the support he needs to continue to run a successful MAC program. I personally hope he stays.

No such thing as a sure thing except there will be a basketball game between the Zips and Bowling Green on Thursday. And in 2020 that sure thing did not even happen.

Someone told me that the $10k putting contest was for the dance team so they can travel to nationals. So students benefited all around!

A family member of Bowen Hardman posted on Facebook that Bowen loves playing for Groce and feels right at home at Akron. This is the second family member of a player that has said they love being at Akron and playing for Groce. We're building something special.

He is our most coveted player. His production the last few games is just a reflection of being a true freshman. He has the most upside of any player on the roster. P4 will be coming hard for him in the off-season. The only guy with a bigger upside is JG.

This is what our schedule needs to look like every year. The opportunity is there for a good start and to create momentum. No excuses, they need to perform this year. Bowl eligibility or bust

Toledo fan checking in. They’re a mess right now and it looks like they just want the season to be over. Anything other than an Akron win going away would be fairly surprising, as Toledo hasn’t shot, defended or handled any intangibles well for the past 3 weeks.

Toledo has dropped to 241 in net as of their last loss, making this game a Q4 game. We are currently 16-0 in Q4 games this year, the only one in the MAC without a Q4 loss. Also Yale, High Point, and Chattanooga (3 other teams projected at a 13 seed with us) all have multiple Q4 losses Hopefully we can pull this one out and keep that column all Ws

Congratulations to Beto Ydrach on signing with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds… https://www.riverhounds.com/news/2025/02/24/perrin-barnes-beto-ydrach-signings/