I went in today hoping for the Bulls to humiliate Akron - because they deserve it. But a part of me lamented missing what was always a big game, a hard fought game. So we saw a win, and it was a good game. The Bulls need to be pushed right now because they get sloppy too easily at both ends when they're not. I can't believe how unsure I am going into the tournament with a 22 win team because I don't think they've been playing their best for a while.
I thought Akron's movement was better, especially in the first half. They worked that back door cut a few times, CJ picked it off early but they scored on a few after that. Drained a lot of three's that were contested. Akron played that zone and quickly swarmed around Perkins when he got the ball. Groce took timeouts every time UB made a big bucket, to kill any momentum. I wanted to give Groce a lot of credit for this, despite being a wild loud-mouth, until he lost his mind at the end. It wasn't Dan Dakich-level crazy but it was up there. I couldn't tell if he's just a wild eyed angry guy, fired up, or sick and tired of his team's mistakes. Groce has been in the MAC before, he should know how it is.
You don't like MAC refs? No one does. In the end you hope that they don't decide the game and that the bad calls even out. Akron had a lead because they were hitting three's; they lost that lead because they weren't anymore.
I thought that too often UB makes individual forays toward the basket without other movement, and that may be why Oats changed out all 5 players at one point. I know, I know, I'm always the one saying that good things happen when you go to the hoop. But this game turned around when three of the big names CJ, Wes, and Harris put the game on their backs and took over.
Perkins - as I said, dealt with that swarming closing zone, but when he had 1-on-1's they had a hard time stopping him.
Harris - maybe the smoothest shot we've ever seen here.
CJ - does what he does, makes big shots when it matters. Especially when it's time to kill a rally.
Wes - ditto.
Does anyone know why the senior presentations were done after the game? Most people are leaving then. I felt they didn't get the attention they deserved this way. Crowd - another solid crowd for a weeknight that seems low on the energy you'd expect from watching a team that wins all the time. The student zone was pretty full again but they still haven't been able to coax any noise out of most of them. Like there isn't as much fun watching a game you expect to win, rather than one you're positive but anxious about. I'm not knocking winning - winning is fun.
Oh and what a great shot by that guy from half court to win.....twelve MEDIUM pizza's. Really Santora's?
Akron - they'll be good again in a year or two. Groce's mental collapse at the end was a fitting end to a game I didn't get to yell at Dambrot for the criminal element he always carried. They had a good game plan and competed well tonight. Kostelac - that guy was hapless out there, but he's just a freshman. Duvivier looked like he was going to cry every time he was sent to the bench.
"You live in Akron," clap, clap, clap-clap-clap
Topic: Akron Game (2/27 - 7:00pm) *Senior Night* (Read 5996 times)