Detroit Titans

[ZachTheZip]

Since the B1G is one of the top basketball conferences in the country, you'd think they'd get above average refs.

You'd think so. But if you watch a Big Ten game, you'll realize that it's not true at all.

[akzipper]

Down 16-5 right now. Zips came to play tonight!!

[Quickzips]

The horrible guard play has returned.

[mrelegazna]

Where's Steve French?

[Quickzips]

Where's Steve French?

Sick.

Which is also what I am about this first half. Tree is literally the only thing keeping us in this game.

If I watch Evans slowly dribble the ball across half court with zero pressure on him down double digits one more time I'm going to ralph.

[breezy123]

Where's Steve French?

He had a heart attack watching the piss poor play of the Zips.

[akronzips71]

Tree practically had a double double in the first half.

If one or two other guys decide to play we will crush them.

[Quickzips]

Just as I'm ready to choke someone over the first half the Zips open the second on a quick 9-0 run to tie the game.

Man are we Jekyl and Hyde.

[Quickzips]

I have no idea who those guys were on the floor in Zips uniforms in the first half, but I'm sure glad they changed uniforms in the halftime locker room.

[Dave in Green]

As I said to Captain Kangaroo on the way out of the JAR: WOW! Just wow! Reminded me of the Buffalo game last season when the Bulls ran up a 30-10 score midway through the first half and the Zips looked like a junior high team before turning around and winning the game. So now this season's team also knows that they can come back from big early deficits. Tree was obviously player of the game for putting together two good halves. He got a lot of support from his teammates in the second half.

Two things stood out to me. One is that Q is getting better and better at all aspects of the game. When he picked up his 3rd personal, he signaled Coach Dambrot not to take him out, and he calmly played right through it. He did a great job of feeding the ball to teammates in shooting position, and he knocked down his own shots. Second is that Nyles is starting to look like a solid D1 player. He still makes mistakes, but not as many. And you can see the light going on and the confidence growing, especially in his shooting. Q had 7 assists and 3 turnovers while Nyles had 3 assists and no turnovers. That's a total of 10 assists and 3 turnovers for the Zips' primary ball handlers. The PG situation is starting to look better. I think that having Nyles and Q together in the backcourt when closing out games is going to serve the Zips well as the season goes on.

As a team the Zips had 9 turnovers in the first half when Detroit players were just reaching in and taking the ball away, but only 3 turnovers in the second half. They also had more assists (14) than turnovers (12). I also have to give a nod to Pat, who had a miserable shooting night but a nice defensive game with 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and many shots altered as he did his best to pull a Zeke on D. Add in Big Dog's 2 blocks, and the Zips had 6 blocked shots from the center position.

[Balsy]

I don't get why anyone is surprised...today's performance was EXACTLY like about just about every game for us last year. Do you guys not remember being down 20 to Buffalo at home...on LeQuit Bobblehead day?

Do you not remember having similar first half outings against Ohio (twice) Can't (at Can't), Ball State...The Zips are a second half team.

One thing that I will say though: I'm over Carmelo Betancourt. I really wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I honestly feel that the slow start is almost entirely because of him. I know he's only a sophomore...but now's his time to show us what he's got.

[MDZip]

I think the most remarkable stat of the game was Tree hitting 12-15 FT's. 80%. Wow. Just having that many free throws is impressive.

[zippy5]

Q continues to impress me. He's improved every game. 7 assists. Dude can do it all right now, with him and Nyles getting the minutes at point, we can beat anyone.

[phil]

I missed the first half. I guess I did not miss much. The 2nd half is what I expected this year.

I cannot remember a Zips team playing this well. Q was amazing. He distributed the ball well. Got by his man and then dished off. Found Kretzer in the corner for 3. This team can be amazing. Harney had some nice moves to the basket. Tree had a career game and during the post game interview he was talking about the other players. Ketih should play the 2nd half to these guys before every game to show what team basketball can accomplish.

I thought Detroit looked good. They were very athletic and shot well from the 3 line.

I hope that this team can play this well every night.

[UAZip0510]

I don't get why anyone is surprised...today's performance was EXACTLY like about just about every game for us last year. Do you guys not remember being down 20 to Buffalo at home...on LeQuit Bobblehead day?

