RoyalBlu
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Posts posted by RoyalBlu
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6 hours ago, ZipsFan31 said:
My Official prediction now that schedule is out. I think we go 27-4 in the regular season Purdue, Yale, Tulane, Miami are the 4 losses.
we win the Mac tournament and get a 12 seed.
Can't disagree with this.
MAC schedule is extremely favorable. Only playing Ohio, Miami, Umass, Toledo once each is rare. Really can't see any team Zips play twice as troublesome. Even allowing for the annual MAC hiccup, somewhere, still just don't see many high hurdles at all.
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1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
They were 12-20 last year and bottomed out at only 223. Only 5 MAC schools finished ahead of them in NET:
Akron - 91
PCCC - 128
Miami OH - 147
Ohio - 179
CMU - 219
It's all pure speculation, but I think the general public expects UMASS to be a top 4-6 MAC program as their floor which puts them within striking distance of the Q3 threshold (76-160 for Home games). Time will tell if the A10 overly inflated their NET, or if a (likely) better record in the MAC will be more beneficial. Frank Martin is the highest paid coach in the MAC now by quite a bit, and outside of the Groce, he's easily the best coach in the MAC. Their 5 year NET average based on the numbers you shared is ~163, and Frank should have them within that range again. The MAC has been dying for another team to be in that range, which will elevate the whole conference. Not to mention it makes us that much more competitive in the MAC/SBC Challenge, which again should help all NET rankings for the MAC.
Maybe little bro is having PTSD from the absolute shellacking they took at the JAR last season.
I'm not so sure, at this point, he's the No. 2 coach in the MAC behind Gross. Probably, yes. But let's give the guy a year in the MAC to solidify that statement. Boals, Steele, Kowalczk, Senderoff can all make solid arguments for No. 2 at this point, IMO. I agree Martin's pedigree speaks loudly. But winning in the MAC is no joke, no matter where the MAC ranks nationally. Until Martin runs that gauntlet successfully - and goes deep in the MAC Tournament - I'd say he's even with the four guys above. That would make him No. 2, or maybe No. 6. We'll see.
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8 hours ago, NWAkron said:
MAC schedule: no trip to Toledo, Massachusetts, or DeKalb. Get the Michigan directionals twice. (that should help the at large conversation)
Or put it another way ... 1 game only vs. Toledo, UMass, Ohio, Miami and NIU.
Zips should easily dispatch Toledo, Ohio and NIU. UMass is an unknown no matter home or away. Miami on the road is the only real ???, and Zips play them before students return for the semester.
Tough to argue with this MAC schedule, no matter how you look at it.
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4 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
Looks like the MAC will be the rotating piece in this, as we are the only team from last year's event not participating this year.
Swap out St. Bonnie with Cincinnati. Better still How about OSU-Cincy-Dayton/Xavier-MAC on a rotating basis.
I'm guessing 'A' Ohio state university would not want to be in a pool with other Ohio universities ... unless the game is played in C-bus. So many state universities in Ohio to choose from, ... but I'm sure you know who I mean.
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2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:
They lost the MAC POY and improved, at least on paper.
I'm guessing the shooting has improved ... not sure yet if the team improved, particularly on defense. Time will tell.
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2 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:
If he's eligible this year - and I believe he is - I think someone has to go.
I have no clue who it is ... but since he's a big ... guessing he will replace a big???
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6 hours ago, kreed5120 said:
Our soccer team has had foreign born players for a long time.
This is kind of the first I'm hearing about Akron basketball actively recruiting overseas players. Not to say they haven't before. Just that I don't recall seeing it mentioned. The overseas players I recall Akron landing in the past were either transfers or guys that came to US to play basketball at either a high school or prep school.
Groce has signed several players from USA-Africa, I believe. They just haven't stuck for long. As far as basketball, those guys seem to be pretty transient - quick to transfer if they show any definite skill (blocked shots, rebounding) scoring usually comes late to most of them as well, if at all. Frankly, most would be better served staying and improving at the mid-major level but I'm guessing handlers and agents are pushing for bigger bucks as fast as possible.
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Let me add this: I believe many would agree the NIT should take the best team from each conference. As I understand it, by the rules stated before last season, they decided to take the best team FROM EACH OF THE TOP 15 CONFERENCES, then the best at-large teams based on NET.
