• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

MAC Tournament Predictions

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
- I suggest you do a bit of research on the "dropping N bombs in the huddle"...you might be surprised at what you find.
- They defeated Mississippi State on the road to start this season. Mississippi State was ranked as high as 11th this season and was in the Top 25 for most of the year. That was a pretty damn good win. The Zips finished with 55th in RPI, which is pretty damn good for a mid-major.
- Attendance isn't horrible. I believe Akron ranked 5th out of 12 teams last year, and while I haven't seen this year's numbers yet, it seemed to improve.
- He hasn't refused to play a tougher schedule, in fact, this year was the most difficult yet. Akron's SOS was 80th in D1 this season. Compare that to rest of the conference:

Miami - 98
Buffalo - 120
W. Michigan - 140
Bowling Green - 142
Kent State - 162
Ohio - 163
Central Michigan - 264
Eastern Michigan - 275
N. Illinois - 276
Toledo - 294
Ball State - 320

So yeah, his scheduling is just fine. And next year's is supposed to get even more difficult.

As for the championship games:

2011-2012 - Lost by one point to Ohio
2010-2011 - Won by one point over Kent (in overtime)
2009-2010 - Lost by six points to Ohio (in overtime)
2008-2009 - Won by twelve points over Buffalo
2007-2008 - Lost by nineteen to Kent
2006-2007 - Lost by one point to Miami

First of all, being in the championship game six straight years is an accomplishment on its own. They had one convincing win, one convincing loss, one screwjob (Miami), and three that could have gone either way.

When Keith Dambrot took over the Akron Zips, they were coming off of a 13-15 season and a 1st Round MAC Tournament exit. The program had three winning records in its twelve seasons in the Mid American Conference. They had never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in the MAC Tournament. As an assistant in Dan Hipsher's final season as head coach, Keith played a large role in recruiting two players (Dru Joyce and Romero Travis) largely unnoticed by other schools. These two players would help Dambrot begin the rebirth of Akron Zips basketball. Starting with 2004-2005, Dambrot has led the Akron Zips to eight straight winning seasons and seven straight 20+ win seasons. Dambrot now has 291 career victories at The University of Akron. His teams have played in the MAC Tournament Final for six straight years, winning two of the past four. He's led them to six postseason appearances (2 NCAA, 3 NIT, 1 CBI). During his eight year tenure, seven players have been added to the school's 1,000-point scorer's list. He helped turn Dru Joyce into the school's all-time assist leader and Romeo Travis into the MAC Player of the Year and an All-American Honorable Mention. He helped three players (Nate Linhart, Jimmy Conyers, and Zeke Marshall) to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Year, three (Cedrick Middleton, Brett McKnight, and Quincy Diggs) to be named as MAC Sixth Man of the Year, and two (Nate Linhart and Zeke Marshall) to be named MAC Tournament MVP.

This season was a difficult test for Dambrot. He had just lost four seniors (Steve McNees, Darryl Roberts, Brett McKnight, and Mike Bardo), giving him the 16th youngest team in Division I-A basketball. Six of his players weren't on last year's active roster and four of his rotation players (including two starters) didn't play a minute of college basketball last season.

The Zips still won the MAC Regular Season Title and just missed earning their 3rd NCAA appearance in four years.

Is he perfect? Absolutely not. Do the Zips need to take another step forward as a program? No doubt.

But Keith Dambrot on the hot seat? Ridiculous.

He has turned down offers to go elsewhere. Akron should (and will) show him the same commitment in trusting that he'll take us to that next level.

Calling a win over a team that didn't even make the NCAA tourney a signature win is laughable at best. Pre-season rankings mean nothing and where the finished in the end shows the quality of the win. MSU was a good win because it was an SEC team, but at the end of the day, they are a below average BCS team and was nothing to sneeze at. The Zips have been beaten handily by most top level mid majors over the years as well. Have they even gotten a signature mid major win???

So I got where he dropped the N bomb wrong...he still said it at the end of the day.

