PEAYNATION!

Where to start...Mad dog defense? Where was that? Peay had NO inside defense and NO inside offense.DJ "The Blur" Wright?? 2 points, ZERO steals, and oh yeah, no broken ankles.Our guards were more than quick enough against "The Blur". Dials scored more than your starting guards combined, as did Cedric and he comes off the bench. Hopefully "The Blur" was taking notes when Cedric went smoking by him.Not impressed with Quaid Milam's jumping? I bet the guy who had Quaid's nuts in his face during his dunks was.Stats for you:Shooting % Who REALLY had the mad dog defense?Akron 46%Peay 33%ReboundsAkron 46Peay 303 pointers (where were your boys raining them from the outside?)Akron 7-17 41%Peay 4-21 19%Blocked Shots:Akron 7Peay 3StealsAkron 4Peay 3, NONE by "The Blur"Points:Akron 74Peay 57It could have been a lot worse if Akron would not have gone into slowdown the last 4 minutes and if the OVC refs actually knew how to call a game in the first half. You come here talkin' that smack, you gotta expect to get run after your boys get the hammer dropped on them like that.One thing for sure , I think the Govs learned tonight that this this ain't the OVC. Hello Sunshine, I think children should speak respectively to their elders so let's talk again when you become a Junior Zippy like I am, Little Joey. Little Joeys do not qualify as Akron fans in my book but I will address one of your many ascerbic statements. Little Joey said, "One thing for sure , I think the Govs learned tonight that this this ain't the OVC." I think the Govs learned today that AKRON, which happens to be in the MAC, is a better team. Akron beats MAC teams the same way, Little Joey. The MAC is, in my opinion, a better conference than the OVC this year and most anyone in the OVC would say that the OVC is down this year mainly because the vast majority of teams are so young. The OVC's rankings generally fluctuate between 16th and 26th. To draw a conclusion that because Akron proved superior over Austin Peay in today's contest at the JAR entails that, therefore, Austin Peay would be out of their League in the MAC is, at best, a leap of logic. Now you go back to your little potty, Little Joey.

Hello Skip Zip, No, I was the one who made that comment and I did see Milum's dunks. May I explain that I did not intend for my comment to be negative toward any of the Zips players as some seem to have taken it. Quade has some serious hops and he showed that today and I never said the Zips and Quade in particular did not have serious hops. What I said was that the Zips had no one who could outjump Lockett and as impressive as was Milum's hops today (and he is an outstanding overall player as well, might I add), still, I have seen Lockett get off the ground higher than that. He had no good opportunity to do so today. Saying that Lockett can jump higher is not the same as saying he is going to dominate the boards or is a better basketball player or anything of the sort. It is merely saying Lockett can jump higher than anyone on the Zips team and I saw nothing today to disprove that simple statement. If it makes anyone feel any better then when Milum dunked the alley-oop pass from the inbounds then the thirty or so Peayfans who were gathered gave a big "Ooooooooo" in appreciation of his hops but in none of Milum's dunks today was his elbow above the top of the bankshot box.

