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Enrique Freeman and Anjali Silverheels at the Pacers formal team dinner earlier this evening in Paris.

Nice gesture by the Cavs.

Great gesture from Indiana. Imagine telling Enrique 5 years ago he'd have an NBA All Star and Olympic Gold Medalist at his high school jersey dedication.

Involvement with Athletics: Initially supported football by sponsoring coaches' shows and gradually became involved with basketball and other sports. Built strong relationships with coaches and administrators to enhance facilities and support athletes. Basketball Player Development Center: Opened after years of planning, with construction delayed by COVID-19. Features state-of-the-art facilities such as a full court, shot tracking systems, film review rooms, and advanced coaching tools. Designed to help attract and develop elite athletes while freeing up space for other sports. Philanthropic Efforts: Wentz's family foundation supports various causes, including children's hospitals and local schools. Partnered with the NFL to build sports facilities in local schools. Perspectives on NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness): Advocates NIL as a tool for retaining and recruiting top talent, helping Akron Athletics compete on a national level. Believes NIL offers significant potential for community involvement in college sports but acknowledges it needs more regulation. Basketball Aspirations: Aims to take Akron basketball to new heights, such as achieving a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Tournament, which could benefit university enrollment and visibility. Personal Insights: Shared memorable moments as a basketball fan, including his passion for supporting Akron sports. Discussed his Mount Rushmore of Akron basketball players, highlighting legends like Xavier Castaneda, LCJ, Big Dawg, and Enrique Freeman.

with not having to go to Oxford. I feel like this is a Must Win that will position us to take control of the conference Race.

If you told me this would happen 2 years ago I would have laughed at you. Let’s go Amani!

How much are they going to pay a kid like Norton? 10k? 5k? Is that worth uprooting yourself, making your family fly across the country or drive 10 hours every weekend to see you play Florida Atlantic or UAB? Are they transferring just for the prestige of getting paid something? I wonder how many portal kids are happy after their transfer, versus those who are delusional, and regret not "dancing with the girl that brung them"? I'll bet it's well over 50% at the G5 level. In the end you've been to 4 different schools, made no lifelong friends...just been a football mercenary, have no real university to call your own...got $12,230 total dollars in NIL money after taxes...and after their eligibility has expired still need another 21 credits to get a general studies degree. Steve Spurrier used to say - "The hardest thing about recruiting is convincing a kid that has no business going to college to come to yours." Now you just need to wave a couple bucks at them and they're yours.

I think the new "Outback" student only thing with the AK Rowdies in the JAR is a great idea. I hope the students actually care to take advantage of it.

Through two conference games and ~half the season, here are the team stats for the conference. I also used TeamRankings to put the numbers into a national perspective. Some of the data is a bit different, presumably due to ESPN counting different non-DI games vs. TeamRankings (looking at you, CMU, and your dumb 4 non DI games). Some interesting observations... - Akron & Miami OH are the two best offenses in the conference. Akron's is based on volume, while Miami is a bit more efficient. Akron, Miami OH, and Ohio are the only 3 schools in the top 100 for PPG, so OU could be included in this discussion based on that metric. - Conversely, Kent is the worst offense in the MAC. They are last in PPG, FG%, and 3P%. They are the only team not averaging 70+ ppg, under 40% FG%, and one of two teams under 30% for 3P%. - There are 4 teams in the top 100 for 3PA per game. Kent, Ohio, Miami OH, and Akron, with Akron being 4th in the country. - Unless I missed a school, there are 5 MAC teams in the top 100 for FGA per game. Toledo, Miami, Kent, WMU, and Akron, with Akron being 4th in the country. - Akron is the only team in the top 100 in the country for 3P%. - Akron leads the MAC in RPG and the only MAC school with 40+ RPG. This is largely volume-based considering our pace of play, but still good to know we're crashing the boards. We are 45th in the country in Off. RPG.

I’m happy for Akron fans, I really am, but I’m not so sure Groce takes the job if he knew what was waiting for him. I personally think he was blindsided. Between a depleted roster and a fractured fan base, Groce unknowingly walked into a situation far worse than Buffalo 2025. For all of Dambrot’s accomplishments and accolades, he left a dumpster fire behind. Many coaches would have reneged. It’s Akron’s good fortune that Groce is a man of character. He kept his commitment, didn’t pout, and immediately went to work on the rebuild. It was late in the recruiting cycle and remember transfers had to sit out a year back then. I don’t want to be hard on those guys, but much of the talent available was subpar and many Akron fans with winning expectations didn’t know how to handle a 14-18 season, 6-12 in the MAC. Give credit to KD for all he did, Groce certainly does. But make no mistake, Groce pulled Akron basketball out of the ashes. And I hope he retires there with many more accomplishments to come. Go Zips!!

