RoyalBlu

Listen ... most nights Akron's defense is more than good enough to keep the Zips in the game, if not winning, while LCJ tries to figure out if he has help or has to do it all alone. Unlike the rest of the MAC, Toledo has too much firepower in its starting five to shut them all down. Other than Akron, the only team to come close to beating them is Kent, and now that Nuga (ACL) is done it will be interesting to see if they have enough to stay with with Rockets should they meet (MAC Tournament) again. As for the Zips, the gameplan with LCJ has been good enough last season and this season to be as good or better than every team in the league. It would not be unrealistic to see No. 1 Toledo have to play No. 4 Kent in the semis, then play No.2 Akron for the MAC Tournament title. On a neutral court ... would you bet against the Zips.

Zips at least catch a break as Kent's Nuga - who has been a strong Robin to Pippen's Batman - is apparently out for the season with an injury. That's 18 points a game gone. DNP vs. Miami as Kent had several 4-5 minute stretches without scoring. Don't think any other guard at Kent is averaging more than 8-pts a game.

Interesting matchup to say the least ... usually in the past it has been Akron in the position of holding a lead over the field while others have to pull upsets behind them. As this season wears on it will be interesting to see how UT wears the target on its back. Problem is, with the bottom third of the league so bad - and UT playing all those former MAC West teams twice, (only playing OU-Buff once) it's tough seeing more than one UT stumble other than Akron. So, at most, three losses, but more likely two. Problem is, with the No. 1 seed as it sits right now, Rockets will play no better than Miami/Ohio before the MAC finals while some combination of Akron-BG-Kent-Buff battle it out to get to the title game against them.

Akron has the defense to make this happen, but road games in Canada, Toledo around the corner, and down in Athens make this a high hill to climb. The bigger question is this: quite likely have to play one of these same four in the semis in Cleveland on a neutral floor. Which one is the best/worst semi opponent. OR, which two would you rather play (semis/finals) ...

IIRC ... Carey was slated for either Akron/Kent as a walk-on as both were after him hard late in the spring, then KD came in w/a scholarship to up the ante. Not sure if Akron/Kent actually had one to give at that point, so the choice was Duquesne, where Carey's foster (??) parents also had some connections. Not sure what turned things sour w/KD, but Carey is not the first starting PG with injury issues (Robotham) to take an early exit.

Supposedly girlfriend goes there ...

Not to be a debbie downer, but Toledo looks to be the class of the MAC to this point ... and if Turner/LCJ balance each other out at BG (and neither team has a post presence of note) then it will be interesting to see which team has a true No. 2 and which does not. This season has a long way to go IMO.

LCJ is definitely an elite PG, and would have been an added plus on a number of past Akron teams. However, to date he has not had much consistent backcourt help and playing such huge minutes takes its toll by Feb/March. As for "so much better than ..." I think it's a little early in the season to make that claim. Historically, both of these teams get better as the season wears on. Freeman is a HUGE plus and will only get better. Also agree at least a couple of the power conference transfers have to start playing their part ... agree about Nuga and Pippen.