Game 19- Ohio U

[LoyalZIP]

After taking some time to cool down, I have a few final thoughts. 

 

The defensive effort is in disrepair and has been for a few weeks now. Players are penetrating the top and there are blown coverages allowing for open looks out there as well. I'm not schematically gifted as a lot of people so I don't know the reason for this, but it is very frustrating, especially by a Groce team. Last year's team rarely had breakdowns like this, now they are the regular. And earlier on in MAC play, this team was just as good as that one. It's very curious. On the post game, Groce alluded to shooting 71% in the second half at Ball State Friday as a reason the guys are becoming too reliant on trying to win shootouts. After Ali missed a bunch of open looks to start the day, panic may have set in for the group. You could tell, everyone was just off. It happens, but when it does, you can't allow it to creep to the other side of the floor. Look at the game @BG. Shots weren't falling early, but the defensive intensity led to some easy buckets and the rest was history. I'd much rather watch that Akron team than the one I've seen lately. Defense travels, this team needs to keep that in mind. There's no reason Akron should ever lose the game they did today, especially the way they did. Unfortunately, they have followed their own trend to where they are. It's time to peak and they're doing the opposite.

 

Another thing I thought about as the bench guys made it in late, this trend of uninspiring play has also come with guys like Dawson and Clarke becoming a bit more invisible on the bench. Their valuable minutes have pretty much vanished, and Marshall plays about once a month. The front line guys are hurting themselves with poor defense by forcing themselves to take more minutes from the bench to make up for offensive production. Not a good recipe for the upcoming tournament.

 

I feel bad for Maishe. He's clearly an able-bodied and gifted athlete. He has handles and has a pretty stroke. He just can't figure it out. I don't think he hurts this team, I just have a hard time finding his value.

 

All in all, each loss this season has felt like 2 considering how well Toledo has played all year. And Akron's performance has been trending toward what we saw today. Now is the time for LCJ to be the MVP leader he is and for Groce to be the world-class MAC coach we all know he is. Time to step up!! GO ZIPS!!!!

[NWAkron]

14 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

After taking some time to cool down, I have a few final thoughts. 

 

The defensive effort is in disrepair and has been for a few weeks now. Players are penetrating the top and there are blown coverages allowing for open looks out there as well. I'm not schematically gifted as a lot of people so I don't know the reason for this, but it is very frustrating, especially by a Groce team. Last year's team rarely had breakdowns like this, now they are the regular. And earlier on in MAC play, this team was just as good as that one. It's very curious. On the post game, Groce alluded to shooting 71% in the second half at Ball State Friday as a reason the guys are becoming too reliant on trying to win shootouts. After Ali missed a bunch of open looks to start the day, panic may have set in for the group. You could tell, everyone was just off. It happens, but when it does, you can't allow it to creep to the other side of the floor. Look at the game @BG. Shots weren't falling early, but the defensive intensity led to some easy buckets and the rest was history. I'd much rather watch that Akron team than the one I've seen lately. Defense travels, this team needs to keep that in mind. There's no reason Akron should ever lose the game they did today, especially the way they did. Unfortunately, they have followed their own trend to where they are. It's time to peak and they're doing the opposite.

 

Another thing I thought about as the bench guys made it in late, this trend of uninspiring play has also come with guys like Dawson and Clarke becoming a bit more invisible on the bench. Their valuable minutes have pretty much vanished, and Marshall plays about once a month. The front line guys are hurting themselves with poor defense by forcing themselves to take more minutes from the bench to make up for offensive production. Not a good recipe for the upcoming tournament.

 

I feel bad for Maishe. He's clearly an able-bodied and gifted athlete. He has handles and has a pretty stroke. He just can't figure it out. I don't think he hurts this team, I just have a hard time finding his value.

 

All in all, each loss this season has felt like 2 considering how well Toledo has played all year. And Akron's performance has been trending toward what we saw today. Now is the time for LCJ to be the MVP leader he is and for Groce to be the world-class MAC coach we all know he is. Time to step up!! GO ZIPS!!!!

