Game 8- Bradley

[csims0917]

Huge win to stop the bleeding. Bradley is extremely good they will turn it around 

[Let'sGoZips94]

21-18 stat line for Enrique. #25 needs retired. 

[zippy5]

Great showing tonight. Guess we aren't dead yet

[clarkwgriswold]

Great defense that produced transition points down the stretch.  Love it.

[NWAkron]

No T-shirt toss.  Times are tough.

[csims0917]

I do wanna make a mini statement. Tribble was getting a lot of flack from the student crowd. I really like Tribble. Sure he’s not a great shooter and a lot of people complain about it but he’s been such a key for this team on defense and as a veteran presence I think a lot of people under appreciate him on this team 

[Let'sGoZips94]

11 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

No T-shirt toss.  Times are tough.

 

 

 

You wanted to hear that gas expulsion just to feel something again, didn't you?

[1981 grad]

The crowd was really small for a good team like Bradley.  However, they probably brought over a 100 fans and they were very vocal.  We finally got some decent guard pay and made some outside shots.  I love Nate's jumper.  It has been a long time since we have had somebody who can create their own shot.  We won the toughness battle and the rebounding battle.  Freeman played great but had 7-8 turnovers on double teams and travelling.  Still need to do a better job on getting rid of the ball on the double teams.  If our guys could hit the outside shot it would help.  Great win for the zips.

[csims0917]

Definitely a small crowd unfortunately. Bradley is not a sexy name despite there good records. Even I never heard of them til last year. Winter break will be tough for attendance im hoping the Columbus fans root for us on the 30th. Then we the rowdies can turn up momentum post MLK day when the semester starts (reminder we start later this year on the Tuesday after MLK day for the spring)

[LZIp]

Looks like a great win!

[Reslife4Life]

16 minutes ago, csims0917 said:

Definitely a small crowd unfortunately. Bradley is not a sexy name despite there good records. Even I never heard of them til last year. Winter break will be tough for attendance im hoping the Columbus fans root for us on the 30th. Then we the rowdies can turn up momentum post MLK day when the semester starts (reminder we start later this year on the Tuesday after MLK day for the spring)

I do agree that the name Bradley doesn’t sound very crazy. The friend I brought to the game asked me “Are these guys D-1?” Before the game. And after the game said “Those guys were horrible”

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, csims0917 said:

I do wanna make a mini statement. Tribble was getting a lot of flack from the student crowd. I really like Tribble. Sure he’s not a great shooter and a lot of people complain about it but he’s been such a key for this team on defense and as a veteran presence I think a lot of people under appreciate him on this team 

Anyone else at the game have a comment on this or notice this? I wasn't at tonight's game but I find this difficult to believe - I've only ever witnessed the student section giving Greg nothing but love.

[NWAkron]

I thought LCJ and X could create their own shots.  Hesitation.  Footwork.  Ball handling.  Etc.

 

1.  As for the crowd, had the Zips won their last 3 the crowd may have been bigger.

2.  Had the Zips played Michigan or Duke. etc. the crowd would have been bigger.

 

#1 didnt happen and #2 is never going to happen.  So here we are.  

Edited December 6, 2023 by NWAkron

[NWAkron]

2 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Anyone else at the game have a comment on this or notice this? I wasn't at tonight's game but I find this difficult to believe - I've only ever witnessed the student section giving Greg nothing but love.

I never hear a negative comment from the student section about any Zips player.

[Reslife4Life]

33 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

I never hear a negative comment from the student section about any Zips player.

It isn’t ever going to be audible. But yes students are going to complain when we are going through struggles. Hankerson always got people in the student section saying “stop shooting” or “This guy sucks” same with Sammy, Ali, Trimble, etc. They aren’t ever going to be chants against our own players, but I think some students who aren’t huge fans do make quick judgements.

[Reslife4Life]

I understand we were just coming off a 3 game losing streak, but I do think the crowd was less than it should have been   The box score has it at 3100, that isn’t true. I think the free toy tickets might have been counted in that. 
 

On the football page people always say “once the team wins, people will show up”. And yes that is a good point, that isn’t everything. This is one of the best Zips teams on paper in recent memory. They are playing Bradley, a highly regarded opponent nationally. The crowd wasn’t anything crazy, probably below-average to be honest. I only saw one tweet this morning mentioning cram the cruiser and bring a toy get a free ticket. The in game experience is lack luster, we haven’t had a DJ since covid. I always say it, but lack of promotions, while it may be silly, it does mean something to the experience. Willy Kollman isn’t the emcee anymore, he was always one of my favorite parts of games pre covid. 
 

