2024-25 Post Mortem and Looking Ahead to 2025-26

[Blue & Gold]

5 hours ago, Zips1991 said:

Ironically, according to archived stories on GoZips.com, last year the non-conference schedule was released on August 12th. And then the conference schedule was released on August 14th. 

Man, I thought it felt like it was about time! 😂  

[Blue & Gold]

From last season but just saw this. Nice video.

[tpsjugglerdude]

Too bad the Vegas game (12/13) against Murray State isn't 3 weeks earlier. A Zips/Browns trip to Vegas would have been epic.

[tpsjugglerdude]

[Z.I.P.]

Full non-conference schedule released.

11/3 James Madison

11/8 Princeton

11/12 Penn St Shenango

11/16 @Purdue

11/21 Iona @Paradise Jam (USVI)

11/22, 11/24 Paradise Jam

11/29 Milwaukee 

12/3 Bucknell

12/6 @Tulane

12/13 Murray St (Las Vegas)

12/29 Concord

02/02 MAC-SB Challenge 

 

[Reslife4Life]

Wow we get to play PENN STATE Shenango at home this year!

https://gozips.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule

[Let'sGoZips94]

I loathe the double non DI games, but the rest of this schedule is fantastic. 

 

James Madison & Princeton AT HOME to start the season is incredible. 

 

The Paradise Jam features 3 games, with Iona being the first game. They have a new head coach this year, so as long as Akron takes care of business, they will play the winner of Evansville/Oregon State. The other side of the bracket includes Green Bay, Yale, UMass, and Charleston, so there is some really good competition in the tournament that could be added to the schedule.

 

Well done Groce & Co. 

Edited 20 hours ago by Let'sGoZips94

[clarkwgriswold]

Nice to see there was still room for the Concord Grapes.

 

Maybe we can return the home cooking we got at Princeton.

[Illini Zip]

Did we already know about Bucknell at home? That's a decent opponent. 

[ZipsFan31]

Only 6 non conference games 2 against non D1 But the other 4 are solid. The neutral and road games are really good. 
 

I like it a lot and think if we play our cards right might have a chance at large bid 

Edited 16 hours ago by ZipsFan31

[kreed5120]

14 minutes ago, ZipsFan31 said:

Only 6 non conference games 2 against non D1 But the other 4 are solid. The neutral and road games are really good. 
 

I like it a lot and think if we play our cards right might have a chance at large bid 

 

While I like the schedule, that is extremely doubtful. Outside of Purdue I just don't see any Q1 win opportunities. Several Q2 and Q3 opportunities, but that isn't going to be enough given the lack of quality win opportunities in MAC play.

 

We would probably need to win 30+ games before we could even enter the conversation. Not saying it's right, but its the reality of the situation based off how the committee has selected teams in the past. 

[Illini Zip]

UMass in conference this year?

[LZIp]

1 hour ago, Illini Zip said:

UMass in conference this year?

Yes 

[ZipsFan31]

10 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

While I like the schedule, that is extremely doubtful. Outside of Purdue I just don't see any Q1 win opportunities. Several Q2 and Q3 opportunities, but that isn't going to be enough given the lack of quality win opportunities in MAC play.

 

We would probably need to win 30+ games before we could even enter the conversation. Not saying it's right, but its the reality of the situation based off how the committee has selected teams in the past. 

I agree we need to win. But if you think about it. I think we will be favored in every game but the Purdue game. Head to conference with 1 loss and you will be on the bubble with a 16-2 conference record. That would be 28-3 going into the MAC tournament. 

[NWAkron]

At large conversation or back to back home losses to start the season:  the 25-26 campaign rests on a knife's edge.

 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by NWAkron

[kreed5120]

2 hours ago, ZipsFan31 said:

I agree we need to win. But if you think about it. I think we will be favored in every game but the Purdue game. Head to conference with 1 loss and you will be on the bubble with a 16-2 conference record. That would be 28-3 going into the MAC tournament. 

 

When has Akron finished non-conference play with only 1 loss? Even the year we were momentarily ranked we lost 4 games in OOC play. I don't see how we would only lose 1 OOC game, especially considering that we have 4 new starters and a very revamped bench unit. It's going to likely take most of OOC play before we start firing on all cylinders.

Edited 2 hours ago by kreed5120