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I think the Zip roll. I actually think this team is better than last year. Some how this team is looking good on defense as well as consistently Shooting around 37% from 3 The emergence of Seth Wilson has been a game changer… I have been so proud of his perseverance through adversity I personally think no MAC team can beat us… only way we lose is if we beat ourselves!

This is an interesting topic: Are we really good because after the OOC schedule we improved a great deal or do we appear to be good because the MAC sucks. My answer: time will tell. Even good teams will lose against bad teams. However, if this team is really good, lets win the rest of the games. A really good Akron team should be able to run out the rest of the schedule. Lets win at Northern Illinois and at Kent and then continue this conversation.

Nearly the entire month of December was "off" shooting wise. Opp: 3P% NKU: 44% Milwaukee: 40% Yale: 33.3% Jackson St: 23.1% Princeton: 30.4% BUGS: 28.6% (January) The Princeton and BUGS games taught this team what it takes to win without shooting lights out. Prior to those games, if I remember correctly, they were ~250 or so on average for most defensive metrics. They are currently top ~150 in the mostly-unaffected-by-Akron's-style defensive metrics (stat categories that our up-tempo style doesn't naturally inflate). According to TeamRankings, we are... 66th in Opp. Turnovers per Game 73rd in Opp. Assists/Turnover per Game 82nd in Opp. Assists/FGM per Game 109th in Opp. Shooting Efficiency 116th in Opp. 2P% 117th in Opp. Shooting % 126th in Blocks per Game 143rd in Opp. 3P% Here are some other metrics that stand out... Rebounds per Game: 22nd Offensive Rebounds per Game: 64th Assists/Turnover: 47th Outside of our assists, none of these metrics have anything to do with our shooting. During the OOC portion of the schedule, we were heavily reliant on the 3-ball. Even if that was falling, the team didn't know how to do the other things well - rebounding, defense, etc. - to make up for the poor shooting. There are quite a few variables that played into what caused those deficiencies, and they seem to have been ironed out since. We are currently a true 10-deep team, meaning all 10 guys can contribute positively during the course of a game. We were arguably 7-8 deep in November/December. Wilson was MIA, Hardman was a reliability in every aspect (even his shooting at the time), Okonkwo was getting bullied down low and didn't contribute much offensively, MMK wasn't playing much, etc. The rest of the guys didn't have the chemistry yet to know their roles; Nate Johnson wasn't the leader he is today, Isaiah Gray was trying to make too much happen at times and played out of control, Tavari would go iso-ball and kill possessions, Shammah didn't have the confidence he does today, Young was still getting his feet wet as a freshman, and Lyles was hurt for an extended period of time. Our ball movement and off-the-ball movement has improved tremendously as the chemistry has been built. It has been interesting to watch teams try to push us off the 3P line, only to have a backdoor cut found for an easy layup, or our plethora of athletic guards drive by a pressing defender only to have limited help in the paint (typically leading to a layup although we have missed our fair share). This is the stuff that takes time to build with so many new pieces. November and December were some of the most frustrating months I can remember as an Akron basketball fan, but we shouldn't let it cloud our judgement of what this team is now and is capable of going forward. The growth they've exhibited is incredible and kudos to Groce & his staff for keeping the guys locked in going into MAC play.

The five out, motion offense has enabled Tavari to use his offensive skills much more so than in previous seasons. The floor spacing on offense this year is good for Tavari. He is so dangerous running the pick n roll. He can get by the defender, step back for a three, or make a good pass to the roll. He has also grown up by not always trying to make a spectacular pass and instead making a solid pass. He occasionally tries to put too much mustard on the pass which results in a spectacular play, or a turnover. Some clean up is still needed here. As for defense, his athleticism has improved immensely. He has obviously worked hard on his body and is able to keep his body in position in front of the offensive player. He has also been able to block several shots this year with his improved athleticism. He is not a great defender yet, but he is also not a liability any more.

Hey Zips fans, as you wait for the NIU game the Mad Ants are also playing now on ESPN+ with Enrique!

Are you saying the MAC blows?

Marquelle Macintire!

History tells me this season will bring at least one inexplicable loss that will lead to the grinding of teeth, wringing of hands and questioning of our love for this team.

Hopefully, while in DeKalb over night, Groce can lay the ground work for a future home and home with NIU.

The line is Zips -15, under/over is 154. Add a direction to the name of your school in MAC basketball and I immediately lose interest.

According to Kenpom metrics, UMass would be the 5th best team in the MAC right now.

MAC Player of the Week!

I hope thats not the case. I believe we already lost two guys for the season (Mahaffey and Harris).

On a night Okonkwo runs up the silly fouls, Lyles has a substandard game, the threes don't fall and the other team gets hot, this team will lose. I like this team and their chances to win the MAC but history tells me there will be speed bumps along the way, including another injury or two.

I have to think he is happy with his decision to roll with Akron over Miami and Ohio.

You forgot 4) shoot too many 3s

Pretty sure I saw Josh Henderson at last week’s game vs. Miami.

We have Northern, Eastern, Western and Central. I guess with the departure of NIU there's no sense in courting Southern Illinois.

It will be because we: 1) lack a viable backup big; 2) have an unchallenging OOC schedule; or 3) are playing too fast.

That white guy.

Also, I would say rebounding is very much a counting stat. The faster pace a team plays, the more shot attempts and misses in a game there will be on average. Therefore there will be more rebounding opportunities. Ideally, you would want to look by rebounding margin, which Akron is doing well at #75, and more preferably by rebounding rate. That way you can see what percentage of misses you rebounding compared to your competition. My main concern is you say our numbers have improved in January, which is true. That just happens to correspond when our opponents got conveniently much easier. Miami was the first decent team we've beaten all season. Beating the teams you're supposed to beat is always a positive, but I want to see better consistent play against other higher quality competition before I buy in. If we play the second leg of the MAC-Sun Belt challenge like we did against Miami I'll buy in. Right now I'm cautiously optimistic.

My concern about the Zips this season is over the course of the season you're going to have off shooting nights. Do they have it in them to win a physical, gritty contest when the shots aren't falling?

If not, maybe there’s an NIU-Hamilton we could schedule instead? Or SUNY-DeKalb?

Bizarre path to player of the week. His first few games as a frosh were amazing. And then he struggled. He had some good games but was not consistent. Second year he started at the beginning of the season and then came off the bench. And then there were games he did not even get into the games. Groce would pull him because of his defense. At the end of the season he was the 4th guard off the bench but had some great games against Kent and in Cleveland and played more than the starters. Many on this board wanted to see him transfer. This season during MAC play he has been great!!! I still think we have the 2 best guards in the conference. And we know that good point guards are worth their weight in gold.

It's a big nothing. Them leaving the MAC is a good thing.

No MAC school has ever bored me so much as NIU.

Saint Mary's ranking as the top mid major at the moment, according to this account.

At least it's the JAR. If the ABJ would've written this article, they would've included a picture of the MACC.