Zips Basketball- Looking Back to 22-23/Looking Forward to 23-24

[NWAkron]

28 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Fairleigh Dickinson - the shortest team in the country whose tallest player is 6'7" - just beat the tallest team in the country in Purdue whose tallest player is 7'4". 

 

We have two open scholarships and they need to go to shooters/scorers. Period. 

I don't know all that much but, gee, Purdue,  if you are down by a point or two in the final minutes, maybe pick up the pace a bit.  and they pay their coach 3.5 million.

[Let'sGoZips94]

Just now, NWAkron said:

I don't know all that much but, gee, Purdue,  if you are down by a point or two in the final minutes, maybe pick up the pace a bit.  and they pay their coach 3.5 million.

 

This is the white board in the Purdue locker room. Looks like an artistic interpretation of one of their 3 point attempts.

 

[akzipper]

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

I don't know all that much but, gee, Purdue,  if you are down by a point or two in the final minutes, maybe pick up the pace a bit.  and they pay their coach 3.5 million.

 

I couldn't stop laughing at their coach drawing up a play on his board with just over a second left, down 5. What play are you calling there?

 

Nothing makes me happier than seeing these big schools get knocked off by underdogs. Except for Indiana tonight, go Hoosiers. 

[Blue & Gold]

On 3/17/2023 at 9:45 AM, Blue & Gold said:

9:30 a.m. 3/17

How we currently stand:

PG: Tavari...... Garvin

W:  Dawson... Prather

W:  Tribble..... Nate..... Marvin

P:  Sammy..... Darrion

P:  Freeman... Amani

 

Currently 2 open scholarships

8:30 p.m. 3/20

How we currently stand:

PG: Tavari......

W:   Dawson.... Prather

W:   Tribble.......Nate......... Marvin

P:   Sammy...... Darrion

P:   Freeman.... Amani

 

Currently 3 open scholarships

[kreed5120]

Just now, Blue & Gold said:

8:30 p.m. 3/20

How we currently stand:

PG: Tavari......

W:   Dawson.... Prather

W:   Tribble.......Nate......... Marvin

P:   Sammy...... Darrion

P:   Freeman.... Amani

 

Currently 3 open scholarships

I wouldn't be surprised if Dawson plays 10-15 min/night at the 4. 

[Blue & Gold]

Just now, kreed5120 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Dawson plays 10-15 min/night at the 4. 

Good point.  With Freeman's dominant presence in the paint we really could run a 4-guard set, especially if one of our guards is the 6-5 bruising junkyard dog Mikal Dawson.

[Illini Zip]

28 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

I wouldn't be surprised if Dawson plays 10-15 min/night at the 4. 

I agree. Also, I expect Marvin to play immediately at the 3 and 4. Groce likes his small forwards. Ali and Malcolm Hill (Illinois) both played right away. 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Illini Zip

[LoyalZIP]

FAU living our dream right now. They had never won a tournament game before, and have completely punked Tennessee in the 2nd half. 34-3. 

[Illini Zip]

Here’s a close up. 
 

https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1597943666064076801/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1597943666064076801&currentTweetUser=FIBA

 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Illini Zip

[Blue & Gold]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:56 PM, Blue & Gold said:

8:30 p.m. 3/20

How we currently stand:

PG: Tavari......

W:   Dawson.... Prather

W:   Tribble.......Nate......... Marvin

P:   Sammy...... Darrion

P:   Freeman.... Amani

 

Currently 3 open scholarships

The morning of 3/24

Where we currently stand:

PG  Shammah....... Tavari

W:   Dawson.......... Prather

W:   Tribble............ Nate.......... Marvin

P:    Sammy........... Darrion

P:    Freeman......... Amani

[NWAkron]

8 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

FAU living our dream right now. They had never won a tournament game before, and have completely punked Tennessee in the 2nd half. 34-3. 

and in the conference USA they had a run of playing 7 (at the time) top 25 teams in a row.  Hopefully, Groce and crew can schedule and win against some high level opponents in non-conference because the MAC will be dreadful again.

