Little National Love

[Sergeant Zip]

[Big Zip]

Love to hear Tree is doing well in school. I really hope he and Harney graduate getting their extra year back.

[Dave in Green]

This dates back to before the Miami game. But it's really nice to see the assistant managing editor and editor of the sports section of a major newspaper far from Akron like the Boston Globe making a statement like this about the Zips:

Akron at Miami of Ohio: I’ve gotten to really like this Akron team; they’re replacing Murray State in my heart.

[BirdZip]

And their most likely, Florida, just took their first conference loss of the season. Down to 12 (and three each share a conference with another unbeaten). Too bad this wasn't written a week earlier. We could have helped pare down the list.

Was looking at various teams that are still undefeated in their conference and noticed that the MEAC has two. They have Norfolk State at 11-0 and NC Central at 10-0. The interesting part, though, is that they don't play each other at all! If I read their schedules correctly, they each play everyone else in their conference at least once but never each other.

[MDZip]

Was looking at various teams that are still undefeated in their conference and noticed that the MEAC has two. They have Norfolk State at 11-0 and NC Central at 10-0. The interesting part, though, is that they don't play each other at all! If I read their schedules correctly, they each play everyone else in their conference at least once but never each other.

That's true and kind of odd. The league plays a 16 game schedule and there are 13 teams in the league. There are no divisions but each team has one team they don't play at all and they play four others twice. Strange.

[Blue & Gold]

This isn't national news, but I guess WKDD's been mentioning the Zip's win streak a lot. I was having dinner last night w/ a group of people and one of the girls (who doesn't even know what color a basketball is) asked me, "So have you been to many of Akron's basketball games? I guess they have the longest win streak in the country? They talk about it all the time on the radio!" I asked what station she listens to & she said KDD.

Props to WKDD!!!

[Dr Z]

Great piece, thanks for posting.

I think some teammates are getting some easy looks this year the more defensive attention that Tree is commanding.

Does Bruce know something about pronouncing KD's last name that I don't? Dam, not Dom, right?

[zen]

This isn't national news, but I guess WKDD's been mentioning the Zip's win streak a lot. I was having dinner last night w/ a group of people and one of the girls (who doesn't even know what color a basketball is) asked me, "So have you been to many of Akron's basketball games? I guess they have the longest win streak in the country? They talk about it all the time on the radio!" I asked what station she listens to & she said KDD.

Props to WKDD!!!

Couple of people at the bar on Saturday asked the staff if the Akron game was on TV or what the score was. I have never seen that happen before. This was not a bar in Akron

[Zipgrad01]

This isn't national news, but I guess WKDD's been mentioning the Zip's win streak a lot. I was having dinner last night w/ a group of people and one of the girls (who doesn't even know what color a basketball is) asked me, "So have you been to many of Akron's basketball games? I guess they have the longest win streak in the country? They talk about it all the time on the radio!" I asked what station she listens to & she said KDD.

Props to WKDD!!!

That is good. I listen to WKNR driving to work in the morning and Munch won't even mention Akron. He didn't mention the score until an Akron person called at the break to remind him that Akron beat Eastern Michigan to extend the streak. When he came back from commercial he said "I forgot, but a caller reminded me on break that Akron beat Eastern Michigan last night to extend their nations longest winning streak." Mind you, this was after they discussed OSU's losing streak and then I had to hear a guy call in and sing Carmen Ohio because it was Woody Hayes's 100th birthday. It just makes me shake my head.

[MDZip]

Great piece, thanks for posting.

I think some teammates are getting some easy looks this year the more defensive attention that Tree is commanding.

Does Bruce know something about pronouncing KD's last name that I don't? Dam, not Dom, right?

Nope, Bruce had it wrong, it's Dam-brought, and I'm sure Keith would appreciate the latest tweet from @ZipsMBB: The 1,500 nearly life-sized @CoachDambrot bobbleheads have arrived for tomorrow's @ZipsMBB giveaway! #ThinkBigger

[phil]

Thanks for posting that clip. The first exhibition game Tree brought the same intensity that he brings to every game. I love his interview. Wood is one of the reasons we have been finishing so well. His intensity never lets up, especially at the end of the game. He also has a very nice shot from 10-12 feet out and a great passer.

[scottditzen]

Great piece, thanks for posting.

I think some teammates are getting some easy looks this year the more defensive attention that Tree is commanding.

Does Bruce know something about pronouncing KD's last name that I don't? Dam, not Dom, right?

Amazing. Now I'm gonna drop STO a little email saying thanks and more Zips please!!!!!

[ksu sucks]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball...owling-green-50

AP coverage.

[ksu sucks]

Is this the year for a mid-major NCAA Champion?

Some of the candidates in the mid-major ranks among that top 35 or so, if you ask ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, include Gonzaga and Virginia Commonwealth, Butler and Wichita State. But his favorite sleeper choice? Akron.

The Zips, who got 16 votes in the “also receiving votes” category of the AP poll this week, have the nation’s longest winning streak at 17 games. They’ve also got the “Zeke factor,” as in 7-foot shot-blocker Zeke Marshall.

