NWAkron

https://buffalonews.com/2020/01/27/ub-akron-mens-basketball-ncaa-loren-cristian-jackson-jayvon-graves-news-preview-game-time-2020/ According to the headline, the game is in Canada? https://winnersandwhiners.com/games/ncaab/1-28-2020/buffalo-vs-akron-prediction-2658/ Zips -8.

Some random conference only MAC statistics of note: #1 in offense. now #3 in defense but behind two average teams NIU and the Mason Jars. #1 in 3 point field goals. But dropped to 9th in 3 point defense. #1 in Free Throw %. LCJ #1 scorer in the MAC. Cheese #3 and X #11 in scoring. LCJ is #1 in 3 pointers made and X is #3.

@ClarkGriswold. I sense something is worrying you and that you are keeping a calculator ready at hand?

LCJ named MAC East player of the week.

I don't like this one at all: https://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2020/01/27/ncaa-tournament-bracketology-projection-1/ Zips in West Region as #12 v LSU playing in Tampa. Same pod as W Virginia. Sweet 16 in Los Angeles.

http://hoopshd.com/2020/01/26/bracketology-2020-march-madness-predictions-version-4-0/ Akron #13 v Butler in St Louis. With a chance at Illinois before being shipped to L.A. So crazy to discuss but enjoy until another MAC team replaces us in the imagined brackets.

Have the Zips ever had a PG like LCJ? I loved the McNees and Darryl Roberts duo. Side note, i thought the espn announcers were pretty good until the lady said the refs were checking to see if there was a foul on that play when Preston stole the inbounds and stepped out of bounds. Don't think they can review for that type of foul. Also, Boals wasn't contesting any of that. I remember the Kittens stealing an inbounds pass from the Zips in a MAC Championship game and sending game into OT (?).

Mid-American - East Akron Zips 6-1 Bowling Green Falcons 6-1 Kent State Golden Flashes 4-3 Buffalo Bulls 4-3 Ohio Bobcats 2-4 Miami (OH) RedHawks 2-4 Mid-American - West Central Michigan Chippewas 4-2 Ball State Cardinals 4-2 Northern Illinois Huskies 4-3 Toledo Rockets 3-4 Western Michigan Broncos 2-5 Eastern Michigan Eagles 0-7 My utter speculation is that the coaching staff can look at the above #s and know that while this team is hot they have to run up the number of wins and tiebreaker points. With the lack of bench, owning one of the top 4 seeds will be more critical than other years. When BG played Akron at home last year in the second to the last game of the season, Akron blew them out. However, I thought that night that once Akron had a decent lead the Falcons benched some of their starters and let the Zips have it. BG already had a top 4 seed, and their final game was at Buffalo. There may be a time when the coaching staff will give the bench more play, but while this is working and the wins are racking up, I don't see it happening. Again, utter speculation.

Watched replay last night and noticed two things: Vander Plas should be "Vander FLOP" Twice he exaggerated the minimal contact. And also looks like LCJ stopped doing that head jerk anytime an opposing player touches him. https://www.thepostathens.com/article/2020/01/ohio-bobcats-mens-basketball-akron-zips-mid-american-conference-john-groce-jeff-boals

Vander Plas only played 26 minutes and in the second half he was a step ahead of the more athletic Williams. VP burned X on a bunch of possessions. As for Buffalo, during one of their games, ESPN showed their lineup from last year, and, damn i'm thankful to never see that group again at the JAR or at the Q. Canada is realizing how fleeting mid-major success can be. One of my hopes for this year was that the Zips would get some good road wins. I wasn't expecting them to win them all in the MAC! Revenge Tour continues on Tuesday. 1-0.

Looking at the Box Score this is a 6 man team and the defense is going to suffer when the opponent gets hot and keeps the game close. In this and Toledo game, Tribble and Ali and Sayles disappeared. Sayles played more in Toledo game because of Reece's injury but when going gets tough that core 5/6 are on the floor exclusively

Certainly something to look forward to!

Watched the end of the Ball State/Central game. Sad display from the Cardinals. Toledo or BG? That's a tough call. Toledo and Marreon Jackson choked at home tonight. Must have reminded them of their trips to The Q.

Yep. Watxh out for the Kittens.

ESPN had Zips winning 3 minutes ago

Boals and team aren't going to roll over. They fought back a few times this year. Like that Zips went on a tear after Kittens got it down to 4.

When we appear to be gloating about a Dukes loss it isn't because of any ill will towards KD or his staff. I for one am not going to turn on a game an enjoy watching them lose. He and his staff built a solid program and fan base here. My issue is with the fans who abandoned the Zips when he left and those on here who did nothing but gripe since he left. So I don't mind pointing out that his moving on was a good thing. Occasionally, a divorce leaves everyone better off.

I wouldn't be so sure

Buffalo/Kent last night was quite ugly. Buffalo gets a lot of rebounds and Pippin for Kent made 6 straight free throws at the end to seal it for PCCC. Buffalo is a shadow of what they were last year. Today worries me because Kittens can get hot from 3 like Toledo did. However, Kittens don't have the athletes that Rockets have. If Zips can get a lead and keep fresh legs on the court Kittens should fold.

https://winnersandwhiners.com/games/ncaab/1-25-2020/akron-vs-ohio-u-prediction-1160/.

Kittens and Boals will be motivated like never before. Zips have to keep their wits about them. 1-0 and then on to the next victim...the Canada Bulls.

Kent is so effing awful. Up by 8 with the ball under 6 minutes and then two shot clock violations.

Canada player just stepped out of the way when the Rootstown player went in for the dunk.

They just take the highest ranked team or the top in the conference for that week. Next week could be BG

Kittens remind me of the Zips of two years ago or even last year. They have a good coach, some talent, some injury issues and have to rely heavily on the 3 ball. I see them making a lot of contested 3s and giving the Zips a good scare causing Groce to call time out as the (legendary in their own minds) O-Zone erupts.