LoyalZIP

WMU led by 11 with 4 minutes to go. They seem pretty good at blowing those.

She’s been trying all year, but finally cashed them in today. In home games, she’s been taking 1-2 a game max and missed just about every one of them. Been pretty good in the mid-range though, just hasn’t been able to extend out…until today!

An ugly but solid win today. Never in doubt from start to finish. Buffalo reminds me of the 2018 UA men’s team. Just completely overmatched. Zips got a big one on Wednesday!!!

Fun game. Two really good teams in the league for sure. A win is a win. Onto Buffalo.

You nailed it right on the head. When Kent is focused, they will be tough to beat. As in taking smart shots and letting things come to them. Buffalo panicked early and fell behind but then hung around there all night. They are not Buffalo. They are still great, and absolutely the MAC favorite. But far from the best MAC team I’ve ever seen.

The line for today opened at Zips -4.5 but has grown to as much as -7.5 at some books. Sitting at -6.5 now. That’s an awful lot of points for how Akron’s been shooting the ball. An easy cover would be nice. It’s about to get real for this team, they’re being out through the gauntlet.

That may have been the most boring MAC game I’ve seen this year. The fans were asleep, players asleep, announcer asleep. Payton has a very stupid face. Although that’s kind of redundant when you voluntarily play basketball for Rob Senderoff.

I believe the next double-header is flipped so the women are first.

Ohio is one of the team’s I’ve watched the least of this year in the MAC. With that said, they are certainly better and more dangerous than the record suggests. Dwight Wilson is back and he’s like Big Dog if he had more muscle. He’s a load. And he’s a hell of a player. They beat WMU at home on Tuesday, and he was electric against an opponent that Freeman struggled with. The Zips will need to show much more effort on the defensive end and on the boards. The effort they put up against Miami will not win many MAC games. The Bobcats have nice pieces all over the floor. And they’re pretty long and athletic. I’d like to see the Zips control the pace and get back to their game on defense. The open looks have been plentiful, they just will not fall with consistency. Keep the defense at the level it needs to be, and you’ll always have a chance. Go Zips!

He's played for NIU, Ball State, and Toledo in 3 years. Pretty crazy. He always gave Akron some trouble, and he seemed to fit in well at Toledo. That is a shame.

I feel really bad when the women are the second game, especially if the men’s game is a wild and loud game. Then as the women are warming up, the atmosphere leaves as the people leave. It’s too bad, it’s Akron athletics and if you’ve got time to kill it’s a fun time.

Some of my favorite memories of UA basketball were simply driving home and listening to him on the post game with Frenchy and Joe Dunn, preferably after wins of course. I could listen to an archive of those all day long. They had some real chemistry.

I actually think most people are pretty fair on Charles In Charge. He's done a lot of good at UA and has also made a few questionable decisions. His intentions can seem kind of questionable as well sometimes. And he's quite arrogant, which can rub people the wrong way, but isn't always a bad thing in this industry. There was a mini meltdown on ZN when he was hired. He had never made a football hire, or even really worked where a school had big time football. And whether his own doing or not, Joe Moorhead is the head coach of Akron football. And John Groce was just extended in a very school-friendly contract. The JAR is starting to look a little better, though that will always be an uphill battle. There is now a clear brand, which is actually quite important. And basketball, who has been a top program in the league for 20 years, is finally getting a practice facility. He's a little out there, no doubt. But he's got quite the vision for UA and it's great to see an AD so out in front on things. People were pretty shocked at his personality when he started--and many still are--but I would take this guy over Williams & Wistercill 10/10 times. Is he the perfect AD for Akron? I don't know. Who is a perfect AD for Akron? What could he have done differently so far to be considered better? Be careful what you wish for.

That's hilarious. It's great to see that he's such a great competitor that he's afraid to show his face after getting blown out by Northern Illinois.

Blowout night in the MAC. Zips getting throttled at Ball State, Kent running away at NIU, Toledo curb-stomping Miami, EMU hammering WMU. BG picks up a big win at Buffalo.

They shot 72% from the floor in the first half at EMU on Saturday. I watched the 2nd half. They’ve got some swagger. Once their best player went out during the Buffalo game, they’ve played extremely well. Hindsight and all, but NIU moneyline would’ve been a very smart bet last night.

There was a fun post on Kitten Attack I read while doing some pre-season scouting. It was in regards to the preseason All-MAC teams. One of them said something like”Castaneda from Akron on 2nd team. Seriously? Come on.” And I tend to agree. Should have been First Team!

There was a stretch in the 2nd half last night where the Zips would normally pull alway from teams. The inside-out game was working to perfection, creating all kinds of open looks. Hank and Kobe were hitting, as was X. The bigger issue was at the defensive end. They did not execute and Miami was able to match them basket for basket in the 2nd half in crunch time. That’s far more glaring an issue than the shooters having an off night, as they’ve had many recently. Last night was the first time X began to really remind me of LCJ. Any small window he had to fire up an open shot, he did. And he made them. He willed us to that win. He’s a special player, a fierce competitor.

Correct. Double-header at the JAR Saturday. Men at 2pm and the women follow.

Man, I’m heartbroken to read that Kent lost. That team is a stand-up group and it pained me to watch the end of that game. Hopefully they don’t meet NIU in the Elite Eight when they go for their 50th win of the season. I hear Bama is going to interview Sendy for when Saban retires. I’m so so sorry!

Yup. Groce not happy, told the team they were very fortunate to win. And they will not win with that effort on Saturday. OU wants to kick our behinds. And they’ve got some talent.

Thank heavens. Great fight shown from both sides. That’s a better win than you’d think. I’d be willing to call that the Zips’ worst collective performance of MAC play. W is a W. Onto OU.

Zips look like they weren’t ready for Miami’s toughness. Someone’s getting a T tonight.