Dr Z

Practice tomorrow, scrimmage Thursday, pro-day Friday.

I heard #10 is going to #2.

Alex impressed me last spring, glad to read he continues to progress. I'm a little surprised this hasn't been resolved yet...."Defensively, the most significant loss and issue for the Zips might be finding a replacement for associate head coach and defensive coordinator Chuck Amato....UA continues the search — internally and externally."

I guess we should get ready for a down year...according to Bill. Mar 14, 2018

From googling "nate oats buyout" There are generally buyouts in these contracts, giving the coach an out if an elite school comes calling. The buyout in previous contracts for Hurley and Oats was half the base salary for the life of the deal. Arizona State paid $525,000 to lure Hurley to the desert. Buying out Oats in the first two years would be exorbitant, even for a top school. So he'll be sticking around for the immediate future.

I've only been a Zips fan for a couple of decades now so I don't know what it feels like to win a first round game. But please forgive me if the Zips ever win one, I'm calling it a run, domination, destiny, and many more arguable terms. Congratulations to the Bulls. I'm happy to see it, because it somehow gives me hope the Zips can win one someday. #jealousagain

Jack Fuller set to kick for Zips Fuller, who was a three-time All-Portage Trail Conference selection in soccer and football, becomes the fourth Coventry player to sign with Akron in recent years, alongside Devon Jones, former teammate Dusty Burkhart and fellow Class of 2018 member Treon Sibley.

I feel for him.

With a full roster, fans shouldn't have seen much of Mark this year. He was a freshman, and forced into helping out his team because of circumstances out of his control. I think I'll wait at least a year, or two, before evaluating the effectiveness of his Zips career. Getting 21 minutes in the second round of the MAC tournament can only help his development. Looking forward to next season already!

With this team, I would say an 8 on a 10 scale. To win in Dayton would mean we won the MAC tournament, and an NCAA tournament game. I've never seen that. I would love that in year one of this rebuild. If a Zips fan didn't see the future as bright now, I believe they would after those accomplishments.

I wonder if any television will be tuned to NBC Sports Network at 6 pm at the Corner Alley today? I think it would be interesting to hear the bar crowd react during the game.

ESPN3 –Michael Reghi and Murry Bartow. EMU has three players scoring in double figures led by third-team All-MAC honoree Elijah Minnie with 16.8 points on 45.7 percent shooting from the floor (184-of-403) and 33.0 percent from downtown with a team-high 65 made 3-point FG (65-of-197). Minnie leads the squad at the free throw line, shooting 84.5 percent (87-of-103), and in blocked shots (54) while ranking second in rebounds (5.9 rebs/g, 184 total) and steals (57). He adds 38 assists to the stat sheet. First-Team All-MAC selection James Thompson IV follows with 15.3 points per game. Thompson leads the Eagles in FG made (185), FG percentage (.683, 185-of-271) and rebounds (357). Of his 11.5 rebounds per game, Thompson secured 230 defensive boards and 127 offensive rebounds. He is first in blocked shots (55) and adds 24 steals. Paul Jackson rounds out the double-digit scoring, averaging 14.9, while teammate Tim Bond scores 9.3 points per night on average. Jackson leads the squad in assists (140) while shooting 41.6 percent from the floor (171-of-411) with 27 made triples. Bond shoots 47.5 percent from the floor (112-of-236) and 37.7 percent from long range (29-of-77) with a team-best 77 steals. In addition, Jordan Nobles is a threat from deep, draining a second-best 31 triples on 84 attempts (.369). Defensively, EMU limits opponents 67.2 points a night on 40.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.1 percent from downtown with 8.0 made 3-pt FG per game. The Eagles caused 456 turnovers (14.7 tpg) while collecting 272 steals (8.8 stl/g) and 191 blocked shots (6.2 blk/g). On the glass, Eastern Michigan is slightly outrebounded by its opponents 1073-1083 for a slim -0.3 margin.

Probably a little more to do with home court vs a neutral court. I'll admit, I thought the line would be 7. ?

I hope Earl is there Thursday.

if you didn't watch the game last night, it is worth going back and watching how it ended. I would start at the WMU bank-shot three. 1:43:00 mark. Reading the play by play, or looking at the box score does not give credit to the effort put forth. So was Thomas Wilder's three point shot. ?

Steve admitted, and apologized for giving up after the game was over. Sports can bring out some crazy emotions. Hope we can all stay on an emotional high this weekend.

Nice interview with Virshon after the game last night. Joe asked him what he thought of coach calling the last play for him, and putting a freshman in charge with the game on the line. Virshon responded that he was surprised by coach telling him to go to the basket with juniors and seniors on the floor. Virshon said it was the first time any coach drew up a play for him to finish a game. He also said it was the first time he had to make two free throws to win a game. Coach Groce actions last night spoke volumes as to who he thinks the most improved player is.

Former University of Akron football player Zach Guiser (Fayette City, Pa.) has earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the NCAA announced. Each of the 30 Division I fall sports recipients will receive a $7,500 scholarship to be applied toward the graduate degree program of his choice. A semifinalist for the 2017 William V. Campbell Trophy, Guiser was a team captain last fall. A preseason All-MAC selection by Athlon Sports and College Sports Madness, he was named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. Just the second first-team Academic All-American in school history, Guiser suffered a season-ending injury against Iowa State. He finished this fall with 16 tackles, an interception, and a break-up. The Academic All-American was also a three-time MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and three-time Academic All-MAC selection. Named to the President’s List (8 semesters) for a perfect 4.0 grade-point average (GPA), Guiser earned a bachelor’s degree in December 2017 in pre-physical therapy/sport science. A member of the University’s Honors College, Guiser is pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy from Walsh University. Additionally, Guiser will be honored on Tuesday, March 6, by the Northeast Ohio National Football Foundation with a $2,000 scholarship. The NCAA awards Postgraduate Scholarships to student-athletes who are in their final year of college athletics eligibility. Up to 175 scholarships are awarded each year for use toward an accredited graduate program. Awardees are evaluated on their academic and athletic achievement, campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership. The program rewards college athletes whose dedication and effort reflect the characteristics needed to succeed in graduate study. Awardees are chosen by the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, which includes faculty athletics representatives, athletics administrators, and a conference commissioner. “These scholarships are one of the ways the NCAA provides a pathway to opportunity for student-athletes,” said Mattie White, chair of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee and senior associate athletics director at Indiana. “These scholarships are reserved for student-athletes with distinguished college careers highlighted by outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. These experiences prepare them for success in graduate study and life.” Source: GoZips.com