Illini Zip

Skip, is there a question in here for me? All I see is snark.

See, I need more "likes". Does anybody have extra "likes" they want to sell?

I agree with your apples to oranges assessment. And sometimes the pay off of speed vs. size works in your favor. I personally prefer watching small ball when you can get away with it on defense which is why I enjoy Groce's system. The problem I remember from the second half was Moses catching the ball at will away from the rim and then using his size to easily back down Smith into the paint. Moses would not be able to move K-lac out of the way like that. I think the guy most likely to optimize that size vs. speed dynamic and start for Akron at center is Sayles, but he needs to develop his outside shot and learn to set picks as well.

I had so much fun responding to everyone last night that I'm all out of "likes". And that's a bummer because I agree with so many of the observations pertaining to K-lac. I will just add that I think it's possible that in a couple of years K-lac could play smarter, faster, and under control. He could become a rebounding machine. He could develop an outside shot forcing the opposing bigs to follow him out of the paint. He could get efficient in the offense and set perfect picks for his teammates and he could be the only guy you know who is 6'-11" that is eager to dive on the floor for a loose ball. It's possible that all of these improvements happen in time and yet K-lac will rarely ever start for Akron due to match-ups. I don't golf personally, but I know that there are a bunch of clubs that are used on a regular basis and some that you carry for that specific situation. I look at the basketball roster in a similar manner. K-lac and Loren Jackson find themselves on the opposite ends of the roster spectrum, but both are specialists. Loren brings elite speed, ball-handling and shiftiness. K-lac as they say, you can't coach size. They will train to be the best, most versatile players they can be, but K-lac is the one guy on this team who will only be a center and Loren Jackson will likewise only be a point guard. Everyone else will eventually learn between 2 and 4 positions. I call K-lac an earth-mover because it's his job to move mountains and avoid what Ball State did to our poor Lucas Smith. K-lac is the driver in Akron's golf bag, but most of the time we will be best served with a 2-Iron at the 5 position. How was that for a non-golfer?

I completely missed that the first time around. Nice!

Oh, I think he's trying.

Now that foul call on Smith was brutal.

Freshmen...

Parrish fouled with 1.4 left, but who inbounded the ball?

Well, that got away from us fast.

Peters is having a great first half for Akron.

Hustle 1 and Hustle 2 are both in the game before Cotton. Can somebody please tell me which is which? Is Smith Hustle 1 and Gbadebo Hustle 2?

Turnovers. Ugh!!!!

Let's go Zips!!

Yep, that's the guy I know. He's lucky he has a big, hooked nose or he would be called, Ken "the Ego" Harrelson or Ken "the Drama Queen" Harrelson. Thank you for sharing that, I was born in 1969 so just a bit before my time.

Allow me to try again. I'm always so focused on the ball getting across the mid-court line before a 10 count that I never thought about someone having their feet down first. Smith, Ivey and the ball were easily across the line in time, but Ivey caught the ball before he landed. Ivey was called for an over and back. That was obviously the right call, I just can't remember the last time I witnessed that.

Who knew Ivey needed to establish himself in the front court before receiving that pass from Smith? I have to admit, I was caught off guard on that one. It's just not something you see every day.

Wow, Patton actually played 7 minutes today. I don't even know what to say about that.

I hear you.

I think this game was a real bad match up for Mark. But where the hell was Patton today? He was dressed and on the bench.

I know that name. He's a homer, but he's our White Sox broadcasting homer for one more year.

Quick...somebody run over to the rec center!!

Make that 6 scholarship players. I'm curious if he's sick, injured or being disciplined.

These are true statements and I addressed the first one once before. But I am trying to think if I can remember Groce ever pursuing a recruit with a publicly known reputation. And I don't think so. Carlton Bragg and Cliff Alexander had a few issues when they got into college, but I'm going to blame both of those on Kansas. When you recruit the personality Groce likes there will likely be a few who go astray. Also note that not all head-cases have a violent streak. I think only two players had that specific issue and I mentioned them before, Leron "the Savage" Black and Kendrick Nunn. I shared before that Black seemed to have had a come-to-Jesus moment and so far so good. He starts for Illinois and is often our leading scorer, even double-doubles. Nunn transferred to Oakland University, sat out a year and did something bad enough to anger his new coach. From what I read, the coach said to Nunn if you push me, you're gone and if you're gone from Oakland you are likely done playing basketball forever, period. Nunn is currently one of the best shooting guards in the nation. If Groce had him on the roster last year, he is likely still coaching at Illinois. http://www.goldengrizzlies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/020618aab.html Oakland's Kendrick Nunn has been selected as one of 10 candidates for the 2018 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award announced by The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tuesday. Nunn, a redshirt senior from Chicago, Ill., is one of the nation's top three-point shooters, leading the NCAA in three-pointers per game (4.64) and NCAA in three-point attempts (256). The shooting guard also ranks second nationally in points per game at 26.0 and total three-pointers made (102).