Yes basketball does a better job than football at basically everything. But we need to do more if we actually want to see big crowds for a great product

[Zippy87]

Quick thoughts from attending the game:

 

- Enrique is an absolute beast. Going to go down as an all-timer for this program. 8 turnovers but still, we don't win without him.

 

- Groce basically trimmed down to a 7 man rotation. Lyles got 2 minutes and Tavari got 3. Every other minute went to 7 players.

 

- We have six scholarship players not contributing to the team right now - Lyles and Tavari (both seeing decreased minutes), Prather (not sure why he isn't playing), Baker and MMK (redshirt), and Ali (transfer waiver denied). 

 

- Prather Jr. dressed but didn't see any action (again). Groce called him an "elite shooter that can create opportunities for himself and his teammates with his playmaking skills" when he signed. Why can't he see the floor at all?

 

- I hope we aren't giving up on Ali. Haven't heard anything on it and am hoping they haven't stopped fighting it in any way possible.

 

- The Team Shop was closed today. Maybe there's a good reason I don't know about, but not having a team shop open while people are actively Christmas shopping is beyond embarrasing for the department.

[clarkwgriswold]

I think the blue chairs that are sold are always included in the attendance which leads to an inaccurate actual attendance. I don't get why you would make the investment in those seats and not use them, but it's been a repeated problem.

 

As for the lack of a DJ, so be it. I have yet to understand why blaring music has to be a part of the game day experience. I'd actually like to occasionally be able to carry on a conversation with somebody at the game.

 

I've not heard any negative comments about any of the players from the student section, but I am quite a ways away from that section. The student attendance last night was less than it has recently been.

 

[csims0917]

I was in the third row of the student section and in the front row some rowdies were making fun of his jump shot and acting shocked when he’d make a free throw. It’s not a huge deal, not like there were any chants or anything but I don’t appreciate seeing it. 

[csims0917]

Aside from that…. Great win for the zips last night. It sucks bradley was on a skid heading in or it’d be one of the biggest wins in a long time at the JAR outside of the MAC. Heard a stat on the radio that we haven’t lost a home non conference game since 2018! I love that we have a significant home field advantage. Especially being in the crowd for nearly every game makes you feel like you’re apart of it 

[Jkobe03]

24 minutes ago, csims0917 said:

I was in the third row of the student section and in the front row some rowdies were making fun of his jump shot and acting shocked when he’d make a free throw. It’s not a huge deal, not like there were any chants or anything but I don’t appreciate seeing it. 

The funny thing about them acting shocked when he makes a foul shot is he is our best foul shooter on the team so far if you put into factor in how many he has shot and made compared to everyone else.

[Let'sGoZips94]

8 hours ago, Zippy87 said:

Quick thoughts from attending the game:

 

- Enrique is an absolute beast. Going to go down as an all-timer for this program. 8 turnovers but still, we don't win without him.

 

- Groce basically trimmed down to a 7 man rotation. Lyles got 2 minutes and Tavari got 3. Every other minute went to 7 players.

 

- We have six scholarship players not contributing to the team right now - Lyles and Tavari (both seeing decreased minutes), Prather (not sure why he isn't playing), Baker and MMK (redshirt), and Ali (transfer waiver denied). 

 

- Prather Jr. dressed but didn't see any action (again). Groce called him an "elite shooter that can create opportunities for himself and his teammates with his playmaking skills" when he signed. Why can't he see the floor at all?

 

- I hope we aren't giving up on Ali. Haven't heard anything on it and am hoping they haven't stopped fighting it in any way possible.

 

- The Team Shop was closed today. Maybe there's a good reason I don't know about, but not having a team shop open while people are actively Christmas shopping is beyond embarrasing for the department.

 

I think you answered this with your second point. Groce going down to a 7 man rotation without Lyles and Tavari means this was a must win - not an experimental game - and he stuck with the guys he trusts the most. A redshirt freshman coming off an injury didn't really have a spot in that game last night. I expect to see Prather get ramped up maybe at Northern Kentucky, but definitionally with Miami Hamilton. 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Zippy87]

1 hour ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

I think you answered this with your second point. Groce going down to a 7 man rotation without Lyles and Tavari means this was a must win - not an experimental game - and he stuck with the guys he trusts the most. A redshirt freshman coming off an injury didn't really have a spot in that game last night. I expect to see Prather get ramped up maybe at Northern Kentucky, but definitionally with Miami Hamilton. 

 

Makes sense. I'm hoping to see more of him soon. I have no idea what he can do but if he is truly an elite shooter, well, we really need that!