The Zips, Bobcats, and RedHawks are all tied for first at 4-0. At Akron, Zips are favored by 3.5.
Seems like these teams have been playing on parallel paths and not playing each other. Now the MAC gets interesting.
From early indications, the top 4 teams in the MAC are engaged with each other this weekend. I’m not sure of the exact order, but OU has been picking it up in conference play. Granted, they haven’t played anyone harder than we have, narrowly escaping Mt. Pleasant with a 2 pt win.
Related - some people want their rival to suck. I’ve always wanted my rival to be #2. The MAC championship game this year validated that belief. There’s a possibility these two teams end up playing each other in another MAC championship in the same season.
I want Ohio U to go winless in every sport every season.
Jason Preston was a fraud.
I like the MAC opponents to be strong so it really means something when we beat em! Helps our Net ranking too!
Speaking of Jason Preston, he was a guest on the ESPN+ telecast of the Ball State at Ohio game.
Will we have any games on national TV (CBSSN or ESPNU) if we keep winning?
Yes, the early games were scheduled preseason. At some point they start picking games involving contenders. It usually involves moving your Saturday game to Friday night. Miami might not want to do that because we have double headers and special events already scheduled for a couple of Saturdays ( like the upcoming Ohio game).
They must have caught up with him on a break from mopping up sweat off the floor in his Libman uniform.
Akron leads 44-29 at half. Ohio is 2-12 from 3.
OU shooting 21%/18%.
Hadaway from OU just injured his foot/ankle/achilles (not sure) and it looked to me like a multiple game injury. For OU he’s 4th in scoring and 2nd in rebounding and went for 28/16 last week vs Buffalo.
Zips blowing Bobcats out by 18 with 7 left.
AJ Clayton, the early leader for POY, has now had two terrible games in a row.
Akron’s guards are really good. And they’ve got a bunch of them. Scares me a little.
Akron was really impressive tonight. I watched their 2nd half vs. BG and while they won, I wasn’t too impressed. That wasn’t the case tonight. I can’t remember a more eye-pleasing Akron team. They’re not as good as last year without Freeman, but their perimeter is better. Their guards are more dynamic and they can all shoot, not just 1 or 2 of them. They will be a hard guard.
With OU, they have good guards as well who can make a variety of shots. But if you stick to your gameplan, you can slow them down. That requires not leaving Clayton and playing off Paveletzke, who’s pass first. You can’t leave Clayton alone on the perimeter for any person. I’d be more than ok with making him dribble drive. I’d be ok with Clayton 1-on-1 in the post. Just don’t let him get going from 3.
If I’m a coach picking between Clayton/Pavaletske or Woolfolk/Craft, I’d pick the latter.
Akron let Clayton play 1:1 in the post and he looked overmatched. 12 points seems closer than the game really was.
Hes a stiff. That Searles guy is a taint.