Game 20- Miami

[UAZippers]

  On 1/28/2024 at 3:04 AM, monrowe said:

There’s being proactive recruiting and the portal.Name, Image, and Likeness is giving the NCAA pro element.Akron has had more transfers than western union.Akron has to run with what they have because they won’t pony up or can’t pony up?

 

 

Expand  

You still can't add transfers mid-season except for some pretty crazy exceptions (I can't think of any, but you never know), so I'm not sure what nil has to do with improving this team, this year.

 

As you said,  Groce has been very active in the portal, so again, I'm not sure why you think the Zips aren't doing their best to get the best players they can into the team. It just didn't line up right for us to get a top tier big this past off season, you can say that it was a problem, and I would have liked to see another post that as well, but I am happy with the additions we made instead. 

[LZIp]

Loss sucks, but I didn’t expect us to go undefeated in conference play and frankly I didn’t want us to. All about the MAC tourney and I wanted us to be knocked down a peg at some point before going into it.

 

On one hand, an upset to Miami looks bad, but I suppose I’d rather lose to them than a Kent, OU, or Toledo.

[ZippyRulz]

  On 1/28/2024 at 3:03 AM, Let'sGoZips94 said:

You're going to see more and more teams play Enrique Freeman how Miami did. I mentioned it earlier, but bringing the help against Enrique from the weak side is genius and is really going to cause problems for us unless Groce makes adjustments.

 

The 2010 Akron Men's Soccer team lost to Cleveland State. It refocused them and they won the National Championship that year. Praying this is our Cleveland State. 

Expand  

 

Maybe E needs to start playing a bit further out, take more short jumpers and open the lane for the others to make cuts to the hoop.

 

[ZippyRulz]

 

[clarkwgriswold]

Ohio went about it in a little bit of a different way, doubling Enrique with the near defender and quickly retreating quickly on the pass out of the post and was relatively effective.  With Sammy and Dawson being ineffective, the doubling of the post will continue as there's no disincentive to doing it.

[GP1]

Can't figure out what I saw yesterday. Bad game? Bad match up?  Both?  Something else?

[monrowe]

  On 1/28/2024 at 11:32 AM, UAZippers said:

You still can't add transfers mid-season except for some pretty crazy exceptions (I can't think of any, but you never know), so I'm not sure what nil has to do with improving this team, this year.

 

As you said,  Groce has been very active in the portal, so again, I'm not sure why you think the Zips aren't doing their best to get the best players they can into the team. It just didn't line up right for us to get a top tier big this past off season, you can say that it was a problem, and I would have liked to see another post that as well, but I am happy with the additions we made instead. 

Expand  

To be clear I was commenting on the timeline when you can contact players you need  not the dead period.

 

Akron could have used a serviceable big last season and again this season.NIL deals(the collective)help recruiting. Bryce James in now considering Duquesne his dad can help him sign autographs and conduct a camp or two.

 

 

 

[clarkwgriswold]

  On 1/28/2024 at 9:44 PM, monrowe said:

To be clear I was commenting on the timeline when you can contact players you need  not the dead period.

 

Akron could have used a serviceable big last season and again this season.NIL deals(the collective)help recruiting. Bryce James in now considering Duquesne his dad can help him sign autographs and conduct a camp or two.

 

 

 

Expand  

This is Akron.  There's never going to be big NIL money involved.  A little money to help a kid get by, sure, but they're never going to compete with the major conferences.

 

As for Bronny and Duquesne, that would kill two birds with one stone for Lebron.  It would give his kid a place to play where he could be the star and it would ensure his buddy Dru stays in line for the head coaching job.

[Zippy87]

  On 1/28/2024 at 2:06 AM, kreed5120 said:

 

It's college basketball, not the NBA. Not like we can go out and make an in season trade to add a missing piece. We have to run with what we got.

Expand  

 

Many of us were calling for a serviceable big man last spring. Should've added Scott or Thornton - not both- and a backup big instead.

[LZIp]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:49 AM, Zippy87 said:

 

Many of us were calling for a serviceable big man last spring. Should've added Scott or Thornton - not both- and a backup big instead.

Expand  

I’d bet a pretty penny they were planning to bring in a big, but Scott and Thornton were already committed (and possibly signed), then we had a chance to bring Ali back and couldn’t turn that down. Were a better overall team as a result, but it did leave a hole.
 

Lyles does seem to be coming along slowly, but I’m not expecting much more this year than what we’re getting from him now.

Edited January 29, 2024 by LZIp

[Let'sGoZips94]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:49 AM, Zippy87 said:

 

Many of us were calling for a serviceable big man last spring. Should've added Scott or Thornton - not both- and a backup big instead.

Expand  

 

I like both Scott and Thornton. I think they both fill voids on this team that would otherwise be felt without their presence. 

