UAZip0510 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Maybe we do go after many of the same players. So, I think there could be some long term benefit for ALL of us if MAC teams are performing well in the Big Dance. I think it COULD raise the recruiting power of the entire conference as a whole. But short term, OU is now the "IT" team of the MAC, and I really thought a few years ago that WE were well on our way to being the next MAC team to wear that crown after Ken+. I'm sure there will be more discussion about this to follow. But, looking at the makeup of OUs two teams that won in the tournament might at least make some of us ask ourselves some questions. I understand that viewpoint, I've just never been a big "it's good for the MAC" guy. I imagine Akron's coaches visiting a recruit, making a solid pitch, and impressing the recruit. Then I imagine OU's coaches visiting the same recruit, pointing out to him that they've defeated us twice, showing him tape of their two NCAA Tournament wins, and leaving with a LOI. That's just my thought process though...I know there are solid arguments to both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Speaking of Lehigh: how did that McCollum (sp) end up there and not UA or Can't? I remember him being really good in high school. I was just discussing tonight's results on the phone with Hilltopper, and he told me that UA was recruiting McCollum, but he ended up selecting Lehigh because his parents both went there. Hard to beat family connections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I've said it twice in other threads and I'll say it again. OU is outstanding at covering the passing lanes and poking the ball away from their opponents without having fouls called. The former can be taught by studying game film of opponents and knowing when and where they're likely to pass. The latter is less obvious. I don't know if the OU players are trained to poke the ball away or if OU specifically recruits quick-handed players who naturally have that talent. I know that Rico is really good at that, but most of his teammates aren't. That's one of the reasons why the Zips get so many "ticky-tacky" fouls. OU's defense is pretty consistent. It was one of the keys to beating Michigan tonight. The other key was great outside shooting, which for OU is pretty inconsistent. But on offense the Bobkitties are streaky. They shoot the lights out one game and stink up the court the next. They destroyed Georgetown with their great shooting in the NCAA tournament two years ago, and destroyed themselves against Tennessee in the next game with bad shooting. To take the next step, the Zips have to get more like OU on defense but more consistent than OU on offense. On offense, the Zips are built for that. They're built more for an inside game, which is more reliable than an outside game. On defense, maybe there's some kind of training exercise KD can come up with to train the players to play tighter defense and be able to poke the ball away without fouling. In any case, I'm convinced that the Zips have the foundation to beat OU and make a run in the NCAA tournament next season. They have to train to do the right thing, they have to want it really badly, and they have to execute like assassins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Whooeee! I'm not sure that either Temple or South Florida have the beans to beat OU. A halftime score of 19-15???!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 EVen with everything that's been said, lets face it. OU got a great matchup for OU. Michigan isn't strong enough to be a threat to be able to dominate them in the paint. So, it became a battle between perimeter players, which had to be exactly what OU could have wished for, and their players were a little bit quicker and better tonight. Interestingly enough, it's similar to what we got with Notre Dame last year. We just didn't take advantage of it. Usually, the biggest difference between the big schools and the smaller schools is high quality bigs. When the big schools don't have them, it really evens the playing field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzips71 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 USF is up 14 on Temple. No one is going to have a winning bracket pick. Strange year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Like skip, I was very torn heading into this game. Once the sting of last Saturday subsided a little, I thought about next season and concluded, barring something unexpected, both UA and OU have a good chance to dance next year. And an OU run this year MAY help in that regard. So I'm rooting for the a-holes to make it to the sweet 16 and no farther. Besides, I have them winning two games in my bracket. Yesterday was not an upset IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Plus, I think it puts a serious damper on our ability to become the successor to Can't as the next great recognizable MAC basketball program. A damper? It puts out the flame. OU is now the successor to Ke-nt as the most recognizable MAC basketball program. Everyone is talking about them today. Nobody, except us, is talking about the Zips today. Same thing happened two years ago. Like it or not, OU is right now the best basketball program in the MAC and their on the floor accomplishments prove it. We are going to have to become the next big program after OU, not Ke-nt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Besides, I have them winning two games in my bracket. Yesterday was not an upset IMHO. Agreed. No upset there. I alsways pull for the mid-majors, let alone the MAC schools. So i found myself pulling for Ohio big time last night. It just makes the MAC look good and makes our 1-point loss in the MACC look good. Michigan, afterall, was a co-champion of the Big 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mivid12 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 when will it be our turn....every year teams like norfolk st garner national attention thru a tourney win and the best we can do is a 38-35 halftime lead v gonzaga.... when will akron get the chance to be that school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 when will it be our turn....every year teams like norfolk st garner national attention thru a tourney win and the best we can do is a 38-35 halftime lead v gonzaga.... when will akron get the chance to be that school This is why I'm still so devastated about how our season ended. Like you said, lots of mid-majors make noise once. It's my personal little theory that to engrain yourself deeply into America's basketball consciousness, you have to make noise two years in a row (what VCU is about to do). Unless you make noise two years in a row, you're a novelty; a one-hit-wonder; lucky. That's why, even though I think we'll make some noise next year (Zeke's senior year), I really felt as though we needed to make noise this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 A damper? It puts out the flame. OU is now the successor to Ke-nt as the most recognizable MAC basketball program. Everyone is talking about them today. Nobody, except us, is talking about the Zips today. Same thing happened two years ago. Like it or not, OU is right now the best basketball program in the MAC and their on the floor accomplishments prove it. We are going to have to become the next big program after OU, not Ke-nt. Yeah, the MAC isn't getting any respect, OU is. Do people think the WCC is a great conference? No, they think it's Gonzaga, St Marys and a bunch of scrubs. Does anyone think Portland enjoys watching those two go dancing every