clarkwgriswold

I have an extra GA ticket if anyone wants it. Shoot me a message ASAP if you want it.

For the sake of redundancy, just to review- I am not 100% pleased with Groce. The offense has struggled, time management has been an ongoing issue and the team has had major issues closing games. That being said, I am moderately satisfied with the progress of the team. KD moved on and it left this program in shambles. Groce got a late start in recruiting and had to start from ground zero. Last year's team was 14-18 and 6-12 in the MAC. It was untalented, gave inconsistent effort and had some head cases. This year's team is 16-15 and 8-10 in the MAC. Not a huge difference in record, but this team has been in the game in most of its losses, plays outstanding defense and gives effort every night. In the end, they're getting better. Swap out Ivey for Williams and Roscoe and add another year of D1 experience to Cheese, Banks and LCJ and I think this team continues to trend up. We were really spoiled with KD and the consistency from year to year. If next year, we're again a middle of the pack MAC team, then I will be ready to move on, but if they do as I expect and move into the top four teams, win 20 games and bring in decent recruits, I will continue to conclude Groce was a worthwhile hire.

Miami's leading scorer, Sabande, has a combined 5 points in two games against the Zips this year. Cheese has a combined 44 (17 and 27).

Uh oh. NWAkron is doing strange voodoo stuff to John Groce bobbleheads!

Nobody is beating Buffalo. The Zips aren't beating any of the top 4 teams away from the JAR. In my final analysis of the Zips having concluded the regular season, they are what there record says they are (cue the Dennis Green rant). In the simplest of terms, there's a reason they were 16-15. They are a middle of the road average MAC team. I don't expect any more of a run from them than I expect of CMU or NIU.

The Zips host the Redhawks Monday night at the JAR as the second half of a first round MAC tourney double header with the women. Miami comes into the game at 15-16 having lost three in a row and 4 out of 5. The Zips beat Miami 70-58 at the JAR a couple of weeks ago and fell at Oxford 68-61 early in the season.

Antonio.

I heard Groce was yelling at Williams at the end of the game? What's with that?

Fair enough. Seems like a reasonable and common position. I'll make it Monday night if possible of for no other reason than I'll suck every last cent out of my season ticket. After the misery of the OU game less than a week ago, I'll take Miami thanks.

I guess Walker got suspended for getting into a fight at a bar with Danny Pippen. One of this season's lessons- timeouts are important.

At least at the JAR the people in bad seats can see through the glass. I don't know what the hell they were thinking when they designed the MACC Center. It must have been their Architecture School's fine work.

I think he missed some time early in the season for some "issues." I suspect it could be the same issue. Steve Spurrier would have forgiven it a couple of times.

I go when I am in town. PCCC is actually very close to where I live.

Wow, can't believe the lack of activity in here.

Could you have some food ready for me if I am running late?

I am out of town from Friday night to later in the day Monday. That leaves it all to you guys to pull the Zips through in Ravenna. Don't let me down. Hope to be back in time for Monday's game. They were nice enough to move the game to 8:00 just for me so I would hate to let them down. Also, if someone thinks about it, once the Zips have an opponent, please throw up a thread for Monday night's contest. I may not get a chance to do it.

Agreed. He has two years of JUCO so he should have the junior (20 - 21 y.o.) body. At the rate at which he's grown as a player this year, you should be right about next year.

I think Cheese can be a 16 to 18 point average scorer. He's not the rebounder or defender Ivey is but he has a better handle.

With any luck, Saul will get canned from OU and we can flip McDay.

Saw that game at the Canton Civic Center. That place is not great, but I love watcning games there.

And it really was a momentum changer. I referenced it above, but the whole story on Lillard was that in the 2015 DII championship game Lillard and Cleveland Central Catholic were ahead 37-35 in the fourth quarter with 45 seconds left he drove to the basket and threw down a beautiful monster dunk to give CCC a four-point lead that Defiance would have had a very tough time overcoming. Unfortunately, he realy hung on the rim with his feet coming up nearly level to the bottom of the backboard, and the referee T'd him up for hanging on the rim. Defiance went to the other end hit the two free throws then scored to tie the game, eventually winning in overtime. Instead of a two-possession lead, the technical let Defiance back into the game. Here's a link with the video. The lesson for Lilland is that "dunks are bad." https://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/03/ohio-state-championship-controversial-call-cleveland-central-catholic-antwon-lillard

The rivalry will be revisited Friday night as the Zips head into the arena with the worst sight lines in college basketball and fans in the GA seats look on in bewilderment unable to see what happens on the near sideline. Mr. Pinky's Flushes enter the game at 21-9, fresh off of a win over Miami. They are 10-7 in the MAC. The PCC offense revolves around guard Jaylin Walker who averages 21.9 a game. The Zips held him to 10 points on 4 for 19 shooting (0 for 10 on 3 pointers) in the 72-53 Zips win on February 8th. Let's hope Jimond shuts him down Friday as the Flushes tend to go as Walker goes.

Wow, where's that offense been all year? Let's hope Groce was right that the shots would eventually start falling. Great finish for Jimond. I went up to his dad at half, congratulated him on his son's accomplishments and told him how much we've appreciated Jimond in his time at UA. I'll sure miss that kid next year.

Nice missed dunk by Lillard. Ohio high school basketball fans will remember him as the guy who got called for a technical in the state championship game for hanging on the rim that gave the opponent the ball and free throws to tie the game and take it to over time where they won

...or the lack of offense has returned.