mes102

http://www.gozips.com/sports/wvball/2015-16/releases/20150128g4e2vx

Standings through 1/28. MAC East Ohio 7-1 MAC, 16-3 overall Akron 5-3 MAC, 15-4overall Buffalo 3-4 MAC, 10-8 overall Bowling Green 2-6 MAC, 9-10 overall Can't State 1-6 MAC, 3-15 overall Miami(OH) 0-8 MAC, 3-16 overall MAC West Ball State 6-2, 10-9 overall Western Michigan 6-2, 13-6 overall Central Michigan 5-2, 10-8 overall Toledo 4-3, 11-7 overall Eastern Michigan 3-4, 10-8 overall Northern Illinois 3-4, 7-10 overall

Greg Marshall, Bo Ryan, and the third was a bit tougher for me. I have 4-5 names for that 3rd spot. I may be giving in to the "prisoner of the moment", but give me Bruce Weber. He hasn't had any talent that has blossomed into great or even good NBA players. He just has solid teams. Looking at the state of the Illinois program since he left, and now what he's doing at Kansas State, I'd put him #3.

I'm not as optimistic about it as you are right now. My concern about a possible win at Ohio Wednesday is Coach Boldon. He's done an incredible job wherever he's been. He took over YSU after they went 0-30 in 09-10. They went 6-24, 10-20, and 23-10. Then he went to Ohio where they were 6-23 when he went 23-10 at YSU. Last year(his first season), they went 9-21. I knew when they got off to their 6-0/7-0 start, that they have arrived as a MAC contender. I believe this game will be the toughest test all season long. We won't face another test like this one on the road until postseason play most likely. I believe this matchup Wednesday is between the top two coaches in the MAC. It's just a matter of if Coach Boldon goes the Coach Kest route and stays at Ohio for a long time, or decides to follow the Ohio men's basketball route of jumping ship for the next best offer.

January 28th Ohio 72, Akron 60 Ball State 72, Miami(OH) 55 Western Michigan 83, Eastern Michigan 56 Central Michigan 65, Can't State 63 Northern Illinois 67, Bowling Green 50

Standings through 1/24. HUGE game in Athens Wednesday night. MAC East Ohio 6-1 MAC, 15-3 overall Akron 5-2 MAC, 15-3 overall Buffalo 3-4 MAC, 10-8 overall Bowling Green 2-5 MAC, 9-9 overall Can't State 1-5 MAC, 3-14 overall Miami(OH) 0-7 MAC, 3-15 overall MAC West Ball State 5-2, 9-9 overall Western Michigan 5-2, 12-6 overall Central Michigan 4-2, 9-8 overall Toledo 4-3, 11-7 overall Eastern Michigan 3-3, 10-7 overall Northern Illinois 2-4, 6-10 overall

January 24th Akron 74, Central Michigan 72 Bowling Green 66, Miami(OH) 53 Buffalo 47, Northern Illinois 43 Eastern Michigan 75, Toledo 61 Ohio 69, Ball State 53 Western Michigan 78, Can't State 55

Intro from the game last night:

If they don't lose at YSU, I don't see them being deflated in Kalamazoo. Which means they would have been going into last night at 16-0, which may have kept them hungry to keep that "0". That YSU game was bad on so many levels from the shot selection, turnovers, bad defense/boxing out, bad officating, and so much more. I'm trying to forget about that one. Tough stretch coming up here with @ CMU and @ Ohio. We may very well be 4-4 in the MAC after this stretch. It's up to see how this young team responds to losing their first home game of the season.

Not bad...4-1 on my predictions. Took a risk with my Miami(OH) pick MAC East Ohio 5-1 MAC, 14-3 overall Akron 4-2 MAC, 14-3 overall Buffalo 2-4 MAC, 9-8 overall Can't State 1-4 MAC, 3-13 overall Bowling Green 1-5 MAC, 8-9 overall Miami(OH) 0-6 MAC, 3-14 overall MAC West Ball State 5-1, 9-8 overall Central Michigan 4-1, 9-7 overall Toledo 4-2, 11-6 overall Western Michigan 4-2, 11-6 overall Northern Illinois 2-3, 6-9 overall Eastern Michigan 2-3, 9-7 overall

Game Day!!!! Here's my predictions tonight: Ball State over Akron : Lady Cardinals are the best team in the MAC in my opinion...should be the best game of the night. I just think they have more size and experience, which is crucial on the road in the MAC. Ohio over Northern Illinois : After seeing what they did to CMU, WOW. Ohio is in the top 10 in the NATION in 3 point field goals made. Toledo over Buffalo : Lady Rockets have been playing well as of late and so has Buffalo, but I just don't see Buffalo coming into Toledo and winning tonight. Western Michigan over Bowling Green : BG didn't have that much depth to start off the season, and now with all their injuries, they'd be lucky to have five scholarship starters. Lady Broncos are just too big inside and more depth for BG to come out of Kalamazoo with a victory. Miami(OH) over Eastern Michigan : Miami has been playing really well as of late, and I just don't see how I can't pick them to win this game, even on the road against my opinion, the worst team in the MAC.

