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[Dr Z]

Feel free to add more articles to the thread (there are 5 articles in this one post, page down)...Travis leads Zips' victoryVeterans step up to hold off Golden flushesThursday, January 18, 2007Elton AlexanderPlain Dealer ReporterExperience proved to be the difference for the Akron Zips as they slowly turned a tight game into a misleading 78-68 victory over rival Can't State Wednesday night in Rhodes Arena that kept them at the top of the Mid-American Conference East Division.Inside play from the 6-7, 220-pound Romeo Travis (16 points, 8 rebounds) had Can't's post players in foul trouble early, even as the Golden flushes had a strong opening shooting half to take a 34-32 halftime lead. Still, Travis' play allowed Akron junior guard Cedric Middleton to come off the bench and deliver a career-high 25 points, including 6-of-9 3-point shooting."I didn't think I was going to miss," Middleton said. "When I did miss, I was shocked myself." All of this bode well for the Zips (12-4, 3-1), because for 32 minutes, Can't (9-8, 2-2) was holding its own. Can't senior guard Armon Gates can run hot and cold shooting from the perimeter. He was hot against the Zips, scoring a career-high 21 including 5 of 11 3-pointers."When Gates gets it going like that, you've got issues," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said.That's exactly what the Zips had. Through the first 32 minutes the score was tied eight times and changed hands 10 times. No team led by more than seven points. Even as Akron was parading to the free-throw line (23-of-34), Can't was holding serve behind 6-4 sophomore Julian Sullinger inside (15-points) and 6-7 Mike Scott (10 points, nine rebounds) on the glass.When it's tight like that, little things start to mean a lot and all the little things favored the Zips, particularly experience. As the minutes ticked down and the pressure built, Travis, Middleton and Dru Joyce, all veterans in this rivalry, stayed the course while the few vets Can't had wavered."They stayed solid and we didn't," Can't State coach Jim Christian said.With Can't ahead by one, Middleton drove hard for a layup and free throw for a 61-59 Akron lead.Moments later, Can't's Sullinger was whistled for an offensive foul on a post-up inside. Akron's Joyce countered with a driving layup, forcing Christian to call a timeout. Can't guard Jordan Mincy then drove hard into the lane and came to a jump-stop as two flushes sealed hard in the paint. But Mincy slipped as he passed and was called for traveling.On Akron's next possession, Can't's defense held strong and forced a bad Akron shot. But Sullinger was called for a foul on the rebound, and Akron's Nate Linhart converted both free throws for a 65-59 edge. Joyce then rallied his team to tighten the screws."We had the lead," Joyce said. "Let's tighten it up and keep pushing it out and see how these guys respond."While Akron was turning it up, Can't's seniors Omni Smith and Gates were culprits of trying to do too much either with suddenly wild 3-pointers (Gates) or ill-advised forays to the hoop (Smith). With 5:01 to play Can't called another timeout. But Akron led, 70-61, and Can't never challenged again. ----------------------------------------------------------Zips, flushes put on great showBy Terry PlutoIt's too bad these two teams don't play more than twice a year.Then again, both coaches would probably end up in the cardiac ward, if they did.This much is certain, don't miss the next time Can't State and Akron play. Just mark it down right now -- March 4 at Can't State.Just ask the sellout crowd of 5,657 at Rhodes Arena on Wednesday night, where Akron beat Can't State 78-68.But this game was closer than the final score, with Can't State leading 34-32 at halftime, the Golden flushes still ahead by a point with eight minutes left.Akron coach Keith Dambrot was very, very worried about Can't State.``I looked at their roster and they probably have four players who are more athletic than anyone we have,'' he said.That might be a bit of a stretch, because Dambrot is like most coaches. He could play a team of seven ants and three grasshoppers, and he'd say: ``Those ants are small, but they will run right under your legs. And the grasshoppers, we have no one who can jump with a grasshopper. You ought to see the end of the bench, they have two bumblebees red-shirting.''Fact is, Can't State's team is younger and less experienced than Akron's. Coach Jim Christian is coming off a 25-9 record and an NCAA Tournament bid, but he's lost his top three scorers.But Can't State should be a very good team by the end of the season -- say, March, when the two teams meet again and when the Mid-American Conference Tournament begins. Christian correctly talked about how Akron won the game at the end, because the Zips have a group of players who know how to win games like these, especially at home.Since Dambrot became coach, the Zips are 33-2 at home.One of those losses was to Can't State in 2005, and you can be sure Dambrot and his players are very of aware of that.Year of the ZipsBut this should be Akron's year.The seasoned group of Dru Joyce III, Romeo Travis and Jeremiah Wood made sure the Zips took control of the game at the end. Add in Cedrick Middleton having the game of his life, scoring 25 points.