johnnyzip84

I could be wrong, but I believe there will be more than just the 3 HS seniors entering the program next year. I expect at least 2, and possibly 3 scholarship players to transfer out (one big, one little, and perhaps another little). Did KD's cryptic, on-air comment after the MAC tourney final signal a possible willingness to take on a JUCO player or two? Here are my top 5 concerns/comments for next year: 1) The Obvious - build Zeke's physical strength AND confidence (especially with the ball) 2) Let Humpty play his game. It's a shame that his 2nd season was arguably less effective than his 1st. He's an instinctive player who I believe will learn better "on the job". 3) And now to another player whose 2nd season was not as effective as his 1st. Nik, PLEASE work night and day on a mid-range jumper. Whether it be catch-n-shoot or off the dribble, work on this until you are hitting them 60-70% of the time. IF you get this into your game, the lane will open up for you in a way in which you never imagined. You're a talented enough distributor to make the opposition pay when they collapse on you as well. You might as well work on FT's while you're at it. I'll live with the occasional emotional outburst if you develop a reliable jumper. 4) Make the decision regarding which newcomers will play or not very early, preferably before the season starts. 5) Give Nitro minutes at the 2 guard. He is actually the only prototypical 2 guard on the roster (except perhaps Petersen the walk-on from Fla). IMHO Nitro should practically never be playing with his back to the basket. His body simply isn't large enough. I may be one of the few who is glad to see the MAC showing signs of improvement regardless of what this means to the Zips. It's improve or fall behind. I like that kind of motivation and I think most coaches do too. We've complained about the sorry state of the league in hoops for the last few years. I want to watch better basketball period! If it means NIT appearances in the Zips future, at least it will be NIT appearance with meaning (hopefully). Now that the sleeping giant of the East has apparently awaken, it's time for the sleeping giant of the West to follow suit. Ball St. and OU have LONG held a big advantage in terms of facilities over the rest of the league. Look for the Cardinals to eventually become a MAC contender again soon.

Then I sure hope Bo Boroski or Terry Wymer aren't working the game

Maybe we should send him a FRUITCAKE basket.

For those closer to Akron, you can always kill two birds with one stone by heading to BW3's (for example) before and/or after the game

I'm thinking Nitro might see a little more time than usual given the 3 guard dominance of the Phoenix. This is especially true if he is knocking down some shots. It will be interesting to see if KD alters his rotation at all based on the opponent.

I voted LaX since it has been steadily gaining in popularity AND it would probably be the easiest for beginning both a men's and a women's program, something that would no doubt be essential in keeping up with Title IX.

We welcome you to the 13th season of the CBI tournament finals here in lovely Carmel, Indiana. There’s no place more closely interwoven with the fabric of basketball than this Midwestern state. As many of you know, the Cash Buy In tourney was previously known as the College Basketball Invitational tournament during the period from 2008 through 2015. It was only after the NCAA elected to expand their tournament from 96 to 288 teams following the 2015 season that the CBI felt compelled to take a different approach. In reality the CBI was merely removing any veil of doubt concerning its raison d’être. When the Zips of the University of Akron won the tournament 4 consecutive seasons in the early teens, numerous on-line universities in the US began to view the CBI as a major opportunity for revenue growth. DeVry got the ball bouncing in 2014 with an announcement that they would field a D-1 team beginning in 2016 vowing to “never play a road game”. The University of Phoenix swiftly followed. When ITT Tech joined the wave in 2017, it became clear that a cataclysmic shift in collegiate hoops was underway. Sure the NCAA still ran their tourney for the “orthodox” hoops fan, but the CBI offered a much more direct approach that clearly resonated with competition loving capitalists everywhere. The home game guarantee fee which originated at a paltry $60,000 is now more than ten times that figure. But with Facebook kicking in $1,000,000,000,000,000 for the lifetime rights to broadcast every Gazelle Group sponsored game, the on-line programs keep lining up. This year’s finals feature ITT-Florida vs. The University of Phoenix in Hawaii. We will return to Carmel after a word from Farmville, our first-half sponsor. While I think it's easy to make light of this tourney, I'll be the 1st to admit that I'm thrilled the team is still playing for all of the reasons previously expressed here on ZN. I'll be there tonight. Go Zips!!

