The Hip Zip

I guess this means that we'll read a lot about the Zips from the ABJ. Tom seemed like the only guy that cared

We'll be OK, our depth is very much an asset.

Yep, everybody liked Steve a lot. I'm glad he found his niche and is playing well.

Always enjoy the comments of DB. A college BB junkie that really knows his stuff. I think that the VCU program will be on solid footing for many years to come. Over time, Shaka should be a great recruiter. I mean all you have to do is sit down with him and chat for a few minutes to find that he is very genuine and very honest. A player can't ask for anything more than that ( other than more time on the floor). Having that final four in your hip pocket does not hurt as well. I clearly remember when many in the VCU community hated the hire and were ready to quickly ready to run him out of town after after early losses. It's no coincidence that Shaka overcame all of that. As Keith loves to say, he's a high character guy and this was evidenced by his commitment to the school when the big offers came calling. I'm sure that neither coach will truly enjoy going head to head against each other but when the ball is tipped it will be business as usual. This should be a very good and competitive game thanks to catching the Rams in somewhat of a transitional season, as we are in as well.Tickets are in hand, can't wait for this game. I'm a big fan of Colonial BB and VCU but I bleed Akron

It's not that unusual as you might think. Just down the road, Jordan Mincy is on Geno Ford's staff as an assistant coach. You may remember him as the guy that was more willing to start a major fight rather than restraining the K.S.U players at the end of the tourney final. David Kool is also on Steve Hawkins' staff at Western Mich. Plenty of others as well.

You guys battled hard all season long. Given up for dead half way through the season, you guys toughed it out to the end. We played a very good defensive game today, just could not get anything to drop in the 2nd half despite getting many good looks. It happens. Good bye Seniors and Nik. I'll have fond memories of you guys always. Best of luck moving forward.

Great.... DiG is the only saving grace of this forum as of late. Everyone, don't look up. It'll be less painful when you don't see the sky before it hits you on the head. He's not the only one. .................

Same old... Same old....Same old tired shit from the same old suspects. "Golden Boy"..... give me a break. I'll stop short of calling people "clam heads" but it's just getting too freaking petty and stupid around here for me. I started this thread to salute our seniors and to start a game thread with a positive vibe. I didn't create this thread to become a pissing match or for someone rag on our starting PG for about the 50th time. Perhaps I have too low of a tolerance for bullshit, but I don't need it. I am out of here. Good luck to the Zips going forward. Overall, it's been a fun season.

What two teams scare you to play at the Q? What would the worst case scenario be for you (and others)? I'm not D.I.G. but I'll tell you that OU is very quietly playing some decent ball again. They worry me as much as anybody right now but we'll know more about that after our trip to Athens. Since I posted that before they beat K S U on their own floor I am obviously even more conerned with OU now because they have kept matching us win for win lately. Nobody else really scares me. Bottom line is that I think if we play up to our abilities, we win. Simple as that. You really have to love our depth and balance as the tourney nears. I really like the way that we've been closing out games as well. The FT shooting seems to get better and better which I think is huge. We have the coach and players that know how to and expect to win. I am really starting to like our chances to do something special. Hell, even being in the position we are is special after that slow start in conference play.

What two teams scare you to play at the Q? What would the worst case scenario be for you (and others)? I'm not D.I.G. but I'll tell you that OU is very quietly playing some decent ball again. They worry me as much as anybody right now but we'll know more about that after our trip to Athens.

