Game 26- Bowling Green Falcons

[clarkwgriswold]

The Zips head to 18-7 BUGS this Tuesday to meet the Falcons.  The Falcons are 10-2 in the MAC, having lost only to Toledo and Miami.  They were picked to finish LAST in the MAC East pre-season poll with 6'10" senior forward Dimajeo Wiggins making the all- MAC East team.  6'4" redshirt sophomore guard Justin Turner leads BUGS scoring at 18.2 ppg while Wiggins leads rebounding at 11.2 rpg (while scoring 13.2).   The team that received the fewest number of total points in the MAC pre-season poll has shocked the MAC.  They are 12-1 in Stroh Center.

[NWAkron]

We own Bowling Green...

 

[clarkwgriswold]

Turner is 3rd in MAC scoring while Joltin' Joe Dimajeo Wiggins is first in rebounding.

[clarkwgriswold]

I just took a look at the MAC individual stats leaders.  Oh well, at least Ivey and Utomi are in the top 10 of average minutes played.

 

Is that "team-ism"?

Edited February 17, 2019 by clarkwgriswold

[Blue & Gold]

ABJ: Season doesn't get any easier as Zips face Bowling Green

 

Tough remaining 3 weeks of the regular season.  If we aren't at the top of our game it's gonna be really easy to finish the season going 2-4 & without any momentum heading into the MACC.

 

Tonight: @ BUGS

2/23: Miami-O

2/26: @ Buffalo

3/2: Ohio

3/5: BUGS

3/8: @ KSUcks  

 

Looking at the remaining schedule, we should only be favored to win this Saturday -v- Miami and on March 2nd -v- Ohio.

[NWAkron]

14 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

ABJ: Season doesn't get any easier as Zips face Bowling Green

 

Tough remaining 3 weeks of the regular season.  If we aren't at the top of our game it's gonna be really easy to finish the season going 2-4 & without any momentum heading into the MACC.

 

Tonight: @ BUGS

2/23: Miami-O

2/26: @ Buffalo

3/2: Ohio

3/5: BUGS

3/8: @ KSUcks  

 

Looking at the remaining schedule, we should only be favored to win this Saturday -v- Miami and on March 2nd -v- Ohio.

3 of top 4 seeds will come from the West.   

[clarkwgriswold]

2 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

ABJ: Season doesn't get any easier as Zips face Bowling Green

 

Tough remaining 3 weeks of the regular season.  If we aren't at the top of our game it's gonna be really easy to finish the season going 2-4 & without any momentum heading into the MACC.

 

Tonight: @ BUGS

2/23: Miami-O

2/26: @ Buffalo

3/2: Ohio

3/5: BUGS

3/8: @ KSUcks  

 

Looking at the remaining schedule, we should only be favored to win this Saturday -v- Miami and on March 2nd -v- Ohio.

 

Kind of what I was thinking.  I just didn't want to hear myself say it!

[NWAkron]

54 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

Kind of what I was thinking.  I just didn't want to hear myself say it!

Say what?

[GJGood]

Tonight and the game at Buffalo will certainly be huge challenges. We will probably be favored against Miami and Ohio. I see those last two games as ones that can go either way.

[Let'sGoZips94]

O-BooWho should be a butt whooping again. They are awful. 

 

Miami is a coin toss, and tonight will be a difficult challenge. Buffalo is what it is, and Can't is a rivalry game on the road. 

 

Tonight is key to maintaining confidence/momentum. 

[kreed5120]

Right now Akron's path to the final based on the standings of today would be we'd host WMU the first round then play Toledo in the quarterfinals. In the semi-finals we'd play 1 of EMU, Ball State, or BGSU. I'd prefer to see Toledo surpass Kent as the 3rd seed, which I think they will, that way we would play them in the 2nd round and give Buffalo a tougher opponent on their side of the bracket. Playing WMU - Kent - BGSU is probably the most manageable path to the finals we can get, assuming no upsets on our side of the bracket. The hope would be that someone on the other end of the bracket would knock off Buffalo. 

Edited February 19, 2019 by kreed5120

[clarkwgriswold]

21 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

O-BooWho should be a butt whooping again. They are awful. 

 

Miami is a coin toss, and tonight will be a difficult challenge. Buffalo is what it is, and Can't is a rivalry game on the road. 

 

Tonight is key to maintaining confidence/momentum. 

 

They'll have to establish some momentum first as they'll have none coming out of Ball State.

[1981 grad]

Just watched the replay of the last 7 minutes of the Ball State game and not very optimistic about this game.  I was upset that Groce put in Jackson in the last 4 minutes because I think that Cheese is a better defender and was having a great game compared to Jackson.  However, the loss was a team effort since nobody could hit a shot the last 4 minutes.  Jackson also had a great steal that gave us a chance to win.  For the Zips to win they will have to do things that they have not done all season, play well on the road and finish off a close game on the road.

 

Young and inexperienced teams do not win on the road.    The last 2 years Groce has had young and inexperienced teams.  As a result we have sucked on the road the last 2 years.  We have only 2 guys with experience, Daniel and Ivey.  I am hoping that their defense can keep them in the game.  Would not be surprised to see a letdown after the tough loss at Ball State.  If the Zips could win it would certainly help them with their confidence the rest of the season.  