One of the best posts I've ever read on here.  I noticed as well that the "bench mob" is no longer a mob as much as they are out of state guests.  I think a good win against BG on Friday will put this in the rear window.  

[LZIp]

Dawson had 2nd most points today with 9, but I do agree in general - bench mob has not been bringing the energy they were a month ago. For some reason I feel it goes as Mike Wynn goes. When he plays good, that unit seems to play good. Maybe because he's so animate. When Reece or Dawson play solid,  I don't seem to notice it as much. Definitely haven't seen anything lately from Clarke like we did earlier in the season nor has Tribble improved off of his freshman season. He may have even regressed.

[LoyalZIP]

15 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Dawson had 2nd most points today with 9, but I do agree in general - bench mob has not been bringing the energy they were a month ago. For some reason I feel it goes as Mike Wynn goes. When he plays good, that unit seems to play good. Maybe because he's so animate. When Reece or Dawson play solid,  I don't seem to notice it as much. Definitely haven't seen anything lately from Clarke like we did earlier in the season nor has Tribble improved off of his freshman season. He may have even regressed.

Agree on Tribble. He should be the Tyler Cheese of this team, slashing D guy who can hit a three every once in a while. Instead, his abilities are still as limited as last season but Akron needs more out of him. I think that’s what makes it feel like he’s regressed. 

[Blue & Gold]

4 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

We got to play OU twice without Preston. I'd say the scheduling was very fortunate to us. We just failed to capitalize.

Preston played the first time we met this year.

[kreed5120]

3 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Preston played the first time we met this year.

My memory appears to be failing me. I'm not sure why I thought he didn't play that game

[Blue & Gold]

5 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

My memory appears to be failing me. I'm not sure why I thought he didn't play that game

He played a very forgettable game... like we collectively did today. Lol

Edited February 24, 2021 by Blue & Gold

[clarkwgriswold]

The most concerning comment by Groce is that the Zips poor performance came down to EFFORT and execution.  Effort should never be an issue.

[zippy5]

12 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

My memory appears to be failing me. I'm not sure why I thought he didn't play that game

Technically he played, not sure if you'd see him in the box score or not that day

[NWAkron]

2 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

The most concerning comment by Groce is that the Zips poor performance came down to EFFORT and execution.  Effort should never be an issue.

Zips seem to play better when they are on national TV (as opposed to a former coach's teams), so I look for a big bounce back Friday against BG.  But, then again, I'm always wrong.

Edited February 24, 2021 by NWAkron

[clarkwgriswold]

10 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Zips seem to play better when they are on national TV (as opposed to a former coach's teams), so I look for a big bounce back Friday against BG.  But, then again, I'm always wrong.

 

You were right that one time you called the t-shirt gun a safety hazard.

[Illini Zip]

This is not an excuse for the Zips drop-off in defense, just an observation. And I agree that there is no excuse for anything less than full effort. But we might be learning just how impactful Riak was as an elite rim protector. And hopefully we can insert Bandaogo into that role next year allowing Freeman to play more at the power forward position. In theory, we should be able to put 5 guards out there and have an effective defense, but in reality Riak covered up for many sins as Groce liked to say last year.

[NWAkron]

20 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

This is not an excuse for the Zips drop-off in defense, just an observation. And I agree that there is no excuse for anything less than full effort. But we might be learning just how impactful Riak was as an elite rim protector. And hopefully we can insert Bandaogo into that role next year allowing Freeman to play more at the power forward position. In theory, we should be able to put 5 guards out there and have an effective defense, but in reality Riak covered up for many sins as Groce liked to say last year.

wow.  some great comments and observations (apart from Clark).   Groce said the team was ...ugh...using winning as a deodorant.  I guess Riak served the same purpose.

