Beat The Best

[GoZips]

Many people on ZipsNation continually bleat about Akron not playing quality opponents.

They are wrong. Here are some of the quality opponents the Zips have defeated in men's

basketball in recent years.

South Carolina Gamecocks.

Penn State Nittany Lions.

Temple Owls.

Creighton Blue Jays.

Oregon State Beavers.

Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Florida State Seminoles.

Southern California Trojans.

A bit of digging and you can find some others. Go for it.

If I had two dead rats, I would give you one. <humor>

[lance99]

If you are comparing the title of this thread to the opponents: I will give you Temple and Creighton and Mississippi State, but come on. Just because the teams they beat are in a big time Conference, means nothing. If they played an historically bad Northwestern, would you put them on the list? Penn State? That is,what the great GP1 would say: "Grasping for Straws."

[GoZips]

Akron LOST to historically bad Northwestern. Remember?

[skip-zip]

Looking at that list actually makes me feel worse.

1) That's sick to think that this was all there was over an entire decade where we compiled over 200 wins.

2) A few of those were opening round NIT games. That tells you were those teams stood.

3) The "names" of most of those teams, unfortunately, were not indicative of their quality at the time.

I think someone would have to be in extreme denial to ignore the fact that this program lacks significant victories. It might even be hard to argue with anyone who says we've never had any significant victories.

[Dr Z]

I think someone would have to be in extreme denial to ignore the fact that this program lacks significant victories. It might even be hard to argue with anyone who says we've never had any significant victories.

The most significant Zips victories in the last decade are not on the above list.

Many people on ZipsNation continually bleat about Akron not playing quality opponents.

I don't think that is the consistent bleat at all. I think that most ZN members question the quality of out of conference scheduled opponents at home. Instead of scheduling non competitive teams, schedule some competitive ones. Pretty simple, but this puts the 20+ win seasons at a risk. The above list really doesn't address that concern.

Dave did a nice job describing within a 9 page thread on the topic.

I don't think anyone realistically expects true high-profile teams to visit the JAR. Most fans would be happy with more medium-profile teams. It's the 200+ RPI teams most would rather see fewer of, especially the high-200 and 300+ RPI teams.

[morris buttermaker]

swing batter

[RACER]

so beating temple, fsu on the road we not big wins.both of them were on the bubble to make the ncaa tourney. the years we played them.

[skip-zip]

Florida State was 19-14 and was a #3 seed in their REGION in the NIT.

Temple was 17-15 and was a #7 seed in their REGION in the NIT.

It would be quite a stretch to indicate that both of these teams were almost NCAA tourney teams.

Other than beating a "name" in a first round NIT game, there wasn't a whole lot to gain here in terms of high impact wins. But as fans, we surely talk about them because they are among the most notorious wins that we have had in the last decade.

Interesting Fact:

FSU's RPI was 79 and Temple's was 81.

In both years, Akron's RPI was HIGHER, yet they sent us on the road as the visiting team.

[Dave in Green]

Arguably the most individually talented team the Zips have beaten was Mississippi State in Starkville in 2011. That Bulldogs team had three players that ended up on NBA rosters -- Arnett Moultrie, Rodney Hood and Dee Bost. They also had the immensely talented 6-10 Renardo Sidney, who ended up being such a head case that he never played beyond college. That was a shocker of an upset at the time as stories still to be found on the internet attest.

[skip-zip]

Dave, I think that Miss. State game is not mentioned enough.

If I recall, they were darn near ranked in the preseason, until the loss to Akron. But, in the subsequent weeks, they climbed back up into the rankings, before a late season collapse doomed them.

[Dr Z]

Dave, I think that Miss. State game is not mentioned enough.

Q was the man in that game. I had high hopes for him after that. That game was mid week on a channel I'm not sure I got at the time. I had to go "out" to watch.

[Roo]

Beat the best.....they need a tougher schedule so when they make it back to the NCAA's, they don't get laughed out of the building.

All this talk is pointless until we compete in the NCAA tourney or play a real schedule.

[Dave in Green]

Q was the man on offense and Zeke was the man on defense. Zeke totally shut down the immensely talented 6-10 Moultrie, who was good enough to be drafted in the first round (#27 overall) by the Miami Heat after his junior season. The local newspaper described it as follows:

MSU forward Arnett Moultrie made just 2 of 13 shots, finishing with 8 points and 15 rebounds. Akron 7-footer Zeke Marshall blocked five shots and altered many more.

"It bothered me a lot," Moultrie said. "I was worrying about finishing over him. That's why I missed so many easy buckets."

[GoZips]

The Zips had welcomed and esteemed guest at practice today. Former Akron player

and grad assistant, Brian Walsh.

Brian is currently an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Dayton.

When asked about a possible home-n-home match up between the Zips and the

Flyers Brian replied that such a series is "lose-lose" for the Flyers.

In his words. "Akron is much too dangerous. And, the Flyers nearly lost both previous

games against Akron."

Teasingly I offered to "throw in" a men's exhibition soccer match at Akron. No dice.

While Dayton has a nice men's soccer program they are no match for the Zips.

[phil]

I love watching Brien play. The first couple years here he was a great rebounder for a guard. Great player for Akron. Good luck as a coach.

I thought he would find his way on the staff at Illinois. If his shot does not rim out at the MAC final, Ohio U does not go to the NCAA.

No sweet 16 run for John Groce

No job at Illinois with a large salary.

Amazing how one bounce of a ball can change a lot of things.