clarkwgriswold Posted January 5, 2020 Report Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) The Zips open the home MAC season Tuesday night with a visit by 8-6 Western Michigan. Western comes to the JAR fresh off of a MAC season opening 77-65 win in Kalamazoo. WMU was predicted to finish 5th in the west in the MAC preseason poll. 6’1” junior guard Michael Flowers was named to the West Division Preseason All-MAC Team and leads the team at 17 ppg. He is shooting over 40% from the three point line. 6’8” junior forward Brandon Johnson leads the team in rebounding at 8 rpg while scoring 15 ppg. Steve Hawkins is in his 19th year as head coach at WMU. Edited January 5, 2020 by clarkwgriswold Quote
Blue & Gold Posted January 5, 2020 Report Posted January 5, 2020 Thanks, @clarkwgriswold! The Broncos’ win over the Bobkittens was actually in Kalamazoo. The game was closer than the final score would indicate. i believe I heard one of the announcers say Flowers is the 2nd-leading scorer in the MAC. Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 5, 2020 Author Report Posted January 5, 2020 6 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said: Thanks, @clarkwgriswold! The Broncos’ win over the Bobkittens was actually in Kalamazoo. The game was closer than the final score would indicate. i believe I heard one of the announcers say Flowers is the 2nd-leading scorer in the MAC. Yes it was. Brian fart. I'm ahead of where I was yesterday when I kept thinking they were opening with Toledo! 1 Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 5, 2020 Report Posted January 5, 2020 Despite WMU beating OU, I still think they'll end up finishing last in the MAC this season. I'm guessing this is the season Hawkins gets canned. Quote
Blue & Gold Posted January 5, 2020 Report Posted January 5, 2020 We own Western. We play much better defense than Ohio showed today. They let Flowers get a number of open looks. I don’t see us doing that. Quote
NWAkron Posted January 5, 2020 Report Posted January 5, 2020 11 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: Yes it was. Brian fart. I'm ahead of where I was yesterday when I kept thinking they were opening with Toledo! You are doing better than GT who had us opening at Western Michigan. 1 Quote
Z.I.P. Posted January 6, 2020 Report Posted January 6, 2020 On 1/4/2020 at 3:07 PM, kreed5120 said: Despite WMU beating OU, I still think they'll end up finishing last in the MAC this season. I'm guessing this is the season Hawkins gets canned. I regret to inform that that isn't unlikely to occur. As long as AD Kathy Beauregard remains in Kalamazoo I think Steve's job is safe. She hired him in her third year on the job and they appear to be quite close (not sure what Steve's wife has to say!) In fact he's so secure Hawkins has already booked his team in next year's Hawaiian Air Lines Diamond Head Classic, making an amazing (if I figure correctly) four visits to the Islands in his twenty years at the helm. A Ventura County native, Steve loves the ocean and a couple of summers ago tweeted his vacation experience in French Polynesia, the islands of Tahiti and Moorea. Anyone wanting Hawkins' ouster will probably have to wait for the end to Beauregard's run at the school...but that could be before much longer, as she arrived there in 1979 as gymnastics coach and is in her 22nd year as Director of Athletics. Maybe Steve is sweating that announcement. Quote
zippy5 Posted January 6, 2020 Report Posted January 6, 2020 They can wait all they want, it's okay with me 1 1 Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 6, 2020 Report Posted January 6, 2020 25 minutes ago, Z.I.P. said: I regret to inform that that isn't unlikely to occur. As long as AD Kathy Beauregard remains in Kalamazoo I think Steve's job is safe. She hired him in her third year on the job and they appear to be quite close (not sure what Steve's wife has to say!) In fact he's so secure Hawkins has already booked his team in next year's Hawaiian Air Lines Diamond Head Classic, making an amazing (if I figure correctly) four visits to the Islands in his twenty years at the helm. A Ventura County native, Steve loves the ocean and a couple of summers ago tweeted his vacation experience in French Polynesia, the islands of Tahiti and Moorea. Anyone wanting Hawkins' ouster will probably have to wait for the end to Beauregard's run at the school...but that could be before much longer, as she arrived there in 1979 as gymnastics coach and is in her 22nd year as Director of Athletics. Maybe Steve is sweating that announcement. Hawkins contract is set to expire at the end of the season, which is why I said what I did. I'd find giving him an extension would be a tough sell to any fan base if they do indeed finish last place in the MAC for a 2nd straight year. I'd be glad to see them keep him. I enjoy picking up some easy conference wins. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2019/10/08/wmu-hoops-mainstay-steve-hawkins-entering-final-year-contract-he-says-hes-not-worried/3910217002/ Quote
MDZip Posted January 6, 2020 Report Posted January 6, 2020 Wow, EPSN's BPI calculator gives Western only a 6.3% chance to win this game. Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 6, 2020 Author Report Posted January 6, 2020 Hawkins is the Crash Davis of MAC basketball. Quote
NWAkron Posted January 6, 2020 Report Posted January 6, 2020 5 hours ago, Z.I.P. said: I regret to inform that that isn't unlikely to occur. As long as AD Kathy Beauregard remains in Kalamazoo I think Steve's job is safe. She hired him in her third year on the job and they appear to be quite close (not sure what Steve's wife has to say!) In fact he's so secure Hawkins has already booked his team in next year's Hawaiian Air Lines Diamond Head Classic, making an amazing (if I figure correctly) four visits to the Islands in his twenty years at the helm. A Ventura County native, Steve loves the ocean and a couple of summers ago tweeted his vacation experience in French Polynesia, the islands of Tahiti and Moorea. Anyone wanting Hawkins' ouster will probably have to wait for the end to Beauregard's run at the school...but that could be before much longer, as she arrived there in 1979 as gymnastics coach and is in her 22nd year as Director of Athletics. Maybe Steve is sweating that announcement. I don't Hawkins is spending much time on the beach. Lots of confidence around here going into this game. Quote