If you don't believe the attendance is terrible, you can go visit many of the topics on their fan boards at Zips Nation discussing the topic about how to fix their horrible attendance from the lack of students showing up, to a lack of marquee games to bring fans in and the lack of true fans in the lower bowl of the arena. It is probably one of the biggest hang ups in getting a new arena. They can't fill the crappy JAR, why would they fill a new arena? I think they hover around 3k a game. Pretty sad.

I will give you that he had made an effort to add at least a few tougher games to the schedule, but in a whole, it is substandard. Again, see the attendance issues and his scheduling tactics as to why they can't fill the JAR. He has built a schedule that almost guarantees him 20 wins a year. But those 20 plus wins mean nothing as he chokes year after year in the MAC championship.

I am not disagreeing with you that he has turned Akron around and has a top of the MAC level team year in and year out. But at the same time, he has shown that he is not capable of taking this team to the next level. Teams lose seniors every year. He also returned three starters and rotation guys that played minutes last year. McKnight was on and off the team last year and many considered him a distraction to the team more so than helpful. Although McNees was tough to replace. Roberts was easily replaced by players on this years roster.

At the end of the day, the discussion needs to take place. He has zero signature wins, (Florida St may be your only argument) he hasn't improved interest in the program, he can't win a low level conference tournament and chokes time after time in big games.

If that doesn't warrant discussion, then that is ridiculous. If you want to be complacent because you got a guy that will win 20 plus games on a soft schedule and bow out of the MAC tournament just because he is from Akron and turned down other jobs, then be my guest. But when I pay money to the program, I don't want to go to games to see them play a school I have never heard of and lose year after year.
 
A few responses:

- I've been attending Zips games since 2000. I'm a regular visitor/poster at Zipsnation.org. I've even posted in the thread that you're discussing. There's a fine line between discussing how to improve attendance and having "terrible" attendance. Attendance isn't where it needs to be, but it isn't "sad" or "terrible" either...and attendance isn't even a factor in the new arena talk. The variables being discussed are when, where, how big, and how they'll pay for it.

- I'm not sure how a SOS of 80 is substandard for a mid-major. Better than South Dakota State (179), St. Bonaventure (111), Murray State (157), Creighton (97), St. Mary's (102), St. Louis (90), New Mexico (113), Harvard (182), VCU (155), Long Beach State (136), Iona (144), Ohio (163), Belmont (193), New Mexico State (116), Davidson (173), Lamar (214), Detroit (171), Vermont (171), Western Kentucky (139), Montana (210), Loyola (209), Long Island (242), Lehigh (291), UNC Asheville (206), Norfolk State (307), and Mississippi Valley State (311).

26 teams, mostly mid-majors, that made the NCAA Tournament...and Akron had a tougher schedule than all of them.
Even Gonzaga, everybody's favorite mid-major, was only one spot higher at 79. To say the schedule was "soft" and "substandard" is just not supported by factual information. It's extremely difficult for good mid-majors to get good teams to play them away from home. Akron has been trying to get Ohio State to play them for years, even offering a 4-for-1 - 4 home games for OSU, 1 home game for Akron, with that "home game" being played at the Q - and Ohio State still said no.

- The Zips had pretty much nine guys that played this year: Marshall, Cvetinovic, Gilliam, Walsh, Abreu, Diggs, Treadwell, Harney, and McClanahan. Four of the nine didn't play a minute of college basketball last year. Two of those players started.

- You saying Darryl Roberts was "easily replaced" tells me all I need to know about how closely you follow Akron. Not only was Roberts a solid all-around player and clutch performer, he was also one of the best leaders this program has during Dambrot's tenure, both on and off of the floor.

- "He can't win a low level conference tournament" - Except that he has twice in the past four years

- "He hasn't improved interest in the program" - Weren't around much for the Hipsher years, were you?

