Let'sGoZips94

Don't we also have Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Oral Roberts, and Cleveland State?

HAHA! AMEN!

Best NIT field EVER. Period. Honestly, I think this field is better than the NCAA field in many areas minus the top like 3 sets of seeds. I'm pumped about being in it. Northwestern, really? The NCAA did this on purpose, and they made it a 4 - 5 match up only to piss Akron fans off. However, we can beat them. They came on late, but didn't make it into the NCAA tourney despite a head of steam. This means they are more likely to be vulnerable and have a let down at home. I would love to see that happen. Height wise, we are taller, but they are more experienced in the front court. Shurna and Crawford are there only two legit scorers. I like this match up. With 7 teams from our regular season schedule in the NIT, it really says something about Dambrot's scheduling. What a great job to him and his staff for putting together an outstanding schedule compared to years past. Next year is supposed to be even better. So pumped! Get this win and hopefully play the Mavericks at home! Go Zips! EDIT: Just a note. I'm looking over the bracket, and I'm filling out my second NIT bracket. The first bracket I had Akron winning after beating Northwestern, Washington, Oregon, Middle Tennessee and Drexel. That was sort of a joke, Akron-wins-it-all bracket. My next bracket was serious, and I have Akron getting to at least the championship game after beating Northwestern, UTA, LSU, and Middle Tennessee. The finals would be against St. Joe's, which I think we will win. I'm about to fill out my third bracket, and I'll have Akron lose at Washington. I really like our chances in this tournament though. It speaks measures that I think we have a legit chance at making a run for this thing. I think we are right in the mix, and people will overlook us.

Too soon... I think a home game is definitely a possibility only because of our RPI. Then again, they would find a way to screw us.

No. They are the luckier than us, though. That one-handed 3 by Cooper proved that. They were throwing up shots like that and made the, whereas we threw up legit shots and just couldn't make them. It happens. I don't think the better team won last night, I think the luckier team did. I don't see how they beat us at our game? Isn't their style shooting 3s? That's what they did, didn't they? I think if they were to beat us at our game, they would have to beat us in the paint. Going into next year, I think we are going to be the most complete team in the MAC, and one of the best mid majors in the country. Starting 5: C: Zeke PF: Treadwell SF: Gilliam SG: Walsh PG: Abreu 6: Diggs 7-10: Betancourt, Deji, Harney, Egner. 3-4 guards on the team, 5 fowards on the team, and Zeke. Name another team in the MAC that will be able to contend with that. Ohio is the only team that comes to mind, but if Groce leaves, so might some of their players. I really think Akron is sitting pretty with this NIT experience coming up and these recruits coming in. Go Zips!

It was hard to stomach this one on the way home, especially knowing we just lost to OU. But then it hit me. 1) What are we, like the 16th youngest team in the nation? This team is insanely young, but I believe they are an NCAA team. However, the NIT might do them better than being in the Big Dance. Possibly 1 and done in the tourney won't really do these guys any good. Now that we are in the NIT, I think we have a shot at winning multiple games, maybe even making it to The Garden. Plus, it will give these guys more experience. They also will now have a chip on their shoulder, and even more drive to win it all next year. 2) Great game. I think Akron was the better team, but Ohio was the luckier team. Dambrot says that sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. Ohio was the reason for that quote. They chucked up 3's left and right and they went in. A few of our shots didn't. Oh well. 3) I love being an Akron fan. Dambrot's quotes in the post game really picked my spirits up. By saying we won't be losing our coach, that is awesome. But what was even more amazing was his maturity about that last free throw. He said he didn't care if it was legal to review that or not, just as long as they got it right. Do you think Groce or any other MAC coach would've said that? Plus, our players are way classier than Ohio's players. What a bunch of thugs. If that's what it takes to win, I really don't want to win. I love how/who Dambrot recruits. I texted Tim Carroll to tell him to tell the team that they are a classy group of guys that are easy to root for and to tell them thanks for everything. 4) WE STILL HAVE THE NIT! Remember a few years ago when we beat FSU? And before that we beat Temple? We were all thrilled. Now I believe this team can achieve more than that. Let's take care of business! Go Zips!

I remember that like it was yesterday, sadly. But I think you're forgetting this is the same Ohio team that lost to Toledo. They are such a streaky team.