``Now Cedrick is one of our guys who can play with almost anyone athletically,'' Dambrot said.The 6-foot, 185-pounder with jets for feet and pogo sticks for legs put a white headband around his afro, and you were looking for Superman's cape flying behind him.He made 1-2-3-4-5-6 shots from 3-point range.He swished 'em from the corner, from the wing, from the Arby's way down on West Market. He couldn't spread his arms wide enough to show how big the rim looked.But Christian said Middleton really hurt Can't State with his drives to the basket at critical moments. That's when his speed and surprising strength kicked into high gear, as he transformed only 13 shots into those 25 points.Can't State also could not have been thrilled with the free-throw differential, 34-6 in Akron's favor.On this night, Akron clearly was the superior team.And Middleton had plenty of help.Travis played with energy and grit under the boards, scoring 16 points and snatching a team-high eight rebounds. Joyce finished with 18 points, 14 in the second half. A key to this game was the Zips having strong point-guard play, which helped them withstand Can't State's determined charge for most of the night.Six of the Zips' top seven players are juniors and seniors, and it showed.Nothing held backThis game had everything you'd want in a college game. These kids playing so hard, with so much sweat, so much joy, so much of what it means to be young, in college and in a very big game.And guess what?For those used to a steady diet of the NBA, you might have been shocked to watch both teams actually run... plays! As in possessions where all five players touch the ball, picks are set, everyone moves and the ball doesn't stay on one side of the court.It was a great game for pure basketball fans, as the trash talk and other self-absorbed chest-thumping antics were minimal.To the MAC, this is Duke/North Carolina or Ohio State/Michigan. It's a game that means so much, because they play against each other in the summer, a game that brings out the fans and gives the players their own unique taste of big-time basketball, MAC-style.``It was electric,'' Joyce said. ``It's the atmosphere you want to play in. People screaming at the top of their lungs. A packed house, even the Can't fans were great.''And everyone here should be ready to see these teams play again. The show should even be better.----------------------------------------------------------Zips' experience seals winVeteran team pulls away from Can't State in final 8 ½ minutesBy Tom GaffneyBeacon Journal sportswriterEnergy did it -- collectively by the defense, and individually by Cedrick Middleton.That combination was crucial as the University of Akron pulled steadily away from Can't State in the late stages to record a 78-68 victory Wednesday night before a hearty crowd of 5,657 at Rhodes Arena.The Zips (12-4, 3-1) took control with a tenacious man-to-man defense that forced the flushes (9-8, 2-2) into mistakes and bad shots over the final 8 ½ minutes.UA outscored the flushes 20-9 in that span to win going away and move into first place in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference.``We had the intensity the whole game, but everybody came together at the right time,'' said senior forward Romeo Travis, who had 16 points and eight rebounds. ``It came down to the last eight minutes. That may be the best eight minutes we have played all season. The intensity picked up.''Can't State, the defending MAC champion, led 59-58 on pair of free throws by Mike Scott with 8:37 left.That unofficially began a change in the game's fortunes as the UA defense changed gears and the offense began finding open shots. Middleton, who finished with a game- and career-high 25 points, fueled the burst with a 3-point play on a layup and foul shot and then a 3-pointer in transition that gave the Zips a 70-61 lead with 5:08 left.The flushes could manage only two baskets from the 10:34 mark to the 49-second mark, watching the Zips' lead steadily grow and allowing the crowd -- the 10th largest in Rhodes Arena history -- to assert itself.``From the eight-minute mark, they stayed solid, and we didn't,'' Can't State coach Jim Christian said. ``That was disappointing for us. We didn't do the things that got us there.``I don't think it was the environment. We just made poor decisions.''The flushes, who got 21 points from Armon Gates, 15 from Julian Sullinger and 10 from Mike Scott, lost four outstanding seniors from their 2006 MAC championship team. Meanwhile, the Zips have a large roster of returnees and were picked as the MAC favorite in the preseason media poll.That experience factor was crucial to the outcome, according to Zips coach Keith Dambrot.``It was a typical Can't State-versus-Akron game. The only difference this time was that we had the older players,'' Dambrot said. ``We have been on the short end of the experience stick with them in the past. We reacted a little bit better at crunch time.''Middleton shinesThe night's individual standout was Middleton, a junior reserve from Chicago. His 25 points came on 8-of-13 shooting from the field, including 6-of-9 from behind the 3-point arc, and 3-of-3 from the foul line.``I have been working on my shot all year,'' Middleton said. ``I have to give thanks to the post guys like Romeo and Jeremiah (Wood) who drew the defense to them, and that left me open to take my shot. The basket was just wide open every time I took one. I didn't think I was going to miss.''Christian said Middleton seemed to be everywhere, and the Can't State defense was not able to stop him.For today anyway, it's the first-place University of Akron Zips.``It came down to we wanted to take control of the MAC with a win,'' said senior guard Dru Joyce, who had 18 points and five assists. ``We no longer want to be riding shotgun to Can't or OU (Ohio University). We want to be in the driver's seat.''The Zips are in action again Sunday afternoon at home against Buffalo. The flushes play Bowling Green at home on Saturday night.----------------------------------------------------------Boxscore from GoZips----------------------------------------------------------Small ESPN page----------------------------------------------------------

