clarkwgriswold

Zips need to build a cushion not trade baskets as Toledo will have a second half run in them.

Problem is that they need Clarke. Castaneda can't play every minute and Tribble can only do spot duty at the point. I am perplexed at how Clarke has gone backwards. Every time we see a sign of progress... One step forward two steps back.

Turnovers + giving up offensive rebounds = bad results

I wish we were seeing more of Kalle on the floor. Partly because it would be a sign of the Zips getting a comfortable lead. I also think he could be some much needed big man help for Freeman and Aziz. I don't see him ever being the finesse player Xeryius was but he has shown signs he could be decent player.

That's the reason to establish a relationship with all of the top local kids, even those they know they can't get. That way, you plant the seed in their heads for when their first stop doesn't work out and "coming home" becomes an option. Sometimes, that pays dividends like a Se'Von Pittman.

Zips have slow start (Nostradamus here) then rally to keep it close at the half and into the second half but then Toledo, having the deeper roster and a couple of go to guys rallies and pulls away. To the consternation of the gambling degenerates, the final score is 84-76.

I'd love an arena but they'd have to get awfully creative with the financing as the voting populace in Summit County made it pretty clear they had no interest in funding it the last time it was raised. It was headed to the ballot as a tax measure combined with county-wide 911 improvements and they did a poll which overwhelmingly showed that the levy would go down if the arena funding was included. As a result, we've watched good basketball in a barn while we watch bad football in a nice stadium. One of the hot rumors circling the JAR early in the basketball season was that the groundwork had been laid for Charles Thomas to get the Central Michigan job at which time KD would resign at Duquesne and return to UA as AD. The first block in that chain of events, Thomas getting the CMU job, fell through the and the KD return went along with it. In the end, the job then went to Guthrie. I'm not sure I am buying that rumor, but it is one that's made its rounds.

Sexist. LOL.

14/15 from the line. Maybe they should give lessons to the men's team.

ABT- anybody but Trimble.

During an awful stretch in the game last night, one of the announcers made a comment to the effect that the MAC had so much talent that it was a shame the MAC is a one bid NCAA tourney conference. I actually said out loud "what game are you watching?"

I watched some of the Toledo-Buffalo game last night during Toledo's second half run when they pulled away and all I could think was "damn, they're good." They are not unbeatable but they really seem to be hitting their stride. As Blue & Gold stated, the Zips can't have one of their slow starts because unlike the awful directionals Toledo will keep their foot on the accelerator and pull away. I am afraid if they yank Trimble from the starting lineup that it may ruin his psyche for the rest of the season. They will really need to get a handle on Rollins Friday. Some of the league's top guards, Sears, Williams, Carry and White, have had their way with the Zips and Rollins is as good as any of them. He's also coming off a MAC player of the week and had 25 points, 11 boards and 5 assists against Canada.

Good stuff MDZip! Thanks for doing the research. Let's not forget though that these were the guys who told us "Defense is a Tony Barbee staple" and "CMU settles into the 2-3 that's been pretty effective this year." All the while, CMU is the worst defense in the MAC.

The Zips head west to face the league leading 16-4 Toledo Rockets Friday night. The game is being broadcast on CBS Sports Network (grrrrr). 6’4” sophomore guard Ryan Rollins leads the Sprockets and the MAC in scoring at 19.4 ppg going into the Buffalo game. Rollins was a member of last year’s All-MAC Freshman Team, starting every game, and was an All-MAC first teamer in the pre-season poll. He just had 25 points, 11 boards and 5 assists against Buffalo. He is as good of a player as I have seen in the MAC this year. 6’7” junior forward JT Shumate leads the team in rebounding at 6.5 rpg and is second on scoring at 15.3 ppg.

Toledo looking like world beaters and peeling Buffalo in the second half.

Groce will tell us on the postgame that their effort was good. That may be true, however, the reality is that this team is just not very good right now. Just keep plugging and hope it comes.

They just posted a wrong schedule for the Zips.

There it is!

The light reflection on the floor is burning a hole in my retinas.

...and now they've completely lost the scoreboard graphic. Real professional job tonight by ESPN+.

Zips again playing to the level of the competition.

...and on queue...

It just doesn't feel like an ESPN+ Zips game without John Johnson and Blue Bangs trying to sell me a Toyota.

Maybe they need to change the pregame routine given the repeated slow start issue.