Finally, let's get the N word story out there for those that don't know. From Vanity Fair:

His name was Keith Dambrot, and in 1991, in his early 30s, he had become the head coach at Central Michigan University, a Division I school. It was virtually unheard of for someone that young to be the head of a Division I program. The team was improving under his leadership. But then, during a game in 1993 against Miami University of Ohio, in what he said was an attempt to motivate his players, he had used the word “N*****.”

According to court records, he said he had used the term to connote “a person who is fearless, mentally strong and tough,” in the same vein that players themselves used the term in referring to one another. At least eight black players on the team subsequently said that Dambrot had always treated them fairly. I believe them, because I got to know Coach Dambrot as well as anybody and never ever did I see him act in any way that was racist. It just wasn’t in the man.

Scandal erupted once the story broke in the college newspaper. It was soon picked up by the national media, and he was fired in April of 1993.


The eight black players mentioned supported him in court and didn't want him fired. Public outcry was too much though, and the university had to do what they had to do. Dambrot made a HUGE mistake, and should have known better. He got a 2nd chance and has made the most of it.

You're entitled to your opinion, and if you think he should go, I respect that. I believe in him, and think he'll take us to that next level, starting next year. We can agree to disagree.
 
We can agree to disagree.

But man...what a job he did tonight against a low level Big Ten team. Another early round NIT loss under Dambrot's belt. But hey...at least he has about 7 worthless 20 win seasons under his belt against a bunch of no name teams.

The guy is never going to get this team over the hump....the question now is, how long do the Akron faithful support him while Kent, OU, and Toledo possibly pass Akron up. Well, Ohio is clearly better, but Kent and Toledo could make strides.
 
We can agree to disagree.

But man...what a job he did tonight against a low level Big Ten team. Another early round NIT loss under Dambrot's belt. But hey...at least he has about 7 worthless 20 win seasons under his belt against a bunch of no name teams.

The guy is never going to get this team over the hump....the question now is, how long do the Akron faithful support him while Kent, OU, and Toledo possibly pass Akron up. Well, Ohio is clearly better, but Kent and Toledo could make strides.

The same Kent State (who will lose four starters) that Dambrot's teams have defeated in four straight games? The same Toledo team that had a losing conference record despite being in the MAC West? Yep, they're on their way to passing Akron up. It'll be Akron vs OU again next year. Both teams won at home, OU won by 1 point on a neutral court. They're not "clearly better", they're pretty damn even. I'm looking forward to their matchups next season.

As for Northwestern, they are a pretty good team from a tough basketball conference. Joe Lunardi had them penciled in as an at-large in the NCAA Tournament until they got upset in the Big Ten Tournament (and Lunardi is pretty damn accurate). There's absolutely no shame in losing by two to them on their home court.

It's clear to me that nothing they do will be good enough for you, so you're right, we're going to have to just agree to disagree here.

Go Zips!
 
Nothing will be good enough? How about actually doing something...that my friend, will impress me. I find it shocking that accomplishing next to nothing has been satisfying for you. Choking in the MAC tourney, no signature wins in the regular season, early round losses in the NIT...not much to be excited about. We were pretty close there for a half vs Gonzaga...Dambrot's career highlight. Other than winning a state title for a HS team. Sorry, forgot he won that.
 
Nothing will be good enough? How about actually doing something...that my friend, will impress me. I find it shocking that accomplishing next to nothing has been satisfying for you. Choking in the MAC tourney, no signature wins in the regular season, early round losses in the NIT...not much to be excited about. We were pretty close there for a half vs Gonzaga...Dambrot's career highlight. Other than winning a state title for a HS team. Sorry, forgot he won that.

Yep, you're right, the coach of the MAC Champions in 2 of the past 4 years has done nothing. Nevermind that before those two NCAA appearances, they hadn't been there in 24 years.
 
Zero signature wins, lost four of six of MAC Championship games and has yet to move the Zips into a contender in the Mid-Majors.
 
Zero signature wins, lost four of six of MAC Championship games and has yet to move the Zips into a contender in the Mid-Majors.

What does that even mean?

