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Young showing who's the best freshman in the MAC. Bud Wentz seeing a future requiring deeper pockets.

These are embarrassing comments for Pinky and Kent. From everything I've heard from Bud Wentz and those with knowledge of our NIL collective, it is not a buy-the-best type of system. Our NIL collective rewards players who want to be a Zip and commit to the Akron/Groce way - play hard, show humility, and be involved in the community. Those who do that will receive a solid long-term return on their investment (I believe Wentz has said part of the collective is designed to help alumni as long as they stay involved). Okonkwo was a P4 journeyman big man that played very sparingly at both WVU and UNC. Wilson was a deeper bench role player at WVU. Hardman was a benchwarming 3P specialist at Ohio State. Harris had a decent track record of success at WVU, but he's out for the season. Gray was a solid player for Cornell. I'm sure there was competition for these players, but I doubt many if any had legitimately lucrative offers from bigger programs. They chose to come to Akron because of what Groce can do for them, which is elevate them as young men and players. Groce designed this team like a master architect and provided them the patience and room to grow into the team they are today. Groce has owned Pinky/Kent ever since he filled the cupboards after his first year. NIL wasn't even a thing in the beginning. Freeman, Ali Ali, and Tribble were all homegrown. This is the first year we've made legitimate moves in the transfer portal (2019-20 was big, too, but that didn't involve NIL), and the only difference is we're scoring 85 when we beat Kent instead of 62. If Pinky wants NIL, maybe he shouldn't be coaching at a fashion-first school that has continually neglected its athletics outside of catching lightning in a bottle every once in a while. Or maybe he should go back to his roots of recruiting violations/cheating (didn't realize Steele was on that staff as well). Groce is 100x the coach Pinky is - I'm low-balling with that - and that's the sole difference between where Akron is with basketball and where Kent is. Cry more, clown.

PCCC fans leaving to get home before their house arrest bracelets report them as out.

A couple of months in a conservative Christian school is apparently bad for your game.

This morning I was floating in the Caribbean Sea, and I am now in the very top corner of the mac center. Best place in the world to worst in 12 hours

Seth Wilson with great D tonight with the primary responsibility on Davis, per Groce.

I love how the Zips have responded every time PCCC has made a run so far tonight.

I so want them to come out and "step on their necks" but it's never just that easy.

I believe UMass is somewhere in the neighborhood of $250k-$300k and it was reported they would have biggest NIL in MAC hoops. That would make me guess Akron is in $100k-$200k range. Large enough that it's a competitive advantage. Not large enough that other programs can't overcome if they learn to get their sh*t together.

Groce is the greatest Akron Zips basketball coach ever. I will pat myself on the back and say I've been in his camp from Day 1. At Ohio, he took the Zips out twice in Cleveland. 4-0 in MAC titles. And, yes, he's benefiting from the financial help of Wentz BUT that benefit wouldn't be coming if Groce wasn't the coach he is. Wentz and others wouldn't throw that kind of $ at Boals or Lewis. This current group of players are solid and mature. Any MAC team would start Gray, Okonkwo, either Johnson, or Seth Wilson. I remember early in season Seth Wilson was benched. He was out of shape. A few weeks later Wilson was starting. Groce mentioned in the post game show that Wilson knocked off some bad habits. He's now a massive presence.

Okonkwo playing with a lot of fire for a guy who doesn't have experience in the rivalry.

Nate Johnson’s play style kind of reminds me of LBJ

In my mind, Sullinger has regressed. Does not look like the same player as last year. Not as quick and not as good of shooter. I can see why Kent is struggling. Zips playing really good ball. Great ball movement and controlling the boards. KJ is just so smooth on his jump shot in the key. Really fun to watch.

The announcers keep talking about how Kent is slowing the Akron offense down by getting to the free throw line. We just hung 48 on them in the first half.

The Cardinals of Ball State come in to the JAR Tuesday night to face the Zips. Going into Buffalo today the Cards stand at 9-11, 3-5 in the MAC. Jermahri Hill, a 6’5” junior guard, leads the Cardinals at 16.2 ppg, while also contributing 5 rpg. 6’10” senior center Payton Sparks is back with the Cardinals after his venture at Indiana and is second in scoring at 12.1 ppg while leading the team in rebounds at 7.8 rpg. Sparks doesn’t see to have developed much since his outstanding freshman season when he was MAC Freshman of the Year and averaged 13.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg. He is still one of the top MAC big men and will be a challenge for Okonkwo and Lyles.

I just went and looked at the replay. How did OU miss that layup?

