Game 2- Muskingum

[zippy5]

There's a regional aspect with YSU. We play Bucknell home and home, who as a program and conference affiliation is obviously a lower tier than YSU

[exit322]

22 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

We played YSU home and away as well...

 

Why do we need to play both every year? Especially now since we have a limited number of OOC games with MAC going to 22 games. Playing Wright State is doing our fair part. They're an in state Horizon League school too.

 

Akron has one path to the MAC's annual NCAA Tournament Round of 64 loss, and that's winning the MAC tournament (as Akron isn't going to schedule six D3 schools and a couple schools for the deaf like Miami did).  Why pay teams to come to the JAR when this is an option?

 

Those 22 games are enough of a warm up for the MAC tournament...while we'll always differ on this, I'd rather play local schools that might draw a few fans (and that we don't have to pay to come here).  Wright State is another one to play every year, for sure.

[clarkwgriswold]

Why play a bottom feeder in the Horizon when we can play the 4th place team the 4th place team in the Ohio Athletic Conference?

[Zips1991]

33 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

We play Wright State on the road and they play in the same conference. YSU and CSU historically are bottom feeders in the Horizon and that's the bigger problem. Also, if I recall correctly the attendance for those games were never good to begin with so it's not really a rivalry worth preserving just for the sake of preserving.

I agree it didn't really help attendance anyways. And yes, I think Wright State being better is a key reason why we play them on the road. But I think it's also because it's not in Northeast Ohio so a loss wouldn't focused on as much as losing to a more local team. But as you said, with more conference games now, there's not much room to play home OOC games anyways.

[kreed5120]

44 minutes ago, exit322 said:

 

Akron has one path to the MAC's annual NCAA Tournament Round of 64 loss, and that's winning the MAC tournament (as Akron isn't going to schedule six D3 schools and a couple schools for the deaf like Miami did).  Why pay teams to come to the JAR when this is an option?

 

Those 22 games are enough of a warm up for the MAC tournament...while we'll always differ on this, I'd rather play local schools that might draw a few fans (and that we don't have to pay to come here).  Wright State is another one to play every year, for sure.

 

Seeding still matters. If you make the tournament as an 11 or 12 seed you have a better chance of winning than as a 13 or 14 seed.

 

I feel if CSU or YSU were actually draws then they would be scheduled. Akron really isn't in a position to turn down 10s of thousands of dollars if either opponent generated any meaningful amount of attendance boost.

 

Edit: And to be clear I would love to have a regional OOC rivalry. It's just that YSU is too fixed on football to invest anything into their basketball program and CSU is too poor from their oversized basketball arena that is a financial drain to the university (relatable). I'm not actively rooting against either one to fail. They just don't seem to care about basketball as a school or a fan base. You can't force a rivalry where one doesn't exist.

 

A program like Wright State we better align with even though they're further away. Both are the top program in their respected mid-major conference.

Edited yesterday at 07:06 PM by kreed5120

[Zips1991]

2 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Seeding still matters. If you make the tournament as an 11 or 12 seed you have a better chance of winning than as a 13 or 14 seed.

 

I feel if CSU or YSU were actually draws then they would be scheduled. Akron really isn't in a position to turn down 10s of thousands of dollars if either opponent generated any meaningful amount of attendance boost.

I know it was an exhibition but there were probably only about 20-25 (no more than 50) YSU fans in attendance for that game. If it were football, they would bring a lot of fans but not for basketball.

[kreed5120]

17 minutes ago, Zips1991 said:

I know it was an exhibition but there were probably only about 20-25 (no more than 50) YSU fans in attendance for that game. If it were football, they would bring a lot of fans but not for basketball.

 

Yes, and Muskingum probably would draw a similar number or more. Looking at YSU they have 1 player from Ohio and he's from Columbus. Muskingum last entire roster is from Ohio. They will have some amount of friends and family show up.

[clarkwgriswold]

53 minutes ago, Zips1991 said:

I know it was an exhibition but there were probably only about 20-25 (no more than 50) YSU fans in attendance for that game. If it were football, they would bring a lot of fans but not for basketball.

There weren't 50 UA fans when the scrimmage was at YSU last year.

[exit322]

56 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Seeding still matters. If you make the tournament as an 11 or 12 seed you have a better chance of winning than as a 13 or 14 seed.

