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Some final, random thoughts on the game... There will never be a bigger opportunity lost for the Zips to beat Ohio State in basketball. The Ohio State team I saw on Tuesday night was essentially Ohio U masquerading in Ohio State uniforms. In the MAC, that team would be 10-6. Maybe worse. I do believe the dead-legs excuse. I never saw 3-point shots careen off the backboard like I saw towards the end of that game. From guys like Antino and Josh, who are typically solid. The 4-games in 6 days...with all being do-or-die tourney games, and 4th going to OT was just too much. In hindsight I'm sure Dambrot wishes he'd have played Jimmond a little more, and rested McAdams. Buy I admire that he went with his seniors to win or lose the game. He didn't do that at the end of the Buffalo game (sitting McAdams for the final possession), and I bet it's a regret. And before anyone writes a sappy "please get of KD's back" post - if you ever were a successful head coach at any level, then you've coached in Championship games against good coaches and great talent. Those games are always dogfights. And you make calls that you, in hindsight, regret...but you make them and live with them. And if people question them...so what...it's part of the deal when you're a coach. The Zips had at least 12 opportunities to put pressure on OSU with a back-breaking 3-pointer, and came up empty every time. The Zips team I saw the bulk of 2015-16 should have won this game by 15+ points...but it didn't happen. The OSU fans were nice. I wanted to hate them, but they were all very respectful. The cheerleaders from both programs performed together at one point, and the arena even played the Akron fight song over the PA system during a break. That's unheard of in any road game, let alone a tightly-contested tournament game. Referees did a nice job. Absolutely no homer element. If those guys ref'd the MAC finals, we'd have won the game. No way Buffalo would have only 1 foul whistled in the first 17 minutes of the 2nd half. Big Dog has developed into a Big 10 talent. OSU really had no answer for him. I think he fouled 2 guys out? His free throw misses were brutal. But you can't knock a guy when he puts forth an effort like we've seen from him over the entire season. Zeke came to UA with the accolades, and had a very nice career. But a dominant senior season puts Big Dog as UA's #1 all-time best center. Who'da thunk that last season? Kwan had some big blocks. He's a good at-the-rim defender, but he's not a good on-ball defender. Especially so the further away he gets from the hoop. It will be interesting to see how he works on his game over the off season. We really need the redshirted kids to step up and contribute in 2016-17. There are plenty of game-minutes to be had for the kids that put in the most work this off-season. The coaches need to re-evaluate themselves, and the program too. What can be done differently to better prepare the Zips for post-season success? The scheduling mindset of the past decade appears to be in obvious need of re-evaluation. Is it better to play a freshman with upside than upper-classmen who may have maxed-out? Who redshirts? Who leaves? I don't have much more to offer that already hasn't been said. It was a fun ride, but an all-too abrupt stop. See you at InfoCision.

• Woodson dropped 10 pounds to check in at 223 • Woodson is working with receivers three days a week on their own time to get on the same page Two great signs for the team and their fans.

If only the government could outlaw stupidity. What a wonderful world it would be.

Today is Akron's pro day. Seventeen Zips showed off their skills. Thirty scouts from twenty-two different teams were in attendance. The Browns had two scouts present. Rodney Coe was not able to work out because of an earlier sports hernia surgery. He still seemed in good spirits. Lots of excitement today around the field house today. I don't have any official numbers yet, as it was still going on as I departed. George is/was in attendance, so he may writing something. View video here.

They already self identified as "The Beast of the Northeast". Ain't that good enough?

33 reps from Jatavis... wow

I went ahead and highlighted the part that you missed.

Oh that makes much more sense. Sorry Zach for the misunderstanding.

My only thought is that there has to be at least a handful of teams nationwide that are in the same boat that the Zips are. Those are the schools we need to schedule for home games or home-and-homes. I don't know how many are a bus ride away (there may be a few though). We may need to be limited by geography somewhat but how limited do we need to be? This may be just my opinion but I think with multiple players from the Houston and Cincy areas on the team next year and beyond we should look into playing road games in those areas so those players on our teams get a homecoming came of sorts. Whether it be a Houston, Cincy, or Xavier type or a Rice or Northern Kentucky it would still be a nice thing for those players and certainly no worse than playing a Coppin State, UAPB, or Bethune-Cookman. plus playing in Cincinnati and/or Houston couldn't hurt recruiting-wise wither.

Needs to be better. Ohio State, Xavier, Dayton and Cincinnati compete with Akron for recruits like I compete with George Clooney for arm candy. Because losing to the Zips is not be considered a "bad loss." Because the Zips are a good gauge of where you stand on the mid-major scale. Because, for numerous top mid-majors mentioned (let's consider the Zips a "Top mid-major"), its a cheap bus-ride travel game. Because they'd get a home-home with an attractive opponent. Because they aren't getting an NCAA at-large unless they win 30 games against quality OOC opponents anyhow. But you can pick up the phone and call them, instead of Bethune Cookman.

People seem to forget or not realize that scheduling a game requires more than one team wanting it.

Early Spring practice reports that JoJo is a serious baller !!!