Getting your butt busted by Enrique every day for the past 2 years has paid dividends for Amani.

Groce also recruited the newcomers and appears to have properly vetted them from a talent/cultural fit standpoint.

Dru and the Dukes continued their ascent to the top of the A-10, besting a 13-3 George Washington team 73-65 on Wednesday night.

I don't know that there's a "lazy way" to promote Zips Athletics? "Lazy" is what we typically see...which is nothing. Could they do more? Sure...promote it as Zippy's Hoppy Hour™. Add $2 pretzels or hot dogs to the fare. $2 off the Hoppin' Frog beers. Lather, rinse and repeat it for every 6 pm post-work game and it will become "a thing" if it's run right*. The Bourbon Tasting was a completely different animal. It was something like $80 for four, 1 oz pours. Joe Akron doesn't show up for $20 shots of bourbon...Joe and Flo run with the $2 Bud Light crowd. * It will not become "a thing" if - the beer is warm the beer runs out by 5:20 pm the beer lines are 40 people deep and customers wait 30 minutes in line for a crappy Bud Light I'll probably knock off work and hour early and go to The Score (is that place any better this year?) or Europe Gyro. I don't think I'll get to the JAR in time for any cheap beer. But Joe and Flo will...and if UA runs the event right, they might bring a couple friends to the next game.

This is cool

I hope you're right, but I'm skeptical. Sans last week's sparsely attended Tuesday night tilt the Zips have been out-of-sight-out-of-Ohio since early December. I fear they've slipped off Joe Akron's radar and the JAR will be 35% capacity. Friday night will be a little different...I predict 50% capacity. Regardless, two of the eight walk up tickets sold will be to GA fans who will be sitting in my reserved seats when I arrive.

Great article on Kenneth McManus IV - the lone G5 signee at the Under Armour Next All America Game.

The "system" has drained whatever interest I've had for NCAA football completely from me. I'm hanging on by a thread to NCAA DI basketball, men's and women's. Two threads for college soccer. @Blue & Gold is right, how do you do your job as a head coach - why do you want to do the job of a head coach - even at a MAC level school? I've always poo-pooed the comments made here regarding dropping football, dropping back to lower level football, etc. But maybe there's a point where you say, "why not?" Especially while we are in the "budget crisis" we've been in since God knows how long? Maybe there's a point where you just say "Enough!", tell the MAC see you later, and explore dropping down? It's not like it's going to hurt attendance at games, maybe season tickets and sponsors money, and seat holders that want to say they belong to a DI program. Maybe the Good Ol' Days of seeing your team in a FCS or DII, DIII Championship race would bring in at least the same number of fans and make it fun again. This post-season of NIL and Transfer portal news is simply insane and unsustainable. When it all collapses, and it will, where will the Zips stand? Just like @Blue & Gold, this is just my humble opinion....

Can we at least play 40 competitive minutes against a decent mid-major. Getting boat-raced for a 4th consecutive measuring stick game would be wholly unfun.

Merry Christmas to ZipsNation.

If you would have told me last year I would have laughed at you. I must confess I was hoping he would transfer last year because I just did not see any way he would contribute in a meaningful way. The last few games he really did well finishing at the basket and I hope that continues. I love being wrong when a Zip blossoms into a player of the week.

Watching the ball movement, cutting, and screening, it's clear that collectively they are really starting to get it. When an offense starts executing and moving with that sort of precision - that's when basketball really becomes such a beautiful dance. The past 3 halves of this offense almost remind me of Groce's DJ Cooper era teams at Ohio during some of those games at the Convo where they just had the Akron defense completely lost. This was the first time I've been fortunate enough to see a game in person this season and holy moly is Sharron Young FAST! All in all, an enjoyable evening at the James A. Rhodes Health & Physical Education Building!

Lyles exhibited the most amazing growth I've ever seen in a single game. He went from being Ben Simmons Jr. in the first half...afraid to shoot anywhere within 2 feet of the hoop...even when completely unguarded...to slicing to the rim and deftly spinning in lay up after lay up off the glass in the 2nd half. 😀 Groce's decision to sit Okonkwo in the 2nd half and run with Lyles and Marvin was a gamechanger.

