2022-2023 Zips Women's Basketball

[MDZip]

Kind of fun to see them listed in Bracketology right now.. #14 seed playing Duke.

[LoyalZIP]

47 minutes ago, MDZip said:

Kind of fun to see them listed in Bracketology right now.. #14 seed playing Duke.

Awesome. Coach Jackson is fighting for an extension, and I’m really pulling for her. She’s getting a lot out of this group, and a win tomorrow would be huge. Hopefully Zip Nation shows up a bit, they’ve earned it. 

[Basketballfan1]

Coach Jackson has taken this team to a new level. Turnout is much higher than the previous coach. Recruiting has been first class. The bench is deep. They’re winning against good teams. The numbers and records speak for themselves. How is it she hasn’t been offered a new contract? Let’s hope it’s not because she’s a woman. 
 

[Hilltopper]

3 hours ago, Basketballfan1 said:

Coach Jackson has taken this team to a new level. Turnout is much higher than the previous coach. Recruiting has been first class. The bench is deep. They’re winning against good teams. The numbers and records speak for themselves. How is it she hasn’t been offered a new contract? Let’s hope it’s not because she’s a woman. 
 

It has nothing to with her being a woman. I really like Melissa so I won't go into all the details that are preventing Guthrie from pulling the trigger on a new contract. All she needs to do is win to get that contract. If the women get crushed in the MAC tournament like last year Reagan Bass will be out the door.

[NWAkron]

Does BG still have those big, mean, country girls?

[MDZip]

Molly Neitzel's game has improved leaps and bounds over last year. 

[Z.I.P.]

Zips lead 32-23 at halftime over 13-2 Bowling Green.  Stifling defense is this team's MO.

[MDZip]

Wow. Terrible loss. Leading by 13 going into the final quarter. I never call out players because you can never know what happens but one of them had just an awful fourth quarter. Felt really bad for her. 

[Z.I.P.]

Sad loss for Akron today.  Outscored by 17 in fourth quarter.  🥴

[LoyalZIP]

Terrible performance in the 4th quarter. The lack of depth was evident, as BG ran the Zips into the ground defensively all day. A silly timeout called by Camp early in the 2nd half left Melissa with no choice other than to keep riding it out even with the team so gassed. Not good. But not the end of the world. 

[ewbrooman1]

When I saw Katie Hempfling and Lexi Fleming were coming off the bench it seemed obvious BG had added some depth. BG did a good job of holding down Bass and Ferrell had to play 39 minutes, often bringing the ball up court. No wonder she was gassed at the end. The lack of a consistent 3 pt shooter is hurting us too. Still, a 31-13 4Q blitz should not happen. 

 

On to Central Michigan at the JAR on Weds. Zips need that one before going on the road to play Toledo and Ball State. Those will be tough.

[ewbrooman1]

2 hours ago, MDZip said:

Molly Neitzel's game has improved leaps and bounds over last year. 

She was the best Zip out there today.

[clarkwgriswold]

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2023/01/14/ncaa-womens-basketball-university-of-akron-bowling-green-molly-neitzel-layne-ferrell-elissa-brett/69806630007/

Edited January 14, 2023 by clarkwgriswold

[72 Roo]

 This was a tough game to lose. We had a great opponent, good attendance and an inspired response from our players for three quarters. Molly was superb. I thought the rest of the team tried hard, but put themselves in positions where the fourth quarter turnovers were going to happen. Our depth is a big issue and Melissa has got to find help from the bench other than Stinson. W/O it we will not go far in the MAC tournament.

[Blue & Gold]

I fell asleep at the end of the third quarter, feeling good, only to wake up & see we obviously had a full thermal nuclear meltdown in the 4th 😭

[LoyalZIP]

Timeout management has been an issue at times for coach Jackson. When Camp called a timeout on a loose ball at one point in the 3rd quarter, you could see coach was pretty upset. Then BG came out like a buzz saw in the 4th quarter and the lead evaporated instantly. Very few whistles were blown in that sequence, so the girls were gassed. Especially Ferrell. She could barely bring the ball up, especially against the press. She threw so many terrible passes in the 4th. Amid that run, after every made basket, they kept looking over to coach, but she kept riding it out and saving that final timeout. I’m wondering if she regrets that decision. 

