BirdZip

There's no way we got an invitation and turned it down. This is a screw job--plain and simple--with no lubrication.

He can't have done that. You have to take the opportunity, no matter what. Drive to Alaska in a Pinto if you have to.

I think the hosts on the NIT selection show showed us why they're on ESPNU and not ESPN. They kept calling the NIT the NCAA and I think that is what threw us. At one point, the main guy said Akron wasn't in the NIT and I assumed he meant NCAA because of everything else they had said. NIT Selection Committee

OK. THat settles it. Not a blessing.MAC Refs--> <--AkronNCAA--> <--AkronNIT--> <--Akron

And they have Miami (OH) as a mighty 15 seed. What great MAC representation!I still can't believe Miami are KD--> <--Timekeeper

Oh, and one more thing. If you're going to take a loss in the MAC CHAMPIONSHIP on a freak 3-point bank shot after a clock error to justify throwing out Dambrot, save us all the time and stop posting here.

Not so sure the NIT will be kind, with all of the new auto bids in there.I'm not rooting for Miami. Their success will do nothing for the MAC. Can't State went to the Elite 8 a few years ago--did that earn us extra bids? We need better scheduling but if no-one will play us, what can you do? I say go after higher ranked mid-majors if the majors won't play us.And one more thing--How about an NCAA tournament rule that limits the number of teams from a conference. If you're not at least the 6th best in your conference, why are you going to the NCAA tournament?

OK, perhaps we're confusing ourselves with the players. Our looking forward to the brackets is NOT going to affect tonight's game. In fact, it might get everyone more psyched up for it, and therefore be even louder.Is there really any Zips fan who hasn't been thinking about the big dance???On the subject of the brackets, I think 12 is a perfect seeding. The highest seed you will have to beat is a 4 to get to the sweet 16, and if a 13 knocks off the 4 (which has been happening more lately), you get an even easier route.

Does anyone know if that basketball head mascot is relatively new? I'm wondering if they used to have an indian mascot but ditched it under the pressure from the NCAA and adopted that stupid thing.I had the unfortunate pleasure of sitting in the vicinity of the K-ent student section yesterday. I made the following mental notes:1. They were'nt really that loud.2. They weren't really that organized.3. Other than proving that they could correctly spell KE-NT (most of the time), they didn't have any chants or cheers that didn't have the word "suck" in it. All of the comments on the lack of creativity are spot on!The Q's a tad bit too big. From the opposite endzone, I couldn't hear the Rowdies and I know they were loud and rocking. Why do they have you guys up so high??? They need to get you down by the court! I guess I know the answer though--$$$.

POLLITZ HAS BEEN TOUGH--WE NEED TO KEEP HIM OUT OF THE GAME. ST. CLAIR SEEMS LIKE HE WANTS TO FOUL OUT EARLY--WE SHOULD HELP HIM DO THAT. #24 HAS ALSO BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE. MIAMI HAS BEEN LOOKING TOUGH THESE LAST TWO DAYS. BUT I DON'T THINK TOUGH ENOUGH. FEED IT TO J-WOOD AGAIN AND PUNCH THE TICKET...MIAMI = 60AKRON = 72

Buffalo needs to get it close and keep it there so CM has to tire out their starters.

The goal now is making the tournament, not beating K-ent (even though that would be nice). Another Can't game would be more fun, but if I could set it up, I'd choose the worst three teams. Win the tournament and move on.The other benefit to not playing Can't is the fatigue factor. WM or NIU would be on their third game in three nights.

If I'm reading the Coaches' poll correctly, we had 7 votes/points last week and NONE THIS WEEK! {Coaches}

On the subject of the FOX commentators, I was at the game so didn't see the FOX coverage. How did FOX handle the rampant profanity, obscene gestures, inappropriate signs, etc., from the Can't State student section? Did they mention it at all? Did they avoid putting a camera on the students?

About 15 years ago when I was playing intramural basketball, the football team had a team and called it AU Physical. man, that burned me. They played football for the University and still didn't get it right!

