MAC Tournament Game 2: Buffalo

[Captain Kangaroo]

Are we talking about the same KD that, in his second year at Duquesne, just lost in the first round of the A-10 tourney, to #10 seed Saint Joe's?

 

At least Groce made it to Round #2, and lost to a top 20 team. KD busted against a 13-18 team.

 

Hope all his early season cupcake wins get him that coveted CIT berth.  (Iron City's)

 

 

[GJGood]

That's a killer for Duquesne but I'd take a CiT berth for Akron right now. I want this team with only one senior to get as much experience as possible before next season.

[Zip44]

So Kreads, will you be happy if next years team finishes with 22 wins & 2nd best record in MAC & loses in MAC championship game?

I hope not, because we became spoiled by Dambrot success & has considered that result a failure by not going to NCAA tourney.

so we must judge Groce  same way.

He had 5yrs to show at Illinois & his teams got progressively worse. Now we have Groce for 3 more years & overpaid at $600k +

 

 

 

[clarkwgriswold]

8 hours ago, dre22era said:

Finally someone with "Common Sense"

I been preaching this all along. 

The fact that we settled with Ohio U's leftovers that couldn't do squat at a Big Ten School infuriates me to the core and now we are back to defending and capping for mediocrity. 

Groce needs his own guys this Groce needs his own guys that. Yall gonna say the same BS after we get the same results in year 3? smh 

The fact that Groce ended the season with more timeouts in his pocket than Wins should tell you right there what he is and will continue to be.  

 

Not that facts should get in the way, but Groce took on a 17 win team then won 23, 20, 19, 15 and 20 games.  Since he was dispatched, they've won 14 and 12 games.  Did he lead them to the promised land, no, but he was not the unmitigated failure at Illinois you continue to suggest. 

 

While we are on the topic, the others repeatedly mentioned for the UA job at the time Groce was hired have not set the world on fire.  Anthony Stewart is 44-53 at UT Martin.  Lamont Paris is 22-43 at Chattanooga.  Jeff Boals struggled somewhat early at Stony Brook and is now 55-41 there, in large part due to an upsurge in his THIRD year there.  

 

Also, Groce's problem has not been keeping timeouts in his pocket, it has been not having them at the end of games.

 

What the majority of "we all" are going to say if the team makes no progress next year is that it is time to move on.  It's inaccurate to characterize the ZipsNation posters as die-hard Groce apologists when the considerable portion of us have essentially stated that a lack of progress next year could justifiably seal Groce's fate. 

[zippy5]

clark, you're better off just using the ignore feature, it's like talking with a russian bot on twitter

[dre22era]

55 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Are we talking about the same KD that, in his second year at Duquesne, just lost in the first round of the A-10 tourney, to #10 seed Saint Joe's?

 

At least Groce made it to Round #2, and lost to a top 20 team. KD busted against a 13-18 team.

 

Hope all his early season cupcake wins get him that coveted CIT berth.  (Iron City's)

 

 

I find it hilarious how you are basically writing off the Atlantic 10 like the MAC is on par with them from top to bottom. 

We probably can't even beat Saint Josephs 

[clarkwgriswold]

4 minutes ago, dre22era said:

I find it hilarious how you are basically writing off the Atlantic 10 like the MAC is on par with them from top to bottom. 

We probably can't even beat Saint Josephs 

 

KD should be much farther along at the end of his second year.  

[dre22era]

22 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

KD should be much farther along at the end of his second year.  

(19-13, 10-8 A 10) ill take that from a coach in his 2nd year with his class coming in next year any day. 

So much to look forward to next year. The Dukes are returning ALL of their regulars next year. @ericwilliams708 played out of his mind down the stretch. @SinCarry3, @AmariKelly12, @austinrotroff have time to heal. And oh ya, @CoachDambrot is one of the best coaches in the country

— Barstool Duquesne (@DukesBarstool) March 15, 2019

Edited March 15, 2019 by dre22era

[ZipsVoice]

11 hours ago, Zip44 said:

As Thad Matta stated to me why he would not recommend Groce

Oooooo....I got to talk to the great Thad Matta.....look at me!!!!

[clarkwgriswold]

14 minutes ago, dre22era said:

(19-13, 10-8 A 10) ill take that from a coach in his 2nd year with his class coming in next year any day. 

 

 

...and on that note I am going to mumble the Serenity Prayer and follow zippy5's wise advice.

