MAC 2025-26 SZN

[1981 grad]

After the Tulane game, I think that Akron's 2 losses to Purdue and Yale were probably 2 of our better played games.  I thought we played OK against Tulane but we played much better against Purdue and Yale.  In other words, this team can play ok basketball and win on the road against a decent team.  It is very early in the season but this might be one of Groce's most talented teams.  Time will tell.  

[LZIp]

8 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

After the Tulane game, I think that Akron's 2 losses to Purdue and Yale were probably 2 of our better played games.  I thought we played OK against Tulane but we played much better against Purdue and Yale.  In other words, this team can play ok basketball and win on the road against a decent team.  It is very early in the season but this might be one of Groce's most talented teams.  Time will tell.  

I think this is Groce’s most talented team yet at UA

[kreed5120]

14 minutes ago, LZIp said:

I think this is Groce’s most talented team yet at UA

 

Most talented offensively for sure. I feel there is still a lot to be worked on defensively. We don't seem to be great defensively in the half-court when we face teams that don't turn the ball over.

 

Tulane started something like 1-11 from 3, but at least 5-6 of those misses there wasn't a Zips defender within 8 feet. Those are shots a better team will knock down. We need to work better on being quicker on our defensive rotations and not being out of position. I'm not saying this to be nitpicky. The 3-point line is the great equalizer and if we don't correct it someone will capitalize.

[Reslife4Life]

23 minutes ago, LZIp said:

I think this is Groce’s most talented team yet at UA

I don’t know it is very hard to compete with that 19-20 team because you had an insane group of upperclassmen and very good freshmen. LCJ still is the most talented Akron guard I’ve ever seen

[Captain Kangaroo]

7 minutes ago, LZIp said:

I think this is Groce’s most talented team yet at UA

💯

 

It’s as good as the Cheese, Banks, Casteneda, Williams, LCJ line up, but deeper. And Barre could be the wild card that allows us to make some noise against the big boys. 

 

After the Purdue game Groce said “Purdue’s one of the best teams in the nation, but we’re one of the best teams in the nation too.” He knows this is a special group. It isn’t a taped-together group of 1-year mercenaries. It’s a seasoned group of talented guys who’ve been together for a while. Sprinkled with a nice mix of new ballers who’ve more than filled the 2024-25 departure gaps.
 

Worst case this Zips edition should go 16-2 in the MAC. BG, EMU, Kent, Miami, Buffalo…they have nice teams. But they aren’t at our level.

[clarkwgriswold]

Probably the most talented, definitely the deepest.

 

One area they continue to get beat on defense is on the perimeter.  They are dedicated to playing help defense which has the defenders on the off side of the ball sagging into or close in the lane when the ball is on the other side of the floor.  When the opponent swings the ball quickly they're caught responding late leaving open threes.  They're also getting occasionally beat by cutters to the basket.

Edited 8 hours ago by clarkwgriswold

[Let'sGoZips94]

The MAC dropped on the higher end (except Akron), but gained on the lower end in NET.

 

41 Akron (2nd highest in Ohio now, 1 spot behind OSUcks)

89 BUGS

91 Miami OH

134 Buffalo

146 PCCC

159 Toledo

169 EMU

198 UMass

236 Ohio

254 WMU

312 CMU

319 NIU

340 Balls

[kreed5120]

7 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

The MAC dropped on the higher end (except Akron), but gained on the lower end in NET.

 

41 Akron (2nd highest in Ohio now, 1 spot behind OSUcks)

89 BUGS

91 Miami OH

134 Buffalo

146 PCCC

159 Toledo

169 EMU

198 UMass

236 Ohio

254 WMU

312 CMU

319 NIU

340 Balls

 

I was kind of expecting UB to slide. Still a good year for them if they end up being the 4th or 5th best MAC team, but I never really thought they were better than Miami.