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no. Was it over when Steve McNees had the ball with 6 seconds remaining? Hell no. And it ain't over now. The German's bombed Pearl Harbor!! You can't believe everything you read on the Internet Capt. That's how World War I got started. If the good Senator said so, that's enough proof for me!

Allow priority reserve season tickets holders the option to select their parking lot. Ooops....this is a football suggection.

Now that the CBI is in existence we should be able to string about 50 post season appearances in a row. Not bad. That's NEARLY from here to 1956, for you youngsters out there.

I was there after the semi-finals win over WMU and had a lot of fun. They had a decent (OK, so-so) cover band playing and in between songs, chants of "Let's Go Zips!" kept erupting I also had the pleasure of meeting Nitro's father there.

Let me be another to congratulate OU, no matter how tough a loss that was to take. Like others have said, our two seniors came up big tonight when we needed them the most. Steve pulls another rabbit out of the hat, but alas there were simply none left at the buzzer for UA. Also the poor guy had to have been completely spent playing so many minutes like he did. Not having Humpty for most of the 2nd half hurt the cause. Losses are never welcome, but if you've left it all out there (and I think the Zips did), I don't have any arguments. Some of the calls were a little rough, but I can't honestly say I felt like the game was taken away by the refs. OU simply made plays when they needed to make them, especially from the line. And let's be honest. Most of us wanted no part of playing them in the tournament. At least the eventual confrontation occurred in the championship (K.E.N.T. say that about someone else).Thank you, KD and staff and all of the team for another wild March ride. I can get used to these. You have done us all very proud.Go Bobcats in the NCAAs. I hate to admit it, but you guys are probably a little better equipped for pulling off the 1st round upset than UA is anyway. Let's put an end to the MAC one and done streak.

Heading up now and hoping the McKnights both play well, and I think they will. I have a feeling this could be a relatively high scoring game, by MAC standards. I look for a close game in the 70s. Let's Go Zips!!!

Wasn't talking about last year. No need to be an idiot.idiot? I tried answering your question, sorry tommy tough nuts.Tommy Tough Nuts??? Wouldn't that be Jimmy C?

Actually the Zips only played 1/2 of another 1/2 yesterday.2 x 5 minute OT periods = 10 total minutes20 minutes in one half10/20 = 1/2I'm more concerned with dings (Roberts in particular) than I am with fatigue.

A balanced attack along with an excellent shooting percentage (53% from floor, 50% in 3's) lead the way the 1st time around in Kalamazoo. The Zips were actually outrebounded pretty handily (30-24) in that game, so hopefully with Zeke getting more than 12 minutes this time those numbers will improve. I agree that the ball must go inside to improve the chances of shooting a high percentage once again. Roberts made some key FT's down the stretch in the previous meeting. Is there any word on how he is physically after the cheat shot yesterday?Link

Somebody pinch that sandbaggin' Ozoner!

Bassett 16 for 16 from the line!!!

OU back up by 12 with 6:16 left

Thank you!!!! Wow was that sweet.

In fact, if Zeke had gotten into foul trouble we would not have had a shot tonite!+1 What's the old saying? There are no more Freshmen at this point in the season?

You're too quick for me, Z.I.P.! Bassett having a big game. K.E.N.T. shot 25% in 1st half!!!!!OU up 16 at the half.

They should have never fired Joplin.ZN Thread after UT Fired Joplin

Apparently, ONE of the coaches failed to submit a vote in the final poll Exhibit "A" aka "Smoking Gun"

Apparently, ONE of the coaches failed to submit a vote in the final poll Exhibit "A" aka "Smoking Gun"OK, I'll grant them CONSENSUS champs......but were they UNANIMOUS???