sgm405 and other Zips fans, I promised that I would come back to this board after the game whether in victory or defeat and be a gracious winner for the Govs or loser. I intend to keep that promise. I live 1 1/2 hours away from Clarksville and south of Nashville but ventured to Clarksville to watch the game at a local restaurant with a few dozen Gov fans in attendance. I have just returned so that is why this post is a few hours past the game's end. If your team loses a game then you try to assess the reason(s) for that loss. Sometimes a loss is due to your team just not playing to their capabilities and simply having an off night which happens from time to time. Sometimes your team simply comes upon a team which is superior. In the case of tonight's contest, I think it was about 70% the latter and 30% the former. In the end, Akron simply has the superior team and was able to execute their plans whereas Austin Peay could not. I will get to Akron's superiority in this contest in a moment but the Governors played in some ways which were wholly untypical as to how they have been playing as of late. Their very poor perimeter shooting when finding open looks is the main case in point. The Governors have been a much better shooting team than they showed today but they were just not dropping in for the Govs when they did have open shots. I think Babbington was 1-8 and Shipley was 1-6 which is a poor shooting night for those two. smg405, you stated in your post game thoughts that you felt the Zips perimeter defense was the main reason for the Zips victory. I am not going to disagree that the Zips did an outstanding job defensively on the perimeter. I just have a difference of opinion as to what was the main cause of Austin Peay's defeat. I think where the Zips were clearly superior and where the game was won for the Zips and lost for the Peay was in the dominating play of Travis and Woods down low. The performance of these two inside guys was simply dominant both on the boards and scoring and it was their play which later opened it up for Dials from the outside. The Govs duo of Reed and Lockett were simply no match for Woods and Travis and Reed and Lockett were just getting outmuscled in the paint. Whoever called these two guys "The Crunch Brothers" were absolutely right! These two guys are a force. I thought in pre-game that it would be critical for Austin Peay to start the game hot and that they could not get behind this Zips team and play from behind. Well, they came out cold and the Zips took an early commanding lead. I liked the way the Govs battled back to tie the game and keep the score close at halftime which was then a four point differential. It was during that stretch when the Govs were battling back into the contest that I thought they would be okay since they were getting some stops and finding ways to score. Reed seemed to be getting on track, Lockett was doing some nice things and we were hitting a few open shots. So, at halftime I thought that it would be critical for Austin Peay to come out the second half and do more of the same but their opening possessions were wholly unfruitful and then the Zips really tightened the defensive screws and the game was over. Some things I do not understand as I am trying to recall the game in my mind; 1) The Govs zone gave the Zips problems in the first half but it was not utilized much (if at all) in the second half. Why? 2) The Govs pressured the backcourt and got a turnover then dropped out of the backcourt pressure. Why? 3) Guard Wes Channels came of the bench and provided some offensive spark in the first half but I do not remember seeing him much in the second half. If he was not out there, why? 4) Peay's Kyle Duncan, I was told, went to Akron with strep throat. Why? That was sick young man out on the court tonight. Oh well, what is over is over. Akron has a very nice basketball team and one that is very, very good. Austin Peay certainly did not bring their A game tonight but I also think Akron could have played better too and part of Austin Peay not playing their A game can be attributed to the Akron Zips. Best of skill (I think basketball is a game of skill, not luck) the remainder of your season and I, for one, think the Zips future is very bright indeed. BTW, smg405, those referees were OVC officials. See? I told this board they were bad.

Here is the gameday article about the game in today's Clarksville Leaf Chronicle. Uhm, nothing really revelatory or spectacular about the article but if you are interested then here it is:Govs/Zips

Dr. Z, Perhaps one of the other Peay posters could answer this more accurately than I can but it does not seem that Austin Peay has utilized the press nearly as much as in year's past. This year's team is different in several respects both offensively and defensively. If the Zips have had trouble with the press then I'm sure it is in the scouting report and the Zips will probably see it but I have not really seen the press used to any great degree this year as opposed to year's past. I have seen them use it and with success such as the first meeting with Murray State. Defensively, the Govs like to play man to man and in year's past pressed quite a bit and played exclusively man in the halfcourt. This year we have seen more zone and mixing up of defensive schemes which has caused some problems for opposing teams. I am thinking the Govs will not use much zone (or any) in this contest knowing that the Zips have some really good shooters excepting maybe if the Zips are hurting the Govs in the paint. This defense can be outstanding and the defense has completely changed some ballgames around. "Mad dog defense" is how one Gov poster described it and when they rachet up the pressure then it is very aggressive and very intense. Yet, it is also very disciplined. The defense has gotten better as the season has progressed (well, everything has gotten better) and there has been a lapse or two along the way but, overall, it is mostly just a very good defensive unit that has not used that much backcourt pressure in comparison to year's past. But if the Zips have had trouble with it then they may press for 40 minutes if it brings results. Loos is a wiley he-devil and is apt to try all manner of poisons. The 03-04 team was arguably the best defensive team the Govs ever had or close to it but they could seemingly only score offensively in spurts. Every trip down court was a new adventure but they won games because the opponents scored so few points. This year's team is very balanced offensively and has weapons inside and outside. I like the fact that we have a good defense and can also score. The difference in offense from the beginning of the season to present is like night and day. Then again, it is not even the same starting lineup as Coach Loos found success starting a smaller lineup and found a good rotation. The Govs had a few games where they turned the ball over over 20 times early in the season but those types of errors have been cut drastically. DJ Wright has greatly matured as the floor General and is doing everything well - making good decisions, protecting the ball and knowing what to do with it.Here is a link to team and individual OVC stats for those who like numbers:OVC statistical leaders

