Zips vs Bluffton

[Staton14]

What, is no one excited for this game? BLUFFTON IS COMING TO TOWN!...and more importantly we get a win going into Christmas, which is always nice.

[Dave in Green]

Sorry, it's hard for me to get excited about a game against a lower division team when the stat sites only count stats for games against other D-I teams.

OK, I guess I can't deny I get some enjoyment from watching the Zips play even a lower division team when I'm already on record as finding Zips scrimmages interesting to watch. After the last two losses it's clear that the Zips have a lot to work on. I'll be at the JAR looking for little things they might be trying to do differently tonight.

[akronzips71]

Who are these guys and where were they on Tuesday?

[Blue & Gold]

Liked seeing Gladden get the start. He needs a shot of confidence. He had a good game tonight against an athletically inferior opponent. Hopefully it carries over.

[Dave in Green]

On Tuesday those same guys were up against D-I talent whose smallest player was 6-3. Tonight they were up against D-III talent whose tallest player was 6-4.

The most obvious change tonight was that BJ was inserted into the starting lineup and played more minutes than he has all season. He performed better against D-III competition, and maybe gained a little more confidence tonight. Other than that, it was hard to remain engaged in trying to analyze the Zips' play in a D-III exhibition game that was only played this late in the season due to being bumped by the late addition of the Penn State game earlier in the schedule. I guess it could have been worse. Without the Bluffton game the Zips would have had 14 days off between NDSU and Marshall, and now it's only 10 days.

[Staton14]

On Tuesday those same guys were up against D-I talent whose smallest player was 6-3. Tonight they were up against D-III talent whose tallest player was 6-4.

The most obvious change tonight was that BJ was inserted into the starting lineup and played more minutes than he has all season. He performed better against D-III competition, and maybe gained a little more confidence tonight. Other than that, it was hard to remain engaged in trying to analyze the Zips' play in a D-III exhibition game that was only played this late in the season due to being bumped by the late addition of the Penn State game earlier in the schedule. I guess it could have been worse. Without the Bluffton game the Zips would have had 14 days off between NDSU and Marshall, and now it's only 10 days.

This was a regular season game. Though it didn't feel like it.

[morris buttermaker]

After watching tonight's game, am I wrong to think Bluffton probably would compete with the top tier of division one HS teams in Ohio?

[1981 grad]

I only saw the 2nd half but it was interesting to see Big Dog struggle and throw up some wild shots 5 feet from the basket. We need him to get in shape and be good or this is going to be a long season.

I heard KD on the post game show and he said that we have to start playing inside out and not the other way. That is a good thing to hear because us playing a perimeter game is not going to work. Gladden was also on the post game show and when asked about his talents he indicated that he likes to get to the basket. He is a big body and we can use somebody with some toughness. He looked terrible during the tournament but hopefully will be a contributor when we get into the MAC.

KD also indicated that the guys are not in shape. I do not understand that statement. How can guys not be in shape when we are a quarter into the season? He also indicated that the guys are not playing well in practice. So the poor play in the two losses is easier to understand.

We looked better in the tournament than we are playing now. Hopefully, they can turn things around.

[Dave in Green]

This was a regular season game. Though it didn't feel like it.

It has to be a mistake on the schedule not to show this as an exhibition game. Last season the Zips played two exhibition games, one against D-II Malone and one against D-III Bluffton. This season the NAIA Rochester College game was marked as an exhibition and the Bluffton game wasn't. However it may have been marked on the Zips calendar, playing a D-III team is by any reasonable standard an exhibition for the Zips.

[zippy5]

It isn't an exhibition. Fortunately for the Zips, it doesn't count towards RPI, while another game against a NC Central A&M State would bring the RPI down,so I guess it beats the alternative.

[Captain Kangaroo]

If the 2013-14 Zips had Bluffton's point guard instead of Betancourt, they'd have won at least 2 more games.

The kid was small, but he was a baller.

Best parking spot I've ever had at a Zips BB game. I've never seen fewer cars.

Ate at The Score on Exchange prior to the past 2 games. They have great steak sandwiches. Great fries. $2 pints. The bar is really nice...nicest I've ever seen on UA's campus. I may have found a new pre-game hang out?

[Sportsjunkie330]

After watching tonight's game, am I wrong to think Bluffton probably would compete with the top tier of division one HS teams in Ohio?

Comparing them to a HS team is pretty accurate but a top OSHAA team (St Eds, St V, Jackson...) type of team would probably beat them.

[skip-zip]

Best parking spot I've ever had at a Zips BB game. I've never seen fewer cars.