MY guess is they did it this way because so many P5 teams were opting not to play in the NIT. By using the NET, it opened the door for more mid-major teams if they finished in the top NET 125 and did not make the NCAA Tournament. Since the MAC was not a Top 15 NET conference last season, the selection came down strictly to NET, not MAC.
Not saying that was fair. Just saying that was the rules.
Unless the NIT changes its process this season, the MAC can do two things.
1) Become a Top 15 NET conference. That way the likely hood is the MAC would get not 1 NIT team, but quite likely 2.
2) Have as many teams as possible finish NET 125 or better.
And the way to achieve No. 2 is play (and win) as many games as possible vs. NET 150 teams or better.
FYI -- Since the 2025 NIT Final Four ended up being all mid-majors; North Texas, UC Irvine, Loyola-Chicago and UT-Chattanooga -- if would not surprise me if the NIT changed their selection process again.
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15 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
Did you know every single team in this challenge has the same NET ranking at this moment for 2025-26?
JMU is one of the biggest mid major brands in college athletics at the moment. This is a very, very nice draw.
As I understand it ... pairings are supposed to be based on projected NET rankings for the coming year. If that's true, then the schedule-makers expect one team to get a lot better and another to get a lot worse. As for 'name' recognition, I don't believe that figures into the NET rankings. While I certainly hope JMU ranks as a Net 125 team or better by the end of the season, not sure I'd bet on it. I will bet the Zips being NET 125 or better.
These folks better figure out how this game is being played; it's based on NET, not name. Just look down the road. Kent lucked into a NIT bid based on NET, over a MAC team that beat them three times and finished ahead of them in the standings. In a 1-bid league like the MAC, the NET still matters.
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3 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
Some great match-ups.
JMU/Akron
Troy/PCCC
ODU/Miami OH
Ark St/Ohio
S Alabama/Toledo
Marshall/UMass
These conferences matchup so well. Great annual challenge - one of the few things Commish has done well.
Personally, I'd swap Ark. St. and JMU ... plus Marshal and ODU.
I see the argument for keeping JMU, somewhat, but the purpose of the challenge is best vs. best so a home and home rematch with Ark. State, with a chance to avenge that OT loss, is my preference. I'm also guessing, If I'm Miami, a game vs. Marshall would hold a lot more interest for multiple reasons than ODU ... as for UMass, as MAC rookies, who cares what team they draw. ODU should suit them just fine.
This looks like matchups were pulled out of a hat with no real thought at competitive pairings. The only teams with legit NET competitive pairings, in my mind, are S. Alabama-Toledo and Troy-Kent.
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3 hours ago, kreed5120 said:
Season opener against JMU announced for November 3rd. Only 125 days away.
Seems like the better opponent, based on NET, would have been a return game by Ark. State (NET 94). Zips opened at Ark. State last season and lost in OT. Essentially would have been a 'home and home.' Nothing wrong with that. Would have added a little buzz for the opener, IMO.
JMU (NET 158) is not bad, considering Miami drew a dud in NET 293 Old Dominion. So it could have been worse.
But it also could have been much better.
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15 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:
We don't have any scholarships available, do we?
Depends ... Zips might send a guy to prep school and resign him in October. Miami and a few other programs have done this recently to get a kid late.
(Miami kid just spent a year at Spire. Got bigger and stronger, too.)
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As we close in on the middle of May, I encourage those of you who are interested to check out the new players arriving at Bowling Green, Toledo, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan and Kent.
The only prediction I will make is I believe the MAC Middle will be pretty thick next season, and the bottom (NIU-Buffalo aside) rank a bit higher. Generally speaking, it looks like everyone went for size, even if it was more 6-5 to 6-7 wing types, but there are some 6-9 plus guys coming into the league as well.
Another interesting tidbit; Miami, Toledo, Kent all have 4 or more freshmen coming in as well. Some of them will have to play.
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I see where Harris signed with Cleveland State ... interesting. Thought he would get some A-10, Mo-Valley looks. Even other MAC looks. He didn't play much for Zips due to injury, but his West Virginia resume was pretty solid before that.
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It would be sound to say, "Post Season Success" is what Akron is looking for. That might equate to a NCAA Tournament victory ... a 2 or 3-game run in the NIT ... or a championship run in whatever post season tournament the Zips choose to play in.
The key here, no matter NCAA, NIT, Whatever, is to get into a 'one-and-done tournament vs. teams you probably don't know,... and rise above.
