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So far UMass football and mens basketball are a combined 0-12 against MAC competition. Welcome back. 🙂

If I had tuned into this game I would think Akron is good, but nothing special. 19 TO's is enough to explode over. Groce said in his radio comments that a lot of them were due to CMU's pressure. That is not true. They were due to laziness, lack of discipline and lack of patience. Players were trying to make things happen that were not there. Many times trying to penetrate when a fellow player was open in the backcourt. This is on Groce. He is tolerating it and it is time to use playing time to get his message across. The 15 TO's were had against Miami cost us the game. Cut those in half and we win going away. I love John, but it is on him to fix this because it can be worse against the better teams. Everything we do from here on out is preparation for the MAC tourney and the NCAA's. We have to get better.

GP1 gonna be pissed

But their women's team is 2-0 and beat Kent. Lol

I believe he has at least 1 opportunity.. (unless it has now dissipated)

Right now, the primary issue for the Zips seems to be depth. Sharron Young and Bowen Hardman haven't shot the ball well this season. Eric Mahaffey started the season well but has been up-and-down since (as one would expect from him in his first year). Oggie has basically fallen out of the rotation. It doesn't sound like Barre is close to returning. It's basically Tavari, Shammah, and Amani, with Evan occasionally having a decent scoring game. For us to win the MAC and possibly get a win in March, we're going to need one or more of Young/Hardman/Ev. Mahaffey to get going with more consistency.

Tavari is having a great season. He had put his name in the transfer portal and then decided to stay with Akron Does anyone know the story behind the reason he stayed. Did Akron give him more money? Was there a lack of interest in the portal? I am so glad he stayed. Having an amazing season.

No matter what happens the rest of the game, Shammah gets player of the game.

Zips have had some really bad passes tonight. At least one landing in the 3rd row. Lyles was jinxed by the Phelps when he talked about how well he has been playing the last 8 games. I cannot remember the last time I heard a 3 second call at a game. I thought they did away with that violation. (LOL) Scott is really playing well. We must have at least 10 points on fast breaks. Love Scott's reverse layup.

It would be impossible for Lyles to play any worse.

I laugh every time I hear Phat Phat Brooks. I'm 12.

Shammah on fire

Zips used to do that with Zeke Marshall. Drove me crazy. 🙂

It's worth noting that 1 game will get flexed to a 6PM start time and air on ESPN2. The game in all likelihood will either be Miami @ Marshall or Akron @ Troy. If the decision was to be made today it would probably be Miami @ Marshall just because Miami is still undefeated. We'll see how the next few weeks play out.

By my count this currently gives us 14 signings. 10 offense: 6 OL 1 QB 3 WR 4 defense: 2 LB 2 DB We still need some DL and an upperclassman QB. Ps. Zips' OL coach Joel Rodriguez is one hell of a recruiter.

This is the biggest issue with the portal right now, in my opinion. We have all these players that we're identifying and developing, then they leave and we get nothing in return. The transfer fees would help build parity in college sports. But I think that's probably also why it's not gonna happen, because the big conferences won't let it.

Evan is doing great. 4th in scoring average #1 offensive rebounds #1 steals My eye test thinks big Stank should play more.

We're facing Troy on Feb. 7 in the 2nd round of the MAC-SBC. They're currently 10-5 (3-0) and are 125 in the NET. They beat Kent but lost to Toledo (in a holiday tournament). https://gozips.com/news/2026/1/6/mens-basketball-second-round-of-the-mac-sbc-challenge-announced-zips-set-to-travel-to-troy

Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.

Not looking too promising for Cheatom.

Zips legend Jim Dennsion has passed. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2026/01/05/jim-dennison-died-obit-akron-zips-football-coach-walsh/77733069007/ https://medina-gazette.com/news/453612/college-football-wadsworth-native-jim-dennison-dies-at-87/ https://gozips.com/news/2026/1/5/general-akron-athletics-mourns-loss-of-hall-of-fame-football-coach-and-athletics-director-jim-dennison https://www.beaconjournal.com/obituaries/pwoo1374962