Interesting. I felt that the influx of cars seemed minimal compared to a normal game, but Frenchy said in the postgame that this was the largest crowd so far this year.

[skip-zip]

The most obvious change tonight was that BJ was inserted into the starting lineup and played more minutes than he has all season. He performed better against D-III competition, and maybe gained a little more confidence tonight.

Dave, I think we have to assume that he really wanted to see a lot of BJ, and has a genuine interest in increasing his role, if he shows he can handle it.

The only other glaring thing we noticed was the continued awful play of Mr. Johnson.

Walter played a lot of minutes at PG, and him and several others are not even listed on the on-line roster. I really took notice when he almost dunked a tip in situation on an offensive rebound. That's pretty impressive for a guy who appears that he can't be much over 6' tall. I wish I had access to his profile

[Dave in Green]

There's no doubt that Big Dog is struggling. Right now he doesn't appear to be playing at the level expected of him from the promise he showed as a true freshman. The time he missed with the broken wrist may be having a bigger effect on his performance than expected, while at the same time the loss of Tree has created a greater need for help in the frontcourt. Pat and Kwan need an effective Big Dog to help carry the frontcourt load. I know that a lot of effort is being put into Big Dog's physical fitness, but I'm not sure what his mental attitude is right now. At times he appears to be a little frustrated and down on himself similar to the way Zeke used to appear.

[skip-zip]

There's no doubt that Big Dog is struggling. Right now he doesn't appear to be playing at the level expected of him from the promise he showed as a true freshman. The time he missed with the broken wrist may be having a bigger effect on his performance than expected, while at the same time the loss of Tree has created a greater need for help in the frontcourt. Pat and Kwan need an effective Big Dog to help carry the frontcourt load. I know that a lot of effort is being put into Big Dog's physical fitness, but I'm not sure what his mental attitude is right now. At times he appears to be a little frustrated and down on himself similar to the way Zeke used to appear.

I don't know. Saturday was the pinnacle of what I had been seeing lately. When a 6'-6" guy is turning and scoring on him down low with an almost effortless lay-in off the glass, and his attempts to score over similar players are wild hook shots fading away from the basket, that's troubling to me. We all hope that it's conditioning, obviously.

[LZIp]

If the 2013-14 Zips had Bluffton's point guard instead of Betancourt, they'd have won at least 2 more games.

The kid was small, but he was a baller.

Best parking spot I've ever had at a Zips BB game. I've never seen fewer cars.

Ate at The Score on Exchange prior to the past 2 games. They have great steak sandwiches. Great fries. $2 pints. The bar is really nice...nicest I've ever seen on UA's campus. I may have found a new pre-game hang out?

The Score is nice. A nice little Akron pride feel to it. Edy's is awesome too. I don't think their business is too great though, but I really like what they've done with the place so far. (RIP Pints)

[Dave in Green]

Interesting. I felt that the influx of cars seemed minimal compared to a normal game, but Frenchy said in the postgame that this was the largest crowd so far this year.

Nobody's mentioned it yet, but Bluffton had a great turnout of fans since they're only a 2-hour drive from the JAR and this would have been a big game for them. I could see it being the largest paid crowd of the year when you add all the Bluffton ticket buyers and consider all the Zips season ticket holders who didn't bother to show.

[1981 grad]

As big as Big Dog is he could throw a mean pick or screen, especially up high. However we never use him that way. He is always down low on the post. Anyway, most of our players have no idea how to use an off the ball screen anyway. It is rare. We use a double screen as part of our set offense but that is to get the ball to a guard who is moving away from the basket.

I think we need to be creative to score points this season.

[skip-zip]

Nobody's mentioned it yet, but Bluffton had a great turnout of fans since they're only a 2-hour drive from the JAR and this would have been a big game for them. I could see it being the largest paid crowd of the year when you add all the Bluffton ticket buyers and consider all the Zips season ticket holders who didn't bother to show.

I did notice the Bluffton crowd. I know they are a small school, but I made the comment during the game that they must have brought half of the student body with them.

I'm sure it is a big game for them, in a close proximity. I'm sure we'd respond the same way if Cowlumbus State would ever schedule us.

[skip-zip]

As big as Big Dog is he could throw a mean pick or screen, especially up high. However we never use him that way. He is always down low on the post. Anyway, most of our players have no idea how to use an off the ball screen anyway. It is rare. We use a double screen as part of our set offense but that is to get the ball to a guard who is moving away from the basket.

I think we need to be creative to score points this season.

Good observation. I don't know if you are entirely accurate, but it seems that we frequently use off-the-ball screens to bounce shooters out to the perimeter for open looks, but never seem to employ them anywhere else.