wadszip

Yeah, this was never going to happen. I texted my buddy who is a Missouri fan and joked that "I know he'll end up at Missouri, but interesting that Tilmon officially announced his intention for a release hours after Groce became official." He said, yeah, "I was told if he asked out of the release, it was to come to Missouri." He's tied in to what's going on at Mizzou ... told me about the Willie Jackson transfer a couple days before it came public. He also at that time said that Hughes was also for sure gone. Even after Hughes decided to finish out the year, he was still adamant that there was a 0 percent chance he returns. ... Not that it took inside knowledge for this, but he also said that Kim Anderson was 100 percent gone and did call the Cuonzo Martin/Michael Porter Sr. hires a couple days before each were announced. On a bit of an Akron-related note, he told me Monday that Cornell Mann was going to be hired as an assistant. ... That became official yesterday. Anyway, his record has been pretty spotless.

LZ, Again, out of likes. But this is a great post. Tip my cap. This is almost to the tee, exactly how I feel about this hire.

Lol, that's a great point. Out of likes so +2.

That question is the same for any coach. It's not like if somebody else was hired, those guys were coming back ... plus, maybe Antino reconsiders after this. Probably not if his hometown Houston offers him a scholarship. But you have to think Groce at least makes him think twice (same with Noah). And I bet Utomi and Jimond have to be excited.

Yeah, because it takes John Wooden to out scheme the juggernaut that is the MAC. In all seriousness, my biggest beef with Groce (when he was at OU) was that he was an average Xs and Os coach. Still, he put together two MAC tourney title teams in four years and advanced beyond the first round in both appearances. Who knows, the Illinois experience may have humbled him and he may focus more on actual coaching. Or maybe he is what he is (and will simply out recruit the rest of the MAC schools and get away with talent). Either way, hard to be against this hire.

He was only on the market for a month. Let's not act like he has been hanging out in the abyss for years and Akron decided to dust him off. Plus, how do you know he didn't get approached by other schools and he flat out said, I'm not interested? It's been widely reported by Indiana people he had a spot on Archie Miller's staff if he wanted it. That should tell you that he is still well thought of. Say what you want about Groce, but he didn't take this job because he had nothing else going for him. He had every reason to be selective, but he chose to come here.

I find stuff like funny. If Keith Dambrot wouldn't have lost six MAC title games and won one tournament game, he wouldn't have thrown his pitty-party and bolted. Personally, while I have questioned some of what KD did in the past (me and pretty much everybody else on here over the years), I wish he would've retired a Zip. But he didn't. And while our hometown savior left because he didn't think he could win here, our new coach (who realistically has experienced more success in the MAC in four years than KD did in 13) decided to come here because he sees it as a place he can win at. Despite Groce's "failure" at Illinois, don't think for a second he couldn't have had his pick of mid-major jobs.

Parker Perry doing his best Bill Livingston and spreading fake news ... Ohio 9-3 in the last 12 against Akron? Maybe in Kitty (fantasy) World.

I could definitely see him ending up at Akron (though as I mentioned on the recruiting board, this transfer has been known since Christmas ... so this doesn't seem to have any relation to Groce ... but maybe the timing of making it official means a little something). Still, coming here has to be appealing since the guard spot now is a huge question mark. Another guy I mentioned previously who I thought may have considered Akron was former St. Edward standout Kipper Nichols, who signed with Tulane and then asked for his release just prior to the 2015-16 season (before he was ever enrolled) citing he wanted to be closer to home. He ended up going to Illinois ... with you know who. Maybe he follows Groce, but unfortunately, he already lost one year post HS with the move to Illinois. But eligibility wise, would just be a sophomore. So, could be a possibility. And I wonder if LePear Toles will be in play? I'm guessing this hire wouldn't do anything to hurt those chances.

Lol, you've been spot on with the Groce stuff. Wake me now when Antino says that he has a change of heart (he should look at what Groce did with Cooper, seriously) and Noah confirms he is staying. I'm assuming that Jimond and Utomi were always solid. Somehow bring those four back, with Poke, maybe Hughes, Parrish and the kid from Stivers (blanking on him and don't feel like googling) and I don't see any falloff from what my expectations were with KD (18 or so wins). And if Groce could work some late magic and get a contributor or two, this team could be in business year one.

Sad news as Jordan Davis' brother was shot and killed in Canton and Jordan was also shot in the leg. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/03/former_garfield_heights_basket.html#incart_river_home

It's hard to judge Syracuse's crowd, but no way was there 10,000 there ... place looked at least 80 percent empty. But your point stands, this program has a chance to do something it has never done before, so while it's not the tournament that any of us wanted, in a way, playing basketball in the last weekend of March (and hopefully early April) somewhat makes up for the lost opportunity last week in Cleveland. Hopefully the team treats this like an NCAA game and at least gives the chance of one more game at the JAR ... before heading off to New York.