That is a very nice assessment, APGrad and the line about double teams seemingly coming out of nowhere is quite true. I am reminded about the play-by-play during the TSU game where the P-team said several times that big boy, Clarence Matthews, was simply confounded when he got the ball. The govs doubled him down low and he had no idea from where it was coming or what to do with the ball. Not a bad job against a guy who went off on us last year in one game

I think MAC refs must also work OVC games too then. One thing I will say about OVC officials is that they are at least consistently bad on both sides so it usually evens out. We always get to witness some really head scratching type calls though. I wouldn't be surprised to someday see an OVC basketball ref call 'off sides' and assess a five yard penalty.

Nice posts Peaynation. I have enjoyed learning about your team through your posts.Stop back here to zipsnation after the game. Always good to hear the "other side's" perspective.Hey, you should be able to place a nice bet on the money line if your final comes in. Hope your a betting man. Anybody want to guess what the spread is going to be? I'm guessing the money line is +350. I will definitely do that, Dr. Z, and promise to be gracious in either victory or defeat. Like I said, I do not know much about the Zips but it is safe to say they have an outstanding basketball team whether they win on Saturday or lose this one contest. This is but two teams passing in the night for a short rendezvous. Losing to Akron will not be a disgrace for Austin Peay if they should lose nor should Akron losing to Austin Peay be a disgrace if Akron should lose despite some of the rhetoric expounded thus far on this board. Austin Peay will be bringing a very good basketball team to Akron and the way they have been playing lately, sometimes downright scary. I'll stand by my pick with the hope that the Govs bring their best to Akron on Saturday.GOVS: 75ZIPS: 73 That homecourt winning stuff has to end sometime but I think it absolutely essential that the Govs come out playing on fire and taking it straight to the Zips on both ends of the court. The Govs cannot treat this Zips team with kid gloves or they will get cold-cocked in the mouth. Peay needs to come out VERY AGGRESSIVE and hope the refs are not MAC refs. I think Roberson, Fields, and Felder have done some great things with their time on the court but the Govs will need Reed and Lockett to stay out of foul trouble (which has not really been a problem for them this year). On the other side, I also think if the Zips come out acting as if the game itself is a foregone conclusion then the Govs will cold-cock them in the teeth. The Zips will also need to be aggressive both on the perimeter and inside. The Zips cannot leave Wright, Shipley, Channels and especially Babbington alone. The Govs shot something like 70% from threeland a few games ago and Wright was 5-5 from the field the other night. Inside, well, Drake Reed is a lot to handle. He's got moves and can take it to the hole or spot up and can score proficiently with either hand. Lockett is also shooting over 50% for the season. I think Lockett should shoot more than he does. What is also essential for the Governors is that they must limit the Zips opportunities to one shot and out. If the Zips controle the offensive boards then this game could get ugly for the Peay. The Zips are apparently good enough without giving them even more opportunity, you know? So, gotta keep the Zips off the glass and crash the boards.

Yes, playing Akron in the JAR is my only concern about playing Akron. I do not really see any matchup problems but my own scouting adventures into Zipsland are spotty at best. Austin Peay is the same way at home and just a couple of seasons ago had the longest home winning streak in the nation at about 30 games. Zips by 12. Reasonable. Zips by 30. Uhm, no.