Edited February 24, 2021 by NWAkron

[RoyalBlu]

48 minutes ago, Illini Zip said:

This is not an excuse for the Zips drop-off in defense, just an observation. And I agree that there is no excuse for anything less than full effort. But we might be learning just how impactful Riak was as an elite rim protector. And hopefully we can insert Bandaogo into that role next year allowing Freeman to play more at the power forward position. In theory, we should be able to put 5 guards out there and have an effective defense, but in reality Riak covered up for many sins as Groce liked to say last year.

 

I think what we're seeing throughout the MAC this season is the absence of any true post play offense or rim protection defense ... but it's coming. Bandaogo is 7-0, CMU is playing with a 7-0 post guy. Toledo has a 6-10 post (injured) and another in the recruiting pipeline and the same can be said for a few other teams. The issue is, most of these guys are dominant defense/marginal offense. So unless a team is loaded with shooters/scorers around them (Riak and Zips 2020), they can be problematic. Historically Groce has had these kind of post guys. Rarely do his post guys average much more than 10 ppg, if that. But if they take away 4-8 points a game at the rim that's a net 14-18 points. Not to mention the rebounding and 'intimidation' a force at the rim like that has on teams attacking the basket.

 

In short, guys that gambled or worse on defense before, but were bailed out by Riak, weren't truly exposed until film day. Now, they are exposed, period.

[jupitertoo]

2 hours ago, zippy5 said:

Technically he played, not sure if you'd see him in the box score or not that day

 

16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists.  Not really "forgettable."

[clarkwgriswold]

58 minutes ago, jupitertoo said:

 

16 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists.  Not really "forgettable."

He is averaging 16.4 ppg, 7.4 apg and 7.2 rpg so his first game performance was pretty close to average for him.

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

He is averaging 16.4 ppg, 7.4 apg and 7.2 rpg so his first game performance was pretty close to average for him.

I just remember being nervous about that game &, more precisely, the matchup at PG w/ Preston being 8 inches taller than LCJ, but then LCJ pretty easily getting the better of him.

[monrowe]

4 hours ago, NWAkron said:

Zips seem to play better when they are on national TV (as opposed to a former coach's teams), so I look for a big bounce back Friday against BG.  But, then again, I'm always wrong.

The BG game is Saturday @ 2pm.BTW Kent is getting crushed by Ball State right now.

 

 

[bigzipguy]

Kent down 57-31 at the half BSU has hit 11 threes

[NWAkron]

39 minutes ago, monrowe said:

The BG game is Saturday @ 2pm.BTW Kent is getting crushed by Ball State right now.

 

 

I think CBS or Espn picked it up for Friday.  

Thanks for the heads up on PCCC

[MDZip]

Wow Flushes down 21.

 

SAT Question for you, Ball St is to Ohio as Kent State is to _______?   Stuff happens

[NWAkron]

Well Ball Stare hasn't had an away game in over a month and didn't have a game on Sunday against Western Michigan which one can say helped them out.  Kent was at Western, home to Eastern, and on the road to Muncie in the last week.

[monrowe]

16 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Well Ball Stare hasn't had an away game in over a month and didn't have a game on Sunday against Western Michigan which one can say helped them out.  Kent was at Western, home to Eastern, and on the road to Muncie in the last week.

The coach bus league is brutal.

[NWAkron]

Just now, monrowe said:

The coach bus league is brutal.

It's got to be brutal on Danny Pippen and his bad knees.  Ironically, I think Ball Stare has a luxury double decker travel bus which they haven't had to use for a month or so.

[GJGood]

On 2/24/2021 at 7:39 AM, clarkwgriswold said:

The most concerning comment by Groce is that the Zips poor performance came down to EFFORT and execution.  Effort should never be an issue.

 
I agree completely! 
 

However, effort is one of, if not the, easiest thing to correct when you have meaningful upcoming games.

I expect to see an inspired Zips squad on Friday against the team touted as the favorites to win the MAC when the season started.