Ball State- 3/1/22

[clarkwgriswold]

As the season winds down the Zips head off to Muncie to face the Cardinals of Ball State.

 

Ball State stands at 12-15 heading into today's game against EMU, having lost 4 of its last 5.  Payton Sparks leads the Cards at 13.4 ppg with Tyler Cochran chipping in 11.9 ppg.  Sparks also leads the team in rebounding at 8.2 rpg.  Sparks, a 6'9" 240 pound freshman, has had an impressive season and has become one of the MAC's better big men.  He has had 9 double doubles thus far.  The Freeman/Sparks matchup should be a fun one to watch.

[NWAkron]

Zips, Ball State, and CMU (our last game) have already punched their tickets to Cleveland.  In a way, it's good not worrying about the regular season championship.  Zips were sliding heading into the tournament last year and LCJ had just become a dad.  Groce is going to have these guys playing with high energy and gathering all that momentum.  Buffalo, the likely first round opponent, has Toledo and Ravenna to finish the season.  

[1981 grad]

With Buffalo having 2 difficult games to end the season and Ohio having 2 road games to end the season against teams they beat at home by an average of a 10 points, it is a very outside chance we could get the 3rd seed if we win out and they lose and if we own the tiebreaker against Ohio.

[NWAkron]

Our friends in Muncie tend to lose their focus:

 

https://overthepylon.boards.net/thread/4480/akron

[RowdyZip]

Been away for a bit, absolutely dumbfounded by the result at OU.  I honestly have no clue what to think of this team.  They lack a high volume, deadeye 3pt marksmen.  Bandaogo is raw, but talented.  Ali and Freeman could potentially be NBA-level talent. Guard play has been meh.  We lack depth.  We lose to two of the worst teams in the league, one at home.  

 

Then we go on a 3 game winning streak, with two Ws coming on the road, including over a team fighting for the regular season championship.  They have absolutely silenced my criticisms, and probably brought me back into the fold for attending a game (or 3??!?!?) in Cleveland.

 

Tuesday looks like a trap game on paper.  Coming off of a huge road win over a rival, taking the 2nd longest bus ride in the conference, and playing a struggling lower-tier MAC team with the tournament on the horizon in about a week and a half.  Would be great to see these guys end the regular season on an 8-game winning streak.  

 

I'll be honest...I have no idea what we'll see tomorrow.  I'm guessing the Zips will open as ~3 point favorites...but I wouldn't touch this game with a 10 foot pole.

[clarkwgriswold]

Ball State beat EMU on Saturday to go to 13-15/8-9.  Sparks had 17 points and 10 rebounds.   

[LoyalZIP]

44 minutes ago, RowdyZip said:

Been away for a bit, absolutely dumbfounded by the result at OU.  I honestly have no clue what to think of this team.  They lack a high volume, deadeye 3pt marksmen.  Bandaogo is raw, but talented.  Ali and Freeman could potentially be NBA-level talent. Guard play has been meh.  We lack depth.  We lose to two of the worst teams in the league, one at home.  

 

Then we go on a 3 game winning streak, with two Ws coming on the road, including over a team fighting for the regular season championship.  They have absolutely silenced my criticisms, and probably brought me back into the fold for attending a game (or 3??!?!?) in Cleveland.

 

Tuesday looks like a trap game on paper.  Coming off of a huge road win over a rival, taking the 2nd longest bus ride in the conference, and playing a struggling lower-tier MAC team with the tournament on the horizon in about a week and a half.  Would be great to see these guys end the regular season on an 8-game winning streak.  

 

I'll be honest...I have no idea what we'll see tomorrow.  I'm guessing the Zips will open as ~3 point favorites...but I wouldn't touch this game with a 10 foot pole.

