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Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: Official Game 17 Thread: Akron
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spongeBOB CATpants
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Posted: 1/17/2025 9:18 AM
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Recovering Journalist wrote:expand_more
Still no line out on the game. Are they waiting until the bus arrives?
Fanduel and Vegasinsider have Ohio +2.5
That's a surprising line to me because these are the kinds of road games that even good Ohio teams rarely win.
Up to +3.5 as I type this out. Agreed, I was expecting like +5.5 but we'll see where it closes at. Akron played poorly at home against Toledo and we've been on a roll so maybe they are taking that into consideration.
Recovering Journalist
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Posted: 1/17/2025 9:59 AM
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spongeBOB CATpants wrote:expand_more
Still no line out on the game. Are they waiting until the bus arrives?
Fanduel and Vegasinsider have Ohio +2.5
That's a surprising line to me because these are the kinds of road games that even good Ohio teams rarely win.
Up to +3.5 as I type this out. Agreed, I was expecting like +5.5 but we'll see where it closes at. Akron played poorly at home against Toledo and we've been on a roll so maybe they are taking that into consideration.
Maybe Vegas doesn't realize just how easy it is to roll against the likes of NIU and Buffalo. The best conference win was at home against a mediocre 8-8 BallS team.
Victory
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Posted: 1/17/2025 11:06 AM
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I get about 84½-80½
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 1/17/2025 12:39 PM
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This feels like the day we actually learn where this team stands. Right now, I think we basically know: 1) That the bottom two thirds of the MAC is really, really bad, and 2) we weren't nearly as competitive against a mediocre non-conference schedule as you'd expect the MAC front runner to be.

Today it seems like we learn if (2) is a commentary on us as a team, or the MAC as a conference. At minimum, we need to make Akron work really hard to beat us at home, and show that the best teams in the MAC aren't going to be able to exploit our defensive/rebounding weaknesses as easily as a lot of our non-conference schedule did.

If we do those two things, it'll make me pretty confident that we can win in Cleveland this year.
Last Edited: 1/17/2025 1:05:36 PM by Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
Recovering Journalist
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Posted: 1/17/2025 1:01 PM
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:expand_more
This feels like the day we actually learn where this team stands. Right now, I think we basically know: 1) That the bottom two thirds of the MAC is really, really bad, and 2) know we weren't nearly as competitive against a mediocre non-conference schedule as you'd expect the MAC front runner to be.

Today it seems like we learn if (2) is a commentary on us as a team, or the MAC as a conference. At minimum, we need to make Akron work really hard to beat us at home, and show that the best teams in the MAC aren't going to be able to exploit our defensive/rebounding weaknesses as easily as a lot of our non-conference schedule did.

If we do those two things, it'll make me pretty confident that we can win in Cleveland this year.
Exactly this. A road game against a fellow MAC contender will tell us whether this team has improved since a disappointing non-conference performance or if 4-0 against the dregs of a bad conference is fool's gold.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 1/17/2025 1:04 PM
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Line shifts to Akron -1.5.

Keep in mind it is a road game in the MAC against a top 3ish team in the conference. Those aren't generally wins. You just hope to have a chance at the end and maybe nab one. AJ Brown my pick to click tonight based on how smooth he looked the last couple games.
GraffZ06
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Posted: 1/17/2025 1:24 PM
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Torvik predicts Akron 83-80. 38% chance of Ohio win.
Haslam predicts Akron 84.4-79.4.

A 3-5 point loss would solidify us as a top 3/4 team IMO with expectations of returning the L to them in the Convo.

Stealing a W would be amazing but certainly not expected.

Getting blown out would be a bummer but not the end of the world. Would want to see how we respond with 2 big ones at home against Kent and Toledo coming up.

We've gotten good production from Hadaway and Reef during our winning streak. Hope that continues tonight.
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Posted: 1/17/2025 1:27 PM
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Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
Line shifts to Akron -1.5.

Keep in mind it is a road game in the MAC against a top 3ish team in the conference. Those aren't generally wins. You just hope to have a chance at the end and maybe nab one. AJ Brown my pick to click tonight based on how smooth he looked the last couple games.
Ha. Makes me wonder if the handful of degenerates betting on this game read our message board.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 1/17/2025 1:42 PM
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GraffZ06 wrote:expand_more
We've gotten good production from Hadaway and Reef during our winning streak. Hope that continues tonight.
I'm increasingly convinced that Reef's basically the key to our season. He should be our second most impactful player after Clayton, and his perimeter defense is critical to what we do.

