Zips vs. Rhode Island

[ZachTheZip]

URI is our marquee OOC opponent. Better than Texas A&M or NC State. And they're playing at the JAR. If they beat Oklahoma State in their next game, they will be ranked for our game. We will have an advantage on them because we'll be plenty rested from the trip to Laramie while they'll be coming off of a tough game and possibly looking ahead to playing a ranked Temple team right after us. Akron is their non-conference trap game: a good team that's easily overlooked.Get as many people out to the JAR as you can for this game. This is the final test before playing the MAC East. This is where the Zips apply everything they've learned so far. It's the game to see where they really stand, to see if they really are good.URI Message Board

[skip-zip]

URI is our marquee OOC opponent. Better than Texas A&M or NC State. And they're playing at the JAR. If they beat Oklahoma State in their next game, they will be ranked for our game. We will have an advantage on them because we'll be plenty rested from the trip to Laramie while they'll be coming off of a tough game and possibly looking ahead to playing a ranked Temple team right after us. Akron is their non-conference trap game: a good team that's easily overlooked.Get as many people out to the JAR as you can for this game. This is the final test before playing the MAC East. This is where the Zips apply everything they've learned so far. It's the game to see where they really stand, to see if they really are good.URI Message Board

I think it's quite a long shot for that to happen. But, lets hope. It would be one of our rare opportunities to play a ranked team at home. But, after narrowly slipping by Drexel the other night, and having to pass about 20 other teams when the next poll comes out, it seems like a pretty remote possibility to me, even if they beat a quality opponent in Ok. State. Nonetheless, beating a Top-50 team from a great basketball conference would be a great accomplishment for our program. I am looking forward to the game.

[wadszip]

URI is our marquee OOC opponent. Better than Texas A&M or NC State. And they're playing at the JAR. If they beat Oklahoma State in their next game, they will be ranked for our game. We will have an advantage on them because we'll be plenty rested from the trip to Laramie while they'll be coming off of a tough game and possibly looking ahead to playing a ranked Temple team right after us. Akron is their non-conference trap game: a good team that's easily overlooked.Get as many people out to the JAR as you can for this game. This is the final test before playing the MAC East. This is where the Zips apply everything they've learned so far. It's the game to see where they really stand, to see if they really are good.URI Message Board

I think it's quite a long shot for that to happen. But, lets hope. It would be one of our rare opportunities to play a ranked team at home. But, after narrowly slipping by Drexel the other night, and having to pass about 20 other teams when the next poll comes out, it seems like a pretty remote possibility to me, even if they beat a quality opponent in Ok. State. Nonetheless, beating a Top-50 team from a great basketball conference would be a great accomplishment for our program. I am looking forward to the game.

I agree it may be a longshot for Rhode Island to be ranked in the top 25, but they could jump into the top 30 with a win over Okie State. The Atlantic 10 is currently the 4th rated conference by RPI (ahead of the Big Ten, SEC and Pac 10) and Rhode Island is No. 14 in RPI. Oklahoma State, while they haven't played a great schedule, is 11-1. I could see Rhode Island picking up 50 or so votes with a win.

[RootforRoo44]

The real question is if we beat our next 5-6 opponents will WE be top 25...hahaActually that could possibly give us four top 100 RPI wins in that stretch (URI,OU is close,Buffalo, Cant)It's funny, as bad as the MAC is, in terms of RPI we face far higher ranked teams in the next coming weeks compared to the last couple weeks.

[zipboy]

Their game vs OSU looks to be in CT, "home" game at a bigger arena.

[Zipmeister]

The RI game is an important litmus test. It will help answer the question, "does playing an OOC schedule as weak as ours help prepare a team to play a quality opponent?"

[Z.I.P.]

The RI game is an important litmus test. It will help answer the question, "does playing an OOC schedule as weak as ours help prepare a team to play a quality opponent?"

Okay, I'm ready to go out on a limb, and predict Li'l Rhodey leaves Akron with a 10-3 record, and on the ropes.

[RowdyZip]

The RI game is an important litmus test. It will help answer the question, "does playing an OOC schedule as weak as ours help prepare a team to play a quality opponent?"

Okay, I'm ready to go out on a limb, and predict Li'l Rhodey leaves Akron with a 10-3 record, and on the ropes.

Can anyone find a link for the stream of OSU/URI?

[RowdyZip]

http://www.justin.tv/cbb2k8Found it. Here you go for anyone interested...Check that, the game was removed from that stream. Anyways, from what I saw this is a very winnable game for the Zips. I think the line will be somewhere around even to Zips -1. I'll go with a prediction of Akron 81, URI 75.

[ZachTheZip]

They look like a good team, but I still think that Akron can beat them. We'll need a real crowd at the JAR.

[RowdyZip]

Well, it's a final in Connecticut, Rhode Island 63, Oklahoma State 59. Tuesday night will be URI (11-1) @ Akron (10-3). It'll be a tough matchup, but let's hope the Zips can pull this one out. URI should be on the verge of the top 25 in Monday's poll, like 30-34th, and possibly overlooking the Zips on the way to a matchup with Temple. Really looking forward to this one, as it sure would be nice to head into conference play in a week with an 11-3 record.

