Game 1- Louisiana

[clarkwgriswold]

The Zips head to Lafayette, Louisiana Monday to start there season in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge against the Ragin Cajuns of Louisiana.

 

The Cajuns were predicted to finish 6th in the conference in the conference pre-season poll.  6'3" redshirt junior guard Jamyron Keller was selected to the Sun Blet Pre-season third team.     He is a transfer from Oklahoma State where he averaged 5.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists on the season , played in 38 games with 26 starts.  The Cajuns were 11-22 last season.

 

Here's a preview of the 2026-27 team-

 

https://www.raginreview.com/articles/louisiana-basketball-preview-the-season-is-sneaking-up-and-quannas-white-has-work-to-do

[Let'sGoZips94]

The Sun Belt does a pre season third team? Holy participation trophy, Batman. 

 

The Cajuns have some size, including our old friend Josiah Harris. Given Burton's 6 week or so absence, I doubt he's back for this one but it would be very nice to have him. 

[Zips1991]

I know he doesn't bring anything on offense but does anyone know how long Halligan will be out? Sometimes these early season games can be won with defense, and he brings plenty in that department.

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 minute ago, Zips1991 said:

I know he doesn't bring anything on offense but does anyone know how long Halligan will be out? Sometimes these early season games can be won with defense, and he brings plenty in that department.

 

In the postgame presser, Ford said Halligan would've been available last night if it wasn't an exhibition. Said he will be good to go for Louisiana. 

[kreed5120]

2 minutes ago, Zips1991 said:

I know he doesn't bring anything on offense but does anyone know how long Halligan will be out? Sometimes these early season games can be won with defense, and he brings plenty in that department.

 

Ford said in an interview that Halligan will be back and that him sitting out last night was precautionary. He was healthy enough to play if it was a meaningful game.

[zippy5]

Was hoping we got enough good players to not need minutes from him this year

[Zips1991]

13 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Was hoping we got enough good players to not need minutes from him this year

Well, we'll see. I think there's still going to be a spot for him. Same way there's gonna be a spot for MMK.

[Zippy87]

1 hour ago, zippy5 said:

Was hoping we got enough good players to not need minutes from him this year

 

He has value as a 10-15 minute a night guy off the bench to add energy and defense. Groce starting him last year never made much sense to me, though. 

 

 

[Let'sGoZips94]

2 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

He has value as a 10-15 minute a night guy off the bench to add energy and defense. Groce starting him last year never made much sense to me, though. 

 

 

 

It set the tone in terms of defense/effort expectations. 

[zippy5]

7 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

It set the tone in terms of defense/effort expectations. 

Finding someone who can score points in a game and play defense too would be preferable

[Reslife4Life]

23 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

He has value as a 10-15 minute a night guy off the bench to add energy and defense. Groce starting him last year never made much sense to me, though. 

 

 

I can see Halligan following a Lyles-like development path. Not Enrique like, but after getting some confidence on the floor, he has nothing stopping him from taking form as a solid rotation guy

[clarkwgriswold]

I'm going to take the word of John Groce and Dustin Ford as to what role Zack plays.  The Zips weren't great and seemed to be missing something early last year, though the OOC schedule, and Groce mixed it up starting Zack against EMU in the home opener and it added a gritty element to the team to open the games thereafter.   Zack's never going to a star, but good teams need gritty role players lie Kurt Rambis, Craig Ehlo, John Paxson.....that do the dirty work and keep up the intensity.

[Illini Zip]

Come on, how can you not love a guy who dives on the floor for the opening tip? I believe it was our home game against Can’t State. 

[Westie]

So I’m confused. Not unusual for me.

Is Evan Mahaffey eligible? I see he played last night and he’s on marketing materials. Or is he playing until some judge says otherwise.

 

Thank you! Go Zips!

[clarkwgriswold]

8 minutes ago, Westie said:

So I’m confused. Not unusual for me.

Is Evan Mahaffey eligible? I see he played last night and he’s on marketing materials. Or is he playing until some judge says otherwise.

 

Thank you! Go Zips!

He's eligible, FOR NOW.  Same for Oriol.  It could change with another court decision.

[Zippy87]

3 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

It set the tone in terms of defense/effort expectations. 

 

I think that was a bit overblown, personally. Eric was better in every facet of the game by the final month of the season. It didn't really matter in the end, obviously. 

[clarkwgriswold]

1 minute ago, Zippy87 said:

 

I think that was a bit overblown, personally. Eric was better in every facet of the game by the final month of the season. It didn't really matter in the end, obviously. 

And that's why Eric was in at the end of games.  He was better in that role while Zack was apparently better in the mix of the starters.  You could aways tell who Groce trusted by who had in at the end of games, not the start.

[kreed5120]

45 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

And that's why Eric was in at the end of games.  He was better in that role while Zack was apparently better in the mix of the starters.  You could aways tell who Groce trusted by who had in at the end of games, not the start.

 

Not to mention you don't necessarily always want your best 5 starting the game. There is only 1 basketball and sometimes a player provides more value being the 1st guy off the bench and providing a fresh set of legs to help lead the 2nd unit. At the end of the day minutes played and who finished out games is more telling then who starts.

[Blue & Gold]

11 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Not to mention you don't necessarily always want your best 5 starting the game. There is only 1 basketball and sometimes a player provides more value being the 1st guy off the bench and providing a fresh set of legs to help lead the 2nd unit. At the end of the day minutes played and who finished out games is more telling then who starts.

This may have been Ford's thinking in starting Pence &/or White & bringing Oriol off the bench?

After watching one game, who do you guys think the starting lineup will be? Should be?

[csims0917]

Oriol makes a lot of sense off the bench. They probably want him to fill the Shammah Scott role in the same way Tahj is sort of filling the Tavari role. Ending the game with both of them in the backcourt makes a lot of sense and prevents double teams from happening. 

[kreed5120]

55 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

This may have been Ford's thinking in starting Pence &/or White & bringing Oriol off the bench?

After watching one game, who do you guys think the starting lineup will be? Should be?

 

That's my guess as well. He might eventually start if Ford shakes up the lineup mid-season. I still think Pence will be a very important piece for us. He was a proven contributor on a good mid-major in a conference that is better than the MAC. White IMO is the one most likely to get replaced from the starting line-up IMO (excluding court outcomes). I suppose Barre as well either by Burton (depending on injury timeline) or if Buddy keeps producing.

 

This was the first exhibition and several key pieces are still missing. You want a starting 5 for opening night or who I feel the starters will be come ~January?

Edited Thursday at 12:45 PM by kreed5120

[Blue & Gold]

20 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

This was the first exhibition and several key pieces are still missing. You want a starting 5 for opening night or who I feel the starters will be come ~January?

Opening night vs. the Cajuns

[clarkwgriswold]

58 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

This may have been Ford's thinking in starting Pence &/or White & bringing Oriol off the bench?

After watching one game, who do you guys think the starting lineup will be? Should be?

After hours of thoughtful consideration and extensive research- beats the hell out of me!

 

Tahj, Evan and Pence, and for now Chabi, in that five.

[kreed5120]

1 minute ago, Blue & Gold said:

Opening night vs. the Cajuns

 

I think it will be the same lineup we saw during the exhibition. The one change I could see maybe happening is Halligan starting instead of White.

 

I'm interested in hearing what Burton's timeline for injury return will be. I know he's been out 6 weeks, but not sure if he's weeks away from returning or has months to go.

[Zippy87]

12 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Opening night vs. the Cajuns

 

Assuming no Burton...

 

Mahaffey/Pence/Barre/Oriol/Staveskie/