Congrats to all Zips fans on your team getting in the tournament. This time of year is the best. Better than Christmas, my kids birthdays, and a years worth of Friday nights all put together. As most of you already know the Zags lead the nation in opponents FG% allowed at 36.8%, Akron is 34th at 40.1%. Overall, defense is your strength and if the Zags don't defend or get cold shooting, the Zips can win it.The Zips are 6th in the nation for opponents 3pt% allowed at 29.1%!! Zags aren't even in the top 50 in that stat and that is one of our weaknesses, teams usually keep close if they get hot shooting 3's (see PSU loss at home). But we are 19th in the nation shooting 39.4% as a team from 3pt land and average 78.9 pts per game. Akron averages 66.8 pts per game. Akron holds opponents to 59.8 pts per game, 18th in the nation!!Zags are 6th in the nation for team FG%. When we get hot from outside, defenses open up and then we can go inside. Pargo and Bouldin can do serious damage quickly. See us at UCONN and at TENN. Considering the near home location, I feel the crowd will be primarily for the Zags. However, there is ALWAYS the crowd who roots for the underdog. (no offense). There will be many there rooting for the Zips and some Portland fans who may hate Gonzaga or neutrals rooting for the lower seed upset.The Zips offense seems to be spread out among the starters and bench, and only 2 players average in double digits. That is worrisome for me since we have a relentless and a very long armed defense. However 3 of our 5 losses have been sloppy and heartless losses that still leave many Zag fans dumbfounded. Basically if the Zags can lose to Portland St. at home then Akron can beat us, but.... if UCONN's A.J. Price misses that 3 pointer at the buzzer the Zags are a top 5 team right now and we would be playing some 15 seed. So the Zags are out for blood to redeem a slightly under-achieveing season and we are starving for another Elite 8 appearance. Good luck Zips. May the best team win. BTW, I hear Kangaroos can be pretty intimidating. Wait till Zippy meets Spike!!!