Do you not remember having similar first half outings against Ohio (twice) Can't (at Can't), Ball State...The Zips are a second half team.

One thing that I will say though: I'm over Carmelo Betancourt. I really wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I honestly feel that the slow start is almost entirely because of him. I know he's only a sophomore...but now's his time to show us what he's got.

Melo played 3 minutes tonight. Nyles played 29. I think KD agrees with you.

[akronzips71]

Melo played 3 minutes tonight. Nyles played 29. I think KD agrees with you.

I thought Melo played more than 3 minutes. He certainly made more than 3 minutes worth of mistakes.

However, Deji is turning into a pleasant surprise. He is starting to remind me of D. Roberts for some reason.

[zippy5]

Melo played the first three minutes and that was it

[Dave in Green]

The minutes played stat doesn't tell the whole story. But it does give a snapshot of who Coach Dambrot wanted to have on the floor against this opponent at this still early point in the season:

Treadwell 35

Evans 29

Diggs 26

Forsythe 26

Kretzer 24

McAdams 22

Harney 15

Ibitayo 14

Johnson 6

Betancourt 3

[Captain Kangaroo]

However, Deji is turning into a pleasant surprise. He is starting to remind me of D. Roberts for some reason.

The reason might be

[Captain Kangaroo]

Great second half by the Zips tonight. Great first half by Tree to keep us within striking distance.

Even down by 9 at the half, I figured we'd win. But by 19?!

Off to see how we fare against the big boys...

[skip-zip]

Melo played the first three minutes and that was it

I believe he turned the ball over on our first two consecutive offensive possessions, if I remember correctly. That was enough for me. I was really close to the action, and it seems like everything is just moving too fast for him, and he just can't keep up. He just clearly is starting to look like he doesn't belong.

The analysis of this game is simple. We played our worst 10 minutes and our best 10 minutes of the year in the same game. What a roller coaster. Here's a few highlights...

1) We scored 5 points in approx. the first 10 min. of the game. And we were stuck on "5" for quite a few minutes.

2) We cut a 9 point lead down to nothing in just the first 2 minutes of the 2nd half.

3) In total, we went from a 9 point deficit to an 18 point lead in roughly the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half.

If someone wants to split up the stats (Dave?), I'd love to see our 3-point percentage in the 1st half vs. our 3-point percentage in the 2nd half. I'm probably exaggerating, but it seemed like 10% in the first half, and 80% in the 2nd half.

[LZIp]

I hope KD finally decides to get rid of starting Melo. Him only playing 3 minutes is a good thing, but starting him for who knows what reason really hurts the team by getting off to a slow start. I remember at least two turnovers by him in the first 3 possessions. They have no chance to get into any groove with him. Evans and Q need to be the only ball handlers. I'm OK with Deji getting the start because he has shown that he can at least contribute in one way or another.

I was pleased with Tree's play as well as Quincy's. I feel Quincy really was that "floor general" that we need towards the end of the game. Kretzer was huge in the second half and Evans hit some shots as well. Pat didn't do much on offense, but I was pleased with his defense and rebounding.

Pleased with the win even though it looked ugly for a half. Not pleased with the FT shooting of basically everyone outside of Tree and Quincy. Enough tinkering with the lineups, KD. Stick with what you have seen will work and lets get some wins in Hawaii.

[zippy5]

Pretty sure I read 9-12 from 3 in the second half

[Captain Kangaroo]

Interesting...or horrific...to watch tonight will be Ibitayo and CB's free throw shooting.

Ibitayo is 33% from the FT line...but 50% from 3-point land.

Down to 31.8% for Ibitayo. It was interesting when KD put Deji in towards the end of the game, the Detroit players immediately fouled him.

When you're losing late, fouling a 31.8% FT shooter is as good as getting a turnover.

He did hold his 3-pt percentage steady at 50%.

He's proven he can provide 8-or-so serviceable minutes, but not in the final 5 minutes of a game.

[Dave in Green]

@skip-zip, you aren't too far off in your estimates -- 2-9 (22.2%) in the first half and 9-12 (75%) in the second half. The good folks at GoZips.com make it easy by posting separate 1st and 2nd half box scores for each game, like this.