2020-21 MAC Predictions

[NWAkron]

Looks like we are hunkering down for another month.  I know I look to Zipsnation for positive energy during the day and some wonderful snark about the other MAC programs.

So Groce's Zips were picked to finish 5th in the East (ugh...behind Miami).  I think they will be a unanimous #1 pick for next season.  Not sure if the transfer portal is settled, but we know that the coaches are set for next year (Thank you WMU!!).  What are your predictions and reasons behind them? 

I would start with in the East:

 

1.  Akron

2.  Ohio.

 

Not sure about the rest or the West.

[kreed5120]

Way too early to tell. We lost 4 starters so I don't see us being unanimous anything. As of right now, I'd guess Buffalo would be favored to win the MAC. They return Graves (he's not going to stick for the draft), Mballa, Segu, and Williams. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if next year isn't like one of Groce's OU type teams where we finish the season 3rd or 4th in the MAC, but are playing our best ball in March. It's going to take time for our players to develop chemistry.

[NWAkron]

 

18 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

Way too early to tell. We lost 4 starters so I don't see us being unanimous anything. As of right now, I'd guess Buffalo would be favored to win the MAC. They return Graves (he's not going to stick for the draft), Mballa, Segu, and Williams. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if next year isn't like one of Groce's OU type teams where we finish the season 3rd or 4th in the MAC, but are playing our best ball in March. It's going to take time for our players to develop chemistry.

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by NWAkron

[Let'sGoZips94]

18 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

Way too early to tell. We lost 4 starters so I don't see us being unanimous anything. As of right now, I'd guess Buffalo would be favored to win the MAC. They return Graves (he's not going to stick for the draft), Mballa, Segu, and Williams. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if next year isn't like one of Groce's OU type teams where we finish the season 3rd or 4th in the MAC, but are playing our best ball in March. It's going to take time for our players to develop chemistry.

 

One way to cut through time is have a couple players on the bench that have to sit out during a year where we had great chemistry. Guys like Trimble and Dailey should be able to fill the leadership roles with Cheese, Riak, Banks, & X departing. The key is LCJ. Him returning is massive for this program, and we owe it to him to show how thankful we are. 

[Blue & Gold]

15 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

One way to cut through time is have a couple players on the bench that have to sit out during a year where we had great chemistry. Guys like Trimble and Dailey should be able to fill the leadership roles with Cheese, Riak, Banks, & X departing. The key is LCJ. Him returning is massive for this program, and we owe it to him to show how thankful we are. 

On twitter LCJ is all about the Zips, and the program, and "TTP."  I.,e., not the slightest whiff of smoke concerning transferring.  I'd bet the farm that my current favorite Zipper will finish his spectacular career as a Zipper.

 

Stoked that he'll get to mentor Garvin and Tribble for a year, and another year, respectively.

 

With LCJ, Dailey, and LePear Toles from the bench, we're not going to be lacking positive leadership.  I love the personalities Groce has brought together to form this team.  There doesn't appear to be a single fly in the ointment.

Edited April 1, 2020 by Blue & Gold

[NWAkron]

19 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

Way too early to tell. We lost 4 starters so I don't see us being unanimous anything. As of right now, I'd guess Buffalo would be favored to win the MAC. They return Graves (he's not going to stick for the draft), Mballa, Segu, and Williams. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if next year isn't like one of Groce's OU type teams where we finish the season 3rd or 4th in the MAC, but are playing our best ball in March. It's going to take time for our players to develop chemistry.

I'm not so hot on Buffalo.  With Graves thinking he's "pro-material," I wonder about the cohesiveness of that team.  Also, can Buffalo make the type of improvement Akron made from last year to this year.   Having 4 starters on a non- top4 team return doesn't mean that team will be any better the next year.  

[kreed5120]

6 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

I'm not so hot on Buffalo.  With Graves thinking he's "pro-material," I wonder about the cohesiveness of that team.  Also, can Buffalo make the type of improvement Akron made from last year to this year.   Having 4 starters on a non- top4 team return doesn't mean that team will be any better the next year.  

 

They finished tied for the 3rd best record in the MAC and that was with them playing in the much tougher MAC East. Akron made the jump from 8th to 1st and next years MAC looks to be even worse than this years one. Every team ahead of them lost a significant amount of talent through a combination of graduation and transfer. It's far from a guarantee that they win the regular season title next season, but I think they will be the preseason Vegas favorite.

[clarkwgriswold]

Tough to tell until both sides of the transfer portal, transferrors and transferrees, flush out.  Also, some high school seniors may not qualify.  Just so much time before the season is here from thing to go to heck (think Eric Hester). 

 

At this point, I don't see PCCC making much of a run as they lose quite a lot with Pippen as the only returning starter.  I like OU as Preston and Vander Plas are solid and Boles will continue to bring in talent and grow the program.   BG came apart at the end of the season and lose Turner and Frye.  Miami never seems to make much progress despite the fact that all of the kids should now be all Owens recruits.  Bufflao is as solid as anyone for now.  Just lots and lots of uncertainty.