Beating MAC teams you play 3-times a year, and beat, kind of loses its luster over 5-10 years, when that is as far as you get, year after year.
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52 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
This feels like fake hype. Of course Toledo, UMass, EMU, and Kent are hitting the portal/HS ranks/JUCO hard; they all lost the majority of their production/rosters.
Akron went 17-1 and outside of Miami & Ohio, nobody came particularly close to challenging the Zips. UMass, Miami, and Ohio will be our biggest threats to start the season until others prove themselves (or not).
Not trying to 'hype' any team. Just saying take a look at what other programs are bringing in, and how these new rosters look. Yes, most of these teams lost a lot through defection, ejection or graduation. Just saying players these teams are bringing in seem to be interesting pieces. Doubtful any of these teams turn out like the Zips of last season - putting it all together to run through the conference - but, based on in-coming talent (?), the bottom of the league should be higher, the middle of the league thicker, and the top of the league about the same.
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This probably belongs in another thread, but looking forward to next season, I would suggest checking out late recruiting being done by Eastern Michigan, UMass, Central Michigan, Toledo and even Kent. MAC teams will definitely be taking on some new personalities around the league.
For example, CMU has picked up a pair of 7-footers, and a PG, former Michigan HS POY, originally signed by Michigan. Toledo, UMASS and EMU have hit the portal/juco hard. Kent has hit portal/HS ranks.
Looking at some of those rosters is very interesting.
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2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
Started his career at Milwaukee. Transferred to UTSA where he never played, then played at Florida State last year.
BG will be his sixth (6th) school ....
Gotta luv the Portal
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2 hours ago, zippy5 said:
Crazy, I just thought none of these teams would pay us to come play at their place
I understood none would play Akron ... that's what we always heard ... much less PAY Akron to play them.
It's truly a new world we're living in.
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2 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
6'7" 260 lbs. Had a good JR year for UNLV but had a "nagging back injury" that kept him out of all but 2 games last year. If he's healthy, he's Kent's version of Javan Simmons.
'Nagging back injury' at 260lbs ... does not sound promising???
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3 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
Finalized my season ticket purchase this morning. While on the phone with the ticket sales rep, I asked if there were any home opponents he could divulge. He said he doesn't know the specifics, but they are closing in on securing a solid name that fans will be excited about for the home opener. He said the program is aware their last few home openers have been less than stellar draws, and they're looking to change that.
It's not much in terms of breaking news, but as we approach the dead days of summer, it's something to look out for.
My guess would be Cleveland State or Youngstown
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4 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:
I think you will see more Europeans come to America for college basketball as well. Probably only the elite top 8-10 European teams have higher payrolls than a Kentucky or UNC. Even a Dayton or VCU probably pays better than just about any 2nd or 3rd division team in those domestic leagues.
I'm not sure ... but I thought Euros were not eligible for NIL.
Am I wrong about that????
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Expecting Briscoe and Ravon to start is a real stretch IMO ... doubt if either are more than 12-15-min players before January; Ravon behind Safford, Briscoe behind Gillespie.
And when is the last time a solid MAC contender (if Kent is one) started a freshman post player?
That said, ... if one or both prove equal to their projections ... come February that could be a formidable MAC baseline, at least athletically, defensively and rebounding. There is no evidence any of those guys, including Gillespie, can be much more than 10-12 ppg scorers at this point.
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26 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:
Kent adds an injury prone high school big man to their class. Former Iowa commit whose recruiting really cooled off post-decommit. This seems like a total waste of a roster space by Kent and I'm here for it. The likelihood of him being at Kent more than one year is not great, and the likelihood of a true freshman big man producing meaningful minutes is slim as well.
They might as well start using their Elite Eight banner for players to hold in photos. Holding a trophy your arch rival owns the two most recent copies of is simply embarrassing.
No doubt he's had some injuries, from what I've read. But he also led his team to a state championship game and was twice named POY in Indianapolis as a soph and junior. That said, it does not look like he has grown much or improved much. How that translates to the MAC, who knows. I understand the reservations, but 3-5 years ago getting a player with his credentials as a freshman in April signing period would be considered a plus. No matter what MAC school got him.
2024-25 Post Mortem and Looking Ahead to 2025-26
in Akron Zips Basketball
Posted
I believe two PGs can play together with no problem.