zippy5 Posted January 6, 2020 Report Posted January 6, 2020 3 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said: Hawkins is the Crash Davis of MAC basketball. I laughed Quote
ZipsVoice Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 1 hour ago, NWAkron said: Lots of confidence around here going into this game. Excitement is building! 1 Quote
LoyalZIP Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 If this season continues to go as it appears it is, I hope the community really gets behind this team. While I have loved and been proud of all of the good teams we've had the last 15 years, I really feel like this is a special and different group. It's not the most talented team Akron's had, but they looks as cohesive an Akron team I've seen and they play hard and well on both ends of the floor. On top of that, they're old guys that lost a lot of games last year. You can see their hard work and dedication to the TEAM and PROGRAM play out, as things that they were bad at last year have been reversed. I know there are still plenty of Akron fans pouting over the coaching change and there are probably some that are even upset to see Groce doing well. If that's keeping them from supporting these guys, do us all a favor and don't associate yourselves with Akron. Go cheer for Kent or something. Keep it rolling, boys! 4 1 Quote
LoyalZIP Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 A little surprised to see the line at Akron -13.5. Seems like a lot even with Western at the bottom half of the league. Quote
NWAkron Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 1 hour ago, LoyalZIP said: If this season continues to go as it appears it is, I hope the community really gets behind this team. While I have loved and been proud of all of the good teams we've had the last 15 years, I really feel like this is a special and different group. It's not the most talented team Akron's had, but they looks as cohesive an Akron team I've seen and they play hard and well on both ends of the floor. On top of that, they're old guys that lost a lot of games last year. You can see their hard work and dedication to the TEAM and PROGRAM play out, as things that they were bad at last year have been reversed. I know there are still plenty of Akron fans pouting over the coaching change and there are probably some that are even upset to see Groce doing well. If that's keeping them from supporting these guys, do us all a favor and don't associate yourselves with Akron. Go cheer for Kent or something. Keep it rolling, boys! I like how Xeryious is the silent assassin. He's quietly getting all those rebounds and then throws in some 3s. Until Groce, I never understood the concept of a coach needing "his guys" on the team, and he's not afraid to cut the dead weight or cut a good player for the sake of the team. 2 Quote
LoyalZIP Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 53 minutes ago, NWAkron said: I like how Xeryious is the silent assassin. He's quietly getting all those rebounds and then throws in some 3s. Until Groce, I never understood the concept of a coach needing "his guys" on the team, and he's not afraid to cut the dead weight or cut a good player for the sake of the team. Good point. I could argue that given the chance to naturally develop, Eric Parrish would have been a top 3 player on the team at this point. Just not worth the pain, which is why he's onto his fourth school now or something like that. Same could be said for Virshon Cotton. And Patton got the boot as well, granted that was more because I think Groce just needed bodies in year 1 and he happened to be available at the time. Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 7, 2020 Author Report Posted January 7, 2020 I get the feeling that this will be one of those games where the outcome is never much in doubt yet not one in which the Zips ever get a huge lead like against EMU. Comfortable, but never completely put them away. Zips 71-59. 1 Quote
Zipmeister Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 10 hours ago, LoyalZIP said: Good point. I could argue that given the chance to naturally develop, Eric Parrish would have been a top 3 player on the team at this point. Just not worth the pain, which is why he's onto his fourth school now or something like that. Same could be said for Virshon Cotton. And Patton got the boot as well, granted that was more because I think Groce just needed bodies in year 1 and he happened to be available at the time. Same Patton that was just named Horizon League player of the week? 1 Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 Patton at best would be the 4th best guard on this Akron team, no loss. He's better than Tribble at the moment, but I think Tribble will end up having the better collegiate career when all is said and done. Quote
NWAkron Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 14 minutes ago, Zipmeister said: Same Patton that was just named Horizon League player of the week? No. A different Torrey Patton. Quote
NWAkron Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 29 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: I get the feeling that this will be one of those games where the outcome is never much in doubt yet not one in which the Zips ever get a huge lead like against EMU. Comfortable, but never completely put them away. Zips 71-59. I expect Flowers to get hot for awhile and maybe make some crazy 3s and make the fans uncomfortable near the end. Excitement is building Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 7, 2020 Report Posted January 7, 2020 We shot so well last game from the floor that i think we'll cool off this game. I still expect Akron to win, but I say we win by 8. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.