And before I forget, here's the upcoming Wednesday games: January 21st Ball State 77, Akron 73 Eastern Michigan 56, Miami(OH) 38 Ohio 67, Northern Illinois 40 Toledo 75, Buffalo 63 Western Michigan 82, Bowling Green 52

MAC East Akron 4-1 MAC, 14-2 overall Ohio 4-1 MAC, 13-3 overall Buffalo 2-3 MAC, 9-7 overall Can't State 1-4 MAC, 3-13 overall Bowling Green 1-4 MAC, 8-8 overall Miami(OH) 0-5 MAC, 3-13 overall MAC West Central Michigan 4-1, 9-7 overall Ball State 4-1, 8-8 overall Toledo 3-2, 10-6 overall Western Michigan 3-2, 10-6 overall Northern Illinois 2-2, 6-8 overall Eastern Michigan 1-3, 8-7 overall

MAC play so far: January 3rd Ohio 61, Buffalo 50 Central Michigan 83, Can't State 62 Northern Illinois 54, Eastern Michigan 48 (OT) Toledo 63, Miami(OH) 53 Western Michigan 67, Akron 61 Ball State 62, Bowling Green 50 January 7th Akron 67, Bowling Green 59 Ball State 72, Miami(OH) 41 Central Michigan 66, Buffalo 58 Toledo 67, Can't State 49 Western Michigan 61, Ohio 51 January 10th Central Michigan 56, Northern Illinois 43 Akron 65, Eastern Michigan 48 Ball State 54, Western Michigan 36 Can't State 55, Bowling Green 48 Ohio 65, Toledo 58 Buffalo 71, Miami(OH) 51 January 13th Western Michigan 62, Buffalo 59 January 14th Ball State 85, Can't State 47 Bowling Green 65, Northern Illinois 59 Ohio 82, Eastern Michigan 59 Central Michigan 60, Miami(OH) 54 Akron 102, Toledo 101 January 17th Akron 65, Miami(OH) 47 Buffalo 53, Ball State 43 Northern Illinois 66, Can't State 49 Ohio 71, Central Michigan 51 Toledo 65, Western Michigan 46 Eastern Michigan 64, Bowling Green 52

Ball State (4-7) Purdue L 60-66 Evansville W 76-70 Louisville L 56-69 Murray State W 85-59 Duquesne L 62-82 Oakland W 75-50 Butler L 41-48 Charlotte W 76-66 Pittsburgh L 47-59 Western Kentucky L 59-84 St. Louis L 68-73 Central Michigan (5-6) UMass W 72-70 Kentucky L 68-71 Richmond W 61-56 Oregon W 73-67 Memphis L 61-62 Dayton L 76-86 Delaware State W 91-63 South Carolina L 45-80 Minnesota L 64-67 Oakland W 74-69 Dayton L 89-98 Eastern Michigan (7-4) Can't St-Tuscarawas W 127-40 Michigan State L 61-69 Texas Pan-Am L 75-81 Hillsdale W 73-56 Cal State-Fullerton W 78-74 Weber State W 57-42 Cleveland State W 71-68 Oral Roberts L 62-63 Madonna W 88-65 Michigan L 52-81 Detroit W 75-71 Northern Illinois (4-6) Illinois State W 55-51 Illinois-Chicago L 47-61 Valparaiso L 50-65 Eastern Illinois L 46-55 South Dakota State L 42-55 Delaware State W 79-59 Missouri L 44-47 SIU-Edwardsville W 69-47 Northern Iowa L 42-51 Bradley W 67-54 Toledo (7-4) Cleveland State L 71-81 St. Bonaventure W 64-58 Purdue L 48-66 Virginia W 64-62 Arizona W 69-54 Dayton L 57-79 Idaho W 80-67 Detroit L 72-83 Nevada W 65-56 Southern Illinois W 64-48 Wisconsin-Parkside W 70-63 Western Michigan (7-4) UMass W 63-41 North Dakota State W 74-59 Michigan L 47-74 Chicago State W 73-43 Kentucky State W 70-45 UW-Green Bay L 55-70 Ohio State L 46-83 Trine W 81-45 Detroit W 71-57 Stony Brook L 55-59 Holy Cross W 51-40

