PCCC- 2/11 at 7 p.m.

[NWAkron]

It's 5:57PM, and @LoyalZip is still worried.

[LoyalZIP]

5 hours ago, NWAkron said:

It's 5:57PM, and @LoyalZip is still worried.

 
It’s 11:20 and @NWAkron couldn’t be more right. 
 

Also, Kent State Still Sucks. 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[1981 grad]

This is not brain science.  We were 1 of 11 from 3 point land in the 2nd half, got outscored in the paint by 10 points and got outrebounded by 10.  Based on our recent play I expect more points in the paint, better rebounding and less reliance on the 3 pointers.  

13 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

 

 

[Blue & Gold]

48 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

This is not brain science.  We were 1 of 11 from 3 point land in the 2nd half, got outscored in the paint by 10 points and got outrebounded by 10.  Based on our recent play I expect more points in the paint, better rebounding and less reliance on the 3 pointers.  

 

We're learning to play w/o relying on Bryan Trimble scorching the nets.  I like it.  If Bryan's on fire then great!  Icing on the cake.  But we don't go into games with that as our game plan & then commence to offensively pee down our legs if Trimble, as is more often the case than not, happens to be cold as ice.

 

Kent ran us off the 3-point line last time & we didn't respond well.  Playing inside out should, one would think, give us better looks from 3-land tonight.

 

I think I'd start Dawson over Trimble tonight.  He's a junk yard dog, won't get punked, is a better defender, better rebounder, and he'll keep you honest from the 3-point line.

 

What's worse for Trimble's psyche?  Being relegated to Instant Offense Microwave 6th Man, or getting yanked as soon as Groce sees he's cold?  I think Microwave 6th Man is a cool role to play on a team.  Wonder if Trimble's "teamism" is strong enough to allow him to do that?

Edited February 11, 2022 by Blue & Gold
typo

[clarkwgriswold]

Freeman needs to stay out of foul trouble.  The refs have been calling some pretty ticky tac fouls on him lately.

[Blue & Gold]

1 minute ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Freeman needs to stay out of foul trouble.  The refs have been calling some pretty ticky tac fouls on him lately.

Which is infuriating.  They did the same thing for 3 years with Zeke Marshall.  Good job, MAC.  Way to keep some of your best players on the bench.  That's worth the price of admission. 🙄

[Let'sGoZips94]

Prediction: At least 1 technical foul will be called on KSUcks. Not sure if it'll be on Pinky or Insincere, but at least one of them is getting T'd up. 

[LoyalZIP]

I want this one so badly. I'm super nervous and really excited, nothing would be better than a dominant 40 minute game where UA controls the pace and gets good looks. The biggest thing to me is the rebounding. Akron has one of the best rebounders in the country and is one of the best rebounding teams in the country as a whole, but Kent absolutely dominated the glass a few weeks ago. They had a 40-29 advantage. And though they didn't have a ton of second chance points, it forced Akron to need to shoot the ball at very high percentage offensively to have a chance to win with fewer possessions. You get so many more chances and take so much away from your opponent when you rebound the ball well.

 

I also look at Dawson to be a difference maker. Maybe he'll only score a handful of points, if that. But he's so tough and plays so hard, he can make the key hustle plays to give Akron an advantage and get the barn rocking. Kent is a really good defensive team, so getting a contribution from him offensively or even a made three from a guy like Clarke can go a long way. 

 

I'm still so bummed about the performance at Kent, and that gave them a lot of the confidence that they're still riding since that game. Kent is the hottest team in the league right now, and Akron still has so much to prove. A loss isn't the end of the world, but it would put a huge damper on this season as a whole. 

 

GO ZIPS!!!

[clarkwgriswold]

To keep us rolling, here's a "Four for Friday" for you guys to play-

 

1)  Under/over 129.5 points

2)  Freeman number of rebounds:

3)  Zips top scorer:

4)  Mr. Pinky gets a technical: yes or no

[clarkwgriswold]

1)  Under/over 129.5 points-   Over

2)  Freeman number of rebounds:  9

3)  Zips top scorer:  Castaneda

4)  Mr. Pinky gets a technical: yes or no- No

[RowdyZip]

11 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

To keep us rolling, here's a "Four for Friday" for you guys to play-

 

1)  Under/over 129.5 points

2)  Freeman number of rebounds:

3)  Zips top scorer:

4)  Mr. Pinky gets a technical: yes or no

Over

14

Trimble

No

[AkronAlumnus]

13 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

1)  Under/over 129.5 points-   Over

2)  Freeman number of rebounds:  9

3)  Zips top scorer:  Castaneda

4)  Mr. Pinky gets a technical: yes or no- No

Over

12

Freeman or Ali

No

 

[clarkwgriswold]

2 minutes ago, AkronAlumnus said:

Freeman or Ali

 

Cheater.  LOL.