[Blue & Gold]

7 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

Timeout management has been an issue at times for coach Jackson. When Camp called a timeout on a loose ball at one point in the 3rd quarter, you could see coach was pretty upset. Then BG came out like a buzz saw in the 4th quarter and the lead evaporated instantly. Very few whistles were blown in that sequence, so the girls were gassed. Especially Ferrell. She could barely bring the ball up, especially against the press. She threw so many terrible passes in the 4th. Amid that run, after every made basket, they kept looking over to coach, but she kept riding it out and saving that final timeout. I’m wondering if she regrets that decision. 

Was Camp fouled out of the game at that point, or did BUGS just hound Ferrell as soon as Camp passed her the ball?

[LoyalZIP]

38 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Was Camp fouled out of the game at that point, or did BUGS just hound Ferrell as soon as Camp passed her the ball?

No she was in, I can’t really explain why she didn’t have the ball more at the end. She’s often out of control, but against a defense like that, Camp is the far better option. 

[72 Roo]

The game against BUGS is a microcosm on the concerns Guthrie has with Melissa's coaching. She clearly can recruit, but is her coaching able to make a difference, does it make the team better than the talent they individually bring to the table? Last year she clearly let Dawson run the team, even when it was against what Melissa wanted. We saw that time and again in Melissa's reactions and direction from the bench. Against BG she needed fresh legs and clear coaching to break the press and play with a lead. Is our depth so bad there is no one that we can give a few minutes to? In the postgame radio interview Melissa took the blame for our collapse. That speaks to the high character she brings to the position. I hope she also can bring the same high level of coaching. I'm rooting for Melissa and the lady Zips. 

[ewbrooman1]

21 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/college/zips/2023/01/14/ncaa-womens-basketball-university-of-akron-bowling-green-molly-neitzel-layne-ferrell-elissa-brett/69806630007/

Nice to have the coverage of the Saturday afternoon game. I look forward to seeing it in the paper on Monday 🙄. However you want to write it, it was a bad loss.

[ewbrooman1]

The BG bench had 4 players play about 54 mins and our 3 players played about 27 minutes. Ferrell played almost 39 minutes and Camp played almost 37. All 5 starters played over 30 mins. I don't see much depth yet on the team and it doesn't look like Melissa does either. Lots of work to be done.

[Basketballfan1]

2 hours ago, 72 Roo said:

The game against BUGS is a microcosm on the concerns Guthrie has with Melissa's coaching. She clearly can recruit, but is her coaching able to make a difference, does it make the team better than the talent they individually bring to the table? Last year she clearly let Dawson run the team, even when it was against what Melissa wanted. We saw that time and again in Melissa's reactions and direction from the bench. Against BG she needed fresh legs and clear coaching to break the press and play with a lead. Is our depth so bad there is no one that we can give a few minutes to? In the postgame radio interview Melissa took the blame for our collapse. That speaks to the high character she brings to the position. I hope she also can bring the same high level of coaching. I'm rooting for Melissa and the lady Zips. 

I’m not sure I comprehend what you are stating here. Does Charles think this, or any, team will go undefeated in the MAC? The top two teams in the league played and Akron came up short. They made some mistakes in the fourth and couldn’t get a stop. They turned it over and then the wheels came off. It happens. At the end of Saturdays game this team has 3 losses and only 1 of those is in the MAC! They had some impressive wins against some really good teams and losses to teams ranked in the top 5!  The place was packed Saturday. They’re fun to watch. If someone thinks there are dynasty schools in the MAC they’re sadly mistaken. It’s a tough conference and it moves around a lot for both men and women. Last year they played in the tourney and won their first game and then lost to the champs. Let’s quit pretending that this has anything to do with your statement and let’s start taking about what it’s really about. Charles wants his own people. Simple as that. The effects of what damage he’ll do will be felt by the loyal fans packing the place for long after his SHORT time here. 