I'm lucky because I get to see a lot of basketball. This will be probably the 5th or 6th time that I will have seen the Bulls play and I'm of the belief that the Bulls have the best starting 5 in the conference. ( go ahead, let me have it ) We have been using more and more zone lately and its been very effective, though I worry a little about going zone a little too much against Buffalo. Zach Filzen and Byron Mulkey can shoot over the zone very well and if they get hot we've really got a problem. I think that there a couple of things that we have to do. We have to constantly make Filzen uncomfortable out there. Make him work like hell to get his touches and keep a body on him to wear him down. One of the keys to K S U's victory Thursday night was just that. I checked ESPN for his numbers and discovered this: Zach Filzen scored 14 points in the first half for Buffalo on 5-of-9 shooting, including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers, but he made just 1 of 11 second-half shots and finished with 17 points. I like the idea of possibly using a bigger, faster, more athletic guy on him some. It just so happens that we have a guy that fits the bill. Hello Quincy, meet Mr. Filzen. I'm not saying the Keith will do that with Q but I think that it does makes sense. Another factor is to not allow Mitchell Watt become a big factor down on the block while defending. In their first game against the Flushes back in Jan. when Buffalo just flat out embarrassed them, Watt must have swatted close to ten balls back in the faces of Can't's bigs. Some of those blocks led to easy fast break hoops and the rest of the Bulls really fed off of his energy. It was damn near a feeding frenzy out there and and Buff. played their best game of the year. We run a lot of stuff with Zeke out high so if Watt goes out there with him that should help out in that respect. Beating the Bulls doesn't end with Slowing Watt and Filzen though. Barnett is a 6'5" guy that can play both the 2 and 3 spots and can really outplay his size around the rim. MCrea and Robinson are also both talented forwards as well. The Bulls are, simply put, just a very solid team. In mid to late Jan. they looked like they had the possiblity of running away and hiding from the rest of the East. Since the first of Feb. though, the bulls have gone just 3-4 vs. the MAC and have dropped all three of their road games in that span ( Ball St, EMU ,K S U ). I am happy that we are catching them off of that poor 2nd half against Can't and the fact that they only had one day off before facing us. I like our chances here. Akron 77 Buffalo 66

Anybody ever think that Reggie Witherspoon looks like Homer Simpson ??

Would everybody agree that Nik has played his way right into the mix at the 4 spot ??

Good stuff, and very true. Take a look at the Horizon, it wasn't too long ago that we looked down at them but that changed in a hurry. Now, the top half of the Horizon is very strong. So whats the difference between the best of the Horizon and the best of the MAC ? I don't have all the answers because we pretty much recruit the same guys as they do and share similar geographical boundries. So what is the real difference ? what made them just as good if not better than us ? I have to believe that it's exposure. I have friends from several states that have developed an interest in the Horizon because they can get online and follow any team they want and watch them play for free in a high quality webcast that is far, far superior to a MAC school production that I would have to pay for. It's the same with the recruits. They can hop online and check out the various teams that may be interested in them and watch them play every single conference game.. In short, the Horizon has done a terrific job of promoting their product. What's the MAC done lately ?????????????????????? Despite a dead league office the MAC East still has some very solid programs but just look at the west, what a pile of dog s*#t. Take a look at the coaches over there and name one (other than Hawkins perhaps) that you respect. Eastern Michigan may as well start completely over from scratch. i could go on but I want to watch a good Horizon game tonight between Wright St and Detroit. Now we're looking up at the Summit......really ??? If the commisioner doesn't care why should we. Shame on the MAC.

I remember in January and early February...all the posts complaining about the horrific referees...oh, how the disgusting, vile, evil referees were screwing the Zips over. You'd swear the three refs were Hitler, Dahmer and Charles Manson night-in-night-out. Amazingly - since the Zips have been winning, no one complains about the referees? Funny how that works out... I don't know about that.... I have a mini stroke every time I see this guy walk out on the floor. Larrry Scrotebag

Amen Brother !

OK, I admit it right up front that I get emotional on senior night and I have not missed one in many,many years. This one is probably going to even more so for me as I have got used to seeing and chatting with Bill and Kathy McNees and Phil & Mrs McKnight over the years. We have followed the Zips all over the MAC and I don't think that I have ever been to a game here or on the road when I didn't see Bill there. I have not met D Robs parents or Mr. Bardo but I know that Mr. Bardo should be mentionred as well as he seems to be a fixture at all the home games. All of them have all sacrificed greatly to support their boys and the Zips. I know that it will be quite strange to not see them at the JAR next year. Tomorrow I'll be raising my glass to these great parents. Their children have represented the university with honor and I'll surely miss them all. I just hope that we are not saying goodbye to Nik as well but I understand his situation. God bless him. To me, the fun of being an Akron basketball fan is having a coach that stresses bringing in really good kids from really good families. I really appreciate these kids, not only as great players, but as great young men as well. I can live with not winning the MAC every season or having an occasional off year. I can't live supporting a program full of thugs and cheats. We do things the right way around here and that means the world to me. It's been quite a pleasure seniors. Go out in style, Crush the Bulls !!!