Edited February 19, 2019 by 1981 grad

[GJGood]

1 hour ago, 1981 grad said:

Just watched the replay of the last 7 minutes of the Ball State game and not very optimistic about this game.  I was upset that Groce put in Jackson in the last 4 minutes because I think that Cheese is a better defender and was having a great game compared to Jackson.  However, the loss was a team effort since nobody could hit a shot the last 4 minutes.  Jackson also had a great steal that gave us a chance to win.  For the Zips to win they will have to do things that they have not done all season, play well on the road and finish off a close game on the road.

 

Young and inexperienced teams do not win on the road.    The last 2 years Groce has had young and inexperienced teams.  As a result we have sucked on the road the last 2 years.  We have only 2 guys with experience, Daniel and Ivey.  I am hoping that their defense can keep them in the game.  Would not be surprised to see a letdown after the tough loss at Ball State.  If the Zips could win it would certainly help them with their confidence the rest of the season.  

 

Agreed, but young and inexperienced teams should be getting better on the road as the season goes on. Last year the Zips made it to Cleveland by winning a first round game on the road. Could we see the team play better away from the JAR tonight? I will be interested to see how the team comes out tonight. Just from listening to the postgame after Ball State it seems like the team took that loss harder than just about any all season. The team can't allow a Ball State hangover to start the game tonight.

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, GJGood said:

 

Agreed, but young and inexperienced teams should be getting better on the road as the season goes on. Last year the Zips made it to Cleveland by winning a first round game on the road. Could we see the team play better away from the JAR tonight? I will be interested to see how the team comes out tonight. Just from listening to the postgame after Ball State it seems like the team took that loss harder than just about any all season. The team can't allow a Ball State hangover to start the game tonight.

Last year's BSU loss they took hard as well.

[clarkwgriswold]

I'm no longer giving them the benefit of being young and inexperienced.  Utomi is a junior second year starter and played a lot in his freshman season (89 career games); Ivey is a senior who has started at least two years (125 career games); Riak is a junior who played regularly as a freshman and sophomore at E. Carolina (63 career games);  LCJ played regularly at Long Beach (59 college games); E-man is a junior who has played 73 games; and Banks and Cheese each have two years of post- high school basketball.

 

Thin yes, inexperienced, not so much, at least now.

[1981 grad]

24 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I'm no longer giving them the benefit of being young and inexperienced.  Utomi is a junior second year starter and played a lot in his freshman season (89 career games); Ivey is a senior who has started at least two years (125 career games); Riak is a junior who played regularly as a freshman and sophomore at E. Carolina (63 career games);  LCJ played regularly at Long Beach (59 college games); E-man is a junior who has played 73 games; and Banks and Cheese each have two years of post- high school basketball.

 

Thin yes, inexperienced, not so much, at least now.

They are inexperienced playing with each other and a MAC schedule.  KD did not bring in transfers and most players learned from playing with each other going through the MAC schedule their entire collegiant career.  Although it is not Groce's fault, we now have a team of transfers who do not have MAC game experience.  KD indicated that you need mental toughness to win close games on the road.  (Ironically, Duqeusne is also losing close games on the road)  In the replay of the last 4 minutes of the Ball State game, I saw Jackson, Cheese, and Utomi miss close shots, Jackson commit an unforced turnover, and his man take him to the hoop and draw fouls when Jackson tried to draw an offensive foul.  (Not going to get that call away in the last minute!)  Further, Riak lost his man on the boxout and gave up the winning tip.  These are inexperienced players not closing out a game.  Further, alhough Jackson and Riak played 150 college games, they were not in the game in the last 3 minutes of those games.  If they had gotten those minutes, they would not have transferred.  The last 2 seasons road games have been frustrating to watch but it is not unexpected.

[NWAkron]

Zips by 14

[clarkwgriswold]

1 hour ago, 1981 grad said:

They are inexperienced playing with each other and a MAC schedule.  KD did not bring in transfers and most players learned from playing with each other going through the MAC schedule their entire collegiant career.  Although it is not Groce's fault, we now have a team of transfers who do not have MAC game experience.  KD indicated that you need mental toughness to win close games on the road.  (Ironically, Duqeusne is also losing close games on the road)  In the replay of the last 4 minutes of the Ball State game, I saw Jackson, Cheese, and Utomi miss close shots, Jackson commit an unforced turnover, and his man take him to the hoop and draw fouls when Jackson tried to draw an offensive foul.  (Not going to get that call away in the last minute!)  Further, Riak lost his man on the boxout and gave up the winning tip.  These are inexperienced players not closing out a game.  Further, alhough Jackson and Riak played 150 college games, they were not in the game in the last 3 minutes of those games.  If they had gotten those minutes, they would not have transferred.  The last 2 seasons road games have been frustrating to watch but it is not unexpected.

 

Appreciate the reasoned discussion 1981 grad.  With each minute they play, the more that reason will fade.  Hopefully, these are all experiences that will benefit them in the future.

[Illini Zip]

Let's go Zips!!

[NWAkron]

Won last 27 of 29 against BG.  SMH.

[zvillezip]

Zips can’t buy a bucket and BG having their way offensively.  Ugly right now 

[zipsrule]

Need to be patient and climb back into the game.

[zvillezip]

Turning up the defense now and crawling back into it.  Defense! Defense! Defense!

[1981 grad]

I really like the way Poke is playing.  He scored and is rebounding really well.  If we can get him playing well it would make a world of difference.  Jackson cannot hit an open 3 to save his life.  Repeat for everyone on Zips thus far.