clarkwgriswold Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 The 9-8 Toledo Rockets come into the JAR Saturday night fresh off a 74-67 loss to Central Michigan. The Rockets entered the season with high hopes as the number 1 West Division team in MAC Preseason Coaches Poll, however, they have had a rough spell since mid-December losing 6 of their last 7 (Kansas City, Wright State, Bradley, Ball St., PCCC and CMU). Junior guard Marreon Jackson and senior center Luke Knapke were named the All-MAC West Division Preseason team. Jackson averages 17.2 ppg along with 4.1 assists. Koepke scores 15.2 ppg while kicking in 8.1 rpg. Willie Jackson scores 11.5 a game and rebounds at an impressive 12.5 rpg. This game worries me. Toledo appears to have as much individual talent as any team in the MAC. Let’s hope they don’t come together in the JAR. The game is also a fundraiser for Norton teen Emma Pfouts. If the Zips have half the fortitude of that little girl, we're in for a great season. 1 Quote
Let'sGoZips94 Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 Here is the link to order the tickets online. Promo Code: EMMASTRONG Thank you for including this @clarkwgriswold. 1 Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 (edited) We got the struggling to win at DeKalb monkey off our back. Now lets get the struggle to beat Toledo monkey off our back as well. We seem to be playing Toledo at the right time. I'm not sure what's going on with them. They should be playing much better than they are. Hopefully it takes them at least 1 more game before they figure it out, especially since Cheese and Reece may be a little banged up for this one. Edited January 15, 2020 by kreed5120 1 Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 I didn't really want to create a new recruiting thread for 2023 already and wasn't exactly sure where else to post this. I'm surprised Akron hasn't offered him yet given the connection LeBron has to the program. Quote
AkronAlumnus Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 Toledo has a big #30 that worries me. He creates a mismatch and without a doubt our weakest link is our center. Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Posted January 16, 2020 9 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said: Toledo has a big #30 that worries me. He creates a mismatch and without a doubt our weakest link is our center. That's Luke Knapke referenced above. 6'11", 245 pounds, 15 ppg and 8 rpg per game. Quote
AkronAlumnus Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: That's Luke Knapke referenced above. 6'11", 245 pounds, 15 ppg and 8 rpg per game. do you think we have an answer to him aside from the double team? Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 3 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said: do you think we have an answer to him aside from the double team? For being 6'11 he kind of plays small. 39% of his shot attempts are from beyond the 3-point line. 1 Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Posted January 16, 2020 1 hour ago, AkronAlumnus said: do you think we have an answer to him aside from the double team? He'll be an interesting challenge due to his ability to shoot it from outside. When they faced Teague from Ball State, Riak seemed to over defend him at the arc and as a result Teague blew around him. I don't know if Knapke has the speed or ballhandling skills for that but if he does, UA has to pick its poison. Double teaming him doesn't seem to be in UA defensive plan. 1 Quote
AkronAlumnus Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 11 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said: He'll be an interesting challenge due to his ability to shoot it from outside. When they faced Teague from Ball State, Riak seemed to over defend him at the arc and as a result Teague blew around him. I don't know if Knapke has the speed or ballhandling skills for that but if he does, UA has to pick its poison. Double teaming him doesn't seem to be in UA defensive plan. so who would you give the edge to Teague or Knapke? Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Posted January 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said: so who would you give the edge to Teague or Knapke? Their rebounding and scoring stats are pretty similar. Knapke is 3 or 4 inches taller and a good 30 pounds heavier. He is superior defensively and blocks a lot of shots. He also shoots it much better from the 3 point line. The only place Teague may have an advantage is foot speed. I'd love for the Zips to have either of them. 2 Quote
kreed5120 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 Knapke is nearly a 40% career 3P% shooter. Teague I was questioning why Riak was guarding him 20 feet away from the basket. Against Knapke you better not give him any space to shoot or he will burn you. For that reason I feel Reece, despite being undersized, would be the better option to guard Knapke. Quote
Z.I.P. Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 Does anyone know the minutes stats? Hasn't Riak been getting only 20-25 minutes/game? Reece may need more minutes this game. He did so well early in tbe season, we need him to give good defense and rebounding for 15-20 minutes. Quote
