Illini Zip

Just a word about Groce's use of the zone defense. As Ham implies here, he loves using it on occasion to throw the opponents offense off balance. If you see a lot of zone defense in a game, be concerned. It means we do not match up well against our opponent. Illinois was without a solid point guard for much of Groce's time there (long story), and as a result we had to play a ton of zone defense just to keep the opposing point guard from driving the paint all day. This year the Zips have a mature, physical point guard in Malcolm Duvivier, so I'm confident he will be able to lock down the front porch. Next year with 2 young point guards you might see more zone.

Thanks! Nothing like a little shameless pandering to the base to bump up your profile, right?! Ha! I already bought in emotionally, Griswold will now have to tell me where I buy in literally. I expect the handshake will come sometime after I reach Zip Junkie status.

How about Pok-E-man? I did see that first 12 footer by Pok-E-man last game and got all excited. It's just the start of things to come from all of our bigs.

I went with 16-19 just because they are young and have yet to muster the intensity necessary to defend consistently and win on the road. That said, 20+ would not surprise me at all. The talent is there to win 20+. This will be my first trip around the MAC so let's go beat the kitties and can't state. : )

It's a fun style of basketball to watch, right?

I think 1981 Grad here and others raise legitimate scheduling questions/concerns to be evaluated going forward. I personally like the most challenging schedule that specific Zip team can handle (RPI) and I agree with NWAkron who thinks a lessor challenge during finals week is good strategy. But I would just remind everyone that the team and schedule this year came together late. Groce didn't know who he would have on his roster at first and then he didn't know how they would respond to the new system the first year. Also, I noticed many games this year are against teams he has relationships with and some teams that he scheduled against Illinois this year so he might have had to ask for some favors just to avoid a disaster. Next year he should be able to approach the schedule on his own terms.

I didn't watch the beat-down at Marshall, but I liked the progress tonight (except for the FT shooting...they lacked confidence in themselves, ugh!). Each player is going to grow at different rates and in spurts, especially with 5 freshmen rotating in and out. Cotton looks far more comfortable running the offense/breaks and it's nice to see that he can hit some shots. I'm not surprised at all that Parrish is in the starting line-up (he's going to be really good), but I was surprised that Patton was almost a non-factor tonight. Poke had a great night and flashed some athleticism. The next step for all of our bigs is for them to extend their game further away from the basket. A lot of it is strength and conditioning at this point so they can guard their man out on an island and be able to set proper picks up top without fouling offensively. The bigs also need to develop a go-to shot away from the rim. It doesn't have to be a 3-point shot, although that is ideal. A reliable mid-range game from the free-throw line around to the short corner is also very effective at pulling opponent bigs away from the hoop and opening up lanes for our guards to drive. There is a lot more pick and pop game to develop as well. The defense tonight showed signs that they are getting it. The intensity will ramp up more and more in time, but they are understanding their roles and getting scrappy. I also like seeing them jumping the passing lanes for steals. And yes, Groce does not like to see his players jogging back on defense EVER, especially posing after a made 3-pointer. Go Zips!!

Thanks LZip!

Every job has it's perks. : )

I noticed that before the end-of-game junk minutes Dayton had their 3 pt% at around 45-46%. That's too high. I have seen this before. This defensive system takes time to gel. Even though Groce plays man-to-man defense, it's still an aggressive team defense. Once the initial defender flys out at his shooter others will rotate and cover until that player gets back into position. Sometimes with this defense you will end up with bad mismatches if the possession goes long enough. Like a small point guard trying to guard a center. But it's about creating constant pressure and playing the odds. They are still a work in progress that's all. Groce will be on them for it.

You already answered my question, Duvivier had some open looks. Thanks.

Hey NWAkron, I agree 56% from the line isn't great, even for being on the road. The one positive thing there is we got one more attempt from line then Dayton. And that's good to see for being on the road. The stat I don't like is 7 pt for 49 combined minutes at the point. You need more production out of Duvivier and Cotton to keep pressure on their defense. Again, I didn't get to watch it. Duvivier was 0 for 5 from the arch. Were those shots open looks or mostly contested?

Unfortunately, watching the game was not an option for me tonight. I was following the box score anyway so I know we were up 5 at the half. LZip what is the real name of Baby Greek? He's their big man correct? And was he a load tonight? Thanks.