What a strange game that was last night. Buffalo was so dominant in the first half then came out and laid a big egg. Sure, the shots were not falling for the Bulls but one has to think that Geno simply outcoached Reggie. Bottom line, the Bulls couldn't handle the defensive intensity thak K.S.U. brought to the floor in the 2nd half. As far as the NIT and the other post season spots go I still enjoy the games no matter where they go. It wasn't too long ago that we took down a solid ACC program in Fla. St. which always looks good on the resume. Sure, the games don't have the same edge to them as the big dance but its a great tool for the coaches and teams to get some more work in before they hang up the sneakers.

Ken Stewart's or Moe's for dinner if you can tell me what I was wearing

It was good to see and chat with Jimmy Conyers last night. My wife and I talked with him for a couple of minutes about his future. He said, like many recent college grads, things are tough out there and he's had trouble finding anything decent. I told him that there are players in Europe that aren't as solid as he is and he stated that there was still a possiblility to get something going over there but that he is expecting to stay in the Akron area. It was Jimmy who stepped up and visited my wife's school last year along with Chris and Humpty. They came to speak about the need to do well in school. Jimmy had a great time with the kids and we could tell that he really enjoyed being with the kids. Jimmy is one of the good guys and we wish him nothing but the best.

I like your thinking on this. The only thing I would add is that "relative ease" for a Zips-Sweaters game means it will still be a relatively close game with nail-biting moments. Zips and Sweaters are both playing good all-around basketball right now. I'm expecting a highly competitive game where both teams are well-prepared and intense. That is true, no doubt. Almost all of the Redhack games that I recall were indeed nail biting low scoring grinders where every hoop seemed big. Their stats and scores reflect a total 180 degree different style of play this year. This leads me to think that they lack the ability to defend a good offensive team. Despite all that, a 55-54 game certainly wouldn't shock me. Can't wait, just 6 hours to go.....................

This is always one of my favorite home games of the year. Nobody is more surprised than me that the Redhawks have continued to play well without Ballard and pt. guard Rollins who is expected back soon. Miami has been the cardiac kids of the MAC lately by pulling out some very improbable wins after falling far behind early against K>S>U, Eastern Mich and Ball St. They also played pretty well in their bracketbuster game vs. Humpty and James Madison on the Dukes floor Saturday. Thats the same Humpty and James Madison that went into Can't and beat the flushes easily earlier this season. Everybody loves Charlie and he's done one of his best coaching jobs this season. Now he comes in with Nick Dials along side for the most important game of the year for both teams. Lots of subplots here with some still too painful to mention. All things considered, the Miami game always seems to be one of the most entertaining games on the home schedule. The Redhawks have four remaining games 2 at home and 2 on the road vs. us and Buffalo. I have to believe that Miami will win their 2 home games vs. BG and OU. but they are not a good road team at all. They are 4-9 on the road and their best road wins were at BG and CMU. That is going to be a problem for them weds night and moving forward to the Q. Miami is running into a buzz saw with very sharp teeth. The line opened at 8 and lots of people will think that its too many points for the Zips to be laying. I am not of that opinion. Miami has some defensive liabilities and the Zip offense is in very high gear, a bad combination for Charlie to deal with. This is our chance to send Miami a very loud message before we move on to the tourney. We must avoid getting beat on their offensive glass like we did in Oxford and I think we will. The Zips should win this one with relative ease. Akron 78 Miami 65

This one is going down to the wire, Western can't shake 'em.

Western 11-4 at 16:00 Can't hit with 3 quick fouls

Tough for a mid-major to lose guys to the NBA (Sanders and Maynor) and recover quickly...those players don't fall into your lap annually. Look at Butler this season after losing Haywood. All of the sudden they're mortal. Regarding K.e.n.t/Miami - I root for K.e.n.t. to lose every game. Good stuff Captain K, I thought about those guys as well but I couldn't quite remember their names. The Shaka Smart supporters always brought that up to repel the bashers and it couldn't really be debated I didn't think all that much of Sanders. He had the body for the NBA but to me he seemed lazy at times while just going through the motions. Maynor was a different story. He was nothing but smooth on the floor, just a great college player.