MDZip

Quite the barn burner, at this pace the final would be 24-24 :-)

Here is something I've noticed - when a story is linked on GoZips.com it comes right back to the ZN.O story - like the following The Akron track and field program reaped the rewards for its efforts during the indoor campaign this season as five Zips garnered United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-America accolades. View the full article at www.GoZips.com Clicking on the link in that story took you right back to that story.

I just hope whoever wins shoots like they are doing in the first half tonight. So this will be the Zips 8th appearance (in ten years - wow) and we have never faced anyone other than an East squad. BGSU is the only team we haven't faced. In the last 20 years, the west has placed a team in the final only 9 out of the 40 chances.

Especially when he drilled about a 35 yard goal against Michigan in the semis to tie that game up before the half.

Ladies unfortunately have kind of collapsed in the second half. Down by 5 with a minute to go. Have given up 18 offensive rebounds. Still a chance, though.

From the EMU Press Conference Transcript: Coach, I know it didn't really matter, but the timeout you didn't have, was there any way that final flurry could have turned out? COACH MURPHY: No, not really. They missed a layup and we got the rebound, so even if he doesn't call the timeout he would have had to shoot a full court shot so try try to make it. Instinctively he called a timeout. Really probably put us in a better situation for them to get the extra free throw. So bad plays turned into a positive play because the game pretty much would have been over.

Zips have got to win this one. The irony of losing as a 1 seed to the first 12 seed to ever make the semis and having beaten them for pretty much every game of the 21st century would just be too much to take.

Dr. Z did you get a press pass or something? Looks like you were right on the floor. Ease up a little, don't want the ABJ or PD to make you an offer. Thanks for those.

CMU by one with about a minute left - BGSU just missed the front end of a one and one where they had an opportunity to take the lead. Edit: Another missed free throw by BGSU that would have tied it. And BGSU hits a late three combined with a defensive stop and knocks out CMU. Wow.

Never a doubt. ;-)

The surest thing in MAC basketball over the last ten years is the Zips reaching the MAC semi's under Keith Dambrot. No exception this year. Zips 76-67.

That bracket couldn't have set up much better for the Zips in the rock-paper-scissors game of OU-Buffalo and Akron. The Zips couldn't beat Ohio this year but Ohio couldn't beat Buffalo (inexplicably now 0-3 against them) as the 8th seed, so Buffalo does us a favor and knocks them out. And how did the Zips do against Buffalo this year? 2-0 of course. Talk about matchups determining tournament results. Couldn't have played out any better for the Zips to have an excellent chance of reaching the final.

Anita Brown has almost half the teams points (33 of 67), wow. Zips up by 4 with 1:25 left in OT.

The way Ball State ended the year and Whitford still tied him? Would have been a travesty to hand COY to the #6 seed (who then ended up bowing out to an #11 seed in the first round). And who the hell cast a vote for Rob Senderoff? And Big Dog did not get any POY votes (Campbell won, Boothe was a close second - no argument) - next year Big Man

The way this season ended up, I don't think it can be anybody but Keith.

Might be leaving Boston College soon. 0-18 in the ACC.

At least this year while not making the NCAA's would be a disappointment at least it will be no worse than the NIT. Glad they put the conference champ rule into effect.

Would you trade those three wins per season for three NCAA tournament wins over ten years? I think I would.

Yeah usual stuff from message boards (always a few on both sides - I find the ones that feel like OU is equivalent of an Ivy league education a little pompous - and I even have a building with my last name on it at OU - named after a great uncle who was president of OU in the 40's - but I digress). Someone on their board showed some stats and said they bet we'd trade out last ten years results for theirs. You know what I'm kind of thinking I would. Here is what they presented over the last 10 years - same number of tourney titles but a lot more NCAA success. Would love just once to experience that same thing. MAC TOURNEY TITLES Akron - 3 Ohio - 3 Kent State - 2 Buffalo, Miami WMU - 1 MAC REGULAR SEASON EAST DIVISION TITLES Kent - 4 (2 outright, 2 co-champs) Akron - 4 (1 outright, 3 co-champs) Buffalo - 3 (3 co-champs) Miami - 1 (1 outright) Ohio - 1 (1 co-champs) BGSU - 1 (1 co-champs) NCAA Tourney record Ohio 3-2 (+1.0 avg pt diff) Akron 0-3 (-24.0 pts) Kent St 0-2 (-14.0) Miami 0-1 (-2.0) Buffalo 0-1 (-6.0) WMU 0-1 (-24.0)

Indiana was a 1-1, and they actually played at Akron first, the year Infocision opened (2009). We played at Indiana the following year. That's pretty unusual because in most P5/G5 deals the G5 school gets the last of the years (we played at Syracuse in 2008 and 2009, they came to our place in 2010), so the G5 school can opt out by paying some cash in case they get a better offer. The Iowa State series is also a 1-1.

That's almost exactly what Toledo did a few years ago.

Actually Syracuse was a 2-1 deal. I wouldn't count Marshall in the same category with the other two, but we were fortunate to get 1-1's with Indiana and Pitt (and we have one upcoming with Iowa State). When we can work a 1-1 with a P5 of any sort we should do it, but I'll take the cash on a one-time payday if not.

If the Bobcats end up with #1 seed I think its Phillips as well, otherwise probably Whitford.

Wouldn't it make sense that Championship games would be generally good, close games that could go down to the last shot?