 

Quite frankly, we have too many misses occupying scholarships from previous classes. Lyles and Prather especially, but also Tavari to an extent. It's always going to hurt when you have 2 scholarship players beyond their first year who are either struggling to contribute or not contribute at all. It's not as much an issue of missing talent that isn't on the roster; it's about the talent on the roster being missing. 

Edited January 29, 2024 by Let'sGoZips94

[Zippy87]

  On 1/29/2024 at 2:15 AM, LZIp said:

I’d bet a pretty penny they were planning to bring in a big, but Scott and Thornton were already committed (and possibly signed), then we had a chance to bring Ali back and couldn’t turn that down. Were a better overall team as a result, but it did leave a hole.
 

Lyles does seem to be coming along slowly, but I’m not expecting much more this year than what we’re getting from him now.

Expand  

 

I'd be curious to know if they thought Baker would play.

[Blue & Gold]

  On 1/29/2024 at 3:16 AM, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

I like both Scott and Thornton. I think they both fill voids on this team that would otherwise be felt without their presence. 

 

Quite frankly, we have too many misses occupying scholarships from previous classes. Lyles and Prather especially, but also Tavari to an extent. It's always going to hurt when you have 2 scholarship players beyond their first year who are either struggling to contribute or not contribute at all. It's not as much an issue of missing talent that isn't on the roster; it's about the talent on the roster being missing. 

Expand  

When I see the recruiting whiffs I get frustrated, but then I have to remind myself that Groce also recruited Aziz Bandaogo and Jermain Marshall.  They would have both looked terrific in blue & gold this year.  It's crazy that we've got a former walk-on who's so good that two players like Aziz & Marshall both transferred out to find more PT.  

[zippy5]

Hey guys.. what if.. Groce tried to bring in a big man and it didn't work out? Crazy thought, he can't just get anyone he wants to come.

[1981 grad]

I know that many of you indicated that you were not upset about this loss but I am both angry and disappointed because a team with this much talent and experience should not lose to Miami or anyone else in the MAC.  The MAC is having a down year and we are loaded with senior talent.  Because of the transfer rule and the money in college basketball that will probably never happen again in our lifetime.  

  The only positive that I saw in this game is that we came back from a 10 point deficit and tied the game.  If I am Groce I show that tape when we were outscored 15-0 and tell our players we have too much talent for this to ever happen again.  When we came back from the 10 point deficit it seemed like Ali, Freeman, Tribble and Tavari went to a higher gear and refused to lose.  We need that intensity from the opening tap.  When you look at the stats you see that Ali went 5 for 17 and Hunter went 1 for 6.  We started out very hot from 3 and I sometimes think that is fools gold because players rely on the 3 and stop working for good shots.  I do not think we made a 2 point shot in the first 8 minutes of the game.  Looking forward to Tuesday's game and hope we play up to our talent. 

[zipsrule]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:27 PM, zippy5 said:

Hey guys.. what if.. Groce tried to bring in a big man and it didn't work out? Crazy thought, he can't just get anyone he wants to come.

Expand  

Exactly.  It's not like going to Amazon and searching for "serviceable big man" and then clicking "add to cart".  If Groce couldn't get the player(s) he wanted, he might have just gone for what he considered the best players available - even if they were guards. 

[clarkwgriswold]

The greatest shortage in college basketball is in viable bigs.  At the MAC level, they are even more rare.  You'll certainly run into the 6'10" kid in the MAC but they're much more often a " Mark Kostelac" than they are "Enrique Freemans".  I think Groce is likely trying to get more viable bigs but the market is what the market is.

[Captain Kangaroo]

We played like it was a 1pm game in Oxford, and Miami played like there were the hungry underdog trying to knock off the first place team. OU gave us the same effort...they were just on the road, with less talent.

 

We can bank on Ali, Tribble and Enrique on any given night. The rest? Hit and miss. 

 

Our guard play has come a long way since November, but still has a ways to go. 

[Reslife4Life]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:57 PM, 1981 grad said:

I know that many of you indicated that you were not upset about this loss but I am both angry and disappointed because a team with this much talent and experience should not lose to Miami or anyone else in the MAC.  The MAC is having a down year and we are loaded with senior talent.  Because of the transfer rule and the money in college basketball that will probably never happen again in our lifetime.  

  The only positive that I saw in this game is that we came back from a 10 point deficit and tied the game.  If I am Groce I show that tape when we were outscored 15-0 and tell our players we have too much talent for this to ever happen again.  When we came back from the 10 point deficit it seemed like Ali, Freeman, Tribble and Tavari went to a higher gear and refused to lose.  We need that intensity from the opening tap.  When you look at the stats you see that Ali went 5 for 17 and Hunter went 1 for 6.  We started out very hot from 3 and I sometimes think that is fools gold because players rely on the 3 and stop working for good shots.  I do not think we made a 2 point shot in the first 8 minutes of the game.  Looking forward to Tuesday's game and hope we play up to our talent. 

