clarkwgriswold

Have you not seen the Dizzy Spin Contest or the Hippity Hop Ball Race at the basketball games?

I am very spoiled by my $60 season tickets. Even with that bargain, I can't tell you the last time I bought any concessions at a game. I realize concessions are generally expensive, but they should make some effort to make it more affordable. This is a college game at the JAR, not an NBA game.

He's the Zips' second favorite mascot.

I think Utomi will come around. I've noticed in recent games at the JAR that teams are not sagging off of him for help defense. They've figured out he's the top shooting threat so they are not sagging for help defense when the ball is on the other side of the floor. As a result, he's not getting as many open looks.

I wouldn't put too much on CMU's record. Their OOC schedule was weeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaak.

Feeling their Nate Oats.

Not a chance. They will lose 4 or 5 games.

I like the growth, but they're still a couple of players short. I think Williams and Reece may be the players next year to fill out a decent rotation. Reece is only 6-5 or 6-6 but he plays much bigger and we need that help inside.

The Huskies come to Akron Saturday as the second game of a doubleheader with the women's team. The Huskies are 11-8 overall and 4-2 in the MAC. They have wins over OU, Miami, the Zips and Buffalo, with losses to Central and PCCC. As you will recall, the Zips took a huge dump in DeKalb going from a 34-25 halftime lead to a 73-56 loss. Huskies' scoring is led by 6 foot junior guard Eugene German's 20.6 ppg while 6'9" senior forward Lacey James leads rebounding at 7 rpg. The Huskies will be feeling their oats coming off of their upset of #14 Buffalo last night.

I think Sayles wore out his welcome last night when a CMU got an offensive rebound on a free throw by just going around him. I watched E-man last night and he actually seeks out a guy to put his body on before he goes for a rebound. He needs to teach Sayles.

Well, another ugly win, but I'm not giving it back. Awful night for Utomi, yet he played 33 minutes. It was pretty obvious the coaching staff was fed up quickly with Jaden tonight. Riak was more of a rebounding and defensive presence tonight. Cheese should play at least 30 minutes a game from here out. He's the only guy on the team aggressive with the ball.

Is this what they call "MACtion"?

It's the offense the Zips run 90% of the time after 15 seconds go by on the shot clock and they've made no progress with the normal offense.

Has any Zips big man actually been passed the ball off of the pick-and-roll this year?

I've seen statuaries with more movement than the Zips offense.

Wow, how are the Zips up after that half? The Chipps were super awful. Let's hope the Zips don't follow their trend of playing worse in the second half.

I just don't think Riak has much talent on offense. His career numbers demonstrate that. However, they ought to at least try to get the ball in to him occasionally to keep the defense honest and he needs to be more aggressive with his opportunities. I think Sayles has some talent, but his tendency to disappear at times coupled with his hands of stone make me crazy. I'm beginning to think Deng is George's long lost nephew as that's the second time he's made a comment along those lines.

Yep, I see another nailbiter, down to the last couple of minutes.

...meeting up with Captain Kangaroo before a Zips game..........Priceless.

Exactly. I got in early enough to get them at $60 a piece. That's a bargain, even for bad basketball.

$87. Unbelievable.

George's article from today's Beacon on the awful 3 point shooting. I like how he wraps it up- "Until then, they’d be wise to take advantage of the size they have on the inside in Deng Riak, their 6-foot-10 center, who has been woefully underutilized at this point, and his backup Jaden Sayles." I really wish he'd stick to just giving up the facts and some quotes from the coach. https://www.ohio.com/sports/20190121/university-of-akron-basketball-poor-3-point-shooting-adds-to-offensive-woes-for-zips George apparently sees some offensive skills in a guy who scored 3.2 ppg in 21 minutes of play per game in his last season at ECU and a guy whose limited shooting range makes the restricted zone arc look like the 3 point line.

Woohooo. Rally towels.

No, they'll turn into DB Cooper and Angela Bassett.

I'd like to see them get out and run a little, but they seem content to play on offense the same slow deliberate pace they try to get other teams to play through their defense. Jackson, Cheese, Banks, Ivey and Sayles are all very good in transition. Unfortunately, the offense now seems to focus on passing it around the perimeter until they get a three point opportunity.