KangarooInExile

This took me a minute to wrap my head around as well! So, we would be looking at whether or not a LeBron-led Zips team could beat UCONN w/ Okafor and Ben Gordon? Yikes. How confident are we that Derrick Tarver would catch fire in the title game? Dru and Romeo were solid MAC freshmen, but hard to imagine they could carry the load at that point. From what I remember of those years, Hollingsworth was a hell of a guard in stretches, so who knows?

A few thoughts about the Zips core moving forward into 2022-23...Admittedly, I have not read the entire thread so apologies if someone already said something similar! I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Zips down the stretch in the MAC and NCAA tourney and thought they played well as a unit (especially defensively), but realistically I think that X, Ali, and Freeman are the only players I would put down in ink as starters for next season. X and Freeman looked the part against UCLA. Even as the lead slipped away, I was thinking how great it was that X got the experience against a player like Tyger Campbell (likewise w/ Freeman and Jaquez!). Don't get me wrong, Dawson and Tribble are key pieces but could contribute from the bench just as well most nights. I always root for Ali Ali, but I never really bought into his pro potential. ESPN+ and CBSSN commentators would use his potential as a talking point, but those are just media notes and not really based on scouting or the eye test imo. I don't think we need Ali to average over 15 ppg to make a deep tourney run in the coming years. I would like to see his 2PT field goal % go up and his assists as well next season. I.e. I think we need more efficiency out of Ali and not necessarily a lot more production. If that happens, Freeman improves even more, and we can find a lights out wing player (either the incoming guards or a transfer), the Zips will be a tough out next season. Parting Shot: I was surprised to see a post like that from Trimble as I imagined he left on bad terms. I guess it's possible that he got the yips in terms of his outside shooting and totally lost confidence? Honestly, he doesn't really have DI athleticism, so if his shot went bye bye that's a done deal. Hopefully, he finds his stroke and ends his college career somewhere on a high note.

If we make it to the under 4 timeout with a lead, I might have to crush up and snort my BP medication...hold on Zipsnation!

Quality of venue aside....NICE!

Exactly! I would even be excited for some MAC v. MAAC action. (Winner keeps the A?)

Thank god Freeman and Pridgen intercepted Trimble during that fiasco and got him to cool off. Everything in his body language said "I'm going to punch someone in the face..." He is a real dude. I would trust him to have my back, but we don't need a suspension for our best shooter!

Riding the general wave of good feeling surrounding the impending Moorhead hire, I would like to the think the QB situation will work itself out (this could be the unexpected coaching euphoria talking after a horrible season!) I am hoping that the Zips will get a handful of DB transfers. I managed to drag myself to the Ohio game this year and was blown away by the lack of speed/reaction time in the Zip secondary. It was like they were running in sand while backs and receivers accelerated past them time and time again. If our defense makes every good receiver look uncoverable and every solid MAC running back look like Bo Jackson in Tecmo Super Bowl, it will be time to up the blood pressure medicine next year. But, if the defense starts to create turnovers and the offense starts rolling, it could be a lot of fun!

Watching Trimble shoot today had me looking up David Falknor stats from the 2001-2002 season when he shot the lights out. 44% avg while making over 2.5 3 pointers/game.

These forums are a real lifesaver for a long time Zips basketball fan like me who rarely gets to actually watch a game. First went to the JAR during the Huggins era and actually attended a Coleman Crawford basketball camp in the summer of ’92 (I think). I started reading these posts during the post-Dambrot coaching search and got hooked when I discovered there was a “Rec League Smith” appreciation thread. Finally got around to making a profile. Keep up the good work, everyone. I will be travelling on Thurs night but am interested to see how the Zips look against a regional rival.