Captain Kangaroo

I agree it was a good move for him, but not because he torched a bad UCLA team for 13 points. LCJ, Cheese or X would have put up 20 easily if the Zips played these Bruins. Utomi is a nice 5ppg role player on a good Trojan team. They should make the Big Dance. One of those rare situations where both the player, and his former team, are both better off after the separation.

St Louis was a decent win, but the other 3 conference wins were against the dregs of the A-10. Let’s see what they do against RI, Dayton, VCU, etc.

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Utomi was probably a good fit fit the Big Dog type, post-centric offense, where he could bomb away when the center got double-teamed. But could you imagine him fitting in with this team? I wouldn’t want to forfeit any of Cheese or Bank’s minutes to him. I wish him well. Great kid. But we’re a better team without him this year.

Two Taylor Made balls made it to the unwashed masses tonight. 57 landed with the blue hairs.

How does Willie not know “The Hustle?”

Elton Alexander comes out of retirement for this one?!

Utomi was disgruntled, and not a recruit of the present coach. Maybe he was a little delusional of his abilities...maybe he was a bad fit for Groce's system...maybe all of those. But it wasn't a shock to see him leave. Poke? He wasn't going to see any PT, and left for a smaller program. LCJ is already on his 2nd school. He really seems to be enjoying Akron, playing under Groce, and running his own team. I don't see many P5 schools looking for 5' 8" point guards. For all those reasons, I will be shocked if he leaves. Not all kids think the grass is greener elsewhere. Put this post in a time capsule and open it in a few months. We'll see if I'm right. ?

1. Athletic team - not Phi Slamma Jamma by any stretch, but certainly not a low post, Big Dog-centric offense. They get up and down the floor fast, and play dogged perimeter defense. They do have a fun style of play. I don't miss Utomi lumbering into the lane and dribbling the ball off his foot one bit. 2. Reece - I like his athleticism and intensity. It's been a long time since we've had a post player that's looking to dunk the ball rather than lay it up softly off the glass. 3. Williams - I think he has another gear that we've yet to see. He's been solid. But it seems like he disappears for stretches. I think he has the potential to dominate in most MAC games if he wants. By the same token, maybe he's just a team-guy who's happy to defer to his teammates when they're rolling? I have't seen enough of him yet to be sure. 4. Tribble - Slow, steady improvement. He finished a lay up the other night that I'm sure he would have missed earlier in the year. As physically thick as he already is, it's intriguing to see what kind of shape he comes into the 2020-21 season in. I'm expecting he'll be a mini-beast. 5. Cheese (and Channel Banks) - Love them both. Wish they started their careers at Akron. Great finds by Groce. They came into the season in great shape...their off season work paid off 6. Riak - Likable guy. Like Tacko Fall. Tries really hard. As MD said, he's a good role player. Won't get many points, but a useful defender for sure. 7. LCJ - took a major leap this season. Tireless player...relentless on offense and defense. Love that he hits his FT's @ 80%+. If he can continue playing at the level we've seen lately, he'll go down as a Top 5 PG in Zips history. A MAC Championship would solidify that spot. 8. Dawson - Slooooowly becoming a factor in the rotation. Too soon to have a read on him, but hopefully his bucket in the WMU game allows him to exhale a little bit and start hooping. For a star HS kid, who's getting scant few minutes thus far, he's thoroughly engaged from the bench and supporting the guys on the floor. I like his attitude. I like his build. I can't wait for him to reach the point where he can cut loose and show us what he can do. Groce - Got hit with a lot of defections when he arrived which set the program back a little. But now that he's got "his guys" in the fold, the team is starting to blossom. The team definitely plays hard for him, and respects him. Team - I like every post game interview I hear from this Zips team. Every kid seems like a great one. Great chemistry plus good talent should lead to a nice run in March. They are all representing Akron well.

Every school fires a coach they are financially obligated to. No coach coaches through the last year of their contract without an extension. Paying an underperfoming coach not-to-coach is the price every school pays. It is a cost of doing business. But this is a Joe Moorhead thread. Not a budget thread. If you want to talk budget, you can do it here.

100% agree. After a 2 year hiatus we're back to watching the type of competitive basketball we'd come accustomed to watching during Dambrot's tenure. Is Ali a young "Deji"? Who's better, Kwan or X? Antino or LCJ? Cheese/Banks or Noah? Big Dog or Riak. Ok, maybe I went too far, but you get the idea. ? No doubt this team has the potential to reach the MAC finals. Hope they can stay healthy, out of trouble and continue to improve. Seems like this is the turning point where Zips fans do the 180 degree switch over from "Why in the world did we hire Groce?" to "How are we ever going to keep him?"

Evansville beat Kentucky.

Why?

#19 in the Mid-major Top 25 (before last night's win) I like this poll as a gauge of where the Zips rank among their peers. Liberty at #2, trailing only Gonzage (who should not be considered a mid-major). Kent sitting at #13.

Put me in the corner of Joe Moorhead. Took over a 1-10 Fordham team and completely turned their program around. Increased Penn State's offensive output by almost 100 yards per game after his arrival. No one will ever really "win" at Mississippi State. They'll always be 2nd tier SEC.

Torrey poured in 25 points in a recent CSU win over YSU.

How could this happen. NET had them at 19? ? Amazing how many suckers still fall for the Annual KD Cupcake Walk.

Mississippi State 96 Kent State 68

I would love to have a motivated Dre Williams back. Probably just wishful thinking, but it would be nice.

Michigan State beats Eastern Michigan 101 -48. Ouch.

It would help to start hitting our free throws.

Penguin Update

Wonder where Nazir Sy is at?

Looks like no one is picking up De'Andre:

Now I know where they got the idea to install view-blocking light posts at the Rubber Bowl.