Let'sGoZips94

I saw this thread get bumped and thought it was going to be a departure post. Incredibly good news. 5 more seasons means 2-3 trips minimum to the Big Dance, and probably 3-4 NCAA Tourney wins in there. I have no doubts.

Question. Would marketing rise to the level of the athletic programs (i.e. soccer and basketball success), or would the athletic programs drop to the level of our marketing department? Because our marketing department is atrocious.

2019-20 was stolen from us. Not surprised whatsoever by this from OU. Boals is a helluva coach, and Preston/VP are a phenomenal 1-2 combo. This is why so many of us spoke so highly of the Boals hire and OU, @NWAkron.

Love it. Sucks to suck. Path of least resistance for the Zips.

In the Buffalo game thread, I believe someone said they aren't sure what Buffalo's weakness is. I didn't want to jinx anything, so I kept my mouth shut, but I almost responded with Whitesell. Buffalo is the most talented team in the MAC and should barely lose a game in the MAC, let alone lose by double digits. He's a mediocre coach at best. Wow. Buffalo got in on pedigree from their NCAA tourney performances the last few years. Amazing. Someone took a Dambrot OOC schedule and made a postseason tournament out of it. What a waste of time for BG, especially with Turner, Diggs, and Plowden being seniors (usually you can justify a tourney like this if you're trying to get a young group more experience).

2 seasons ago, LCJ had support with Cheese, Banks, and X. As much credit as we give LCJ for these past 2 seasons, this past season exposed how important Cheese and X especially were. With that being said, Clarke is now the PG. He looked good this year in his semi-limited time, and I'm excited for the future of this program with him at PG. I think he'll have more help than LCJ had. We'll have more size and more scoring production with next year's lineup. One can only assume that Bondaogo will be the center until he graduates. That's 7 ft. vs 6'7" Reece, and shifts Freeman to the PF position, which his height fits better (6'7") and gives him an advantage in my opinion. Ali (6'8") is your starting F at 6'8", Trimble (6'2") is your starting 2G, and Clarke is your starting 1G. That's pretty formidable height wise, and you have scoring threats with 4 out of the 5 positions guaranteed (no idea what Bondaogo is like on offense). Your bench is deeper than it was this year. Wynn is probably your 1st man off the bench. He really came on at the end of the year, and can spell 2 positions - guard and forward at 6'6". Tribble is your 2G specialist (similar to Banks - lock down D, effort, and some scoring here and there, especially as a slasher) and Dawson is probably your 8 or 9 man. I like Marshall a lot, and will be your first PF/C off the bench. The X Factors are Currie and the incoming class - Mitchell, Johnson, Kalle. Does Currie show up, leave, or stay hidden at the end of the bench? I think the 3 freshman can all come in and contribute right away, throwing a wrench potentially in my above projections. Mitchell and Johnson scored at will in high school - will that continue at the DI college level? What is Kalle's game like? No matter how you slice it, I think we'll be more talented, bigger, and deeper than we were this year. I'm very excited, and believe we will be at the top of the MAC with OU and Buffalo.

Whoa... Slow your roll. Sincerely, People who like summer and warm weather

Wynn. 100%.

Face-guarding, weren't they?

I don't think they did. They had M'Balla on the ball, meaning he wasn't guarding the basket, and by the looks of Ali and the play development, it looked like it was LCJ 3 or bust. I never saw Freeman or the other big in the game make any move toward the basket.

I would've liked to have seen a pass fake to the 3 guy and lobbed it up towards the hoop with Freeman or another big slashing to the hoop. 2009 Brett McKnight style.

*FIFY

Yuck. The first letter of that is interchangeable.

FREEMAN!!!!!!!!

This is incredible.

Can someone please explain to me how M'Balla wasn't called for a reach in there on LCJ? And then all hand on the Ali strip?

Did Whitesall go to the Dambrot school of Bigs? He has M'Ball - with 4 fouls - guarding the 3 line and risking a reach in on LCJ.

4 on M'Balla.

It's a good thing LCJ isn't on Wheel of Fortune. He wouldn't be able to buy a vowel if it's anything like this game where he can't buy a foul.

DAWSON! MAN AMONG BOYS!!!!!!

The 8th wonder of the world.

These refs are a roller coaster. Periods of great calls, then periods of crap. If LCJ makes the drive that Graves did, no way would they call a foul. M'Balla should have more than 2 fouls. Oh well. This team is earning its stripes tonight.

This is high level basketball by both teams. Very unfortunate for the MAC that the COVID crap is happening when it is. Akron's squad last year would've made some noise in the Tourney, and this year not only were OOC opportunities limited/non-existent, but postseason tourney opportunities are very limited. Between Akron/OU/Toledo/Buffalo, this is the most talent the MAC has had in a long time.

BANG! BANG! BANG! WHAT A START TO THE SECOND HALF!!!!!!!

Great half. Shoot like poop for the majority of the half, yet only down 5.