 

If you put a gun to my head, I'd put Buffalo and Akron at the top.  I really like Dailey and Curry and think the Zips will be solid as long as Groce can maintain the "Team-ism."

[Let'sGoZips94]

9 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

On twitter LCJ is all about the Zips, and the program, and "TTP."  I.,e., not the slightest whiff of smoke concerning transferring.  I'd bet the farm that my current favorite Zipper will finish his spectacular career as a Zipper.

 

Stoked that he'll get to mentor Garvin and Trimble for a year, and another year, respectively.

 

With LCJ, Dailey, and LePear Toles from the bench, we're not going to be lacking positive leadership.  I love the personalities Groce has brought together to form this team.  There doesn't appear to be a single fly in the ointment.

 

100% agree with all of this. LCJ definitely isn't going anywhere, and this team is going to be just fine from a leadership standpoint. Completely forgot we have Garvin coming in. By the way, did you mean Tribble? Trimble and Tribble will be confusing for the next couple of seasons haha. I'm looking for Tribble to make a massive leap, and hope he focuses on his shot & free throws. Trimble, coming from the St. John's program, should be able to step in right away and produce. 

 

9 hours ago, NWAkron said:

I'm not so hot on Buffalo.  With Graves thinking he's "pro-material," I wonder about the cohesiveness of that team.  Also, can Buffalo make the type of improvement Akron made from last year to this year.   Having 4 starters on a non- top4 team return doesn't mean that team will be any better the next year.  

9 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

They finished tied for the 3rd best record in the MAC and that was with them playing in the much tougher MAC East. Akron made the jump from 8th to 1st and next years MAC looks to be even worse than this years one. Every team ahead of them lost a significant amount of talent through a combination of graduation and transfer. It's far from a guarantee that they win the regular season title next season, but I think they will be the preseason Vegas favorite.

 

Any word on what Buffalo's recruiting is like this year with the newish coach and a disappointing year? 

 

Akron has to be the pre-season favorite with LCJ returning (nobody is going to dig deep enough into the MAC to look past LCJ), but OU will be VERY formidable. Boals & Groce are building something special at their respective schools, and that's going to be a fun rivalry all the way around - coaching (although I can't hate Boals), players, and school. 

[NWAkron]

4 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Groce are building something special at their respective schools, and that's going to be a fun rivalry all the way around - coaching (although I can't hate Boals), players, and school. 

I will/have no problem hating Boals or any other MAC coach on any given Tuesday night in January.  What's Toledo's situation?  They are one of the final monkeys to remove from Akron's proverbial back?

[Blue & Gold]

5 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

By the way, did you mean Tribble? Trimble and Tribble will be confusing for the next couple of seasons haha.

Whoops!  I did.  Thank you!  (Since edited.)

 

Edited April 1, 2020 by Blue & Gold

[clarkwgriswold]

There's trembling trouble with Tribble and Trimble.

[NWAkron]

Just read NCAA opening investigations into recruiting at the I 75 schools Toledo and BGSU.  Was only a matter of time.  BG surprises me.

[LZIp]

9 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Just read NCAA opening investigations into recruiting at the I 75 schools Toledo and BGSU.  Was only a matter of time.  BG surprises me.

got a link?

[ZZZips]

On 3/31/2020 at 3:23 PM, Blue & Gold said:

On twitter LCJ is all about the Zips, and the program, and "TTP."  I.,e., not the slightest whiff of smoke concerning transferring.  I'd bet the farm that my current favorite Zipper will finish his spectacular career as a Zipper.

 

Stoked that he'll get to mentor Garvin and Tribble for a year, and another year, respectively.

 

With LCJ, Dailey, and LePear Toles from the bench, we're not going to be lacking positive leadership.  I love the personalities Groce has brought together to form this team.  There doesn't appear to be a single fly in the ointment.

 

B&G - Do you have info that Toles is even going to be playing next season?  Fill us in on how his medical condition improved so much in the last 4 weeks.

[Hilltopper]

6 hours ago, NWAkron said:

Just read NCAA opening investigations into recruiting at the I 75 schools Toledo and BGSU.  Was only a matter of time.  BG surprises me.

Wishful thinking you April fool.?

[NWAkron]

51 minutes ago, Hilltopper said:

Wishful thinking you April fool.?

The link is in the April 1 edition of the Toledo Blade.

[Blue & Gold]

3 hours ago, ZZZips said:

 

B&G - Do you have info that Toles is even going to be playing next season?  Fill us in on how his medical condition improved so much in the last 4 weeks.

Sorry about the poor wording of my post.  I didn't mean to say he'd be playing next season.  I just meant that LePear will be a positive upperclassman & be cheering from the bench.  Watching LePear on the bench is a lot of fun - I think he'd make a great coach one day.  Love that guy.

[LZIp]

4 hours ago, ZZZips said:

 

B&G - Do you have info that Toles is even going to be playing next season?  Fill us in on how his medical condition improved so much in the last 4 weeks.

Any insight you can provide on his medical condition? 

[Blue & Gold]

18 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Any insight you can provide on his medical condition? 

I think he has a bad back & his days of playing competitive ball are prematurely behind him