This is the first game I felt like walking out of the building we won the "physicality" part of the game. We outrebounded Toledo and seemed to have more blocks and hustle plays and hustle rebounds. Tevari only scored 3 points but had 9 assists. He is clearly the best passer on the team and is clearly developing a chemistry with our centers on the pick and roll. Speaking of which, this is the first game I can remember where we scored multiple baskets on the pick and roll. It got so bad the Toledo players were arguing among themselves about who was supposed to cover the center rolling to the basket while their coach just stood there watching the argument. Toledo started out hot and we were cold from the 3 line shooting around 20%. With the help of the refs, Toledo had a 12 point lead at half. Really impressed how we came back the 2nd half. It seemed like we wore down Toledo with our deep bench and fast play. Finally, as people on this board have noticed. Scott has really elevated his game with several nice finishes at the basket. The players from last year, Lyles, Scott, Tevari and Johnson really showed how they have elevated their games from last year. I am hoping that is a trend that continues the rest of the year.

Remember when Scott couldn’t make a layup without it getting blocked. He is playing awesome.

I’m coming tonight & bringing 10 friends 💪😤💪

https://wvmetronews.com/2025/01/13/morgantowns-sharron-young-enjoying-the-moment-in-freshman-season-at-akron/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1nuTEBxt673uwTzKQYtSpnSPvc2W00J-pYp72x9ZEpHdF-Noqp7o_yHxw_aem_2toQ7GFvqL5pfF9L8tIqow

Chalk up another win for the Lady Zips against EMU today!

Special night for Enrique on Saturday.

Except for perhaps the NCAA Top 10-to-15, who in their right mind could survive the workload of being a head college football coach if this trend continues? You have to re-recruit your entire team every year? re-recruit your current players... recruit high schoolers... recruit the Transfer Portal... retain your staff... find replacements for departed staff... Not only is rebuilding a program now virtually impossible but the job responsibilities of the head coach have become, IMHO, literally overwhelming.

I thought Okonkwo would have a bigger impact, but I absolutely worried about the frontcourt beyond him. That's not Lyles' strength and never has been and Harris plays like a wing. I figured Baker would fill that role and when he transferred out, was pretty stunned they didn't bring anyone else in. You never know who was/wasn't available, but I would've taken a shot on another big as opposed to Seth Wilson, who I think has a skill set that was a bit redundant on this roster.

I’ve been a broken record on this but only because I heard back in the summer this is why multiple coaches including Moorhead went through the roof when the school announced the Browns partnership. Even without a collective up and running, money like that from administration could have funded some type of meal/nutrition programs for football but also other sports programs like baseball and softball, soccer etc. Foundation and maintaining some level of momentum starts from the inside, regardless of NIL which is also critical to get and retain talent. With the provost running the budget and the new President focused on marketing and enrollment?, the ability to build and meet the basic needs for UA athletics appears to be losing steam, just the reality. We all know basketball has the luxury of Wentz getting them whatever they need and that’s great as basketball is our gem and they need to keep winning and beating KSU! But as a supporter of programs like baseball where the absence of NIL hurts but lack of university level support for the basics that athletes have had in the past is frustrating. I’m sure it is magnified much more for football (also beating KSU!$). It will be interesting to see even with Moorhead sitting tight, the level of turnover he will have on his staff. As shared by others in this thread a few already jumping ship. A feather in his cap, since he’s been here he has been able to retain the majority of his coaches over the offseason which frankly is rare for a program that has struggled to win. I’m rooting for him but can’t imagine the frustration.

And all I want for Christmas is a big who can rebound. Really, in 3 of our losses to good competition we have been outrebounded by 20. We are undersized and the word is out to pound the ball inside against the Zips and if you miss no big deal since you can get the offensive rebound and pound it inside again. I know that Groce wants to play fast but you still have to rebound to win basketball games. I don't think anyone on this board would have predicted with all the transfers from bigger programs that we would have difficulty rebounding the ball. I hope Groce finds some answers before the MAC season begins.