[1981 grad]

Great discussion on whether this may be Groce's best team but we will need to wait till the end of the season.  I have been wrong on so many things.  I never saw Lyles developing into a scorer after his first year.  I also was not happy with Scott because he did not penetrate his first year and missed layups if somebody was close to him.  The progress these guys made under Groce is amazing.  I always thought Tavari would be a player but took a bunch of criticism for people on this board who wanted him to transfer.  The point being is that it is impossible to predict how this team will do this year but everyone should be happy on what we have seen thus far.  If we can improve our rebounding, (like yesterday), toughness, and defense, maybe that elucive first win in the ncaa tourney may be in our future.

[Let'sGoZips94]

34 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

I was kind of expecting UB to slide. Still a good year for them if they end up being the 4th or 5th best MAC team, but I never really thought they were better than Miami.

 

We have no idea what Miami is this year - yet. They have played 1 team - 1 - in the top 300 NET so far. Charlie Coles is rolling in his grave with this OOC schedule for the sweaters. 

 

Buffalo's resume is impressive. That single digit loss to St. Bonnie yesterday is very respectable. 

[kreed5120]

4 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

We have no idea what Miami is this year - yet. They have played 1 team - 1 - in the top 300 NET so far. Charlie Coles is rolling in his grave with this OOC schedule for the sweaters. 

 

Buffalo's resume is impressive. That single digit loss to St. Bonnie yesterday is very respectable. 

My evaluation on Miami is based off of last year and what they returned from that team. I agree they haven't accomplished anything significant this year given their schedule.

 

Yes, I'm not discrediting UB. I just didn't see them keeping up that level of play as the season progresses. Not to say they couldn't prove me wrong.

Edited 7 hours ago by kreed5120

[Let'sGoZips94]

8 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

My evaluation on Miami is based off of last year and what they returned from that team. I agree they haven't accomplished anything significant this year given their schedule.

 

Yes, I'm not discrediting UB. I just didn't see them keeping up that level of play as the season progresses. Not to say they couldn't prove me wrong.

 

The sneaky part about Buffalo is Freitag. Nobody really expected the impact he has had. 

[clarkwgriswold]

1 hour ago, 1981 grad said:

Great discussion on whether this may be Groce's best team but we will need to wait till the end of the season.  I have been wrong on so many things.  I never saw Lyles developing into a scorer after his first year.  I also was not happy with Scott because he did not penetrate his first year and missed layups if somebody was close to him.  The progress these guys made under Groce is amazing.  I always thought Tavari would be a player but took a bunch of criticism for people on this board who wanted him to transfer.  The point being is that it is impossible to predict how this team will do this year but everyone should be happy on what we have seen thus far.  If we can improve our rebounding, (like yesterday), toughness, and defense, maybe that elucive first win in the ncaa tourney may be in our future.

 

I too was skeptical of Lyles and figured at best he'd be a 10 or 12 minute guy some day and was likely a transfer portal candidate.  As for Scott, I always had faith in him as it was obvious Groce had faith in him as he played him more and more at the end of games as his first season wound down.  That's always a good measure of Groce's feelings about a player.

[ZippyRulz]

On 12/5/2025 at 2:38 PM, kreed5120 said:

Can they take the directional Michigan's with them?

 

That won't happen.

 

[RoyalBlu]

4 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

My evaluation on Miami is based off of last year and what they returned from that team. I agree they haven't accomplished anything significant this year given their schedule.

 

Yes, I'm not discrediting UB. I just didn't see them keeping up that level of play as the season progresses. Not to say they couldn't prove me wrong.

 

I think both Miami and Kent fall under the heading of "how good" are they, as both have very suspect OOC schedules albeit for different reasons.

 

For Miami, they just haven't played any team of Top 150 quality whatsoever. Last year, and most top returners back, is all there is to measure them by.

 

Kent has played several Top 150-type teams (4 teams 161 Kenpom or higher), but all home/neutral. Combine that with their obvious change in playing style (defense to offense) and it's tough to measure them until the next few weeks when they play three straight road games. I mean, how many mid-majors go 9-1 without playing a true road game???

 

Both teams are probably good ... but "how good" is still TBD.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by RoyalBlu