What kind of style does Toledo play? The Govs are versatile. They have played uptempo and in transition and they have played games where they slowed the tempo. Basically, though, they prefer to set up and run their offense taking a shot whenever it becomes available. They run a zone high/low offense. Defensively, they will probably play man to man exclusively. Amazingly, we have seen this team play some zone this year but Dave Loos typically likes to play man and preaches defense, defense, DEFENSE! Dave Loos is also an absolute master at making the needed adjustments to help his team win the game. Sometimes they come out of a timeup with a whole new level of intensity on defense. To be sure, Austin Peay's Peayfense will need to be there on Saturday. If not then the game is over. If it shows up and is intense then these 30 point predictions are really quite silly. The same can be said of Akron's defense against Austin Peay. They can score inside or out but, again, the Zips better find an answer to Drake Reed. What is he doing at Austin Peay? He is from Clarksville and wanted to stay close to home. Otherwise, he was recruited by virtually every major conference with Memphis and Louisville very heavy in their desire to procure his most wonderful services. But Reed is a very unselfish and unassuming lad and doesn't mind having a low key game if the attention given to him helps others get open looks. Concerning our Post players, Coach Loos likes to say we have a Bull and Gazelle down low (Reed and Lockett). Now, I am not going to come here and diss on Akron or demand that anyone eat their words should the Governors win this contest. My hatred and derision is reserved for teams like Murray State - that loathesome bunch of bedwetting crackheads. Insofar as I am concerned, Akron is a very fine school who happens to have a very fine basketball team this year. The only game I want Akron to lose this year is to Austin Peay.

Personally, I do not care for the BracketBuster "Tournament." I think it is an intrusion and distraction for teams away from their conference focus. Who knows that one or both of these teams might come into the contest without even caring who wins? Some Peay fans have suggested using the game to rest our starters but I know Coach Dave Loos isn't going to take that attitude into this game. No, a win against Austin Peay is not going to propel Akron into heights it has never seen. Then again, neither is a win at Akron going to do wonders for Austin Peay. Last week the RPI's were 97 (Akron) and 107 (Austin Peay) respectively. Today it is 85 and 107.

I repeat, "The Zips have no one who can outjump Lockett." He had a one handed dunk against Samford last week off a missed free throw where, it was said, his elbow was as high as the top of the bankshot box. But, his dunks, spectacular as they are, are really quite rare in a game. He can score but is mostly a glass eater. Has had his share of double doubles this year. Drake Reed is almost assured of garnering the OVC Player of the Year award but Lockett's name is also prominently mentioned. I do not see a 6'10" guy coming off the bench as a threat to Lockett. Could Milum perhaps be slow or a bit rough around the edges? Austin Peay has a seven footer but he gets little time now since we went to a smaller, quicker lineup. Uhm, he's not much of a threat to you anyway. Hey, it may be a 20 point blowout in favor of the Zips. I cannot get a feel for this game or this team as stated earlier but if the Govs come to play and bring their A game then the Zips will be getting all they can handle. Just tellin' you. It is a very unselfish and disciplined team and anyone on the court can be the high scorer or make the big plays. Very solid down low and can be an outstanding perimeter defensive team and rank either at the top or near the top in most defensive categorys in their League. Whoever is your ballhandler then please apprise him that the ball will be stolen from him - it is only a question of how many times DJ Wright is going to pick his pocket. He does it every contest. Limit it to 2 or 3 then you have done well. Some poor guard tried to play some D on Wright the other night but a killer crossover nearly broke the dude's ankles. Dimuniative in stature but very, very quick. That is why he is called "The Blur." You mentioned Milum and I was already aware of him from my reading but what kind of bench do you have? Peay will go about 8 and sometimes 9 deep. The sixth man, Shipley (sometimes Channels) are both players who can be dangerous and we are quite comfortable with them in the game out on the perimeter. Shipley is a streak shooter and can be a defensive pest. Channels is a Frosh out of Memphis who can score or dish. Fields, Felder and Roberson will see playing time down low. These three are not nearly the scoring threats as Reed or Lockett but they have held the fort down well while those two catch a breather. This team is very young (not a senior in the bunch) but they have matured a lot from those first few games. Again, Dave Loos demands two things from all his teams; Discipline and defense. Uhm, Milum may get a lot of boards but he will do so by positioning and not by outjumping Lockett. Lockett will outjump him if it came down to that and, nope, I am far from insane. There is a reason Lockett is called "the Rocket." Still, though, and as your Coach is sure to say, it is Drake Reed that is going to garner a lot of attention from the Zips.