These boys are getting better

I love it. @blueandgold is correct in that it is chaotic and frustrating, but that's by design. It's frustrating for fans when the ball doesn't go in at a great clip, but it's even more frustrating for opponents. Here's why. Most teams do not have the quantity of shooters that the Zips have. There are 2 players that regularly play in an Akron uniform who do not shoot 3s - Okonkwo and MMK. This means the majority of Akron's shooting attempts are going to be from beyond the arc. For every 2 3's Akron makes, the opponent will have to make 3 2's. For simplicity, Akron's opponents will then have to score way more efficiently to keep up with Akron, assuming Akron is not having an all-time poor shooting performance. The pace of play is by design to maximize Akron's opportunities to shoot 3s and with the way Akron rebounds the ball, we are able to limit second chance opportunities for the opponent which cripples their equalizer. In the losses we have had so far, we have either shot poorly from 3 (30% or less; Ark St, Princeton) or have been heavily out-rebounded (SMC, Milwaukee, Yale). Those are the only two ways Akron is losing, and only one of them is out of our control. When you think about the game of basketball and all the variables, it's tough to find a system that limits the opponents' ability to affect the outcome. Akron controls the outcome most games and with the shooting personnel we possess, the outcome is going to favor Akron more often than not. For comparison, I took a look at Groce's 2009-10 and 2011-12 Ohio squads and their national rankings in specific stats. 2009-10 Points Per Game: 57th (73.9) FGA Per Game: 98th (57.5) 3P%: 71st (36.5%) 3PA Per Game: 67th (20.5) Possessions Per Game: 70th (71.8) Rebounds Per Game: 107th (36.3) Offensive Rebounds Per Game: 201st (9.5) 2011-12 Points Per Game: 110th (69.7) FGA Per Game: 90th (56.7) 3P%: 176th (34.0%) 3PA Per Game: 47th (21.8) Possessions Per Game: 148th (68.3) Rebounds Per Game: 191st (33.7) Offensive Rebounds Per Game: 79th (10.6) Akron 2024-25 Points Per Game: 75th (78.1) FGA Per Game: 4th (65.8) 3P%: 91st (35.2%) 3PA Per Game: 3rd (32.2) Possessions Per Game: 30th (75.0) Rebounds Per Game: 58th (38) Offensive Rebounds Per Game: 46th (10.9) Yes, the game has changed and the numbers are heavily inflated in today's game, but the patterns remain the same. Groce's OU squads were top 100 typically in these metrics. Akron is currently top 100 in all of these metrics. We know the success Groce has had with this type of team - 3 NCAA tourney wins including a near trip to the Elite Eight in 2011-12. The postseason success didn't match their regular season success, as both of Groce's Ohio squads struggled at times during their respective regular seasons. The current Zips aren't perfect by any means, but they are built to make noise in March. Only a couple months away from seeing if that happens.

Just win baby. Seems like the teams that are dangerous from 3 are the ones who make some noise in March.

Fans and alumni I've seen various places on the internet seem thrilled. This isn't a situation like UMass where the basketball fans are pissed because they got demoted that way football could be given a lifeline. Football is the only sport that matters to NIU. They will likely take their other sports to the Horizon, which will be even less travel for them compared to what they were doing in the MAC before. All of this is probably why NIU jumped at the invitation while Toledo has appeared to ignore it. Toledo cares about sports like basketball. Also, Toledo is centrally located in the MAC and has natural rivalries they don't want to lose. Edit: As someone who is more invested in MAC hoops, I'm thrilled by this move. Addition by subtraction.

The surprise stat of the night has to be that the 18 made threes was five short of the number of times Reghi said “respite”.

I think it's way too early to crown a MAC regular season champion. All the teams are very flawed and will have head scratching losses. I wouldn't be surprised if 11-7 wins the MAC this year.

Defense and rebounding need to improve to be a championship team. In Groce we trust

It's the same as it's always been. Win three nights in a row in March

OSU were runners up to Wake Forest in 2007. Your other points remain standing. Rarely is Hermann Trophy awarded to player on a team not advancing to round of 16. This year would have been a great case for the exception. The bizarre injury perpetrated upon Mitch Budler was enormously consequential. As if we needed more reasons to “hate” IU…

From the sounds of former interviews he already is spending the bulk of his time being the volunteer GM for the basketball program. Personally, I think his time and effort is better spent on his passion project over running an entire D1 athletic program, which he has little to no experience doing.

Truly hope Groce and Co. re-think scheduling next season and realize that the dates and locations of the games (not necessarily the opponents) crushed fan interest. I liked the 3 game tournament when it occurred but now realize that spreading those out over a few weeks would have been a much better option. Also, the academic calendar (no students until 1/12-13 for this year and next) is another pitfall.

How ‘bout dem Zips?!?! What a HUGE win for our women in the MAC opener on New Year’s Day! Beat OU after a “ehh” first half. The Big Lisa is really starting to play her style and dominated the paint today. Way to go Zips WBB!

Didn't I just say positive? I would expect better reading comprehension from an Akron grad. Happy New Year. 🎉

He dominated at JUCO and looked substantially better than Nunnally coming out of JUCO - good enough to get a P4 opportunity. Of course that doesn’t mean he’ll any better, or as good as Nunnally, but it’s at least a comparison point. He’s a guy to be excited about and will join a really young DE room with loads of upside. Now we need to address DT. Happy New Year!