No way does OU shoot the ball well against us tonight. We've been playing a really complete game lately. OU has an extra game on their legs, along with a height disadvantage. I think we will really take it to them. Look for Treadwell and Harney to have big games. Zeke is going to OWN the paint. Gilliam is playing his best basketball this year right now in my opinion. I really don't see how OU can beat us unless they shoot 40-50% beyond the arc and we shoot about 30% with 20 turnovers. Akron 79 OU 63

AMEN! It must be said... DANCING ON PORRINI! DANCING ON PORRINI!

What a great thread. My Dad and I were talking about the same thing. Greene had a solid night, along with a great career. Hats off to a classy player and good luck in the future Mr. Greene!

Give me Buffalo. Ohio is way to scary and travels way to well. Plus, I could lose to Buffalo. I couldn't lose to Ohio. Hate them too much.

I don't think it was for the elbow? I thought I heard someone say it was for how ugly he is. Either that or how much he looks like Napoleon Dynamite. Porrini probably tried to take his tots. On a serious note, it was a horrible call. It should've been a flagrant 1. He did try to elbow Michael, but not maliciously. That was a flagrant 2 because it's the MAC's beloved Can't State.

WMU. I don't want the pee yellow in the stadium tomorrow night, I don't want their hippy fans, and I most certainly don't want them to have the chance to knock us off. Even if we don't win the MAC tournament, I want to be safe at home knowing Can't didn't win it either. Dave in Green nailed it. This game needs to go on forever. Can we get a Syracuse-UCONN 6 OT game tonight? Go Broncos, but most importantly GO ZIPS!

My question is, what kind of hat did they pick out of? Top hat? Beanie? How Pearson isn't on the first team is beyond me. The guy put the entire Toledo team on his back, and lead them to a second place finish in the MAC West, a year after being one of the worst teams in the country. Dr. Z is spot on with his comment. When you have a 10 guy rotation, with each of those 10 getting solid PT, it's going to be hard to find a BEST player on a team like that, even if they are the best in the MAC.

How fitting that the deepest team in the MAC gets the 6th man award. And Zeke truly deserved the defensive PoY. He is the definition of a game changer.

KD should get it because of how young we are and we went 12-3 in the MAC, winning both the MAC East and MAC regular season title. However, Reggie at Buffalo or Kowalczyk at Toledo are also probably up there in the running. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

That second half was a thing of glory. We need to find a way to play like that 40 minutes of every game. If we do that, people are going to be hard pressed to find a team that can beat us. The thing I liked the most was the 3 pointers weren't the main priority; 2 point FGs and layups were. Defense was huge as well, creating multiple turnovers, leading to more scoring opportunities. Best part was we capitalized on those opportunities for the most part. That alley-oop to Zeke, in my opinion, killed any comeback Can't State might have had (along with Gilliam's 3). The way Abreu drove, he knew Greene would come over and try to swat that ball all the way to Akron, if not further. With all of the focus on the block, Greene couldn't recover leaving Zeke open for the thunderous slam. The Zips fans were amazing. Loud, into the game, and the Zips gave them reasons to be. The Rowdies tore off over-shirts, exposing an undershirt that read "Can't State Sucks" on the front, with "And so does cancer..." on the back. Absolutely hilarious. Can't State continuously played highlights of last years' game at Can't where the Flushes beat the Zips. Their motto was "Always Remember 2011" or something like that. They are truly pathetic. So glad the Zips won. With the NIT in our back pocket, I think our confidence is up and we are going into the MAC tournament with some nice momentum, along with an entire week to rest and practice.

1) I think he tells Zeke to play man-to-man. Whether or not that means stay in the paint with his man or guard the perimeter if his man is out there, man-to-man is what Zeke does. 2) It's not a matter of telling them to move the ball around, it's getting in place your offensive system in September and October, before the season, not at the end of February with a MAC title on the line. If this is the offensive system, then WOW. We are in trouble. 3) I think Dambrot has worked on what Dambrot feels he needs to work on. The team works very hard in practice, which I am not challenging at all. What I am debating is more or less a matter of the basketball IQ limit on the staff and with the players. Do we have enough basketball smarts on the team/staff to contend outside of the MAC?