 

Agreed on the game tomorrow. While Akron has had a lot of success in that building over the last two decades, they are always dangerous. Toledo got their tail kicked there about a month ago, after all. As far as how Akron has bounced back from that slide, I hate to say it but Trimble has a lot to do with it. The offense has changed quite a bit because of it, the last three stat sheets are very impressive. Also, I think the energy at the defensive end is different too. I also believe that Wynn taking some of Aziz' minutes has a lot to do with that, as there have been fewer breakdowns in the perimeter, while the tradeoff has been some uncontested layups by opponents.

 

Last year, the Zips started 12-3 in MAC play (including losses @EMU & NIU in the first four games) only to limp into the tournament on three losses which were all blowouts, aside from the game @UB where they came back down 22. I'd like to think the Zips will at least split these last two, feeling a little better about their chances in Cleveland. This will be a very topheavy and difficult tournament to win for anybody so I won't get ahead of myself. Just like the entire season, there needs to be a one-game-at-a-time mentality. Go Zips!

[Blue & Gold]

Dawson > Trimble

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, LoyalZIP said:

 

Agreed on the game tomorrow. While Akron has had a lot of success in that building over the last two decades, they are always dangerous. Toledo got their tail kicked there about a month ago, after all. As far as how Akron has bounced back from that slide, I hate to say it but Trimble has a lot to do with it. The offense has changed quite a bit because of it, the last three stat sheets are very impressive. Also, I think the energy at the defensive end is different too. I also believe that Wynn taking some of Aziz' minutes has a lot to do with that, as there have been fewer breakdowns in the perimeter, while the tradeoff has been some uncontested layups by opponents.

 

Last year, the Zips started 12-3 in MAC play (including losses @EMU & NIU in the first four games) only to limp into the tournament on three losses which were all blowouts, aside from the game @UB where they came back down 22. I'd like to think the Zips will at least split these last two, feeling a little better about their chances in Cleveland. This will be a very topheavy and difficult tournament to win for anybody so I won't get ahead of myself. Just like the entire season, there needs to be a one-game-at-a-time mentality. Go Zips!

Agree.  Not sure if there can be trap games this late in the season when the teams, well at least a Groce team, is prepping for the tournament with each game.  Looking at last year's record, I think Zips lost 2 games going into Cleveland.  But I really don't count last year.  LCJ had a baby during the last half of the season, and they never knew when they were playing.  What I do note from last year, is that Ohio was pretty fresh having come off a long COVID break and then played 3 games (winning 2 and losing 1 badly) and then missing their last two games before Cleveland.  Makes me think that there may be a benefit to having fresh legs and a clear head.  It feels like the Zips season started fresh after Trimble left, which is a sad commentary on Brian.  Looking at last year, there were many games where he was the top scorer over LCJ.

 

Continue to play tough and play right with a good attitude.  The seeding is set.  I wonder if the final game against CMU will decided the Chippewas' fate.  

[LoyalZIP]

Groce coming up on 92.3 in a couple of minutes. Spencer German, who used to help out in the Zips video department, is filling in for whoever the usual host is. 

[LoyalZIP]

Great interview. He discussed the roster situation and how it’s changed since Florida. After those egg-layings against Fordham and App. St., they realized the offense needed to pretty much be overhauled. As far as the more recent stuff, he noted that the chemistry is as good as it has been all year and obviously the team is playing some of its best basketball. 
 

They discussed the Freeman story in depth, and how he began to really show his ability toward the end of the championship year on the scout team and he’s been a big value to the program far beyond the court for all three seasons he’s been with them. Said LCJ was one of the first guys to notice that Freeman was for real. 
 

Finished with talking about Kent and the tournament. Notes the Zips swept them last year of course. Said he’s been watching the Tom Brady Man in the Arena thing and has shared some of that stuff with the guys, most notably that Brady lost 3 Super Bowls while winning those 7. 
 

Spencer asked the right questions and was very gracious, it’s worth a listen if you can find it!