[Zipmeister]

The RI game is an important litmus test. It will help answer the question, "does playing an OOC schedule as weak as ours help prepare a team to play a quality opponent?"

Okay, I'm ready to go out on a limb, and predict Li'l Rhodey leaves Akron with a 10-3 record, and on the ropes.

Well so much for that prediction. You better leave the prognostications to the experts. The Meister says Zips by 14.

[ksu sucks]

Check out the link at the beginning of this thread. There's a very in depth scouting report on the zips.

[RootforRoo44]

Check out the link at the beginning of this thread. There's a very in depth scouting report on the zips.

HOLY CRAP that is one in depth scouting report. I think i may have even learned something from it.

[mes102]

that scouting report was...WOW The only thing that could of made it more creepy was if they mentioned the AK-Rowdies and started naming the officers and what our chants are...i would of been scared to go after that

[Dave in Green]

I recognize some of the wording in that scouting report, so I assume the person who put it together did a search and copy and pasted from a variety of sources, from Wikipedia to ZN. It takes a lot of time to do one of those research projects, but it doesn't really require a lot of thought or creativity. I've noticed from visiting forums for other schools that this is not an uncommon practice.

[vmd9]

my prediction is probably URI 65 - Zips 50. We didn't play too well against them last year and didn't play well against NC state or A&M. I hope a lot of people go to the game but then again it is akron so I'd say 3,500 max attendance if the weather is good, 2,000 if its bad

[infofan]

my prediction is probably URI 65 - Zips 50. We didn't play too well against them last year and didn't play well against NC state or A&M. I hope a lot of people go to the game but then again it is akron so I'd say 3,500 max attendance if the weather is good, 2,000 if its bad

No argument that we didnt play well against them last year, or against NCSU,however we did play decent against TexA/M( we just shot terrible and lost by 12 at the #19 team). No offense VMD but you say "we didnt play........" as if you are a loyal fan, yet you are predicting a 15 point loss??? Why so negative?? Also- concerning the crowd, the URI game is the 1st basketball game were pushing on local radio/CTV and the students are back. I see no reason why we wont have a min of 3500 for this one. IMHO the difference in UA play since november is confidence is there now- particularly with Conyers and B McKnight. Fans should follow the lead and have a little confidence as well. pessimism wont do any good.

[ZachTheZip]

The students are NOT back for this game.

[RootforRoo44]

The students are NOT back for this game.

The ones that care about basketball sure are.It's going to be real rowdy and real loud....i promise you that.

[mes102]

The students are NOT back for this game.

The ones that care about basketball sure are.It's going to be real rowdy and real loud....i promise you that.

+1... there may only be about 100 ak-rowdies attending(about 500 declined)and about 200 maybes, the place WILL be rocking form a student perspective...I WILL promise you that...

[ksu sucks]

Once again, I won't be able to make it. Living over an hour away and being snowed in will do that to you. I'll be rooting the zips on from home, though!

[infofan]

Once again, I won't be able to make it. Living over an hour away and being snowed in will do that to you. I'll be rooting the zips on from home, though!

I stand corrected. most schools and OU were back monday so I assumed UA was back. attendance may suffer but the team should be prepped.

[RowdyZip]

Well I know the URI fans are reading this thread, but where are the opinions? Beware looking past a talented team in Northeast Ohio, despite our weak schedule. You may have it a little easier without a full compliment of students in attendance, but the JAR can be plenty intimidating IF we have a decent sized crowd.

[RunninRams]

Well I know the URI fans are reading this thread, but where are the opinions? Beware looking past a talented team in Northeast Ohio, despite our weak schedule. You may have it a little easier without a full compliment of students in attendance, but the JAR can be plenty intimidating IF we have a decent sized crowd.

trust me when I say that I mean no offense to your arena or crowd, but we can handle it.URI has recently played:- at Duke and was tied with 30s to play at a rockin Cameron Indoor- at Syracuse and won in front of 21,000- at Providence every other year in front of 13,000 our sworn blood rivals (to give an idea of how bad the rivalry is, our mascot got attacked in the bathroom 2 years ago, and PC wont even bring their band or cheerleaders down to Kingston)- at Dayton every year or so- at Xavier every year or so- at UMass in front of 10,000 (a hair less intense rivalry than PC)- at Boston College- against OK State in Oklahoma- at CreightonNow, on to the game at hand.I think the best and only realistic way for Akron to pull this game out is to control the tempo, plain and simple.We love to play as fast and to make the game as out of control as possible to best utilize our edge in athleticism and depth. Our half court offense is decent, but not consistent and making us play in that half court offense for most of the game would hurt.Defensively, you need to have a very sure handed point guard to break it. We will full court press and trap every chance we get for all 40 minutes. After the press we usually provide match up issues as well. We have 7 players between 6'5 and 6'9 and they are all long, fast and can jump out of the gym. We also have a true 7 footer at center who is a solid defender. He isnt the quickest player and is a little lanky, but is rarely out of position.All that being said, I do see Rhode Island winning this game. However I see them winning it by ~7 points.I'll officially say:Lamar Odom - 81Lebron James - 75Close game for most of it with our athleticism wearing Akron out at the end.