Game 12- Bradley

[clarkwgriswold]

The Zips head off to Peoria, Illinois Thursday night to face Bradley.  Bradley is 8-4 coming into the game.  They were predicted to finish second in the MVC preseason poll with 6'9" junior forward Reink Mast being named to the preseason All-Conference team.  

 

Mast, a native of the Netherlands, led the MVC in rebounding last year.  This year, he leads Brave rebounding and scoring at 7.4 rpg and 13.8 ppg.  6'9" senior Malevy Leons is second in scoring and rebounding at 11.9 ppg and 6.8 rpg.  Bradley apparently has some Dutch connections as Leons is also from the Netherlands.

[Z.I.P.]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

The Zips head off to Peoria, Illinois Thursday night to face Bradley.  Bradley is 8-4 coming into the game.  They were predicted to finish second in the MVC preseason poll with 6'9" junior forward Reink Mast being named to the preseason All-Conference team.  

 

Mast, a native of the Netherlands, led the MVC in rebounding last year.  This year, he leads Brave rebounding and scoring at 7.4 rpg and 13.8 ppg.  6'9" senior Malevy Leons is second in scoring and rebounding at 11.9 ppg and 6.8 rpg.  Bradley apparently has some Dutch connections as Leons is also from the Netherlands.

They have the Dutch Nike wooden sneaker contract!

[NWAkron]

Christmas in Peoria.

[clarkwgriswold]

Coming into the game, Castaneda leads the MAC in scoring and Freeman leads the MAC in rebounding.  The Zips have the number 1 defense in the MAC allowing 62 ppg.

[kreed5120]

I just noticed that this will be our only 2nd true road game of the year. The other one being Marshall. Seems odd we didn't schedule more to prepare ourselves better for conference play.

[indians4841ks]

Negative temperatures in Peoria at game time, so shouldn't be much of a crowd for this one.

[Let'sGoZips94]

11 minutes ago, indians4841ks said:

Negative temperatures in Peoria at game time, so shouldn't be much of a crowd for this one.

 

Not even a Jim Thome bobblehead promo (Peoria is his birthplace) would entice me to venture out in this incoming storm. 

[NWAkron]

Saw on Instagram a few photos of the guy boarding the private plane at Akron/Canton. 

[LoyalZIP]

This will be a great test for the Zips, and should be an entertaining and interesting game. After the debacle at Marshall and disappointing outcomes against LSU and Nevada, they've looked a lot better after some home cookin'. Bradley is a really good defensive team, rarely giving up more than 50-60 points per game. Freeman must stay out of foul trouble, and someone needs to help X on the perimeter. If we get eggs being laid by Hunter, Hank, Tavari, Kobe, and Nate, it will be a long night. If they bury some early ones and keep themselves out of a hole, we may be in business. The MAC hasn't gotten a lot of good wins in nonconference play. Toledo's win over UAB, ours over WKU, Kent's over Portland are probably the best. Bradley is 95 in KenPom now, better than everyone I just listed except UAB (39). Safe to say this would be the signature win of the year so far for the Zips, and it would be huge with conference play looming.

 

I'm not confident that the Zips will win, but for some reason I have a good feeling they will play a decent game. The first of many midweek games in the bitter cold midwest. And X and Tavari in their home states. Go Zips!!!!

[kreed5120]

6 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

This will be a great test for the Zips, and should be an entertaining and interesting game. After the debacle at Marshall and disappointing outcomes against LSU and Nevada, they've looked a lot better after some home cookin'. Bradley is a really good defensive team, rarely giving up more than 50-60 points per game. Freeman must stay out of foul trouble, and someone needs to help X on the perimeter. If we get eggs being laid by Hunter, Hank, Tavari, Kobe, and Nate, it will be a long night. If they bury some early ones and keep themselves out of a hole, we may be in business. The MAC hasn't gotten a lot of good wins in nonconference play. Toledo's win over UAB, ours over WKU, Kent's over Portland are probably the best. Bradley is 95 in KenPom now, better than everyone I just listed except UAB (39). Safe to say this would be the signature win of the year so far for the Zips, and it would be huge with conference play looming.

 

I'm not confident that the Zips will win, but for some reason I have a good feeling they will play a decent game. The first of many midweek games in the bitter cold midwest. And X and Tavari in their home states. Go Zips!!!!

There has been a few others. Kent just beat New Mexico St (113) and Ohio beat YSU (142). NET rankings are more favorable to these teams YSU (110) and NMSU (91).

 

But to get back on point, I think it's important to prove the offensive boost we've witnessed over the prior few games wasn't just a product of us playing over matched teams at home. If we want to compete in the MAC, we need to play that way offensively on the road against quality teams, which Bradley is.

[Let'sGoZips94]

Don't forget, this game is at 5pm EST.

[RowdyZip]

Only the most brave will be in attendance.  

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 hour ago, RowdyZip said:

Only the most brave will be in attendance.  

 

Strikes 1, 2, & 3 for me are the game being in Illinois. This is a drop 3rd strike that you pull a hammy on running down the 1st base line. Ew.

[Reslife4Life]

Alright lets make some layups here

[NWAkron]

Never seen a Groce team so out of control.  Is he trying something new?

[LZIp]

Ugly start.

[Reslife4Life]

Lucky this is only a 5 point game

[kreed5120]

A pretty miserable start to this game. Bradley has nearly as many offensive rebounds as we have total rebounds. We already have 5 offensive turnovers.

[LZIp]

Thus far we really miss a guy like Dawson. Not only for his skill, but some energy to give the team a spark.

[Let'sGoZips94]

Just wait until we thaw out...

[LoyalZIP]

Every Akron game seems to start out slow, a bucket or two in the first 5 minutes. Every time I watch Kent, they jump out to 7-10 point leads in the first 3 minutes. Man this team is so much further behind than I thought they would be. 

[LoyalZIP]

Freeman’s head is so far up his a**. What the hell. 

[LZIp]

Freeman can’t buy a call so far. Getting knocked around down there and nothing.

[NWAkron]

Turned it off.  I'm done.  Hope they make a top 8 in MAC.   But Kent, toledo, OU, and Ball St are going to crush these guys.

[MDZip]

6 turnovers and ten missed shots in 17 possessions. That'll give you four points on the first 9 and a half minutes. Still way too early to give up on them. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by MDZip