2022-2023 Zips Women's Basketball

[clarkwgriswold]

As a side note, GT didn't write the article.  I suspect he was still recovering from fawning over Michael B. Jordan and the new Creed movie.

 

The reality is that if the athletic department thought the complaint had any teeth they would have pursued it on November when it was originally received.

Edited March 6, 2023 by clarkwgriswold

[Basketballfan1]

I’m not sure I completely follow some of the logic here. Through the powers of deduction we can all guess it’s Brewer. She was so good that when she transferred to Toledo she ran into the same issues she found herself in here. She ended up quitting. Coach Jackson coached the entire season and nothing was found in the investigation and it was closed. The only coach with a consistent winning record was non renewed. She was also the lowest paid coach in the MAC. 
As a fan that wants to be back year after year,

I still want to know: WHAT IS THE NEW DIRECTION? Judging by this programs history I don’t see them spending more money to build a better program. My wife and I didn’t buy season tickets because this is a dynasty type league. We aren’t USC or Stanford. We bought tickets for the entertainment value. Put a competitive team on the floor. Win more than you don’t. Build a program that can compete year after year. 
Again, we had that. I don’t see this being a decision to spend more. I don’t see a good team for several years. There are too many options for the MAC and these young ladies to choose from than to be part of a rebuilding program with no consistency at any level at the University. I’ll go watch them in Cleveland. But until they prove me wrong this will be our last year as season ticket holders.  

[LoyalZIP]

I guess it really is a KD situation all over again. Bigger fans of the coach than the program. Oh well. 

[NWAkron]

35 minutes ago, Basketballfan1 said:

I’ll go watch them in Cleveland. But until they prove me wrong this will be our last year as season ticket holders.  

That's nice.

[Basketballfan1]

Again, you’ve got it all wrong. This has nothing, and everything, to do with the coach. If you can coach and put a winning season on the floor I’ll watch you. This is about the Administration. I buy my tickets for entertainment. I have no stake in the team.  I don’t get paid if they win. I don’t get money based on bracket placement and so on. We are fans of women’s basketball. My time and resources are of some value to me. Put a winning program together and you’ll get both. Again, the Admin has given no reason for letting the Coach go. I’m not stupid or delusional. I understand how difficult it is to build a lasting program in a competitive mid major like the MAC. Especially with the transfer portal. We had what we all would want out of the current program. Without explanation, reason, or numbers, they decided to not renew. That’s fine. It’s done and over. I keep bringing up the fact that we have(had) the lowest paid coach in our conference. Does anyone on here actually believe that the university is looking to spend more money? Honest question. We know they couldn’t even afford to send free emails out promoting wbb. 
if Coach Jackson couldn’t put together winning seasons, struggled to keep players here, and failed to get good quality recruits,  I would be the first one to stand up and demand better. 
This current AD is taking some of this budget and moving it elsewhere. There is no intention of building a winning program and, like I said, my time and resources have value to me. 
we’ve all heard the expression, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Well here we are. 

[NWAkron]

Nothing and everything to do with the coach.  Got it. 

[ewbrooman1]

As much as I would have to liked to have seen Coach Jackson be more successful, I can see the argument to move on. Yes 74-68 overall is a winning record (barely), but I suspect 40-50 in the MAC is the main number and finishing 8-10 after a 4-1 start is not a good way to keep your job when your contract is up. If she hasn't received a good explanation for not being renewed as she says, she certainly deserves better after 15 years at the university. Although the numbers above certainly seem to explain it. 

 

Edited March 7, 2023 by ewbrooman1

[LoyalZIP]

25 minutes ago, ewbrooman1 said:

As much as I would have to liked to have seen Coach Jackson be more successful, I can see the argument to move on. Yes 74-68 overall is a winning record (barely), but I suspect 40-50 in the MAC is the main number and finishing 8-10 after a 4-1 start is not a good way to keep your job when your contract is up. If she hasn't received a good explanation for not being renewed as she says, she certainly deserves better after 15 years at the university. Although the numbers above certainly seem to explain it. 

 

Spot on. Context matters. MAC women’s basketball is fiercely competitive, and outside of last year, in which the Zips lost in the semifinals in non-competitive fashion, this program has been in the bottom half of the league. 1 tournament win, 1 last place finish, a pair of home losses in the first round, and now a season with 4 seniors in the starting lineup that has not beaten a team with a winning record in MAC play despite having home games against all of those teams. 
 