We saw in the non-conference how lost we looked without him, and I think his getting back to the scoring efficiency he showed last year is basically our most viable path to becoming a much better team between now and MAC tournament.
M.D.W.S.T
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Posted: 1/17/2025 2:46 PM
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Recovering Journalist wrote:expand_more
Line shifts to Akron -1.5.

Keep in mind it is a road game in the MAC against a top 3ish team in the conference. Those aren't generally wins. You just hope to have a chance at the end and maybe nab one. AJ Brown my pick to click tonight based on how smooth he looked the last couple games.
Ha. Makes me wonder if the handful of degenerates betting on this game read our message board.
Bobbies by 1000!
BobcatJay
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Posted: 1/17/2025 2:48 PM
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I think the biggest thing in tonight's game is just staying close. I don't think there is a world where the cats fail to make the MAC tourney so just having the confidence that you can stay with a team like Akron (or possibly stealing a road win) is a not only a huge confidence boost in the matchups coming soon but later on down the road in Cleveland (and beyond).

Sidenote: line looks like it's been teetering between +2.5 to +3.5 throughout the day, either way, go Cats!
El Gato Roberto
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Posted: 1/17/2025 3:08 PM
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Looking forward to tuning in. Hoping for another classic Akron-Ohio game.
BillyTheCat
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Posted: 1/17/2025 3:40 PM
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Recovering Journalist wrote:expand_more
Line shifts to Akron -1.5.

Keep in mind it is a road game in the MAC against a top 3ish team in the conference. Those aren't generally wins. You just hope to have a chance at the end and maybe nab one. AJ Brown my pick to click tonight based on how smooth he looked the last couple games.
Ha. Makes me wonder if the handful of degenerates betting on this game read our message board.
Hell, the degenerates, could be on this message board ;-)
Bobcat1996
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Posted: 1/17/2025 3:52 PM
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BillyTheCat wrote:expand_more
Line shifts to Akron -1.5.

Keep in mind it is a road game in the MAC against a top 3ish team in the conference. Those aren't generally wins. You just hope to have a chance at the end and maybe nab one. AJ Brown my pick to click tonight based on how smooth he looked the last couple games.
Ha. Makes me wonder if the handful of degenerates betting on this game read our message board.
Hell, the degenerates, could be on this message board ;-)
The Zips are without starter Josiah Harris, who has missed several games. This will help the Bobcats.
bobcatsquared
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Posted: 1/17/2025 5:01 PM
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Is Harris injured or is it a disciplinary issue? I've heard a little of both.

Tell me starting forward James Okonkwo doesn't look like Enrique Freeman is still playing for the Zips. His physical appearance, not his game.

With Harris out, Akron has been starting Okonkwo (6-7) and four players 6-3 or shorter.

Not sure if there's a better frosh in the MAC than Akron guard Sharron Young.

Any Athens locals remember coach Groce having a young son while he was coaching the Bobcats? Akron has a Conner Groce on its roster, listed as a 6-0 frosh from nearby Richfield.
Ryan Carey
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Posted: 1/17/2025 5:48 PM
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That's is Groce's son.
JSF
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:07 PM
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Both sidelines wearing the same shirt.
JSF
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:09 PM
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Two corner threes in the first two possessions is a good sign.
shabamon
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:22 PM
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I dont see Elmore
BobcatSports
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:22 PM
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Where’s Elmore James?
shabamon
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:27 PM
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We blatantly decide not to feed Clayton in the post when the littlest guy on the court has switched on him.
JSF
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:29 PM
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4/18 from the field, but only down 3.
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:32 PM
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They're a lot more physical than us. Seems like they've got 20 pounds on us at every position.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:35 PM
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Im at the game and came here for Intel on Elmore. I do not see him on the bench. No mention on the TV or radio broadcasts?
GoCats105
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Posted: 1/17/2025 6:37 PM
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Clayton being Ofer and only down 4 at the under 8 is crazy.
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