We need a shooter, and we need one NOW. KD made a comment on the post-game show saying that Zeke needs to be more effective around the rim on defense for us to be good. Last time I checked, Zeke was maybe in the paint twice to block shots. The rest of the time, he was around the freaking perimeter. PUT HIS BUTT IN THE PAINT DAMBROT! Quit making excuses. This loss is on KD. I've been saying it for a while now, our offensive game plan has to change. MOVE AWAY FROM THE BALL! Also, our defensive scheme was pathetic. How do you not know that Watt loves that left? He killed us tonight with it. Make them beat you with their weaknesses. Don't blame the refs. Were they pathetic? Yes. However, if you make a few more shots or keep possession a few more times instead of turning the freaking ball over, it's ours for sure. Some questions I have... What happened to the chemistry on this team? They aren't sharing the ball anymore. Why was Gilliam not in the starting lineup? KD made a comment saying he is trying to help his players the best he can. Well the best way to help Diggs is to get him an attitude adjustment because he is either all there or he's not. Oh and tonight was NOT the night to experiment with the lineup. Do we not go over body control? I swear it is a monkey see monkey do type of thing. See player, run over player. GO AROUND HIM OR DISH IT OUT! Goodness. It's not rocket science. What is KD's pucker factor at? I think it's off the charts, but do we have a real number? Big games are his weakness, along with taking care of business. Those are just some of my thoughts. Very disappointing tonight. Can't is either going to be fun, or very very very very VERY interesting/sickening.

So many thoughts have gone through my mind about tonight. 1) Dambrot's teams have never been able to win that big game consistently, especially if it's on national TV (which worries me about this Can't game on Friday). 2) Our style of play is VERY flawed. Stagnant as all get out. No wonder we have no energy. I wouldn't have energy if the entire game I was in a half court, motionless offense. Which leads me into my next thought. 3) Dambrot 2.0? He's more like Dambrot 1.5 in my eyes. Until he learns how to change his system based on the talent and athleticism he has, he will always be v1.5. He started to let the reigns loose this year, but then pulls them back in after decent-mediocre performances. Let the boys play; focus more on their maturity so you can trust them more. 4) We need to find a shooter, and quickly at that. Ohio has that with Kellogg and basically every single one of their guards. 5) Zeke. I need about 20 hands to count how many times a game I see his 7'1 frame out of the paint and around the perimeter. That's on Dambrot. Build him a campfire, pitch a tent, whatever it takes to make him comfortable in the paint because he is way less effective out around the perimeter; he's an NBA draft pick if he's in the paint. 6) How many times are our guys going to pass up shots? There are so many opportunities to shoot the ball and yet we take NONE of them. It's almost like the defender has to be on the moon, if not further away, for us to be comfortable with hoisting a shot. 7) There is not fight on this team. Either we come into a game on fire and stay on fire, or we come into a game flat and give up. I'm not saying they gave up tonight at all, but there's no motivation to comeback from a huge 20 point deficit. Kansas did, so why can't we? Again, this leads me into my next point. 8) Who is the leader? That's all I have to say on that. 9) Coaching. I really think a lot of the problems have to fall on the coaching staff. Yes, they can only do so much. But I don't believe they are doing the best they can. It happens, but it needs fixed. All of this being said, I think we are still the favorites going into the tournament. I have faith in this team. I think we are definitely the best team in the league, despite this horrific, embarrassing loss that we saw tonight. 2 years ago, Porter's team lost to Cleveland State. Shouldn't have happened, but it did. What was the result at the end of the year? An NCAA championship. Now am I saying we 100% should have beaten O-Who? No. But we most definitely should not have gotten blown out. A wake-up call hopefully, this game might have been good for the Zips. Have faith Zips fans. this team is 20-9 with a 12-2 conference record and still 2 games up on everyone else. Just win Wednesday at home, beat Can't, and head into the tourney with a head of steam. Go Zips! Can't Statecks!

Akron, Ohio, Buffalo, and then Can't IF they get that 3 or 4 seed. If not, and they have to play 2 extra games to get to Cleveland, then I'm going to put BGSU in that final four spot. With the Falcons looking good for either 2 home games before Cleveland or a bye into Cleveland, I think they will for sure make the trip to the Q. Can't just sucks. Haha. I really don't see them making it to Cleveland or making it far in Cleveland. That being said, the Zips cannot let their guard down. Always keep those kangaroo fists up.

The reason to scoreboard watch is to root against our rivals.

YES BABY YES! BGSU up 10 with 9:53 to go.

38-32 BGSU at the half against Can't.

Well actually, couldn't EMU catch Can't?