Around the MAC

[1981 grad]

For those wishing to follow Kent, to hope they win and advance the MAC or those who hope they lose, well, because they are Kent.  Here is information about the game:  https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/well-traveled-kent-state-visits-stanford-in-nit-second-round/

 

Kent's victory and the Zips clearly being outmatched against Arizona, am I the only Zip fan left wondering if we had lost to Miami and gone to the NIT, would we be making a run in the NIT?  

[NWAkron]

13 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

 

Kent's victory and the Zips clearly being outmatched against Arizona, am I the only Zip fan left wondering if we had lost to Miami and gone to the NIT, would we be making a run in the NIT?  

Yeah.  Groce should have tanked the final.  Another whiff.

[clarkwgriswold]

1 hour ago, 1981 grad said:

For those wishing to follow Kent, to hope they win and advance the MAC or those who hope they lose, well, because they are Kent.  Here is information about the game:  https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/well-traveled-kent-state-visits-stanford-in-nit-second-round/

 

Kent's victory and the Zips clearly being outmatched against Arizona, am I the only Zip fan left wondering if we had lost to Miami and gone to the NIT, would we be making a run in the NIT?  

 

We likely would have gone deeper but make a run?   I'd rather not have found out.

[MDZip]

4 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

For those wishing to follow Kent, to hope they win and advance the MAC or those who hope they lose, well, because they are Kent.  Here is information about the game:  https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/well-traveled-kent-state-visits-stanford-in-nit-second-round/

 

Kent's victory and the Zips clearly being outmatched against Arizona, am I the only Zip fan left wondering if we had lost to Miami and gone to the NIT, would we be making a run in the NIT?  

will have to deal with center Raynaud, the nation's best double-double producer with 24 and averages of 20.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. 

 

24 games with a double double is nice and all, still I think 31 is better. 🙂

[RoyalBlu]

It looks like the bulk of Miami's team is returning, plus a strong recruiting class. Combined with the Zips returning its entire roster, plus the addition of UMass next season, the MAC should be very strong at the top, at least.

 

Toledo (so far) is the only top tier program with significant losses. Ohio has had a couple and Kent is still to be determined. Still, having three strong teams of proven winners/veterans is something not many mid-major conferences can point to going into next season.

 

Yes, I know UMass is coming off a losing season. But overall, that is a proven A-10 conference program. Would be shocked if they did not come in as a Top 4 team in the league, at the least.

 

If all MAC teams schedule to their pedigree, the league should be much improved. Likely still one NCAA bid, but multiple NIT bids and a clear indication the league is moving up, not down.

 

Let's hope.

 

[Let'sGoZips94]

42 minutes ago, RoyalBlu said:

It looks like the bulk of Miami's team is returning, plus a strong recruiting class. Combined with the Zips returning its entire roster, plus the addition of UMass next season, the MAC should be very strong at the top, at least.

 

Toledo (so far) is the only top tier program with significant losses. Ohio has had a couple and Kent is still to be determined. Still, having three strong teams of proven winners/veterans is something not many mid-major conferences can point to going into next season.

 

Yes, I know UMass is coming off a losing season. But overall, that is a proven A-10 conference program. Would be shocked if they did not come in as a Top 4 team in the league, at the least.

 

If all MAC teams schedule to their pedigree, the league should be much improved. Likely still one NCAA bid, but multiple NIT bids and a clear indication the league is moving up, not down.

 

Let's hope.

 

 

Kent is losing everyone to graduation. While we don't know if they'll lose any additional players to the portal yet (Go Stanford), they'll already have one helluva uphill climb to retool. 

[kreed5120]

7 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

For those wishing to follow Kent, to hope they win and advance the MAC or those who hope they lose, well, because they are Kent.  Here is information about the game:  https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/well-traveled-kent-state-visits-stanford-in-nit-second-round/

 

Kent's victory and the Zips clearly being outmatched against Arizona, am I the only Zip fan left wondering if we had lost to Miami and gone to the NIT, would we be making a run in the NIT?  

 

It's really hard to tell. Sometimes teams come out and are ready to play. Other times they look disappointed to be there and it shows in their effort. 

[1981 grad]

And Kent won their 2nd round game by 2 points.

[RoyalBlu]

I think this is at least the second time ... maybe the third, Kent has advanced to the NIT Elite Eight over the years.

 

No ... It's not the tournament it used to be. But it's still a national tournament, and the teams they have defeated were both Top 100 KenPom teams when they played them.

 

Take advantage of the opportunities you get. Give them credit for that.

Edited Monday at 04:26 AM by RoyalBlu

[Let'sGoZips94]

I wonder if Sendy is trying to use this tourney to drum up some NIL/donor support. For being a poverty program (based on his crying about Akron's NIL), they sure are ok with shelling out tons of money for this travel. They head to Chicago next to face Loyola Chicago, who spared Kent from going back out to California by beating San Francisco. 

[kreed5120]

11 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

I wonder if Sendy is trying to use this tourney to drum up some NIL/donor support. For being a poverty program (based on his crying about Akron's NIL), they sure are ok with shelling out tons of money for this travel. They head to Chicago next to face Loyola Chicago, who spared Kent from going back out to California by beating San Francisco. 