And LeBron has said that if he did go to college, he would have gone to Ohio State. Agreed--we won't see him after this year.

"OH DEAR GOD!!!54 FT's!!! And they made 32....jeeezus f'in Chryst!! We suck so bad at this, WHY?!!!!The Zips are going to go out in the first MAC tourney game b.c. of this, i will bet on it."I've been a big critic of Akron's FT shooting all year as well, and the BG game was horrible, but I'd take that bet any day. I decided to take a look around a bit at what other teams shoot (Team FT% per ESPN for the season):MAC EASTAkron .664Can't .650Miami .698Ohio .729Buffalo .697Bowling G .675MAC WESTToledo .680West Mich .715Cent Mich .724East Mich .692Ball St. .691N Ill .708COUNTRY TOP 5Ohio State .695Wisconsin .682Florida .678UCLA .657No Car .702I guess the bottom line is, while Akron stinks from the stripe (2nd worst in the MAC), so does everyone else. Best in the MAC is .729. Akron averages 18.6 FT per game. At 66.4%, that's 12.4 points per game from FT. If we were tied for best in the MAC, that would be 13.6 points per game. One point difference.We still stink at FT, but I thought it was interesting info.Also note above further proof that

To me, if you're not sure if a number should be retired, then it shouldn't be. Retiring a number is the highest honor a team can give. That should be reserved for the no-brainers.

When you think about it, the last couple of minutes for Akron in a close game is scary for a variety of reasons:1: We can't make free throws.2: We stink against the press.3: We can't get a good shot at the end of a game (or end of half) when it's on the line.4: Leading up to those last few minutes, if it's close, we panic and start firing threes instead of just pounding it inside and shooting higher percentage twos (and keeping the pressure on). Think Toledo on this one.I agree with the Captain--we can't do anything about #1 at this point (should have been a focus from the start), but the remaining three are manageable and must be addressed.The other thing that this loss to Miami does (since it eliminates any possibility of an at large) is that it makes the Duquesne game meaningless except to tire us out more.We should beat BG and Buffalo and Can't may beat Ohio and will beat BG. I'm glad I got my K-ent tickets early and am really looking forward to that one. I think the Mac East and #2 seed is decided that Sunday night and not before.

Best takeaway from this poll:Points from the pollAKRON (553)K-ENT (24)Nice confirmation that

The Austin Peay fans who were posting here were nothing but cordial. No reason to go persoanl attack in either direction.Akron's good--very good--and they showed it last night.

Per Gozips.com: Joyce maintains a team-best 4.5 apg (third in MAC) and 2.4 assist-turnover ratio (first in MAC) (108 assists compared to 45 turnovers). I agree on the pressing woes. We seem confused when that happens, and inevitably lob a weak pass that gets intercepted. And we do it two or three times in a row.

Didn't forget his 5 rebounds. Saw them, wasn't impressed.As to the others you list, I don't think I said anything about them, but since you ask, I do know they at least try on defense, and actually move on offense.If they want to play, they should play the full go and do it the way KD wants it done. I agree, it would be nice to see them get more playing time, but give KD some credit. Seems like some people are a little too impressed with themselves. Maybe, just maybe, KD is more qualified than those of us posting here to make these decisions.

I don't have a huge problem with KD protecting the lead. This may be the best chance to make a run--he's ensuring we win each and every game. Granted, a 20-point lead looks good with 10 minutes to go, but with the scrubs in, half of that can easily go away in 2 minutes. Then, you have 8 minutes left where your lead is only 10. Make it close, and we have to rely on free throws.As to Goddard's points-to-minutes ratio, that's because he just parks it in 3-point land and shoots it before he even touches it. Maybe KD wants some defense and some teamwork. Look at all the stats and it's a little different story.GoddardMinutes = 47Points = 49Shots Taken = 68Steals = 1Turnovers = 3He's a sideshow.

From ESPN.com's Drive to 65 column yesterday:"Worth noting -- there's still probably no reasonable at-large candidate in the MAC (despite Akron's progress)..."We need to be