Thompson has thrown two elbow/punches at dog now that haven't been called, smh.

What a wasted season. Even if this team does win in Cleveland, they are sitting on the 14 (or maybe even the 15 line with a loss at Kent with the lack of any meaningful wins). So, it will be a one and done. Plus, this team built its offense so much around Big Dog and Kwan that next year is going to be brutal. Going to be lucky to get 15 wins.

Mike Popovich for Akron hoops GM. That's Magic Johnson-level insight.

I knew this team would struggle in 2017 ... just figured it would be 2017-18. This team has been exposed. A first round NIT knockout (if they even get that) is the best we can hope for. Now, go ahead and destroy me for why I'm wrong.

That was embarrassing.

Daniel Utomi's jump shot is basketball sex, lol.

Just curious to see if anybody else was listening to 92.3 The Fan around 4:30 p.m.? I got in my car to head home and 92.3 was on since I listen to (UA alum) Ken Carman in the morning on my way to work. First thing I hear is Adam the Bull saying "We're talking with the Akron Beacon Journal's George Thomas." I'm like, ok, some Akron-Kent talk made Cleveland radio. Instead, the entire interview was nothing but movie talk. Now, I don't know if the interview started out as Akron-Kent talk because I didn't hear the very beginning, but since I listened to about 20 minutes of that crap, I'm guessing I didn't miss much of the interview. And when they ended it, there was no mention of the game, nor follow up talk of it (instead Bull and Dustin Fox go back and forth about horror films and how its a niche genre). So assuming I didn't miss anything, what a freaking joke that 92.3, a sports talk radio station, had on Akron's "beat writer" on the air and yet not one mention of Northeast Ohio's biggest college basketball rivalry. Sigh, I wish I could say I'm surprised by that.

At least the Cavs are playing tonight. I guess I'll find out how this one ends later on.

I was trying to watch on the watch ESPN app on the fire stick. I'll see if I can figure out if I can download betternet. Thanks for the advice.

I second that. Had to work until 6:30 and figured I'll just go home and watch it on the fire stick and denied, smh. Guess I'll be riding along with French and Dunn. I'm guessing they replay will be available once the game is over??

I think it's a given that Utomi is the starting 4 next year. It's actually a reason for optimism, too. Because the 4 and 5 spots are huge question marks.

I 100 percent disagree with that. Buffalo already has proven they can stay with us, in Akron, under your scenario. They are, by far, the biggest threat in Cleveland (but hardly the only in a one-game tournament). Buffalo is a team that has everything that is the traditional Akron kryptonite ... long athletes who can get to the rim. Plus, they are starting to shoot the 3-ball better (it started with that 1-point loss at the JAR). It's interesting that the two schools have taken exact opposite ways to getting to an ends (the MAC tourney title). Akron has ran up 21-plus wins (by playing a weaker non-conference schedule in hopes that maybe if they go 27-4 they could squeeze out an at-large). Buffalo has gone the opposite route. It's a program that doesn't care about non-conference losses (or even early MAC losses) as long as it builds up to playing its best ball by Cleveland. The result has been about the same (with the recent nod to Buffalo since they are the two-time defending champs). The two teams have represented the MAC 5 times in the past 9 years; and I'm guessing one of the two will make it 6 in 10. While neither has won a tournament game, I think it's fair to say that Buffalo has been more respectable in its appearances.

The love fest for TDM is way premature. Outside of his bank 3, and knocking a ball off Toney, he was horrible. He's just too small, can't penetrate and frankly isn't a D1 player right now. Maybe, he can be a solid rotational player down the road, but for some of the hate Robotham gets, he is easily twice the player at this point. Utomi, on the other hand, is legit. His game is gradually improving in front of our eyes. He still was on fire from three, but his willingness to put the ball on the floor when pushed off the line, and even posting up a bit, is what I think is the turning point for him. He's got way too good of a basketball body and skills to simply be a spot up shooter. While he's played that shooting role better than anybody could've expected, I love that he's beginning to expand his game while still playing the role he is most needed to perfection. Also, thought Ivey played a very nice game. He's starting to really knock down the corner threes, and he continues, by far, to be the team's best perimeter defender. He did a great job tonight, IMO, of getting those hockey assists. EMU left him alone in the corner in the zone all night and not only did he knock down a couple 3s from down there, he also made quite a few "simple" plays that set up an open look. Like Utomi, his game continues to grow. Overall, a very disciplined offense game all around (outside the press at the end ... which I was yelling, "Just get the ball in Antino's hands").