It was rude of Ohio not to accept the gift. Miami is fortunate. The maimed Bobcats shot 36.8% from the field and 29.4% from 3, yet came within a missed potential game winning layup of knocking off the vaunted Redhawks. Athleticism continues to be an Achilles heal for Miami.

Just watched Miami try to give away a double digit lead and Ohio refuse to accept the gift.

I don't blame him. He's trying to get the admin to get him some money to compete. Just like Moorhead trying to do the same with our football program. It's kind of satisfying seeing us as the program with the resources and everyone knows it.

Highlights from the Mr. Pinky whinefest for those unable to access the Ohio.com article: "When I watch them, to me, I equate it to Major League Baseball," Senderoff said. "This is something that maybe people don't quite understand. They are right now in this conference, like when I grew up it was the New York Yankees or nowadays like the Los Angeles Dodgers." "They have great players. They get in what's free agency. They get the best free agents in our league. They have an unbelievable coach who does a great job. I refer to John Groce as like Joe Torre. He is a great coach. They are undefeated. "The free agents they get, they develop their returning players, they got Joe Torre as the head coach and you are just sitting there saying I am trying my best to compete and right now my team, we did not play great tonight," Senderoff said. "I gotta credit Akron for that to some degree. They played really well." Free agents? Dodgers? Yankees? Those are clearly criticisms and/or jealousy of Akron's NIL status. Unfortunately, Senderoff doesn't recognize that PCCC exists on a level playing field to UA. It's not the Dodgers and Guardians. The only difference is that Groce's approach and success attracts top talent and has gained the loyalty of alums and fans.

Glass is always half empty in some corners.

Continuing the conversation, we just blew out Northern Illinois and Kent on the road. Historically, 2 places that Akron has struggled to win. We dominated the boards in both games. In the OOC schedule our weakness has now become our strength. Nate Johnson is becoming a stud and played 35 minutes. His fade away around the basket is deadly and unstoppable. As long as we continue to shoot 40% or better from the 3 ball we will be tough to beat. However, our point guards have played loose with the ball and had 7 turnovers against Kent and TJ had 7 against Northern Illinois. Sharon Young went 0 for 5 at N. Illinois. My point is that we are not playing our best and still blowing out teams on the road. I think we are a good team playing a weak schedule. Barring injury, running out the MAC seems doable. Agree or disagree?

Senderoff's comments in the Ohio.com article were a little odd and clearly a veiled whine about Akron's NIL advantage. What a whiney puke. How about we revisit actual NCAA recruiting violations like your inability to master the recruiting calendar and making it easily provable through phone records.

They beat Cleveland State (currently on a weak 13 game winning streak) by 16 at the Wolstein Center. Also, don't forget, Doug Gottlieb coaches in the Horizon League. Kent is an atrocious offensive team, but there are few teams in the country with the offensive fire power we have to completely nullify the few things Kent is good at.

Can't relate

Good enough to hang on, not good enough to move on, too good to can...the Mr. Pinky curse.

Even though I enjoy charkwgriswold's insights and comments and being a Big Zip fan. He lives 10 minutes from the "Urinal" and did not go to the game. For whatever reason. He should get a one game suspension. Unacceptable.

I'm going to start selling subscriptions! Lead pipe cinch winners at ClarkieBets.com!

Interesting to hear that British accent on Okonkwo in the post game interview.

What a pretty graph...(thanks ESPN).

My lottery numbers just missed, too...

Deliberate but good possessions from here on out.

I did an alternate spread of Zips -11 pre game. Easy money. btw, the Zips largest margin of victory playing at PCCC is 66 (77-71). Highest margin of victory all time for the Zips in the rivalry game is 20 from 2022. Will we beat it?

I think we can safely say that the Flashes have been FLUSHED

In these games, usually the first team to 60 wins. We are at 61.

The Great Society! 🤩

Drop 48 and up 17 at the half at the Portage County dump. Can’t complain too much about that. Defense has given them too many good looks though. Need to tighten that up a little. Loving the intensity from Okonkwo.

Okonkwo playing big down low!

How about "Pink Vomit."

I can't see Rob Senderoff and not think of Paul Giamatti as "Pig Vomit" in Private Parts.

86-69 Akron is my final prediction.

Every year the NBA has players from overseas that get drafted at the end of the first round or 2nd round who never come to the NBA. My guess is they wanted his draft rights in case he decides to join their league in the future. A two-way NBA contract has to pay better than the Puerto Rico league. He probably only plays in Puerto Rico if his NBA career flames out.

There were years I could see this happening. I don't see a team with guys like Gray, Scott, Wilson and the Johnsons getting punked.

There are lies, damned lies, then there are statistics.

Absolutely brutal start. Zips trail 20-4 end of 1st.