You know what's weird about this Akron team - and I don't know if its a slam against them or the league - But:

Best I can tell vs. both MAC and non-con games, the Zips have yet to beat a team ranked above them in Kenpom or NCAA Net. I have to double-check the Kent game, but that might be the only one.

Yet they are steadily rising in both Net and Kenpom, inside the top 100 in both.

Strange that the metrics in both would reward them so highly - especially with the MAC overall ranked so low. If not Kent, I don't believe the Zips have played a game vs. a team ranked above them since non-con.

Last loss was to Princeton which was a Top 100 team when they played them but now 150-ish in both Kenpom and NCAA Net.

All this does not negate the fact they are clearly the best team in the league this season, hands down. Just curious they would rank so high in the metrics, considering ...

Don't get outrebounded by 15 and we might have a chance.

In true Groce fashion, they go deep into the bench with nine guys averaging more than 15 minutes per game. Ten if you count Josiah Harris who has been injured since early in the season. All of those guys average at least 5ppg, led by the Johnson & Johnson backcourt (hello NIL opportunity).

Team stats:

1st in MAC in offensive ppg
4th in MAC in defensive ppg
1st in scoring margin (by quite a bit)
2nd in 3pt shooting
1st in defensive 3pt shooting (not good for Ohio)
8th in total free throws (surprisingly don't get to the line that much, read into that what you will)
1st in rebounding, but 10th in opponent rebounding
8th in TO margin
1st in Assist/TO ratio

https://getsomemaction.com/stats.aspx?path=mbball&year=2024

Who posted the following from the game thread of the first Akron game in January?

"We are beating this team (Akron) in Athens. Carve it in marble."



Then, who said this in a reply from same game thread?

"I'm with you on this!!!! Play poorly and stayed hanging around."

I dunno about game of the year. That should be reserved for Cleveland IMO. Would be a nice momentum game and help in us trying to get the 3 seed from Toledo for sure.

Torvik has it a 2 point loss 84-82.
Haslam has it a 4 point loss 84.5 to 80.5.

Going to take a great effort to pull this one off.

Looking back at this years team I think it's fair to say Hadaway was the energy guy.

But when it comes to the emotional leader, heart and soul of the team, it's the grad student trying to extend his playing career. Fighting back from a knee injury. This is Reefs team from here on out IMO.

AJC isn't "the man" and was never going to be "the man". It's just not him. We just need AJC to play like AJC rather than BRod 2.0.

AJB is the most talented player on the team. I'd love to see him BECOME "the man" and take his game to the next level.

I think we need 20+ from likely both AJB and Reef to win this game.

Pavs, keep making shots and please play some semblance of defense.

Searls get us some rebounds and easy buckets when you're in the game to hold your own.

E26, that would be Elijah Elliott #6, has stepped into the Hadaway energy role and just oozes potential. Dare I say he reminds me a bit of a freshman Mark Sears, limited in minutes initially but slowly coming into his own. If he gets us 8-12 pts and 4+ rebounds while playing active D were golden.

I still think, like the metrics, this is probably a loss. But give me the above and there's a path to winning this game and kick starting our March run.

I'll be at this one, looks like we'll have a nice crowd based on the marketing emails I've gotten. Saying the lower bowl is sold out, which is a good sign. Let's make some shots early and get the crowd going from the tip.

it will be a nice crowd based on the lower standards for attendance. This is the type of game that should 8-10k on a Saturday, but will probably be 5-6.

I do see that the lower bowl is sold out (which is a good sign, but that's only 3k seats), but tons and tons of seats are still available above the concourse. Hopefully a good student and walkup turnout will boost it.

Either way, I hope it's loud.
I'm there, section 109. There will be cursing. Make noise, people.

Mike Laster was a steady improver and had an All-MAC caliber senior season. He was awesome.

Edit: Ok, more objectively, he had a very good senior season. 14.5 per game, about 3 boards, and 39% from deep. he did have 6 games scoring 20 or more. was generally playing minutes in the 30s.

With BG beating Toledo tonight, a win here gets us to 3rd in the MAC!

This can't be the same team we've watched all year. What a performance so far.

We should probably start looking somewhere else for a coach who can recruit better.

In all seriousness, wish THAT game happened in 3 weeks in Cleveland, but you can't complain about the result.