NWAkron

That's really cool, Rowdy. For a long time...maybe 18 months...I told people the last time I was in a crowd was the 2020 Akron/Kent game. I don't think this game will have the same atmosphere as that one. There are still some COVID gun shy people which is understandable. I like the game this year because there isn't a conference championship on the line, etc. This is just pure hatred and pride. Mr. Pinky can't squeal after the game...that he didn't really care because his team already had their place locked up.

Agree, these wins aren't luck or accident. They are winning in different ways and this is the second game I can remember in which they won with a massive FT advantage. But I look at the stats of 52%, 40%, and 82% and wonder how they only won by 6. Those guys have to be brimming with confidence but not over confidence.

is not a State?

That wasn't a criticism. But it's a grind, and they keep us on edge for most of the game. That's all I meant. I'm really fond of this team. They are finding different ways to win each of these games, but my anxiety would prefer a few blow outs thrown in. We will see if belief in winning will be enough in March.

The Zips grind is tough to watch, so I tuned it to a few others: Ball State who just beat Toledo loses at home in OT to Central Michigan. Buffalo humiliates EMU PCCC doesn't really break a sweat against the hapless Falcons WMU simply can't close out a game and loses to Miami. If those two guards aren't seniors, I can't see them staying at K-Zoo. Oh....and Toledo easily handles the Kittens, drawing the Zips (for 2 days at least) within a game of first place. Ball State's loss to CMU and Toledo's loss to Ball State isn't going to play well if OU or Toledo are looking for an at large.

This team is exhausting to watch.

Agree. I think all road games are suspect. Akron's had some head-scratching losses in Ypsilanti over the years, too. This isn't the Groce team that lost all their road games and this isn't one of the .500ish NIU teams with Eugene German that took out a top 20 Buffalo. I'm not anxious about this one...for the moment.

First-world problem for sure!

I see what you guys are saying. I think i mentioned to Clark that either Toledo or OU could get an at large bid, but the problem is that the MAC is so "weak" after those two teams. Kent, Buffalo, and Akron are the next tier and they all have some really bad losses. Rowdy and I may differ in that I never have any expectations going in to Cleveland, even in 2020. KD's teams stomped out those expectations. Groce has shown that he can get the Zips one or two wins but getting that 3rd one would take a lot of luck and at least 2 nights of stellar defense and 3 point shooting.

What expectations did you have? that the Zips would make the finals and beat one of the 3 teams they already lost to this season? sometimes it's best to go in with minimal expectations. hope for the best. expect the worst.

I didn't know where to post this, but this is somewhat of a "progress" post. Caris LaVert just got traded to the Cavaliers. The 6'6" Columbus, OH, product will be a home-team player in Ohio for what was almost the 3rd time in his career. I say almost, because he signed his NLI to play for Groce's OU team before decommitting when Groce left for Illinois. Groce, at OU, had 3 NCAA tournament wins in 4 seasons. Following the 3rd win (which resulted in a trip to the Sweet Sixteen), Groce was hired by Illinois. That Sweet Sixteen team returned in 2012-13, and was poised to add Mr. LaVert to that already-successful squad. When he was hired away, I told my dad, "Thank goodness. Groce was about to build a dynasty at OU." COVID killed the quick momentum Groce had rebuilt at Akron. We were poised to make a run in the 2020 NCAA tournament (assuming we would've won the MAC tourney) with that incredible squad led by LCJ, Cheese, Banks, and X1.0. We had the guard last season in LCJ, but lost the supporting pieces (I'm assuming COVID put a damper on the recruiting process as well). Now we have some nice pieces, but are young and lack that killer guard. I think this upcoming recruiting class fixes that issue, and we'll have this same team for a couple years because of the COVID eligibility rules. Given this information and what we're seeing this season, "progress" to me looks like getting back to what we were building with the 2019-2020 team, which was similar to what Groce had built with his DJ Cooper-led squad at OU. That squad was able to land a commitment from a player of Caris LaVert's caliber. I want to see that here (plus the NCAA Tourney wins). Excellent summary. There was an academy award winning cast for the 2020 team until DeWine wiped out the tournament because of 4 cases in Cleveland. But we know there are no guarantees at Rocket Mortgage. I was dreading that first round game against OU. I think eliminating the bottom 4 adds fairness to the tournament. As I posted elsewhere, if an 11 or 12 seed won that basically gave the 3rd or 4th seed a ticket to the semis meanwhile the #1 seed was stuck playing a feisty 7 or 8 seed. As for this year, I absolutely want the Zips to win every single game but if they keep going as they are with maybe another loss or two along the way they will be well-positioned in Cleveland. So many years the Zips were #1 or #2 and there was all this talk about at large bids and those early brackets and tons of over-confidence. I'm fine not having that extra pressure and maybe it keeps the team humbler (but what do I know). I do know if you want to throw up in your mouth a little got over to Kitten Attack and look at the most insufferable fans in the MAC (except for the nice guy who posted on her after the OU game) "blanking" all over their keyboards and brimming with bravado.

that's right. the sweaters are/were part of the Miami mystique. I know a few Miami grads and they aren't interested at all in Miami athletics.

He was all about Freeman and gave some grief to Wynn...but in a good way. And talked about schedule next few days

I think because the school is known as the "preppy" rich kid school. The Ivy League of the Midwest so they say.

sexist? I'm attending the women's games and I don't see many other of the men's basketball fans at the women's game. I should have used "different" rather than "weird." They have different rules and their games are called differently.

Line up to -3.5 from -2.5. I thought the game was at 2, apparently it's 4.

KD was having troubles at U of A so he found greener pastures, hoping a new school and a new arena would solve his problems. Of course, that never happens because you take your problems with you because you are the problem.

I wasn't a fan of cutting the field down to 12 but that 4th seed 5th seed game is another reason to keep the bottom 4 at home. A win by the 12th seed in the first round essentially turns the 4th seed into the 1st seed. and if you get really bored. The seeding calculator is up and running: http://bball.notnothing.net/mac.php?sport=mbb

We've been doing this for too long. I had the same thought...being a 4th or 5th seed is essentially the same thing and creates no advantage. I like the 3rd seed.

Not sure how much the seeding matters in Cleveland (you want to Toledo when your fresh in the quarters or tired in the finals?), so I think these games are about building confidence and finding different ways to win

the refs looked over at the coaches and made that twirling motion with their finger. they simply chose not to stop play to review. Since I've never seen this done in a men's game, I thought this was a quirk for officiating women's games that in this situation they allow play to continue. But maybe it was this officiating crew.

The Rockets had a couple big, mean country girls. Geez. That one was a tank.

Zips up 41-36. Another weird women's rule: Zips hit a 3 pointer midway thru 2nd quarter. It was clearly after the clock expired. The refs didn't review until half and then took points off the board.

Lady Zips had a cluster of ending to first quarter but up 19-15. Should have been 21-12.