 

[clarkwgriswold]

2 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

The morning of 3/24

Where we currently stand:

PG  Shammah....... Tavari

W:   Dawson.......... Prather

W:   Tribble............ Nate.......... Marvin

P:    Sammy........... Darrion

P:    Freeman......... Amani

That a pretty solid breakdown B & G, but let's not forget- Groce will put the 5 on the floor to start and finish the game that he thinks perform the best together not necessarily the 5 most talented.

[Let'sGoZips94]

9 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

Here’s a close up. 
 

https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1597943666064076801/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1597943666064076801&currentTweetUser=FIBA

 

 

 

It's a shame Carry/Payton/Jacobs won't be around to be put on a poster. 

[clarkwgriswold]

10 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

Here’s a close up. 
 

https://twitter.com/FIBA/status/1597943666064076801/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1597943666064076801&currentTweetUser=FIBA

 

 

 

I love the reaction of the guys sitting in the bleachers on the baseline.

[1981 grad]

Looking at our out of conference schedule, Miss. State, a big loss was the only team to make the big dance and Bradley, another big loss made the NIT.  Both teams lost in the first round. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

39 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

Looking at our out of conference schedule, Miss. State, a big loss was the only team to make the big dance and Bradley, another big loss made the NIT.  Both teams lost in the first round. 

 

Nevada lost in the play-in round too. It was a good non-conference schedule. 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Let'sGoZips94

[LZIp]

Announcers had an interesting stat in this Kansas State/FAU game. Said all of Kansas States scholarship players began their career at another school. 

[LoyalZIP]

Owls to the Final Four. 35-3. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 hour ago, LZIp said:

Announcers had an interesting stat in this Kansas State/FAU game. Said all of Kansas States scholarship players began their career at another school. 

 

Not shocking. Nevada was Transfer U before it was cool and had success.

[Blue & Gold]

I’m anxious to see if we’re able to schedule any Big East teams now that we’re a member in soccer.

[LZIp]

So what type of player makes the most sense to fill the last scholarship on? Right now I'm leaning a freshman Aziz-type prospect to red-shirt. Only so many players can play. I'm not opposed to bringing an experienced big, but I would think an experienced big would want to play starter minutes and that won't happen next year. Additionally, bringing one in probably means Lyles transfers.

[Blue & Gold]

4:00 p.m. 3/27

Where we stand:

PG: Shammah...... Thornton..... Tavari

W:   Dawson......... Prather

W:   Tribble........... Nate............ Marvin

P:    Sammy.......... Darrion

P:    Freeman....... Amari

[Blue & Gold]

20 minutes ago, LZIp said:

So what type of player makes the most sense to fill the last scholarship on? Right now I'm leaning a freshman Aziz-type prospect to red-shirt. Only so many players can play. I'm not opposed to bringing an experienced big, but I would think an experienced big would want to play starter minutes and that won't happen next year. Additionally, bringing one in probably means Lyles transfers.

 

I'm still apprehensive about our lack of front court depth. But Enrique is almost too good for our own good. No difference-making upperclassman post player is going to want to transfer here to ride the bench. (Man do I wish we still had Aziz, but he's a prime example of Enrique being almost too good for our own good.)

[Blue & Gold]

Just now, Blue & Gold said:

4:00 p.m. 3/27

Where we stand:

PG: Shammah...... Thornton..... Tavari

W:   Dawson......... Prather

W:   Tribble........... Nate............ Marvin

P:    Sammy.......... Darrion

P:    Freeman....... Amari

Very versatile lineup here.

Shammah could play on the wing.

Marvin could play in the post.

Tribble could run the point.

[Illini Zip]

Just now, Blue & Gold said:

4:00 p.m. 3/27

Where we stand:

PG: Shammah...... Thornton..... Tavari

W:   Dawson......... Prather

W:   Tribble........... Nate............ Marvin

P:    Sammy.......... Darrion

P:    Freeman....... Amari

I have a hard time believing Tavari gets pushed back that much. I see Thornton and Tribble sharing time at the 2 spot and Dawson, Nate and Marvin at the 3 spot. We could be looking at a team ready to run for 40 minutes a game with 4 guard line-ups. Especially if we pick up one more guard. 

 

Also, if Groce uses the last scholarship on a senior, I predict he is already in the process of recruiting a full 5 player class right now for next year. Selling a bunch of next level talent on playing together. He was in the process of doing that at Illinois the year he was let go.