Illini Zip

Playing a 7th ranked team on the road with Kenpom predicting a 17 point loss. Yeah, I would say it's okay to be proud of the Zips for their effort. This is a growth game for the program, no doubt.

This is fun. Compete guys, compete!! Go Zips!!

Do we know what's up with Toles? Is it his back again?

It feels like Akron has been playing with their prey all night long. Deliver a kill shot already.

Ivey - 1,000 pts.

Not a fast start, but the body language is much better.

Let's go Zips!!

108 years...that was the Cubs drought before winning it all in 2016. So we know a few things about finding creative ways to lose; Bartman, goats, day games in the Summer, etc. Remind me, who was it the Cubs beat again in 2016? Ha, I kid. I'm more of a White Sox fan anyway so we get to beat on each other regularly.

I'm not sure how Kenpom places a numeric value on luck, but out of 353 D1 teams only Hampton and Mercer are less lucky than Akron. Anybody surprised by that?

LCJ deserves some love. 26 pts and 5 for 8 from beyond the arch is a solid day's work.

Any idea how serious?

Marshall defended this play completely different than #1 ranked, Indiana. Illinois got a wide open lay up for the win. I agree, this attempt looked really ugly and LCJ should not be the one taking a 3 on the move like that. Ivey would have had a much better chance, but moments like that you have to take what the defense gives you. Even if you only need 2 to win. Found it. https://deadspin.com/5982703/illinois-shocks-no-1-indiana-on-a-last-second-layup

We are in agreement here. I was so frustrated watching this game I would have had our guys back out on that court once the fans left the building. Groce isn't afraid to shame them for a lack of effort so there must be something we don't know. He did mention a short bench today, but we were slow to everything and looked disinterested even early on.

I agree. I just wish they had played the whole game with more urgency.

You can pin this loss on effort. First time I have thought that this year.

The Zips look like a team that hasn't played in 10 days.

It should be said that Sayles was battling under there and had a couple of blocks. He's just not a deterrent. Fort Wayne was driving at will.

We have our short comings, but this Akron team will compete for 40 minutes.

Damn.

Utomi looks to be alright. He had hit the floor hard on a pump fake.

We have a game folks.

Mine is very sharp???

I had the same streaming problem here too so I missed the first 10 minutes. We miss Riak out there. We need a rim protector and an effective inside presence...badly. It's not an effort issue, it's a road game so we need to be able to score through contact and we are not hitting enough from outside. Also, LCJ is getting pushed around and not getting fouls called. Life on the road.

I'm thinking next years roster has the potential to really close that gap on Buffalo. Eventually, our bigs will get their act together and this will feel like a completely different team.