(01-29-2022 12:35 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 11:25 PM)Screwball Wrote:  Just WOW!

Maybe it's just me, but I worry about games like this. Just when you think things are going good, beating a few good teams, then you lay an egg. You know, the past.

Not these guys. At this point they have put a can of whoop *** on every MAC team they have been served up.

Let's go X and O. RayJ and Ryan (R squared) are the best guard combo in the MAC, and I don't think that is even debatable. The other team must also deal with Milner and JT inside, who do a great job given size and matchups. Which leaves the 3 spot - Moss. He not only plays great defense, but he's a load going the other way. Great passer, looks to dish if it's there, and will bust your balls taking down the lane.

When Akron made the run in the second half (you knew it was going to happen) Rollins did Rollins things, and RayJ chipped in with some super sweet buckets while running the offense that would make a Swiss watchmaker proud. Got some minutes out of the bench as well.

I'm starting to think this is a pretty good basketball team.

Great win Rockets!

1980

With the exception of Kent.

Yes, my mistake. When I re-read that I should have ended that sentence with "recently."

OU smoked Buffalo last night. That re-match should be a dandy.

(01-28-2022 09:45 PM)adunifon Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 09:34 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Pretty favorable schedule from this point in.

At eastern and at ball won’t be easy this week.

Still have OU, kent, at Buffalo.

Going to get everyone’s best shot.

Yep, for some reason Eastern is always tough in their home arena...
Will probably drive up to Ypsi for the game !! Stay focused and it will probably be a W !!

(01-29-2022 10:19 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 09:45 PM)adunifon Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 09:34 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Pretty favorable schedule from this point in.

At eastern and at ball won’t be easy this week.

Still have OU, kent, at Buffalo.

Going to get everyone’s best shot.

Yep, for some reason Eastern is always tough in their home arena...
Will probably drive up to Ypsi for the game !! Stay focused and it will probably be a W !!

Does Eastern still play zone most of the time ? Hope for a big rocket crowd up there on a weekday.

One of the most overlooked aspects of RJ Dennis’s contributions to this year’s team is his play on the defensive end. Last night against Akron, he held their Point Guard, X. Castaneda to 9 points on 4-12 shooting. He came into the game averaging 13.3ppg. Prior to that, Dennis held Ohio U’ excellent Point Guard J. Sears, who was averaging over 19ppg., to 14 points on 5-13 shooting, and Buffalo’s R. Segu, who was averaging 15.4ppg., to 11 points on 3-16 shooting. His stellar play against the opponents Point Guards is a major reason Toledo has improved so much on defense this season.

(01-29-2022 01:39 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  One of the most overlooked aspects of RJ Dennis’s contributions to this year’s team is his play on the defensive end. Last night against Akron, he held their Point Guard, X. Castaneda to 9 points on 4-12 shooting. He came into the game averaging 13.3ppg. Prior to that, Dennis held Ohio U’ excellent Point Guard J. Sears, who was averaging over 19ppg., to 14 points on 5-13 shooting, and Buffalo’s R. Segu, who was averaging 15.4ppg., to 11 points on 3-16 shooting. His stellar play against the opponents Point Guards is a major reason Toledo has improved so much on defense this season.

Good point, and I agree. Last night they did a decent job on Ali too. I think he has caused us much more trouble in the past, if my memory serves me correct (and I might not).

(01-29-2022 08:29 AM)emanoh Wrote:  I can't believe someone hasn't commented on the baseline, twisting, whirly-gig layup Rollins made in the second half. It was like the upper and lower halves of his body were detached. One of the most athletic moves I've seen in recent memory.

I know Moss has had his dunking issues. He had one in the first half where you could tell he debated it going to the hoop, but thought better and laid it up. But on the putback dunk, he sky's over JT to flush it. He does have some hops. Overall the kid is a beast he does a lot of stuff very well for a guy only 6'4".

I love watching Ray J bringing up the ball. He is unflappable and in 100% command. Much more the PG than Marion ever was. Mj was a shoot first PG.

I found it interesting that Hill got in for the last 10 seconds. He must be healed up to dress.


I thought the officiating was all over the place. Called it both tight and loose, with plenty of head scratchers. The over and back call was a head scratcher. Unless he didn't establish position on our side of the court? Lots of mystery fouls. At one point shouldn't Akron been shooting 1 &1 and they got two shots?

Akron is a tough match up for us with their length. Hated to see our lead disappear, but it was fun to see us bear down and not collapse, thank you RR.

I hadn't noticed it before, but Akron went across the floor to locker rooms at half. Usually they go under the stands to a locker room on the home side. Do visiting teams now go somewhere else now?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Men and women's teams have been crossing for a few years now. Not sure if it is the result of any past incidence or not!

emanoh - not sure what happened when I enter my response to your question, but it looks like your original post disappeared into my post.