Let'sGoZips94 Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 31 minutes ago, Z.I.P. said: Does anyone know the minutes stats? Hasn't Riak been getting only 20-25 minutes/game? Reece may need more minutes this game. He did so well early in tbe season, we need him to give good defense and rebounding for 15-20 minutes. The issue is how healthy Reece's ankle will be. Our secret weapon to neutralizing a guy like Knapke is the ability to dribble drive. Get that dude in foul trouble, and do it early. LCJ, Cheese, Banks, X, Tribble - drive right at him (controlled, obviously). Quote
NWAkron Posted January 16, 2020 Report Posted January 16, 2020 Rockets are always a mystery to Zips fans. I can only remember meeting once in Cleveland and that was an overtime thriller late at night many, many years ago. And the Zips always seem to play them at Toledo. There was a big game at the JAR number of years back: at Noon on a Saturday, maybe on ESPNU...and Pearson and the Rockets embarrassed the Zips. Don't think that will happen this time. Quote
clarkwgriswold Posted January 16, 2020 Author Report Posted January 16, 2020 57 minutes ago, kreed5120 said: Knapke is nearly a 40% career 3P% shooter. Teague I was questioning why Riak was guarding him 20 feet away from the basket. Against Knapke you better not give him any space to shoot or he will burn you. For that reason I feel Reece, despite being undersized, would be the better option to guard Knapke. Yep. Riak was making me nuts guarding Teague tightly at the 3 point line, even leaving his feet on occasion. My view is that with about 90% of big men you should back away and let them hoist all of the three pointers they want. As I recall, Teagie shoots in the low 20s percentage-wise on 3 points. He can shoot all of those he wants. Knapke is one of the 10% you can't do that with. Knapke's ability to go outside is in part facilitated by Willie Jackson being a strong inside presence and controlling the boards. X is going to have to work to keep him off the boards. Knapke is an interesting story coming from Maria Stein Marion Local, a great small school football power. I can't imagine many quality basketball big men come from 2100 person communities. 1 Quote
NWAkron Posted January 17, 2020 Report Posted January 17, 2020 https://www.beaconjournal.com/sports/20200116/university-of-akron-basketball-team-showed-resilience-in-win-over-northern-illinois Nice article. Good quotes. Good philosophy. Earning respect. 1 Quote
The Hip Zip Posted January 17, 2020 Report Posted January 17, 2020 Knapke's strengths: He's tall He has a nice stroke The end 2 Quote
The Hip Zip Posted January 17, 2020 Report Posted January 17, 2020 (edited) For your amusement only, no wagering here. Akron -6 139 Put me down on the over for a popcorn and pepsi. Edited January 18, 2020 by The Hip Zip adjusted current lines Quote
NWAkron Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) Edited January 18, 2020 by NWAkron 1 Quote
NWAkron Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 (Above)Some good KD memories. Was that the last time the Zips beat Toledo? Zips had #5 seed and faced the last seeded Rockets in the Tuesday night first round in Cleveland. I think this was the late night game. Was a lot of fun when all the teams went to Cleveland. Zips went on to win the Championship. That wasn't a strong MAC year. 1st seeded BG was only 19-14. And Ball State with an overall losing record was the 2nd seed as the West Champion. Quote
Blue & Gold Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 1 hour ago, NWAkron said: Was a lot of fun when all the teams went to Cleveland. Yeah it was. IIRC I used to take 4 days off work that week & kept going up as long as the Zips kept winning. Quote
Let'sGoZips94 Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 That game was amazing. To top it off, that was also the night of the Syracuse/UCONN 1587204728347247 OT thriller (6 to be exact, IIRC). Came home from one thriller and watched another into the wee hours of the morning. I believe that was the most games we ever had to win for one of our MAC Titles. Pretty ironic that Brett McKnight saved the first ball to Humpty Hitchens for the 3, then Humpty inbounded it to McKnight for the game-winner; not sure I ever noticed that. Quote
NWAkron Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 16 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said: Yeah it was. IIRC I used to take 4 days off work that week & kept going up as long as the Zips kept winning. Ugh. I still do that now. Nothing is scheduled that week of March. As for the following week... Quote
zippy5 Posted January 18, 2020 Report Posted January 18, 2020 https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/play-index/matchup_finder.cgi?request=1&year_min=1950&year_max=2020&school_id=akron&opp_id=toledo&comp_school=le&rank_school=ANY&comp_opp=le&rank_opp=ANY&game_type=A&game_month=&game_location=&game_result=&is_overtime=&order_by=date_game Quote
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