Today is the day. We lost last night. How does our team react today? They can hang their head, they can sigh and surrender. Or they can stoke the internal fire, resolve to get it back, and ask the coaching staff what they can do to make sure it's different next time.

Adversity is when you find out who you are. This isn't like losing to Oklahoma or Memphis or Robert Morris. Now, your closest rivals is brimming with confidence. They don't just think they can win in Cleveland- they KNOW they can win in Cleveland. There is work to do. Do we accept it or refuse it?

This is the only thread worth reading this morning.   My voice is gone from last night, but I've still got some optimism left.  This is still a very dangerous team.  Let Akron enjoy this ride, but we all know were still going to be in the back of their minds until we meet again in Cleveland.

Anyways, I found some video from last night.  This is what happens when Bo Boroski and Akron spoil your night.  I wish all bobcats could get along... http://youtu.be/5K9uNuN8PAg

Offut's very makeable three goes in, and the world is a different place this morning, eh?  

Funny how it works.

As a buddy of mine says, "If if's and but's were candies and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas." Lots of points were left out there last night.  Offutt missed a makeable shot at the rim, Coop missed the front end of a 1-and-1, etc...

Saturday will tell us what we need to know about this team.  How will they respond against BGSU?  Do they get off the mat and go take care of the Falcons?  Or do they let this linger?  These seniors have been through a lot of adversity, I think they will handle it.  But looking down the road to Cleveland, we need Baltic and Kellogg to start being factors.  If not, we don't beat Akron in Cleveland.  Those guys have to contribute valuable minutes, and combining for 2 points will not get it done, period.

Seat is not even luke warm.  And criticism comes with the career.  Reality is anything short of playing in the Sweet 16 will disappoint/anger many - "he took a sweet 16 team..."  He, the AD, and Pres knew this going in.  My concern, the players knew they had a built in excuse - "well we changed coaches..."  Time for seniors to step up.  Only one game matters.  The coaches need to prepare a game plan that can beat a very, very good team.  But the players need to execute (make shots, box out, etc.).  Only one game matters now.

"the players knew they had a built in excuse"?  Really?  So, you are telling me that after I talked with Offutt and Kellogg and Stevie and how excited they were for this year and to not only repeat last year but go farther, they decided to not win at home against Akron and blame JC for being the new coach.  Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.  I truly believe it is Christian because other than the success he had at Kent (which is around the same time OU was struggling to get good teams) he hasn't proven to be the one to take over an up and rising program such as ours.  What did he do down at TCU?  Not a whole lot if you ask me.  They are one of the worst programs now and I hope we are not on the same road.  I don't see why Christian was the "magic man" to take over such a great program like OU.  Man, I miss Groce and I don't care what anyone says, I miss that coach.  He rebuilt this program and now JC is slowly tearing it down.  Sure we are 11-2 in the MAC and have 20 wins this season but this is almost like Phil Jackson coaching the Bulls in the early 90's, you can't lose too many games with the players we have.  

All I can say is I hope I am wrong and JC becomes one of the greatest coaches to step in the Convo.  But, it's not looking positive right now.  

In the cool light of the new day, I'll say the same thing that I thought last night while watching - if any of our players gave two s^%$# about taking a hard rebound inside, we win that game going away.  Walter Offutt plays 6 inches taller than he is and mixes it up in the paint, a poor man's Charles Barkley.  I love that.  Beyond Walt, I just don't see that attribute out on the court.  Offensive rebounds turn quickly into points.  That is the only consistent flaw I see with these guys and coaching ( to address another thread) has absolutely nothing to do with this.

Its tough to beat a team 3 times in one season and that is what Akron is facing in Cleveland against Ohio. 

You do realize we have a bye to the semi finals locked up with one more win or WMU loss right? That means all we have to do is beat WMU in Cleveland to make the finals. 

Now that i have had time to cool off, my thoughts are as follows:

1. While im disappointed in losing and not winning the MAC regular season title, we still have EVERYTHING to play for. We take care of business and we get one more shot at Akron in Cleveland. Akron is a really good team, but so are we. We are even with them. A couple shots go differently and we win the game wednesday.

2. Everyone needs to calm down about JC and rebounding. This team couldnt rebound last year and its due to the type of players and style JG recruited and played. Groce liked to play a perimeter oriented fast paced style, which while effective hurts your rebounding. This isnt a new thing with this team. Christian had Kent teams that were consistently the best in the MAC with both inherited players and players he recruited. Christian haters need to check themselves.

3. What an AWESOME crowd. That was a Big Ten level atmosphere on a wednesday night in the MAC. In the MAC, our Better is better than everyone elses Better. That was an electric crowd and looked impressive on tv.

Bottom line, we win in Cleveland in 2 weeks, everyone will be happy. See you at the Q. Secrest Out