I'm still making my way through past comments. This one I feel needs to be addressed, because integrity does matter. First of all, Groce runs a tight ship. He treats his players like men and expects them to act accordingly. He can't be with them around the clock even if he wanted and sometimes 18 to 22 year old student athletes act irresponsibly. When they do violate team rules they will sit. I have seen Groce sit a guy just long enough to break his consecutive string of starts and I have seen him bench a leading scorer for 3 games. This sort of thing is almost always kept in-house between Groce, that specific player and maybe the team, but he demands a culture of discipline and accountability. As a fan it can be frustrating because we want to win and there is our best player riding the bench for being habitually late for practice. Now when events off the court become a legal matter, Groce will initially take the wait and see approach. So much is out of his hands at this point. However, he will work with the Athletic Director to gather the facts and determine how to best support that player through the legal process. Depending on the charges, they may try to work with the court to negotiate a resolution which is appropriate for the community, university and student athlete. It is usually after the court has rendered it's verdict that the Athletic Director and Groce will lay down their punishment. And there will be consequences for one's actions, it's just a matter of degree. For example, Leron Black, a power forward at Illinois got into a dispute with a club bouncer he thought was being disrespectful to his girlfriend and pulled out a pocket knife. It appears he realized pretty fast just how stupid that decision was because he tried to ditch the knife. That was the first offense on Leron's record so he received probation. I believe he also had to make public apologies, Community Service, fines and he was suspended 6 games at the start of the following season. Leron is currently a redshirt Junior at Illinois and a starter. That whole experience seems to have scared him straight. https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Grace-Changes-People-The-Leron-Black-Story-74948839 Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate were close friends and teammates at Simeon High School, Chicago. So they were tight and always together on campus. And it's not a surprise that they got into trouble together. However, long story short it was Kendrick Nunn who was guilty of domestic violence and Jaylon Tate was falsely accused. The whole thing dragged out all Summer long, but the average fan could have solved that mystery. Nunn is intense and was our enforcer on the court (See video link below of Nunn retaliating for something that happened earlier in the game to teammate Malcolm Hill). Nobody was going to punk our Illini teams with Nunn around and we loved his toughness. But turning that temper on your girlfriend is not exceptable and he was eventually released from the team. Jaylon Tate on the other hand is just a super nice guy and would never hurt anyone. The only thing Tate was ever guilty of was not being able to shoot the basketball. His charges were completely dismissed. That leaves us Darius Paul. I wrote earlier about Coach Groce learning from poor judgement. Some in Illini Nation will say that the whole Darius Paul chapter was one huge mistake because he ended up getting arrested on two separate occasions and costing us 3 years of scholarships while never playing in a game. You may remember Darius Paul because he played power forward his Freshman year for Western Michigan. He is the younger brother of former Illinois guard Brandon Paul who is currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs. Darius was a late bloomer coming out of high school, but put up some solid numbers while at Western Michigan. He then transferred to Illinois and during his sit out year his substance abuse problem surfaced. He was given plenty of warning and most players would have been sent packing after that first arrest on campus. But this is where it gets complicated and everybody will have to answer this question for themselves. It comes down to this, how loyal are you? First of all, Coach Groce is very loyal. Second, the Paul family are awesome people. And third, Brandon Paul as a senior bought into Coach Groce's program that very first year and as a result excelled to whole new level (Meet Brandon Paul below). Darius got a second chance based on the relationship his brother and his family had formed with Groce and the basketball program. He agreed to being sent down to Texas for a year to get cleaned up, face his challenges with mentoring and play ball at the Junior College level. He was then granted the second opportunity and came back to Illinois the following year. Unfortunately, he then got himself arrested again on a pre-season trip to Europe which finished his time with Illinois. This one hurts because it was such a wasted opportunity for everyone, but especially for Darius. You can decide if you think Coach Groce was too loyal. I thought the Paul family was worth doubling-down on at the time. But in hind-sight this is just one more thing that piled up against Groce and his program. I learned something through that whole explosion of off-court drama myself. There is a popular belief that winning cures everything. And there is definitely some truth to it because fans will gladly turn a blind-eye to infractions when their beloved is on a roll. But sometimes a lack of success on the court/field actually leads to problems off the court. The cases outlined here other than for Darius Paul's addiction issues occurred right after a basketball season had ended again without a trip to the dance. These are guys who are used to winning, for whom basketball has become their sense of identity and self-worth, playing for a University of Illinois that expects to make the NCAA Tournament annually. This was the third straight year they would be denied and to no fault of their own. Each year they left it all on the court. They were talented enough to make the post-season 4 out of the 5 years Groce was coach at Illinois, but a rash of injuries and tough breaks were too much to over-come. And it was something different every season. The pressure and frustration surrounding these guys was off the charts. There is never an excuse for beating a woman or pulling a knife, but sometimes context matters. Something that Coach Groce who was dealing with the pressure himself was trying to get across to these young men was that their lives are bigger than the game of basketball. Getting good grades and pursuing a career, doing community work, being a good friend, family member and teammate are all things that ultimately define us as people. It's my opinion these guys were caught up in the moment and it got really, really ugly. I know this post was long-winded, but I needed to write it even if nobody spends the time to read it. Unfortunately, off the court issues are going to happen. It's ultimately how the players, coaches and staff handle those issues that really matters. Thanks much.