year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burrdie Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Just watched ESPN boy they sure went very quickly after OU game. Mich was the heir apparent and ESPN did not want to touch it so they quickly move on. NW got beat big time by Washington. Bracketology at school, right now I am 26 and 5. Had Duke for two spots never made it out of first bracket. As for respect, respect is earned. We have to keep working and working and working. NO let up IF they want the big dance. They have to decide if that is what they want or will settle for less. NOW that means,team, players AND coaches all have to want it so bad they can taste it. We are no where near that. BUT I have great hope for next year. Personally, I think PRico will be a good test to see if they CAN run with the big dogs. I happen to think they can. JUST DO IT! Zips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I didn't want to hijack the VCU thread, so I'll address DiG's comment that OU is built for the short haul here. I'll agree OU is still susceptable to going cold from outside the arc. But as much as I hate to admit it, F Scott Fitzgerald (wink) was correct earlier in the year when he gave props to Groce for finally getting the Bobcats to play great team defense. This is the big difference in this year's OU squad as compared to the one from 2009-2010. And it's also the reason why I think they'll defeat Stan Heath's USF Bulls tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 The reason I say that OU is built for the short haul is that I don't believe their defense alone is adequate to get the job done consistently against tougher opponents. They need both their offense and defense clicking in order to win, and their offense is too inconsistent because it relies too much on outside shooting that is streaky at best. Having said that, USF certainly looked like a beatable team in the first half last night. But if USF plays against OU like they played against Temple in the second half, OU will need its best defensive and offensive performances to win. My prediction is that OU will be shooting bricks and bring down their brilliant first tournament game shooting percentage closer to their season average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip_ME87 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 We go after the same recruits. Now, if a guy is torn between us and them, they can say they beat us twice in the Title game AND won two NCAA Tournament games. The only positive to me is that they may now have a new head coach next season. The other positive is that for every game OU advances the MAC picks up an additional $1M+, spread over 6 years, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I didn't want to hijack the VCU thread, so I'll address DiG's comment that OU is built for the short haul here. I'll agree OU is still susceptable to going cold from outside the arc. But as much as I hate to admit it, F Scott Fitzgerald (wink) was correct earlier in the year when he gave props to Groce for finally getting the Bobcats to play great team defense. This is the big difference in this year's OU squad as compared to the one from 2009-2010. And it's also the reason why I think they'll defeat Stan Heath's USF Bulls tomorrow. Count me as one who thinks they'll beat the Bulls. And is it just me, or did Ivo Baltic make an exponential leap over his play from last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zips Win! Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Like skip, I was very torn heading into this game. Once the sting of last Saturday subsided a little, I thought about next season and concluded, barring something unexpected, both UA and OU have a good chance to dance next year. And an OU run this year MAY help in that regard. So I'm rooting for the a-holes to make it to the sweet 16 and no farther. Besides, I have them winning two games in my bracket. Yesterday was not an upset IMHO. I wasn't torn at all. Screw OU! UM let me down again. Did enjoy the Lehigh and Norfolk wins, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UAZip0510 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Yeah, the MAC isn't getting any respect, OU is. Do people think the WCC is a great conference? No, they think it's Gonzaga, St Marys and a bunch of scrubs. Does anyone think Portland enjoys watching those two go dancing every year? This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akzipper Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 This. OU is not the same to the MAC, as Gonzaga is to the WCC. Have they been dominating the conference, no? Have they made the championship 6 years in a row? They made it in because of a ONE point win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derrt Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I dislike OU but they are showing Akron what to do. No selfishness on that team. The POINT GUARD on OU is the leader on the team and he distributes the ball evenly to his teammates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootforRoo44 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I dislike OU but they are showing Akron what to do. No selfishness on that team. The POINT GUARD on OU is the leader on the team and he distributes the ball evenly to his teammates. That's the key point for them. They have a guy that takes charge and carries the team on his shoulder when need be. He also is a ball hog that launches horrendous shots sometimes, but at least he has the balls to do it. I also think there a few other things (luck), but the Zips aren't too far off from being there. I have faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UAZip0510 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I dislike OU but they are showing Akron what to do. No selfishness on that team. The POINT GUARD on OU is the leader on the team and he distributes the ball evenly to his teammates. I think we saw flashes of this from Alex Abreu this year. He's always had the toughness and confidence, and by the end of the year I think he was becoming our leader. I really think 2012-2013 will be a breakout year for AA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I dislike OU but they are showing Akron what to do. No selfishness on that team. The POINT GUARD on OU is the leader on the team and he distributes the ball evenly to his teammates. Wait are you trying to say AA doesn't? I think Abreu is a fantastic point guard and leader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UAZip0510 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Wait are you trying to say AA doesn't? I think Abreu is a fantastic point guard and leader. I took it as him saying Cooper just does it better, which I can't argue with to this point. I can't stand Cooper, but you can't deny that he steps his game up when it matters most. He's also a year ahead of Abreu, which is why I think next year will be Abreu's breakout year. The numbers aren't that far off from this season, especially when you consider Abreu played at less than 100%. Abreu's 2011-2012 Averages (Rounded): 30 Minutes, 6 FG Attempts, 10 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 steals; .457 FG%, .430 3PT%, 82 FT% Cooper's 2011-2012 Averages (Rounded): 32 minutes, 12 FG attempts, 15 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 turnovers, 2 steals; .356 FG%, .316 3PT%, 74 FT% Statistically, Abreu is a more efficient scorer. I'd like to take him "take control" even more next season like Cooper does almost every game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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