I've been reading this board, the OU board, and looking at stat lines and sheets to try to get a feel for this Zips team or come to some type of concensus in my own mind as to how I think this game will go. However, I really haven't a clue. I cannot get a feel for this game. These teams seem to mirror one another in many respects. I think this Governor team is going to give the Zips all they can handle and possibly more IF they play as they have been playing. I think one big key for the Govs is that they must come out of the starting gate on fire. Peay is certainly capable of coming back from deficits as they have had to do on a few occasions this year but I do not think they can get down early to Akron. I also think the Zips are going to have a hard time defending Drake Reed and Fernandez Lockett down low. Reed can play with anyone in the country (actually, his AAU days saw him play against some of the bigger names in college ball today such as Hansbrough - and did quite well) and the Zips have no one who can outjump Lockett. I also do not think the Zips have a guard who is as quick as DJ Wright. However, I gather that the Zips have a very stingy defense so we shall see (the Govs can play a little D too). It is not so much the Zips themselves as the Zips in the JAR that concerns me. If the Zips came to Austin Peay on Saturday then they would lose and probably lose by a rather large margin the way the Govs have been playing. Again, I think the Zips mirror Austin Peay in their home court advantage. However, this Governor team has been surprising everyone this year and silencing the nay-sayers. I am going with the Governors of Austin Peay. If Reed and Lockett can get us going early on and Babbington, Wright, Shipley start stroking it from outside then it is lights out for the Zips but the Governors cannot come out trying to feel this team out - they must take it directly to the Zips.GOVS: 75ZIPS: 73

Well, Zips, sorry to hear that you dropped the game at Toledo but, you know, it happens. Perhaps the loss will have the same effect it had on Austin Peay when their winning streak came to an end at Murray State. Perhaps the loss will serve to reenergize the Zips and perhaps they will be propeled to play their most inspired ball to date. Austin Peay has won all their contests since the Murray loss and have indeed played some of the best ball of the year. The Governors played their final game before the matchup with the Zips in Akron. An 89-44 victory over Tennessee State in Clarksville. The victory ensures the Govs of the #1 seed in the OVC tournament. Uhm, it was an absolute mauling from the start and saw the Govs shoot over 65% from the field and outscore the much bigger TSU team 28-8 in the paint. TSU is the only common opponent with respects to the MAC and OVC insofar as I have been able to find. TSU defeated Ball State earlier in the season in Nashville by 9 points. Akron defeated Ball State in Akron by 18. Austin Peay defeated TSU by 9 in Nashville and then by 45 last night. But, you know, Austin Peay is like Akron in that they very rarely lose at home. What does this mean? Probably nothing. Good luck with Ohio and hope you guys get revenge. OU SUCKS!

Best of luck with Toledo tonight. I understand there are two divisions in the MAC but you are essentially playing the second place team. Austin Peay played an early afternoon game today against 2nd place Samford and came away with the victory 52-50. Beat them by 18 in Clarksville and had an early 10 point advantage today in Birmingham but Samford's backs were against the wall and they fought hard playing in their place where they do very well. First half was the Drake Reed and Todd Babbington Show. The second half was all Fernandez Lockett. Had a one hand putback slam where it was described that half his arm was above the bankshot box. That's why they call him "The Rocket." Very disturbing stat though: The Govs were outrebounded on the offensive boards by a team that is one of the worst rebounding teams in the OVC. This has happened a couple of times lately and needs to end. The Govs certainly cannot allow a team like Akron get second and third chances. Of course, many of these rebounds today were long boards since Samford plays the Princeton style and shoots mostly threes. Anyway, with a win Monday night against TSU, the Govs win the OVC regular season title outright. Akron can make its own statement tonight and I hope you do so. Toledo sucks! GO ZIPS! Hehe.