Noticed that every player who took a shot made a basket and all of them shot at least 50% for the game.

3 out of the next 4 games are against lower win teams in the MAC. Eastern, Ball, Ohio, and Northern. None are over .500 in the MAC, other than OU of course. Who we play next at our place.

I hope they don't have a big head and get clipped in the next couple of games that "should" be a game we would expect to win. If things go as we hope, we control the game, and get more minutes for our bench. Save legs, gain experience.

The MAC season is a grind; there is a lot of basketball yet to be played. So far, so good.

After those teams we have Kent at our place.

Thinking ahead...Dare we wonder what happens when/if AJ comes back?

Keys to winning MAC tourney

1). Finish as the 1 or 2 seed heading into that week
2). Edu is at a point where he is contributing 15-20 min a game
3). Between Farmer, Carcoana, Saunders and Edu, you have enough of a bench to win 3 games in a row

(01-29-2022 10:19 AM)FMRocket Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 09:45 PM)adunifon Wrote:  

(01-28-2022 09:34 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote:  Pretty favorable schedule from this point in.

At eastern and at ball won’t be easy this week.

Still have OU, kent, at Buffalo.

Going to get everyone’s best shot.

Yep, for some reason Eastern is always tough in their home arena...
Will probably drive up to Ypsi for the game !! Stay focused and it will probably be a W !!

Changed Coaches so they may not play the zone anymore. Milner killed them in the zone last year hitting ft length shots

(01-30-2022 09:21 PM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  Keys to winning MAC tourney

1). Finish as the 1 or 2 seed heading into that week
2). Edu is at a point where he is contributing 15-20 min a game
3). Between Farmer, Carcoana, Saunders and Edu, you have enough of a bench to win 3 games in a row

It will be interesting to see how TK utilizes Edu when he comes back. My initial thoughts are that he will get spot minutes to get him back in the flow of playing in a game since it will be almost two full seasons since he last was on the floor. In addition, one of Toledo’s strengths this season is that all 5 Starters are scoring threats that the opponent must always account for and which opens the court for the offense. With Edu, I am not sure how much offense you are going to get out of him this season with his limited practice and game experience the past few seasons. I think where he can help is on the defensive end against a bigger post player, and with his rebounding and shot blocking abilities. But Toledo is at its best when they have their 5-man motion offense humming and I am not sure how much Edu can help us with that this season. But anything we can get out of him will be a plus going down the stretch!

Several good points. Edu should contribute on the offensive boards and get second chance points. He should be working on shooting a lot of free throws. Some offensive opportunities are present.

(01-30-2022 10:15 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  

(01-30-2022 09:21 PM)Rocket_Fanatic Wrote:  Keys to winning MAC tourney

1). Finish as the 1 or 2 seed heading into that week
2). Edu is at a point where he is contributing 15-20 min a game
3). Between Farmer, Carcoana, Saunders and Edu, you have enough of a bench to win 3 games in a row

It will be interesting to see how TK utilizes Edu when he comes back. My initial thoughts are that he will get spot minutes to get him back in the flow of playing in a game since it will be almost two full seasons since he last was on the floor. In addition, one of Toledo’s strengths this season is that all 5 Starters are scoring threats that the opponent must always account for and which opens the court for the offense. With Edu, I am not sure how much offense you are going to get out of him this season with his limited practice and game experience the past few seasons. I think where he can help is on the defensive end against a bigger post player, and with his rebounding and shot blocking abilities. But Toledo is at its best when they have their 5-man motion offense humming and I am not sure how much Edu can help us with that this season. But anything we can get out of him will be a plus going down the stretch!

In some ways it's bad timing as Jacobi and Carcoana seem to be just figuring it out. AJ will take some of their minutes most likely, so the question is can he be more productive than them. Jacobi is a ball of energy but can makes mistakes. AJ will play more under control getting his legs back and returning from serious injury but will make less mistakes. Offensively, AJ is a good screener and high post passer. So, the key in terms of offensive flow is to use him where he is good. run motion but do it with 4 men using your good ballhandling big guy as a point center or high pick. edu can do that kind of stuff better than jacobi and carcoana. like others have noted, who knows what we get out AJ shooting the ball, trying to score over bigs around the rim, being explosive blocking shots...

what I want to see with AJ is the emotional inflation it could give the team. just to have him back. have him move around on the court and not get hurt. to make some good fundamental defensive plays-play him next to a similar but smaller post defender in shumate-and jump start a fast break here and there. that's all we need. Come in from the cold. make a couple good plays. fire up the fans, the team, and go grab a towel. If that happens the season feels extra special and the sense of destiny is powerful. Almost every year we've had a team favored to win or good enough to win the mac tourney, someone important seems to get hurt. let's hope for this to be the year someone who was hurt returns to help us in the tourney. we are due.