How many times would an AD who did not hire that coach give them an extension? That’s not something you see much of in college athletics. That’s just how the game works. That’s why people who are in the know aren’t surprised by the move at all. Does she deserve an answer? Probably. But as someone who is a fan of the program regardless of the coach, I feel that a new voice is worth whatever “risk” is associated with not renewing this coaching staff. We’re not competing for championships now. We are not good now. Just because we aren’t getting blown out in Arth fashion every night doesn’t mean we should be satisfied with the status quo. 

[Zip JD]

1 hour ago, ewbrooman1 said:

As much as I would have to liked to have seen Coach Jackson be more successful, I can see the argument to move on. Yes 74-68 overall is a winning record (barely), but I suspect 40-50 in the MAC is the main number and finishing 8-10 after a 4-1 start is not a good way to keep your job when your contract is up. If she hasn't received a good explanation for not being renewed as she says, she certainly deserves better after 15 years at the university. Although the numbers above certainly seem to explain it. 

 

You are totally correct.  A 44% winning percentage in MAC play is not going to cut it. 

 

Also, with 4 starters graduating we are now in a complete rebuild which made it all the more likely the program would go in a new direction.  You have Bass (please tell me she is staying), Stinson and not much else to build around.  The backcourt was horrific this season and both starters are gone with no clear successors in place.  Our backup point guard appears to be 4' 6'' and we had a lot of ladies on the bench that did not or could not regularly contribute.  If the roster was loaded with young talent, Coach would probably have been brought back. 

 

I was at the Toledo game when at one point 6 Zips hit 3's out of the gate (6/7 shooting) so here's hoping they get red hot and make some noise in Cleveland for Coach.  Go Zips!

[Zip JD]

3 hours ago, Basketballfan1 said:

Again, you’ve got it all wrong. This has nothing, and everything, to do with the coach. If you can coach and put a winning season on the floor I’ll watch you. This is about the Administration. I buy my tickets for entertainment. I have no stake in the team.  I don’t get paid if they win. I don’t get money based on bracket placement and so on. We are fans of women’s basketball. My time and resources are of some value to me. Put a winning program together and you’ll get both. Again, the Admin has given no reason for letting the Coach go. I’m not stupid or delusional. I understand how difficult it is to build a lasting program in a competitive mid major like the MAC. Especially with the transfer portal. We had what we all would want out of the current program. Without explanation, reason, or numbers, they decided to not renew. That’s fine. It’s done and over. I keep bringing up the fact that we have(had) the lowest paid coach in our conference. Does anyone on here actually believe that the university is looking to spend more money? Honest question. We know they couldn’t even afford to send free emails out promoting wbb. 
if Coach Jackson couldn’t put together winning seasons, struggled to keep players here, and failed to get good quality recruits,  I would be the first one to stand up and demand better. 
This current AD is taking some of this budget and moving it elsewhere. There is no intention of building a winning program and, like I said, my time and resources have value to me. 
we’ve all heard the expression, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Well here we are. 

I'm sorry to hear you are leaving.  Hopefully, you will see what happens in the off season and give them one more chance.  My main thought is I do not understand the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" statement.

 

Coach seems to be a great lady; however, she is barely above .500 for her career at Akron, she's 40-50 (44%) in MAC play, and 4 out of 5 starters are graduating leaving us with by far the worst roster in the MAC heading into next year.  We only have 1 remaining player that would start for any other MAC team (maybe 2 on the lesser teams).  This is now a total rebuild.

 

I hope they get hot in Cleveland, and I have no doubt they will play hard for Coach.  Go Zips!

[zippy-claws]

The one thing that is "heartwarming" in all this thread is that there is a passion for women's basketball here, and our fan base will support a promising and winning program.  Plus the posts rhetoric has been civil and thoughtful, and not degraded to the "troll" level several threads on other topics on this board tend to do.  I can't remember a time in the past few years where there even WAS a women's basketball thread!  It's wonderful to see the interest, especially from some of the board's more prolific and knowledgeable posters.  Looking forward to what the future holds for the Zips WBB team and also for the coaches that are leaving.

[clarkwgriswold]

I've started typing this any number of times then deleted, but here's my view from a detached Zips fan.  When I have watched Jackson's teams, I have seen teams that have played hard.  However, I have seen teams that were generally below the average talent level of their MAC counterparts.  The only real exception was when the Zips had a MAC POY.  Otherwise, the teams have been mediocre.  This season went from promising, to sideways to downhill.  I don't see anything in the pipeline to convince me that the upcoming Zips squads are going to be anything other than the struggling to be middling MAC teams we've seen to this point. 