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, Basketballfan1 said:

I’m not sure I comprehend what you are stating here. Does Charles think this, or any, team will go undefeated in the MAC? The top two teams in the league played and Akron came up short. They made some mistakes in the fourth and couldn’t get a stop. They turned it over and then the wheels came off. It happens. At the end of Saturdays game this team has 3 losses and only 1 of those is in the MAC! They had some impressive wins against some really good teams and losses to teams ranked in the top 5!  The place was packed Saturday. They’re fun to watch. If someone thinks there are dynasty schools in the MAC they’re sadly mistaken. It’s a tough conference and it moves around a lot for both men and women. Last year they played in the tourney and won their first game and then lost to the champs. Let’s quit pretending that this has anything to do with your statement and let’s start taking about what it’s really about. Charles wants his own people. Simple as that. The effects of what damage he’ll do will be felt by the loyal fans packing the place for long after his SHORT time here. 

As someone who’s a casual but curious watcher of the women’s team, I have to admit that this is clearly the optic being presented by this situation.  Coming into this season I felt Melissa would have to prove her coaching chops as she no longer had Dawson to lean on. Well, IMHO, Melissa’s outdone herself as the team is playing better ball than they have in years. She and her staff look like winners. Don’t overthink it, Charles. Know when you’ve got a winner & lock her down.

[Hilltopper]

2 hours ago, Basketballfan1 said:

I’m not sure I comprehend what you are stating here. Does Charles think this, or any, team will go undefeated in the MAC? The top two teams in the league played and Akron came up short. They made some mistakes in the fourth and couldn’t get a stop. They turned it over and then the wheels came off. It happens. At the end of Saturdays game this team has 3 losses and only 1 of those is in the MAC! They had some impressive wins against some really good teams and losses to teams ranked in the top 5!  The place was packed Saturday. They’re fun to watch. If someone thinks there are dynasty schools in the MAC they’re sadly mistaken. It’s a tough conference and it moves around a lot for both men and women. Last year they played in the tourney and won their first game and then lost to the champs. Let’s quit pretending that this has anything to do with your statement and let’s start taking about what it’s really about. Charles wants his own people. Simple as that. The effects of what damage he’ll do will be felt by the loyal fans packing the place for long after his SHORT time here. 

I think Charles has plenty of respect for Melissa and the job she has done with the team. My observation of Charles is he wants winning programs. Especially for the 4 high profile programs, MBB, WBB, Football and MSOC. In her first 4 seasons as HC she had just one with a winning record in MAC play. Melissa just needs to keep winning. 

 

 

 

 

[LoyalZIP]

I’m a huge fan of Melissa Jackson, she’s been a part of nearly all of the major success this program has ever had. That cannot be argued. And I think it was pretty unfair to not give her a bit of an extension after last season.

 

With that said, she is indeed a great recruiter as was previously stated. But there are a lot of red flags with this program. 
 

1. I think player development leaves a ton to be desired. Jodi Kest’s final recruiting class wasn’t great. Melissa was on that staff, of course. I don’t think any one of those players was notably better the day they left the program than the day they entered. In the classes since, Layne Ferrell has emerged, as has Molly Neitzel. But I don’t see much development behind them. As for Neitzel, she’s had a foot out the door for a lot of her Akron career, I’m glad she stuck around for this final year. Coach figured out how to use her at the end of the 20-21 season, and it has worked out well. 
 

2. The aforementioned in-game coaching issues. 
 

3. Not sure who to place the blame on, but a lot of the players aren’t in great physical shape. They get gassed much quicker than a lot of teams in this league, and the lack of depth makes it much more evident, especially when BG is running press and has fresh legs late in the 4th quarter. This isn’t a 2023 issue. It dates back to 18-19. 
 

Yesterday’s game was not the end of the world and will not be what does her in. But it certainly brought a spotlight to some of the issues. However, if it had been a close game the entire way, or even if BG had led by 7-10 points all day, I wouldn’t be as concerned as I am right now. The Zips had them dead to rights multiple times throughout the entire game. They led 28-15 middle of the 2Q and missed 4 consecutive shots. They wound up going into the break with a 9 point lead. Akron’s starting guards had 3x more TOs in the ball game than BG. Very troublesome stuff, IMO. But it’s a long season, and I believe in this group. They can learn from this and make some noise in the MAC once again.