[Let'sGoZips94]

22 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

To keep us rolling, here's a "Four for Friday" for you guys to play-

 

1)  Under/over 129.5 points

2)  Freeman number of rebounds:

3)  Zips top scorer:

4)  Mr. Pinky gets a technical: yes or no

 

1) Over

2) 14

3) Dawson

4) Yes

[Illini Zip]

1) Over

2) 13

3) Ali

4) Yes

[Illini Zip]

On 2/10/2022 at 9:13 AM, Captain Kangaroo said:

Having it televised, on a Friday night, doesn't help in drawing a crowd. 

 

But I'll agree COVID has killed our attendance. It'll take some time to get it back up post-COVID too. Sucks, because we may have our best basketball coach ever...and have seen two of the Top 10 Zips players ever...and perhaps the best Zips basketball team ever...and few fans will have seen them work their craft in-person.

 

Agreed. But my hunch is that the best is yet to come.

 

 

[zipsrule]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

1)  Under/over 129.5 points-   Over

2)  Freeman number of rebounds:  9

3)  Zips top scorer:  Castaneda

4)  Mr. Pinky gets a technical: yes or no- No

Over

11

Castaneda

No

[Captain Kangaroo]

3 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

We're learning to play w/o relying on Bryan Trimble scorching the nets.  I like it.  If Bryan's on fire then great!  Icing on the cake.  But we don't go into games with that as our game plan & then commence to offensively pee down our legs if Trimble, as is more often the case than not, happens to be cold as ice.

 

Kent ran us off the 3-point line last time & we didn't respond well.  Playing inside out should, one would think, give us better looks from 3-land tonight.

 

I think I'd start Dawson over Trimble tonight.  He's a junk yard dog, won't get punked, is a better defender, better rebounder, and he'll keep you honest from the 3-point line.

 

What's worse for Trimble's psyche?  Being relegated to Instant Offense Microwave 6th Man, or getting yanked as soon as Groce sees he's cold?  I think Microwave 6th Man is a cool role to play on a team.  Wonder if Trimble's "teamism" is strong enough to allow him to do that?

Trimble has been a conundrum this season.

 

He's played 20 games. In his twelve worst shooting games, he's 16-90 from behind the arc, for a ghastly 17.7 %.

 

In the other eight games he's a sizzling 38-69...good for 55%.

 

The best thing about Freeman is - he brings it every...single...night. If his shot is off, he still rebounds and defends at a high level.

 

When Trimble is off...he's WAY off...and with the volume of shots he takes it seems increasingly tough to keep him on the floor hoping he turns it around. Clarke, Dawson and Tribble are all playing their best ball of the season.

 

I think Trimble needs to find his stroke if the Zips are to win a championship this season, and reach their full 2022 potential. His 3-point season average is 34%, which is sub-par for a "shooter." And 60% of the time, when the final buzzer sounds he's shot below that average.

 

1/3rd of his season's 3's came in two games (BG + Marshall).

 

It's fun when he hits those 26 footers. Hope he gets back on track tonight.

[Z.I.P.]

I don't see the Zips winning this one using the style they've shown too often of late.  In other words, I don't think they can win ugly or by just "scraping by".  That means they have to start fast and win the first half of basketball.  If Akron takes the lead into the locker room, they could win going away -- otherwise they could be in trouble.  And Mr Ali x 2 gotta bring it from the start tonight!  If Ali squared and Mr Double Double double down early and take the game inside the paint, rather than this team depending mostly on 3-point accuracy then the squad's chances grow exponentially.  Taking the ball to the hoop will open up space for Trimble, Dawson and Ali to take higher percentage jumpers around the shooting arch.  And making those free throws that come as a consequence of driving to the hoop could be crucial.  If it's close, it could be a free-throw shooting contest between two suspect FT shooting teams.  Prediction?  Zips take a four point lead to the lockers and slowly expand on and grow it to double figures before the Flushes make a furious late rally that draws even late.  Both teams get T'd up but Robby S breaks new ground in benchside misdemeanor and must be held back by his assistants from tearing in half either the head referee or a member of the AK Rowdies.  Toss a coin.  Akron 71 Cant State 64.

[clarkwgriswold]

When your "elite" shooter isn't in the conference's top 25 in 3 point shooting percentage there's an issue.

 

By the way, Ali and Castaneda are 8th and 7th.

[1981 grad]

28 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

When your "elite" shooter isn't in the conference's top 25 in 3 point shooting percentage there's an issue.

 

By the way, Ali and Castaneda are 8th and 7th.

The problem with Trimble is that if he is not shooting the ball well he does not add much to the team.  He has one offensive rebound the entire season and has a very low number of total rebounds this season.  He is not a great defender nor does he have great assists numbers.  He is amazing when he is on.  However, there is only one  game against Western Michigan when he went inside the three point line and started scoring.  If Groce's emphasis is going to be on rebounding and toughness, I would not be surprised to see him limit Trimble's minutes if he is not hitting from the 3 point line.  

[AkronAlumnus]

3 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Cheater.  LOL.

Well kinda... whoever doesn't draw the double team between Ali and Freeman will have the most points. 

[Hilltopper]

My prediction 

First team to score 60 wins.