Akron (10-1) Binghamton W 80-49 Northern Kentucky W 82-49 Northern Iowa W 82-73 Valparaiso 100-65 Belmont W 73-58 Siena W 90-74 Morehead State W 89-61 Bethune-Cookman W 81-63 UCF W 73-64 Ohio Christian W 97-62 Youngstown State L 62-75 Bowling Green (7-4) Bucknell L 52-53 Iona W 80-59 UW-Milwuakee W 60-50 UC-Irvine W 62-54 Loyola Marymount L 48-51 Cincinnati W 66-55 St. Francis(PA) W 76-62 Illinois State W 58-54 Bradley W 61-47 Hampton L 53-64 FIU L 55-68 Buffalo (7-4) Siena L 50-58 St. Francis(PA) W 88-80 Niagara W 73-64 Duke L 54-88 Tulsa L 77-87 Illinois State W 68-60 Cornell W 65-58 St. Bonaventure W 51-44 Manhattan W 68-58 LIU-Brooklyn L 73-79 Canisus W 72-55 Can't State (2-9) North Dakota State L 68-74 Youngstown State L 49-68 Northwestern L 54-72 Belmont W 58-55 Texas A&M-CC L 47-57 Dartmouth L 49-60 Duquesne L 60-86 Cleveland State L 67-69 Arkansas State 44-59 Colgate W 62-61 New Orleans L 55-58 Miami(OH) (3-8) Cincinnati Christian W 75-53 Illinois-Chicago L 69-72 Oakland L 51-65 Michigan State L 39-85 Valparaiso W 82-59 Evansville L 41-51 UT-Martin L 57-90 Old Dominion L 63-69 Michigan State L 42-68 Drexel L 54-71 Davidson W 59-58 Ohio (9-2) Murray State W 111-60 Wofford W 84-37 Detroit W 60-57 Northern Kentucky W 77-38 Manhattan W 82-58 Morehead State W 87-67 East Carolina L 68-76 James Madison L 62-69 La Salle W 74-63 UMass W 59-52 Cleveland State W 71-64

I think if Kest has to come up with something, she can always move Plybon to that PG position down the stretch. I like Plybon on the wing but if she has to play PG, she can do it. I expected her to play more PG thinking it would take McMahan longer than it has for her to transition to DI college level of play. I like Barilla and McMahan sharing the PG load, and I think at least one of them will get better at the FTs. I expect both of them to get better at them.

Agreed. And with time, the women's team will fix that. When you have four student-athletes that at this time last season, were still playing high school basketball, it's going to take time in some areas for them to get better. For example, free throw/field goal shooting and defense(getting used to the quicker speed). Sina, Hannah, and Anita missing some crucial free throws down the stretch concerned me a bit, but they'll get that fixed.

Any word on whether or not Nagbe will be eligible for the 2018 World Cup?

I received an email back from AD as well. Here's the response I received: "I appreciate your thoughts about our message to OSU, but I have to disagree that it hurts us. To me, it was just a nice gesture for us to reach out to a friendly competitor. Nothing more, nothing less. It was a onetime message as they were playing for the national championship and it won’t cost us recruits as we don’t often recruit against them in football. As for your comments about the other sports, I like our group of coaches and believe that we are on the path to great success in our key sports over the next few years. Thanks again and Go Zips!" Basically, it's what we were thinking it was...clueless

Not much, but it's something.

Absolutely was a great game. You can watch the replay on ESPN3 http://espn.go.com/watchespn/player/_/id/2276098/size/condensed/

Couple things to add to this conversation: A ) I know they play less minutes per quarter, but most states across the country could have high school teams playing anywhere from 10-15 games per season. B ) Get rid of TWO non-conference game. So that you have 10+1 Still have two to help(or hurt) the RPI for your conference. Sorry, but I don't think you can base THIS season's results based on the year before. There's just too much turnover in these programs(draft, graduation, eligibility, etc). C ) I think 14 or 16 teams is too much. I think it waters it down a bit. In my opinion, it should be conference champions only. That's how you get in, and it's the only way you get in. I think eight teams is enough. Three weeks of playoffs plus a ten game regular season + championship game would be a 15 game season for only the national championship teams. D ) The only way a team gets in that isn't a conference champion is if an independent(Notre Dame, BYU, etc) has a 10-0 or 9-1 record and better RPI than THREE of the champions of the Big 12, Big Ten, ACC, SEC, and PAC-12. Obviously, that would bump out a "mid-major", but that's why I made the stipulations I proposed. It's very hard to happen, and it would be better for Army and BYU to just join a conference. However, Notre Dame will be stubborn with their NBC contract. That way it gives the "little guys" a chance, but only the ones that could give a legit chance to win in the playoffs.

I did. I think to them, there's only one school in Ohio. Even if they do go to a different one. I keep using the high school comparison. You going to root for a rival school to win a state title, or even root for a school that you didn't even go to when you were in high school.

I saw someone tweet out that they'll remember the Go #TeamOhio portion when Akron plays Ohio...