[skip-zip]

The first two articles, from Alexander and Pluto, say that the game was closer than the score. Do these guys love Can't?? We were up by 15 with three minutes to go, and ran out the clock instead of scoring more points. If we had kept shooting, we could have won by 20+Am I the only one that saw it that way?At least Gaffney's article indicates that Akron "pulled away" in the 2nd half.

[FearTheRoo]

flushes fall to rival Akron in showdownfrom The Can't StaterDeanna StevensPosted: 1/18/07Turnovers, an offensive meltdown and a floater by Akron junior guard Nick Dials to awaken the Zip offense were all factors in Can't State men's basketball team's downfall.After leading most of the game, the flushes (9-8, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) were unable to withstand the Zips' comeback in the 78-68 loss at James A. Rhodes Arena."From the eight-minute mark on, they stayed solid to what they did, and we didn't," Can't State coach Jim Christian said. "You gotta make winning plays to beat good teams, and we didn't make them tonight."Dials (9 points), a junior guard, gave the Zips (12-4, 3-1 MAC) the lead with 9:05 remaining, and the Zips didn't look back.On the flushes' possession after Dials' shot, sophomore forward Julian Sullinger was called on an offensive foul that gave the ball back to the Zips, propelling them forward as their home crowd roared."You could feel the crowd getting into it more and more; the Akron players started out-playing us, out-working us," Sullinger said. Sullinger had 15 points and six rebounds on the night.But Christian didn't blame the atmosphere."This is a great environment," he said. "But I don't know if it was the environment (that hurt us). It was poor decisions on the floor."Akron coach Keith Dambrot said Akron's experience helped them."We probably have some older guys than they have," Dambrot said. "When the game went on the line, I think our guys just reacted a little bit better."While the shot by Dials was a momentum turner, it was the career game by junior guard Cedrick Middleton that really hurt the flushes. Middleton had 25 points, and shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range.Akron senior forward Romeo Travis finished with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds.While Travis dominated the post, guards for the flushes and the Zips took over from the perimeter. Senior guard Armon Gates led the flushes with 21 points, he shot 5-of-11 from behind the arch. Akron senior guard Dru Joyce had 18 points, 10 of which came from the free-throw line.Akron shot 34 free throws to Can't State's six, outscoring them by 20 points from behind the stripe.Contact men's basketball reporter Deanna Stevens at dsteven3@Can't.edu.

[ZachTheZip]