 

I appreciate Coach Jackson's efforts.  I don't think any failures were due to a lack of effort.  Maybe the program will be in the same place or a worse place in a couple of years, but I can understand the desire to improve from where the program is now. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by clarkwgriswold

[kreed5120]

I admittedly don't follow the women's program. It probably has been 15 years since I last attended a game. That said, if Guthrie didn't care about the women's program, he could have just easily extended Coach Jackson for the similar salary she was making. 

 

In MAC men's basketball you see other schools do exactly this. CMU gave Keno Davis 8 years. NIU gave Montgomery 10 years. EMU gave Rob Murphy 10 years. All these coaches spent the bulk of their tenure being in the bottom half of the conference. Outside of the 1 year CMU did make the MAC final, none of these coaches ever really seriously contended in the MAC. If that's the level of "success" people are content with then women's hoops will continue drawing only a few hundred fans per game.

[LoyalZIP]

 

[NWAkron]

30 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

I admittedly don't follow the women's program. It probably has been 15 years since I last attended a game. That said, if Guthrie didn't care about the women's program, he could have just easily extended Coach Jackson for the similar salary she was making. 

 

In MAC men's basketball you see other schools do exactly this. CMU gave Keno Davis 8 years. NIU gave Montgomery 10 years. EMU gave Rob Murphy 10 years. All these coaches spent the bulk of their tenure being in the bottom half of the conference. Outside of the 1 year CMU did make the MAC final, none of these coaches ever really seriously contended in the MAC. If that's the level of "success" people are content with then women's hoops will continue drawing only a few hundred fans per game.

Yes, and I don't think the new women's BB hire will be the lowest paid coach in the MAC.

[zippy-claws]

1 hour ago, kreed5120 said:

That said, if Guthrie didn't care about the women's program, he could have just easily extended Coach Jackson for the similar salary she was making. 

This is a great point kreed, that is true.

[Gozips10]

Since it was mentioned several times, all of our Seniors have another year of eligibility & were more than likely all returning until the decision came down on February 14, with 6 games left in the season.

The whole rebuilding narrative was just not factual, until after the decision. 

[Basketballfan1]

All true statements. I think my main point was missed. Not saying anything negative towards the group. My main concern is the lack of an extension of even a year or two. I’ve never once said I was content with a record of middle of the pack. What I’ve repeatedly said is that this is a program that has been better, by all measurable metrics, for this coach’s tenure. It takes several years to gain a reputation in the MAC to build your recruiting status. In the last 5 seasons, and understanding how impossible the COVID year was for playing, the players, and mostly for recruiting, how well this program managed. I felt that her, and her staff, deserved another year or two to see where it was heading. 
we all know the university is struggling financially. Women’s Basketball is not a high priority for this university based off of its history with the program. So I don’t have a warm fuzzy feeling that this move was to create a better program. 
I’m just a fan. No kids in the program. I am friendly with the coach and her staff but that’s it. I want to feel good about where this program is heading. I love watching women’s bball. I wish we had a wnba team closer than 5 hours away. My loyalty to the MAC is Akron. I don’t feel any of us are owed some explanation for her departure. I just wish we could have a reason for hope and enthusiasm. So far it doesn’t look that way. 
Yes, all of the seniors that were planning a return are done. I know for a fact that Bass is the hottest commodity in the MAC right now due to Coach Jackson’s departure. I can only assume that she is looking at the possibilities that are out there. She has two years left to play for a title. 

[LoyalZIP]

It would be sweet to send Brady & the gang packing tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing a fired up group tonight!

[csims0917]

If this team got hot and went on a Cinderella story it’d be a popcorn show 🍿

[NWAkron]

30 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

It would be sweet to send Brady & the gang packing tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing a fired up group tonight!

You would also be sending Code Red packing...well, at least for the women's games.

[NWAkron]

buffalo hanging with toledo women ... for now.

42-40at half.  Buffalo 61% from 3. 

Edited March 8, 2023 by NWAkron

[Z.I.P.]

46-42 Canada.  Bullettes shooting >50% from 3.

[LoyalZIP]

I kept waiting for UB to blow it for Toledo to pull away. Bulls had a shot at the buzzer to win it but missed. Onto OT.

[NWAkron]

9 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

I kept waiting for UB to blow it for Toledo to pull away. Bulls had a shot at the buzzer to win it but missed. Onto OT.

Buffalo had two chances to win and missed both times.  Ugh.

Edited March 8, 2023 by NWAkron