 

The NIT pays travel costs and gives players and coaches per diems. That's why many programs accept NIT bids, but decline CBI or CIT bids.

[Let'sGoZips94]

5 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

The NIT pays travel costs and gives players and coaches per diems. That's why many programs accept NIT bids, but decline CBI or CIT bids.

 

Wow - I had no idea. I wonder how many more years that will last if they're mainly covering costs for mid majors.

 

Damn, that was the one silver lining for me with their NIT bid/run. 

[RoyalBlu]

Sendy not the only one in the MAC crying about Akron NIL. At least he did it publicly, putting his own school on blast. Fact is, CMU (Indian Casinos), Toledo (Libby and Jeep), Miami (endowments) and UMass are probably the only MAC Schools that can compete w/Akron's NIL, especially if Firestone/Goodyear/Summa kick in a regular NIL check as well.

 

[2Ball]

Why isn’t Kent hosting next game, they are the higher seed?

[RoyalBlu]

I didn't think Kent was seeded, Loyola-Chicago either. But back to the metrics LC is 107 Kenpom and Kent is 109. That's my suspicion on the LC home game.

 

Another thing: When Kent wins, shouldn't every team in the MAC get a boost in the metrics as well. Especially Akron and Miami. with a combined 5 wins over Kent. But while Kent's numbers have gone up quite a bit in the tournament run, everyone else has stayed the same.

 

Doesn't make sense.

 

Edited Monday at 05:32 AM by RoyalBlu

[GP1]

10 hours ago, RoyalBlu said:

Yes, I know UMass is coming off a losing season. But overall, that is a proven A-10 conference program. Would be shocked if they did not come in as a Top 4 team in the league, at the least.

 

UMass has two winning seasons in the past 10. They are not a good A10 program but they are proven average at best. Frank Martin works wonders for very short periods with bad programs. Last year may have been that short period. 

 

The question is this. Can the MAC make an extremely average at best A10 program good immediately? You may be right that they are a top 4 MAC program next year. If they are, the MAC is in much worse shape than I believed. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

Ben Nicol & Elmore James portaling for Ohio. 

 

Also, according to Bobcat Attack, Mekhi Cooper of Fiami will be portaling. 

[kreed5120]

7 hours ago, RoyalBlu said:

Sendy not the only one in the MAC crying about Akron NIL. At least he did it publicly, putting his own school on blast. Fact is, CMU (Indian Casinos), Toledo (Libby and Jeep), Miami (endowments) and UMass are probably the only MAC Schools that can compete w/Akron's NIL, especially if Firestone/Goodyear/Summa kick in a regular NIL check as well.

 

The Stryker family is one of America's richest families and big donors for WMU. They have given the University hundreds of millions of dollars over the years. 10s of millions to athletics as well, but I think those went to facilities. If they decide to play the NIL game, they could easily cut WMU basketball a 6 figure check every year for NIL.

Edited Monday at 12:57 PM by kreed5120

[kreed5120]

8 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Wow - I had no idea. I wonder how many more years that will last if they're mainly covering costs for mid majors.

Probably only as the current TV deal lasts. That's me assuming the Crown tournament survives and keeps swallowing many of the teams that help drive ratings.

[zippy5]

7 hours ago, RoyalBlu said:

I didn't think Kent was seeded, Loyola-Chicago either. But back to the metrics LC is 107 Kenpom and Kent is 109. That's my suspicion on the LC home game.

 

Another thing: When Kent wins, shouldn't every team in the MAC get a boost in the metrics as well. Especially Akron and Miami. with a combined 5 wins over Kent. But while Kent's numbers have gone up quite a bit in the tournament run, everyone else has stayed the same.

 

Doesn't make sense.

 

Those numbers are meaningless right now

[ZippyRulz]

11 hours ago, RoyalBlu said:

Sendy not the only one in the MAC crying about Akron NIL. At least he did it publicly, putting his own school on blast. Fact is, CMU (Indian Casinos), Toledo (Libby and Jeep), Miami (endowments) and UMass are probably the only MAC Schools that can compete w/Akron's NIL, especially if Firestone/Goodyear/Summa kick in a regular NIL check as well.

 

 

Has Goodyear or Firestone ever contributed to Zips athletics?

 

[GP1]

38 minutes ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

Has Goodyear or Firestone ever contributed to Zips athletics?

 

You need to deepen your knowledge of Akron history. 

[akzipper]

3 hours ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

Has Goodyear or Firestone ever contributed to Zips athletics?

 

 

I still have a small inflatable Goodyear blimp in my basement that was a giveaway back when I was at UA. Pretty sure that's the only contribution I know of lol. 

[ZipsBBjunkie]

Not specific to the MAC, but NIT related. Just a kid being honest about his experience. I know there are mixed feelings about NCAA or don’t play any post season at all, but if NIT is paying expenses etc. seems like a no brainer to participate. He talks about being able to keep playing as a team and now have the experience of being on a magical post season run even though it’s not the NCAA tourny. 
 

 

[Let'sGoZips94]

https://x.com/ProfessionalZip/status/1904966281889001651

 

Sendy to Fordham looks like it's picking up steam. He was an assistant there in the late 90s.

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 06:43 PM by Let'sGoZips94