Game 10- Marshall Thundering Herd

[clarkwgriswold]

After a break for exams, the Zips face the Thundering Herd at the JAR on December 15th.  The fast paced and entertaining Herd are led by All Conference USA 6-3 senior guard Jon Elmore who scores 21.4 ppg, leads the team in assists and is second in rebounding.  It seems like he's been on that team for 10 years.  They are coached by Mike D'Antoni's brother, Dan D'Antonio and play a very fast paced offense averaging 87 ppg.  They are 5-3, having lost to Maryland, OU and Duquesne.

[kreed5120]

I'm a fan of what D'Antoni has done with the program. He inherited an 11 win team and transformed them into a solid mid-major. It's nice getting at least one semi-decent program to the JAR during the OOC season every other year. Here's to hoping they keep extending the series.

[akronzips71]

If KD beat them we MUST.

[clarkwgriswold]

Mike Hughes led Duquesne in the win with 20 points.  Tavian Dunn-Martin played 14 minutes and failed to score.

Edited December 6, 2018 by clarkwgriswold

[zippyfan34]

I have been checking box scores and I always thought Hughes would be a decent MAC big man (maybe 10 pts 6 boards by his junior/senior year) but he is having a good year for them as a Sophomore.

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 hour ago, akronzips71 said:

If KD beat them we MUST.

 

Yeah! Forget our in-conference rival beating them by 17 and wanting this victory to show the MAC we're contenders - let's stick it to KD! 

 

DILLY DILLY! 

[Zip JD]

What's the over/under on the number of 3's put up in this game?  They will be flying all game.

[clarkwgriswold]

Zips are averaging 9.9 per game while the Herd averages 9.9.  Wow, what a coincidence.  My math skills are poor, but I'd put the under/over around 20!

[clarkwgriswold]

The Herd lost by 1 in overtime at previously 8-1 Toledo Saturday night and beat 3-5 Morehead State by 12 tonight (Monday).  Just the name Morehead State takes me back to the OVC. 

 

I'm thinking the Zips will have their hands full with Marshall.  

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

The Herd lost by 1 in overtime at previously 8-1 Toledo Saturday night and beat 3-5 Morehead State by 12 tonight (Monday).  Just the name Morehead State takes me back to the OVC. 

 

I'm thinking the Zips will have their hands full with Marshall.  

Thanks for the post, Clark.  10-12 days to next game.  Soccer is over.  Silence from the front office on the football coach.  It's going to be a lean couple weeks.  

Toledo also crushed Detroit.  Maybe PCC @Ravenna and Toledo can take a game or two from Canada.  Long time before Zips meet the Bulls 

[GJGood]

Zips didn't seem too confident or comfortable defensively to me in their last game and it was against an "up tempo" opponent. I don't think that bodes well for the Marshall game. Although the point of view could be taken that the Zips have now seen and played against a team like that and will be more prepared this time around, especially with so much time to prepare between games.

[Blue & Gold]

9 hours ago, NWAkron said:

Thanks for the post, Clark.  10-12 days to next game.  Soccer is over.  Silence from the front office on the football coach.  It's going to be a lean couple weeks.  

Toledo also crushed Detroit.  Maybe PCC @Ravenna and Toledo can take a game or two from Canada.  Long time before Zips meet the Bulls 

Don't look now, but PCCC is rolling.  Games could be epic this year. 

[clarkwgriswold]

10 hours ago, NWAkron said:

Thanks for the post, Clark.  10-12 days to next game.  Soccer is over.  Silence from the front office on the football coach.  It's going to be a lean couple weeks.  

Toledo also crushed Detroit.  Maybe PCC @Ravenna and Toledo can take a game or two from Canada.  Long time before Zips meet the Bulls 

 

Yep, Toledo thumped the Detroit Mercy team that was competitive at the JAR by a whopping 44 points!

[Let'sGoZips94]

Easy guys. Toledo is 9-1 against Little Sisters of the Poor (no, they do not have Sister Jean coaching their teams, either). They blew a 20 pt. lead against Marshall, and have lost to Wright State by 10. Can't is 8-1 with a 7 pt. loss vs. Liberty and close wins over Wright State, Detroit, and Cleveland State. They did beat Vandy, but apparently there were some factors (an injury to a stud player for Vandy?) that may have aided their upset. 

 

This Marshall game is going to be good, but I'm looking at their NCAA tournament performance as the reason why, not their who's who schedule of similar opponents/teams we keep a close eye on. To beat Marshall, you have to match Elmore and limit the rest of the team. 