Yep, I see what you're saying there. A bird with teeth doesn't make a lot of sense. But I knew I had seen that somewhere before. And here you go, the Iowa Hawkeye mascot has teeth as well. What is this world coming to?!

Hey Zip Watcher, I take it you are the keeper of the Scholarship Chart. I thought I would just share with you what the guys at the Illinois chat site have going. It's the same info, just a different approach for you to consider. And finally a question, shouldn't LePear Toles be on there? Thanks. http://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=23849&page=5

I agree with Zippy5 that attrition is likely. Groce usually will commit to 2 years initially and after a player proves himself he will be rewarded the full 4 year ride. I doubt that is an official policy, but it's what I have observed. Obviously, off the court issues could factor into this and something I am not used to seeing is guys being poached by bigger programs. That has to be frustrating to coaches and fans alike. After watching only 2 games the guy on this list who has me concerned is Virshon Cotton. And that's only because I know what Groce needs out of a point guard. He might want to tie that hair up for starters. Time will tell for all of these guys.

I don't follow them at all, but I do know NIU has a really good football program. I think the University of Illinois avoids playing them because they are afraid to lose to "little brother".

Nice!! I love it. Thanks B&G. I live less than hour from Northern Illinois University. Is there any history with them that I should know about?

I think there is a lot of truth in this post. Groce never struck me as a person who is a climber for fame and fortune sake. I really believe he would have been happy at Illinois for a long time because he had all the resources necessarily to achieve his life goals, personally and professionally. Maybe an opening at Indiana or Ohio State would have tempted him at some point, but he primarily wants to win the NCAA Tourney like everybody else. He learned some valuable lessons at Illinois, no doubt. Some due to poor judgement, but I would argue he learned far more about building a program and competing for elite talent in an unethical and impatient business. I'm sure Coach Groce has even said at his meet-and-greets that he feels blessed to be able to continue doing the job he loves and that he found a great home at the University of Akron. But I don't believe for a moment that he has lost sight of that NCAA Championship dream. Groce is wired to compete on the biggest stage. And this might surprise you, but that actually bodes well for Akron basketball. If the support from fans and the administration matches what will hopefully be great success on the court, you just might become the next Gonzaga.

This is exactly how I would have felt if Groce ended up as an Indiana assistant which was reported as a possibility. There is no way I would be on a Hoosier forum right now I can promise you that.

Hey gang, I'm doing my home work. I have been studying the last 6 months of comments. It sure has been a wild ride. Lot's of change almost over-night. Say can somebody please tell me the back story of this road kill bird photo?

Groce Stalker? Ha, that's funny. The guys you have to watch out for do not come to you in full transparency. : ) Thank you ClarkWGriswold!! I appreciate it.

Thank you Skip-Zip! I will try to help in any way I can. I don't live in Champaign myself so I would imagine you will find better resources when that time comes.

Hello Zips Nation, I am first and foremost an Illinois Fighting Illini basketball fan. However, I am still a believer in John Groce, the man and the coach. In all of my time following sports I have never seen anyone or any team experience such lousy breaks as he had here. And through it all he fought with grit and grace. You have a decent man running your program. You will never have to worry about NCAA violations and his family is an asset to any community. You also have a fighter who will have your teams playing their best basketball at the end of the year when it matters. I am personally frustrated because I didn't get to see his vision come together so I have decided to adopt Akron if you will allow me. I know absolutely nothing of the MAC Conference and even less about Akron basketball, but I intend to learn. I can share my experience watching the Groce system for 5 seasons for those with questions, but remember I am just a fan like yourselves. Go Zips!!