[dre22era]

4 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

...and on that note I am going to mumble the Serenity Prayer and follow zippy5's wise advice.

Wake me up when Groce delivers a .500 team in the MAC 

[1981 grad]

When KD was coach I would get upset that we would get to the MAC final and then lay a big egg.

I also got upset when we played in the NIT tourney and lost to a terrible Ohio State team and would have hosted a major program if we won that game.

Yesterday, I got upset that we lost to a team by 37 points that we had played close during the season.

The old saying is that you don't realize what you had until it is gone.  I think any Zip fan would have buyers remorse in that we dominated the MAC while KD was coach and now that is gone.  

I agree that KD inherited a much better program than Groce.  Remember, he was the asst. coach for Akron before he was head coach.  He did not have players leaving the team and he was familiar with players that were on the team.  It was a seamless transition.

Groce had none of that.  In hindsight,  Akron made a mistake in not doing the right thing to keep KD at Akron.  Basically, it blew up the program and we are still paying the price.  I think that Groce has done a good job with what we have and we need to be patient to see if he can bring this program back to its former glory and get us that first NCAA victory or at least that first win over a ranked team.

 

[kreed5120]

35 minutes ago, dre22era said:

I find it hilarious how you are basically writing off the Atlantic 10 like the MAC is on par with them from top to bottom. 

We probably can't even beat Saint Josephs 

The A-10 is the historically better conference. That being said, you're right the MAC isn't on par with the A-10 THIS season. The MAC is actually much superior to the A-10 THIS year. Look at KenPom, look at NET, look at RPI, or whatever metric you like. They all have the MAC rated as the 8th or 9th best conference while the A-10 is 12th-15th.

 

I'm sure you're going to go on a rant about all the at-large bids the A-10 received in previous years, but none of that's relevant to how they did THIS year.

 

Just an FYI, the NET Rankings, which is the rating system the NCAA committee uses to select teams for the tournament currently has Akron ranked #111. They have Duquesne ranked #170. 

[ZippyforPresident]

13 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

When KD was coach I would get upset that we would get to the MAC final and then lay a big egg.

I also got upset when we played in the NIT tourney and lost to a terrible Ohio State team and would have hosted a major program if we won that game.

Yesterday, I got upset that we lost to a team by 37 points that we had played close during the season.

The old saying is that you don't realize what you had until it is gone.  I think any Zip fan would have buyers remorse in that we dominated the MAC while KD was coach and now that is gone.  

I agree that KD inherited a much better program than Groce.  Remember, he was the asst. coach for Akron before he was head coach.  He did not have players leaving the team and he was familiar with players that were on the team.  It was a seamless transition.

Groce had none of that.  In hindsight,  Akron made a mistake in not doing the right thing to keep KD at Akron.  Basically, it blew up the program and we are still paying the price.  I think that Groce has done a good job with what we have and we need to be patient to see if he can bring this program back to its former glory and get us that first NCAA victory or at least that first win over a ranked team.

 

Well said. I wish Dambrot was still here but he isn't. I will be interested to see what transpires next season. Hopefully they can take a significant step forward.

[dre22era]

18 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

The A-10 is the historically better conference. That being said, you're right the MAC isn't on par with the A-10 THIS season. The MAC is actually much superior to the A-10 THIS year. Look at KenPom, look at NET, look at RPI, or whatever metric you like. They all have the MAC rated as the 8th or 9th best conference while the A-10 is 12th-15th.

 

I'm sure you're going to go on a rant about all the at-large bids the A-10 received in previous years, but none of that's relevant to how they did THIS year.

 

Just an FYI, the NET Rankings, which is the rating system the NCAA committee uses to select teams for the tournament currently has Akron ranked #111. They have Duquesne ranked #170. 

A-10's at large bid history is very relevant as we all know NET,  RPI and whatever else don't mean crap to the Selection Committee when it comes to the MAC which was the main reason why KD left and which is the main reason why I hate the MAC. 

Ranked #18 Buffalo could lose to 23-10 Central Michigan today and I bet you the Selection Committee would find a way to keep them out. 

NET Rankings don't mean crap to the MAC who hasn't had an At Large since Miami of Ohio in 1999 so lets not even go there. 

 

NCAA Tournament: Akron "in conversation" for an at-large bid if they lose in championship game

 

Spare me the bullshit 

 

[NWAkron]

Buffalo and the two teams that beat them are in the semis along with CMU.  BG got lucky drawing Ball State.   NIU Montgomery was on the hot seat last year.     He spent many years toiling in DeKalb.   They kept him and he's making a run...on the back of German.  NIU tanked when German got suspended but are now back where they were.  Was good to see Zips beating NIU and BG at home.   Maybe Groce should take the team on the road for the first 6 games.