[1981 grad]

I expect the Zips to win this game since they just beat the first place team on the road.  Since Trimble has left the team, this team is playing quicker, more ball movement, bench players are playing better, and they are scoring more points in the pain.  The guys who are picking up Trimble's minutes are all quicker than him on both offense and defense.  Clark has really improved the last 3 games and those transition threes have be giant killers.  I see the Zips winning their last 2 and having a real chance to win their first in Cleveland.  I never expected this team to play so much better without Trimble.

[Blue & Gold]

10 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

Great interview.

It was a fantastic interview!  Thank you for giving us the head's-up.

[Blue & Gold]

8 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

I expect the Zips to win this game since they just beat the first place team on the road.  Since Trimble has left the team, this team is playing quicker, more ball movement, bench players are playing better, and they are scoring more points in the pain.  The guys who are picking up Trimble's minutes are all quicker than him on both offense and defense.  Clark has really improved the last 3 games and those transition threes have be giant killers.  I see the Zips winning their last 2 and having a real chance to win their first in Cleveland.  I never expected this team to play so much better without Trimble.

You make so many good points in this post, but I'll just address what I've put in bold^^.  It's Garvin Clarke's play the last three games.  He's looked more than serviceable; he's a true contributor.  Such a relief as I was becoming disillusioned w/ Garvin, thinking he'd most likely transfer out after this year.  But he's really looking like a true, albeit young/still green, D-1 PG.  

[LoyalZIP]

There's a palpable excitement and energy around the team and program once again. Going out today and taking care of business would be awesome, I'd love a stress-free game and a decisive road win. I like the inside out game, I want Tribble to continue to slash and attack and for Freeman to get plenty of touches. If Ali isn't on fire again, I hope he's smart about his shot selection and doesn't feel the need to force anything. Last time here, he had his first signature moment as a Zip, erupting in the second half of that game. I'm sure it will be an emotional game for him in his home state, I hope it doesn't get to him too much.

 

At the end of the day, this program is most successful when it guards. Freeman must avoid foul trouble down low with Sparks, and the Zips must not let the Cards get hot on the perimeter. That is what has killed the Zips so many times. Happy Fat Tuesday, I hope we can get a nice fat W! Go Zips!

[Let'sGoZips94]

I would like to see Kalle get some minutes today and Friday. Having a 3rd big, even if it's just for a few possessions, for what hopes to be a 3-game-run in Cleveland could be massive in maintaining the freshest legs possible for Freeman & Aziz. 

[zippy5]

Not worth burning the redshirt at this point I don't think

[Let'sGoZips94]

5 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Not worth burning the redshirt at this point I don't think

 

I thought they burned it already? 

[zippy5]

Nah he'd have been playing

[RowdyZip]

1 minute ago, zippy5 said:

Nah he'd have been playing

He's played enough that the redshirt is burned.  I don't think the rules changed for basketball like they did for football.

[zippy5]

I'll make a wager he's a redshirt freshman next year. This happens all the time. They'll claim he was injured and get the year back, he only played like 13 minutes. If he wasn't going to get a redshirt they'd be using him

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, zippy5 said:

I'll make a wager he's a redshirt freshman next year. This happens all the time. They'll claim he was injured and get the year back, he only played like 13 minutes. If he wasn't going to get a redshirt they'd be using him

This.

He’s still dressing b/c they’re going to say they weren’t planning on redshirting him but that he was injured.

 

If not, then nothing about his absolute-zero amount of PT since December makes sense.

[LZIp]

I hope he's really hurt then. Find it a bit morally wrong if we're going to be lying about a player being hurt. If that is common, its news to me. If it's widely accepted, then loosen the rules.

[Blue & Gold]

Idk. Maybe he is hurt? It may be relative?  Apparently the two freshman guards were also too banged up early in to contribute.

[RowdyZip]

On 2/28/2022 at 8:25 AM, RowdyZip said:

I'll be honest...I have no idea what we'll see tomorrow.  I'm guessing the Zips will open as ~3 point favorites...but I wouldn't touch this game with a 10 foot pole.

Zips -3.5, o/u 142.5.  Excuse me while I quit my job to become an oddsmaker.