“Everybody talks about guards, guards, guards; you have to have guards, but you have to have big guys, too,” said Bilas, a former big man for Duke in the mid-1980s. “If you can’t score and defend in the post, you can’t win in the tournament. You can pull an upset, but you can’t win consistently.”

[Dave in Green]

“Everybody talks about guards, guards, guards; you have to have guards, but you have to have big guys, too,” said Bilas, a former big man for Duke in the mid-1980s. “If you can’t score and defend in the post, you can’t win in the tournament. You can pull an upset, but you can’t win consistently.”

Pretty much sums up the Zips vs. the Kitties.

[Bubba4three]

“Everybody talks about guards, guards, guards; you have to have guards, but you have to have big guys, too,” said Bilas, a former big man for Duke in the mid-1980s. “If you can’t score and defend in the post, you can’t win in the tournament. You can pull an upset, but you can’t win consistently.”

Pretty much sums up the Zips vs. the Kitties.

What?

Ohio is 2-0 against Akron in the MAC tourney the last 3 years. The Bobcat Seniors are 3-2 in the big dance. That seems like consistent winning to me.

[zippy5]

Time to put some milk out for the kitties. I guess if the shoe was on the other foot, I'd be a little jealous if we returned 5 starters from a sweet sixteen team and someone else was getting all the attention.

[Sergeant Zip]

TheClevelandFan.Com: winners of 17 straight, Akron still wondering 'What If?'

[Captain Kangaroo]

TheClevelandFan.Com: winners of 17 straight, Akron still wondering 'What If?'

"Will Ohio U’s excellent showing in last year’s NCAA Tourney give more credence to the MAC, despite a relatively down here for the conference overall? Or will some lackey’s boneheaded filing mistake eventually play a vital role in a magical Zips season going up in smoke?"

"Lackey?" "Bonehead?" Harsh words for Wistercill.

[Bubba4three]

Time to put some milk out for the kitties. I guess if the shoe was on the other foot, I'd be a little jealous if we returned 5 starters from a sweet sixteen team and someone else was getting all the attention.

You call this attention? You should see what its like in the big dance.

[zippy5]

You call this attention? You should see what its like in the big dance.

We will

[zippy5]

We're on ESPN's bubble watch

[Dave in Green]

We're on ESPN's bubble watch

Yep, and what they have to say matches up pretty well with what most have been saying on this forum:

Akron [21-4 (12-0), RPI: 49, SOS: 170] The Zips have a similar profile to Belmont, in that they have a bunch of victories, one good win over Middle Tennessee, and a couple of truly questionable losses. Unfortunately, Akron's nonconference schedule doesn't hold a candle to Belmont's, so the Zips' SOS and RPI don't quite have the same punch. This is a bit of a long shot, one that probably requires Akron to win out, including wins over North Dakota State and at Ohio in their next two games. But a long shot is still a shot.

The only questionable part of that evaluation is "a couple of truly questionable losses." Coastal Carolina, for sure. But losing to Oklahoma State on a neutral court and road losses to Creighton and Detroit are hardly "truly questionable." Even Detroit is a top 100 team (currently #65 RPI).

[MontrealExposloveZippy]

Yep, and what they have to say matches up pretty well with what most have been saying on this forum:

Akron [21-4 (12-0), RPI: 49, SOS: 170] The Zips have a similar profile to Belmont, in that they have a bunch of victories, one good win over Middle Tennessee, and a couple of truly questionable losses. Unfortunately, Akron's nonconference schedule doesn't hold a candle to Belmont's, so the Zips' SOS and RPI don't quite have the same punch. This is a bit of a long shot, one that probably requires Akron to win out, including wins over North Dakota State and at Ohio in their next two games. But a long shot is still a shot.

The only questionable part of that evaluation is "a couple of truly questionable losses." Coastal Carolina, for sure. But losing to Oklahoma State on a neutral court and road losses to Creighton and Detroit are hardly "truly questionable." Even Detroit is a top 100 team (currently #65 RPI).

I know Coastal Carolina's RPI is in the 200s, but they are 13-12 including a win against Clemson (ACC). I mean it's not the worst team we could lose to... that would be GRAMBLING ST

[lance99]

Yep, and what they have to say matches up pretty well with what most have been saying on this forum:

Akron [21-4 (12-0), RPI: 49, SOS: 170] The Zips have a similar profile to Belmont, in that they have a bunch of victories, one good win over Middle Tennessee, and a couple of truly questionable losses. Unfortunately, Akron's nonconference schedule doesn't hold a candle to Belmont's, so the Zips' SOS and RPI don't quite have the same punch. This is a bit of a long shot, one that probably requires Akron to win out, including wins over North Dakota State and at Ohio in their next two games. But a long shot is still a shot.

The only questionable part of that evaluation is "a couple of truly questionable losses." Coastal Carolina, for sure. But losing to Oklahoma State on a neutral court and road losses to Creighton and Detroit are hardly "truly questionable." Even Detroit is a top 100 team (currently #65 RPI).

I was thinking the same thing. The only "questionable loss" was Coastal. OK State is ranked now, Creighton was ranked at the time, Detroit is second in the Horizon behind Valpo with mentioned good RPI. It sounds like they don't wan't the Zips anywhere near a at-large bid