Edited December 12, 2018 by Let'sGoZips94

[NWAkron]

Toledo sure had plenty of film on Detroit!!   

14 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Easy guys. Toledo is 9-1 against Little Sisters of the Poor (no, they do not have Sister Jean coaching their teams, either). They blew a 20 pt. lead against Marshall, and have lost to Wright State by 10. Can't is 8-1 with a 7 pt. loss vs. Liberty and close wins over Wright State, Detroit, and Cleveland State. They did beat Vandy, but apparently there were some factors (an injury to a stud player for Vandy?) that may have aided their upset. 

 

This Marshall game is going to be good, but I'm looking at their NCAA tournament performance as the reason why, not their who's who schedule of similar opponents/teams we keep a close eye on. To beat Marshall, you have to match Elmore and limit the rest of the team. 

Riak apparently will be back.  That's a big deal.   I thought bit would be a season ending injury.

[clarkwgriswold]

1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Easy guys. Toledo is 9-1 against Little Sisters of the Poor (no, they do not have Sister Jean coaching their teams, either). They blew a 20 pt. lead against Marshall, and have lost to Wright State by 10. Can't is 8-1 with a 7 pt. loss vs. Liberty and close wins over Wright State, Detroit, and Cleveland State. They did beat Vandy, but apparently there were some factors (an injury to a stud player for Vandy?) that may have aided their upset. 

 

This Marshall game is going to be good, but I'm looking at their NCAA tournament performance as the reason why, not their who's who schedule of similar opponents/teams we keep a close eye on. To beat Marshall, you have to match Elmore and limit the rest of the team. 

 

Good points.  I do, however, think that Marshall is by far better than any other team we've seen at the JAR this year.  I think they'd be in the top half of the MAC. 

[1981 grad]

I am glad to see that Deng will be back.  Since he has been injured I was hoping one of the other big men would step up.  Unfortunately, very little offense from our big men.  In out last game the two big were a combined 1 for 6 and missed 2 foul shots.  To say that we got little from the center position would be an understatement.  I put some blame on Jackson.  Early in the season he was driving the lane, drawing a double team and then dishing to a big man for a slam.  Now when he drives he then passes outside for a 3 pointer.  We need to get the big men involved in the offense.

 

The other thing I noticed is that Channel is shooting much better than Cheese.  Channel is shooting 45% from the field and 40% from the 3 line.  Cheese is shooting 38% from the field and 24% from the 3 line.  We are shooting 33% from the 3 line.  That number needs to get higher if we keep on lighting it up from the 3 line with little from our center.

[clarkwgriswold]

3 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

I am glad to see that Deng will be back.  Since he has been injured I was hoping one of the other big men would step up.  Unfortunately, very little offense from our big men.  In out last game the two big were a combined 1 for 6 and missed 2 foul shots.  To say that we got little from the center position would be an understatement.  I put some blame on Jackson.  Early in the season he was driving the lane, drawing a double team and then dishing to a big man for a slam.  Now when he drives he then passes outside for a 3 pointer.  We need to get the big men involved in the offense.

 

The other thing I noticed is that Channel is shooting much better than Cheese.  Channel is shooting 45% from the field and 40% from the 3 line.  Cheese is shooting 38% from the field and 24% from the 3 line.  We are shooting 33% from the 3 line.  That number needs to get higher if we keep on lighting it up from the 3 line with little from our center.

 

From watching Cheese in warmups and the games, I don't think his outside shot will get much better.  He is better at going to the hoop than Banks, while Banks is the better shooter.  Cheese will have some streaks where his shooting is okay but never be one of the team's better shooters.

 

Riak brings a little more offense than the other bigs and more than I expected.  Sayles has potential but has been way too inconsistent.  E-Man is great, but limited offensively and has to rely entirely on his athleticism to defend true bigs.  We're not likely to see much if any from K-Lac from here on in, absent significant injuries and it doesn't get much better for him next year with Gueye and Williams coming aboard.

[Blue & Gold]

 

[zippy5]

Looks like gold unis

[GoZips88]

Akron favored by 4.5.

[zippy5]

 

[ewbrooman1]

1 hour ago, zippy5 said:

 

GOLD uniforms! Yeah baby! 

[clarkwgriswold]

No Riak.  E-man and Cheese in starting lineup.

[clarkwgriswold]

Riak in now