Expand  

Yes, we shouldn't lose any games in the MAC but an 18 game win streak is most likely not going to happen. Even the 17-18 and 18-19 Buffalo teams didn't go 18-0, they lost at NIU back to back years. A tough loss can help a team get refocused. Its not like we got blown out, the execution on defense just wasn't there when it needed to be

[NWAkron]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:57 PM, 1981 grad said:

I know that many of you indicated that you were not upset about this loss but I am both angry and disappointed because a team with this much talent and experience should not lose to Miami or anyone else in the MAC.  The MAC is having a down year and we are loaded with senior talent.  Because of the transfer rule and the money in college basketball that will probably never happen again in our lifetime.  

 

Expand  

And 2019 Buffalo shouldn't have lost at NIU or BG.  Seriously, no team in 70 years or whatever has gone undefeated in MAC play, and I'm sure there have been a few other down years.  Not this team nor any MAC team is getting an at large big or an NIT bid for that matter.  The season for the high level MAC teams is about balancing:  preparing for March and racking up wins to keep the administration, students, and fan base engaged with the team and the product on the floor. 

 

The MAC tournament is the post-season.  A tournament win in Cleveland is never guaranteed.  In 2020, Akron faced an Ohio U team with Preston and Van Der Platz.  Was that first round a sure thing win?  No.   Win in Cleveland. Celebrate, and hope for a decent draw for March Madness.   That's how this works.  And I'm sure that Groce is as angry and disappointed as you are, but a team has to lose eventually.   Loss by 2 on the road against a good coach.  Suck it up. Move on.  Don't take the loss personally.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2024 by NWAkron

[Illini Zip]

  On 1/29/2024 at 3:12 PM, NWAkron said:

And 2019 Buffalo shouldn't have lost at NIU or BG.  Seriously, no team in 70 years or whatever has gone undefeated in MAC play, and I'm sure there have been a few other down years.  Not this team nor any MAC team is getting an at large bid or an NIT bid for that matter.  The season for the high level MAC teams is about balancing:  preparing for March and racking up wins to keep the administration, students, and fan base engaged with the team and the product on the floor. 

 

The MAC tournament is the post-season.  A tournament win in Cleveland is never guaranteed.  In 2020, Akron faced an Ohio U team with Preston and Van Der Platz.  Was that first round a sure thing win?  No.   Win in Cleveland. Celebrate, and hope for a decent draw for March Madness.   That's how this works.  And I'm sure that Groce is as angry and disappointed as you are, but a team has to lose eventually.   Loss by 2 on the road against a good coach.  Suck it up. Move on.  Don't take the loss personally.

 

 

Expand  

 

You might be right, but I am keeping faith that it will happen one day.

[Let'sGoZips94]

  On 1/29/2024 at 5:03 PM, Illini Zip said:

 

You might be right, but I am keeping faith that it will happen one day.

Expand  

 

When pigs fly, it will happen. 

 

The MAC prestige that was built up through the 90s/early 00s is gone as our commissioner clutches his "tradition" pearls. 

[kreed5120]

  On 1/29/2024 at 3:05 PM, Reslife4Life said:

Yes, we shouldn't lose any games in the MAC but an 18 game win streak is most likely not going to happen. Even the 17-18 and 18-19 Buffalo teams didn't go 18-0, they lost at NIU back to back years. A tough loss can help a team get refocused. Its not like we got blown out, the execution on defense just wasn't there when it needed to be

Expand  

The last team to go undefeated in MAC play was the 1957-1958 Miami team. They went 12-0 that season. No team has ever gone 18-0 in MAC play.

[kreed5120]

  On 1/29/2024 at 5:03 PM, Illini Zip said:

 

You might be right, but I am keeping faith that it will happen one day.

Expand  

It can happen. Generally though when the MAC produces an at-large caliber team that team wins the tournament making the point mute. Otherwise we would have had two bids a few years ago when Buffalo had that strong season.

[zipnetter1951]

  On 1/27/2024 at 10:34 PM, clarkwgriswold said:

The team needs more that 6 points total from Sammy and Dawson.  I think Ali was likely pressing because there was so little help from anywhere else.

 

Curse you Brad Bournival.

Expand  

Teams will continue to defend the paint lust as Miama did unless and until Zips prove that their guards and Hunter can hit outsides shots. Loss of Nate hurt much more than realized. Having watched every game, I'm convinced that Tribble and Tavari give us our best chance. Thornton and Dawson either won't shoot when open or can't hit when they do. Scott is more of a slasher but can't penetrate when middle is clogged up.