Middleton Could Win Starting SpotZips' junior guard hits six 3s, scores career-high 25By Stephanie StormBeacon Journal sportswriterCedrick Middleton could start for most Mid-American Conference basketball teams. Yet this season, the junior guard's primary role for the University of Akron has been as a spark plug off the bench.That may change after Middleton's game- and career-high 25 points helped lead the Zips to a 78-68 win over nearby rival Can't State on Wednesday night.Even Akron coach Keith Dambrot acknowledged it might be time to alter the team's strategy. ``If (Middleton) continues to play that good, I'd have to be an idiot to continue to play him off the bench,'' Dambrot said. ``There's no doubt we have to find more ways to get him out there more often.''In making 6-of-9 3-pointers, Middleton was in the zone from the moment he hit the floor. His first 3-point attempt, with 15:32 left in the first half, tied the game at 11-11.UA's next two shots were also Middleton 3-pointers, keeping the Zips right in the game despite Can't State shooting 48 percent in the first half.``I've always liked (Middleton) as a player,'' Golden flushes coach Jim Christian said. ``He's very explosive. It seemed like every time the shot clock got to 10, he would make a move and put up a shot or take his defender to the basket.''The Zips trailed by two points at halftime, 34-32, but Middleton hit another big 3-pointer to open the second half.Later, his fifth 3-pointer tied the game at 42-42 with 17:42 to go.``The rim looked huge,'' the 6-foot, 185-pounder said with a grin, making a circle with his long arms for emphasis. ``The basket was just wide open every time I took a shot.''Over the last four games -- all in the MAC -- Middleton has averaged 16 points. Last weekend at Bowling Green, he scored 13 of his 15 points in the deciding second half of UA's win.``I've always been a get-to-the-basket type of player,'' he said. ``But I wanted to be more of an all-around player this year, so I really began to work on my shooting.``It's different because I've never been a big 3-point shooter. But now, it's probably my best shot. I mean, I just feel so good with it right now.''In becoming more of a multidimensional player, Middleton has made himself a commodity any team could use.``The thing is,'' Dambrot said, ``if you told him if he could play 34 minutes every night, he wouldn't care if he didn't start. That's the kind of guy he is.''-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Akron Gets its Bench BoostBY Mike Popovich REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER AKRON Cedrick Middleton gave Akron Head Coach Keith Dambrot something to consider Wednesday night.The junior guard is one of the Zips' top players off the bench. But in the team's biggest game of the season thus far, Middleton looked more like a seasoned starter.Middleton hit six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 25 points to lead the Zips past rival Can't State, 78-68, in front of 5,657 at Rhodes Arena. He helped keep Akron in the game in the first half and was a key contributor during the final eight minutes, when the Zips pulled away to their 12th win. Even though he normally comes off the bench, Middleton has been Akron's top scorer four times this season. After watching him play 34 solid minutes against the Golden flushes, Dambrot realized he has something to think about."If he plays that good, I'd have to be an idiot to continue to play him off the bench," Dambrot said. "The thing about it is if you ask Cedrick if he plays 34 minutes, he wouldn't care if he didn't start. We have to find ways to get him out there more often."hot from 3-point rangeMiddleton hit 6-of-9 3-pointers and finished 8-of-13 from the field. He hit his first three shots from outside the arc to offset some early momentum Can't State was trying to build.When the Zips were ready to take control of the game, Middleton struck again.His layup as he was fouled by Omni Smith and free throw with 8:22 left gave Akron a 61-59 lead. Just more than three minutes later, he sank a wide-open 3 from the right wing that increased the lead to 70-61.Middleton's six 3-pointers also was a personal best."I felt great out there," Middleton said. "I didn't think I was going to miss. When I did miss, I was a little shocked myself."This is the best I've ever felt. Just shooting the ball, releasing it -everything. It happened in a big game. There's no better time than now."Akron (12-4, 3-1) broke a three-way tie atop the Mid-American Conference East Division. The Zips and Golden flushes came in tied for first with Ohio, which hosts Buffalo tonight.The flushes (9-8, 2-2) were trying to hand the Zips just their third home loss in the last three years. They led by as many as 7 in the first half and kept regaining their advantage after Akron caught them a couple of times in the second half.But it was all Akron down the stretch.After Can't State's Mike Scott hit two free throws with 8:39 left to give his team a 59-58 lead, Akron went on a 21-6 run. Nick Dials hit a baseline jumper, Dru Joyce sank two free throws and Middleton added a layup that put the Zips on top 76-63 with just less than three minutes left. Akron led by as many as 14 down the stretch.It all added up to a frustrating final eight minutes for the flushes and Head Coach Jim Christian."Their experienced players stayed solid the whole game, and that was what it was going to take to win this basketball game," Christian said. "We didn't do it."Armon Gates scored 21 points, Julian Sullinger finished with 15 and Scott added 10 for Can't State. Joyce scored 18 points and Romeo Travis had 16 for the Zips.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Dr Z]

AKRON-Can't RIVALRYFour things I think about . . .Thursday, January 18, 20071. Pregame thought. Seems the winner of the first game in this two-game season series gets a huge advantage on the road to a possible MAC title. The winner not only gets a game up on the other, but puts any MAC title hopes for the loser on the razor's edge. Last season, Can't won the first matchup. When Akron was upset on the road at Buffalo, Akron's loss secured Can't's title before the tipoff of the second game, which was played only for pride.2. Can't struggles when 6-7 Haminn Quaintance struggles. Quaintance, the MAC East Player of the Week coming off two double double games against Buffalo and Ohio, played just 15 minutes while saddled with four fouls. He scored four points and had no rebounds.3. Akron coach Keith Dambrot has shortened his bench in recent games as only seven players are playing 10 minutes or more a game. It's a plus, particularly for a player like Cedric Middleton, who delivered a career-high 25 points in 34 minutes.4. Great to see the 10th largest crowd (5,657) in Rhodes Arena. The Zips don't know whether equally big games against Ohio (Feb. 13) and the Bracket Buster game (Feb. 17) will lure just as many.- Elton Alexander