 

I feel if CSU or YSU were actually draws then they would be scheduled. Akron really isn't in a position to turn down 10s of thousands of dollars if either opponent generated any meaningful amount of attendance boost.

 

Edit: And to be clear I would love to have a regional OOC rivalry. It's just that YSU is too fixed on football to invest anything into their basketball program and CSU is too poor from their oversized basketball arena that is a financial drain to the university (relatable). I'm not actively rooting against either one to fail. They just don't seem to care about basketball as a school or a fan base. You can't force a rivalry where one doesn't exist.

 

A program like Wright State we better align with even though they're further away. Both are the top program in their respected mid-major conference.

 

(I would prefer to play YSU every year in football, even if we have to travel to an FCS stadium.  Better to me than paying $300K for a random FCS team to come to Infocision).  With NIL, I don't think seeding much matters anymore.  The mid-majors aren't winning a game in the tournament.  Your argument, though, is 100% reasonable and is probably the more technically accurate statement.

[Zips1991]

4 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

There weren't 50 UA fans when the scrimmage was at YSU last year.

Well, I live 10 minutes from the arena and didn't go so I'm first to take the blame. 🥲

[kreed5120]

1 minute ago, exit322 said:

 

(I would prefer to play YSU every year in football, even if we have to travel to an FCS stadium.  Better to me than paying $300K for a random FCS team to come to Infocision).  With NIL, I don't think seeding much matters anymore.  The mid-majors aren't winning a game in the tournament.  Your argument, though, is 100% reasonable and is probably the more technically accurate statement.

 

This isn't really about football. That can be discussed elsewhere.

 

A few mid-majors win every year, including last year. Last year we even saw a 16 seed take Duke down to the final minute. Upsets still happen in the tournament even if they are less prevalent than before.

[csims0917]

1 hour ago, Zips1991 said:

I know it was an exhibition but there were probably only about 20-25 (no more than 50) YSU fans in attendance for that game. If it were football, they would bring a lot of fans but not for basketball.

Whats sad is I saw that crowd and looked at my gf and saidthat might end up being a top 5 away attendance for the year lol

Edited yesterday at 08:41 PM by csims0917

[LZIp]

6 hours ago, Zips1991 said:

Muskingum doesn't list states on their roster, so should we assume they're all from Ohio? 

https://www.fightingmuskies.com/sports/mbkb/2026-27/roster

They have someone from my teeny tiny hometown on the team. Excitement is building 

[exit322]

23 minutes ago, LZIp said:

They have someone from my teeny tiny hometown on the team. Excitement is building 

They have a few small schools on there!

[kreed5120]

I've seen some good content online today with the dance team and basketball players going around campus to interact with the student body and informing them about tonight's game.

 

Not sure if it will lead to a good student showing, but if not it wasn't from a lack of effort.

 

Edit: Dance team was passing out donuts this morning I saw some where. This is the video I saw of several of the basketball players going around campus.

 

https://x.com/ZipsMBB/status/2119899687658680771?a=ph5hYJ8Yle7KMBFmQ-I&s=19

Edited 22 hours ago by kreed5120

[exit322]

35 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

I've seen some good content online today with the dance team and basketball players going around campus to interact with the student body and informing them about tonight's game.

 

Not sure if it will lead to a good student showing, but if not it wasn't from a lack of effort.

 

Edit: Dance team was passing out donuts this morning I saw some where. This is the video I saw of several of the basketball players going around campus.

 

https://x.com/ZipsMBB/status/2119899687658680771?a=ph5hYJ8Yle7KMBFmQ-I&s=19

 

Goodrich is doing everything he possibly can, and I hope it pays dividends with the crowds.

[Reslife4Life]

No parking attendant at the east garage. I really don’t know why they put all that effort into parking when it’s free

[Reslife4Life]

Head, Burton, and Henderson (also in a boot) in sweats

[Reslife4Life]

Tahj with some Casteneda range to start the game

[csims0917]

Where can I get a Len Paul jersey like the ones the family have. Those are awesome

[Reslife4Life]

Halligan for 3

[Reslife4Life]

Halligan with 2 bad passes and checks out 

[Reslife4Life]

Also really good student turnout tonight. The end bleachers have a really nice student contingency 

[csims0917]

Exhibition had a nice student crowd too. Hope this trend continues. I think a sellout against Miami is possible 

[WeRise225]

Pence horrendous at the line