[dre22era]

1-8 on the road in MAC play this season 

[kreed5120]

20 minutes ago, dre22era said:

A-10's at large bid history is very relevant as we all know NET,  RPI and whatever else don't mean crap to the Selection Committee when it comes to the MAC which was the main reason why KD left and which is the main reason why I hate the MAC. 

Ranked #18 Buffalo could lose to 23-10 Central Michigan today and I bet you the Selection Committee would find a way to keep them out. 

NET Rankings don't mean crap to the MAC who hasn't had an At Large since Miami of Ohio in 1999 so lets not even go there. 

 

NCAA Tournament: Akron "in conversation" for an at-large bid if they lose in championship game

 

Spare me the bullshit 

 

 

The A-10 was the better conference in the past and will be the better conference in the future. It wasn't the better conference THIS year. It's a product of the MAC having its best year in 20 years while the A-10 had what was probably its worst in the last 20 years. You trying to argue otherwise is completely laughable and just shows your ignorance. You can ask anyone that follows college for a living and they will tell you the MAC was the better conference this year. I'm done with this discussion. 

[akronzips71]

We do NOT have a stable roster.

We have streaky Utomi, LCJ, and Cheese.

That is really IT.

No D1 Center, No D1 forward outside of Utomi, no bench.

This "team" is a joke, and I expect another exodus.

[dre22era]

4 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

The A-10 was the better conference in the past and will be the better conference in the future. It wasn't the better conference THIS year. It's a product of the MAC having its best year in 20 years while the A-10 had what was probably its worst in the last 20 years. You trying to argue otherwise is completely laughable and just shows your ignorance. You can ask anyone that follows college for a living and they will tell you the MAC was the better conference this year. I'm done with this discussion. 

Our best year in 20 years will only produce a conference champion in the tournament. If thats your ceiling of success for our conference then so be it. 

So again Spare me the Bullshit 

Edited March 15, 2019 by dre22era

[kreed5120]

6 minutes ago, dre22era said:

Our best year in 20 years will only produce a conference champion in the tournament. If thats your ceiling of success for our conference then so be it. 

So again Spare me the Bullshit 

I was arguing the MAC was better than the A-10 this year, which it clearly is.

 

Your the one spewing bullshit by trying to say otherwise.

[dre22era]

6 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

I was arguing the MAC was better than the A-10 this year, which it clearly is.

 

Your the one spewing bullshit by trying to say otherwise.

"It's a product of the MAC having its best year in 20 years"

Your words not mine. So im now curious to know what would the MAC need to do to receive an At-Large bid?

Have the greatest season EVER based on your flawed logic? 

Ill hang up and listen. 

[clarkwgriswold]

33 minutes ago, akronzips71 said:

We do NOT have a stable roster.

We have streaky Utomi, LCJ, and Cheese.

That is really IT.

No D1 Center, No D1 forward outside of Utomi, no bench.

This "team" is a joke, and I expect another exodus

It will all be fine once Groce finds one of those good 6'11" D1 centers standing on every street corner in NEO.

[clarkwgriswold]

zippy5, you need to have the talk with our friend kreed.

[kreed5120]

1 minute ago, dre22era said:

"It's a product of the MAC having its best year in 20 years"

Your words not mine. So im now curious to know what would the MAC need to do to receive an At-Large bid?

Have the greatest season EVER based on your flawed logic? 

Ill hang up and listen. 

 

Flawed logic, how? The MAC is better than the A-10 this year based off the results on the court this year, which are reflected in KenPom and NET Rankings. I've already stated the MAC is ranked 8th-9th by all the metrics while the A-10 is 12th-15th. KenPom goes back to 2002. I don't see any year where the MAC did better than this years rating. Out of curiosity though, what year since 2000 are you saying the MAC was better than this season? The A-10 only path to multiple bids this season is the same as the MAC's. The #1 seed would have to get upset. The difference is Buffalo will be a single digit seed while VCU will probably be a 10 seed.

 

Let me point out your flawed logic. Akron beat St. Bonaventure 61-49, who finished 4th in the A-10 at 12-6,  yet you're claiming we couldn't beat 10th seeded St. Josephs. Please explain this logic to me. I'll wait for your response...