Ezuma is a truck with bad brakes, tires, and steering wheel vs ----- anyone.....

BRod was 0-3 from the line on Tuesday. Tonight he literally couldn't hit the rim. Total collapse and his minutes need to go to someone else.

+1 I like your take. While I’m worried about Cleveland, I’m not distraught. Your youthful optimism gives hope to my soul!

I agree with you on the intensity observation, but I was referring to athleticism, as several are blaming our recent struggles on lack of athleticism. My point is Ohio was able to overcome that supposed athleticism disadvantage earlier in the season, so I don't think that's what's leading to the losses to good teams recently.

I agree with many of the posts about the things we did not do well. It is worth noting that Akron
played really well. Many of the shots they made in the first half were very difficult shots. They will be hard to beat if they play like that every night in the tournament.

No, no and no. BRod sat the final 15 min. last night because he's providing little toward our team's chances of winning. One of better foul shooters? At 64%? Mismatch defensively in most matchups. Does play hard, but contributing little. And yes, I've "watched him closely" too.

cc-cat came up from Charlotte for his first game in the Convo in years, joining me, SBH and others from the early 1980s Crazy Cats, the predecessor to the OZone. cc-cat was wondering if Ohio has tired legs. I told him that it's an issue of athletes going up against non-athletes, which are relative terms. You put our players on the court at Ping and they're the most athletics players on the floor. You put them on the court v. an NBA team and they're the least athletic. I believe our players, compared with the better teams in the league, are less athletic. And it showed last night.

A couple of nights in Cleveland will determine what prevails. A team with quality basketball players good enough to beat UB and split with Akron and Kent? Or the teams with superior athletes that have exposed OUr team the last couple of Fridays?

This discussion on athleticism is rather interesting and seems to break along the style of game the poster grew up with - the urban game v the small town/rural game, ie, southeast Ohio basketball.

We all know March is about peaking at the right time. To do that you have to make adjustments that put us in the best position to win the game. We have also seen Gross get teams in March to adjust and peak, so this game is one of those that shouldn't shock us.

Having said that, we also have seen that Boals is able to able to get teams to peak in March. I have no doubt there will be adjustments in those games against the other top 4 teams. The question will be can we execute those adjustments into game speeds?

Seeing what happen to 7 of the 10 teams in the nation this past week, gives me hope that on any given night a team can have an off night and get beat OR can have a great night and win. And that is why I love March Madness.

We will be ready when that calendar rolls over tonight at midnight for the MARCH to Cleveland. I look for us to have a good week, get some confidence with a couple of wins and peak in Cleveland!

Digesting this one. Was really looking forward to the game and was, like everyone else, hugely disappointed. In no particular order:

Really disappointed in the overall effort Friday night (as I'm sure the team is as well). No intensity, We got punched in the nose and never responded. Sorry folks, that's on the coaching. That's on Boals. Don't let the final few minutes blur the vision. We were dominated.

Team is going the wrong direction. Toledo, Kent and Buffalo are all getting better. Akron is better than us. Unless we get this thing turned around in a hurry, loss in semis (at best) is our destiny. Interesting what is now being debated on this board "we won't get an NIT bid". Boy have we fallen in the last few weeks. Sears has gone from player of the year candidate to fighting for 2nd team all-conference - can't navigate the double team (though that's not all on him - double team means a teammate is open - they need to help out - so he\'s not left trying to dribble through it). BVP and Carter look tired, BRod is not in a slump - he is what he is (The fact BRod is still starting is a reflecting of our lack of depth. He's losing minutes and should be). Brown and bench players are delivering on their roles, but consistency is always an issue.

Ron Rivera used to say when asked about the Panthers record - "we are what we are." we are a good team, probably not a very good team and certainly not a great one. We have won the games we were suppose to in a watered down MAC (unlike Frank ad football), and have lost games to better teams (Toledo, and Kent who are the hottest team in league). Do need to keep in mind we are doing this without Wilson, McDay and what we thought we had in Roderick) - tough when 3 of the top 6 you were expecting are not able to deliver.

Athleticism - people sound offended when its declared we are not as athletic as other top teams in the MAC - just watch the film of the Akron game, They were faster, quicker, stronger. It is the composition of our team. If we shoot the 3 well, we can make up for it... to a degree, but its catching up with us. Thought maybe the season is just catching up with us, Lot of minutes for a few guys - gets draining.

I don't see BVP coming back - time to spread his wings. If Wilson returns I could see up to 3 other new starters next year: Portal, freshmen, McDay, ??? I trust the trajectory of the program. Boals is on top of it - every year brings new bodies and competition. We need to take a next step - need to get better, need to be more athletic, need a bit more anger and intensity, confident we will continue to grow.

As we approach Cleveland it is what we always know it is. Regular season means little. All about who gets hot in March. Toledo, Kent, Buffalo, and even Akron are playing better than we are. Coaching needs to make adjustments - since the better teams have figured us out and we will need to shoot lights out that whole week. On to Cleveland.

C'mon Green!!!

In the case of Buffalo and Kent we caught them early. Buffalo has won 9 straight since we beat them. Kent is 12-2 since we beat them. Also helped that al three teams shot well below their season average when we beat them. Can argue why -- defense or just bad shooting. But in case of Buff and Kent - they are completely different and better than when we beat them.

John Groce says....hold my beer please.

March 10, 2022

MAC Quarterfinals

Akron 70
Buffalo 68

*Groce is still dangerous in March.

*Freeman and Ali Ali are players. Freeman is the new Devin Davis of the MAC.

*Still can't believe how badly Buffalo effed up with the hiring of Whitesell. What a waste of two years with Williams, Segu and Mballa. Buffalo will have 750 people going to games next year with those three gone.

If you're going to quote me, get it right. My prediction was UB was going to make the title game. In fact, I'm the one idiot in the poll to pick UB to make it to Saturday night.

Here's hoping that tomorrow he reverts back to the past 8 years regardless of who they play.