It takes time to take a mid-major to the next level. Butler didn't win an NCAA Tournament game until their 4th attempt.

Butler

1997: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 1st Round to Cincinnati (86-69)
1998: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 1st Round to New Mexico (79-62)
1999: NIT Tournament - Lost in Quarterfinals
2000: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 1st Round to Florida (69-68)
2001: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 2nd Round to Arizona (73-52) after defeating Wake Forest (79-63) in the 1st Round
2002: NIT Tournament - Lost in 2nd Round
2003: NCAA Tournament - Lost in Sweet Sixteen
2004: No Postseason Tournament
2005: No Postseason Tournament
2006: No Postseason Tournament
2007: NCAA Tournament - Lost in Sweet Sixteen
2008: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 2nd Round
2009: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 1st Round
2010: NCAA Tournament - Lost in Championship
2011: NCAA Tournament - Lost in Championship

Akron

2009: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 1st Round to Gonzaga (77-64)
2010: CBI Tournament - Lost in 1st Round
2011: NCAA Tournament - Lost in 1st Round to Notre Dame
2012: NIT Tournament - Lost in 1st Round
2013: ?
 
Id be all for it. I'd love to follow that path.

What you see and what I see are two different things. You are OK with the team progressing at a slow rate, wasting potential, and blowing games. I am not OK with a coach that chokes more often than he succeeds and can't win a lousy basketball conference.

I am obviously not a fan of Dambrot. You are. I would like to see Akron win. I am neither an alumni or a die hard so it doesn't matter to me either way I suppose. I am from the area and love to see the little guy win. I am the guy that they will never get to see a game in a crappy arena against the crappy teams they play. (Except the Kent and Cleveland St games.) Just my opinion.
 
Id be all for it. I'd love to follow that path.

What you see and what I see are two different things. You are OK with the team progressing at a slow rate, wasting potential, and blowing games. I am not OK with a coach that chokes more often than he succeeds and can't win a lousy basketball conference.

I am obviously not a fan of Dambrot. You are. I would like to see Akron win. I am neither an alumni or a die hard so it doesn't matter to me either way I suppose. I am from the area and love to see the little guy win. I am the guy that they will never get to see a game in a crappy arena against the crappy teams they play. (Except the Kent and Cleveland St games.) Just my opinion.

Did you go to the VCU game? Having a Final Four team in your building isn't too shabby...

Look, I am realistic. It's still killing me that they lost to Ohio U Saturday. I also realize that:

1) The Zips joined the MAC in 1992. Over their first 12 seasons, they were mediocre for the most part. They were 1-7 in the MAC Tournament over this same time, only getting out of the 1st Round once. The state of the program when Dambrot took over cannot be ignored. Keith Dambrot took over in 2004-2005, when the Zips win 19 games and lost in the quarterfinals. The next year they won 23 games and reached the semi-finals. The year after that they were in the final, which they lost thanks to a "clock malfunction". When he took the program over, the Zips had one MAC Tournament win in 12 seasons. Since taking over, he's taken them to 6 finals in 8 years. That's a pretty huge turn-around.

2) During this time frame, the Zips' natural talent hasn't been as good as the "major" mid-majors. Not a single player has come close to making the NBA. He has taken the talent he was able to get and elevated them to new heights. Some, like you, say that he has wasted potential and choked...I believe he's squeezed every bit of it out of his players and has over-achieved.

3) The in-coming talent is starting to get better now. They were able to beat out Pittsburgh in recruiting Zeke Marshall. They found a gem in Puerto Rico in Alex Abreu, and seem to have found another in Carmelo Betancourt. Demetrius Treadwell is so physically gifted that he might have a shot at the NBA. This talent is different from previous teams, which has forced Dambrot to change his approach completely. He changed the way he coached, he toughened up the schedule, and he adjusted to his "new" Zips. That's a big reason why I believe in him - not only is he a good coach, but he's willing to change to win.

4) He took the 16th youngest roster in D-1 basketball, won the regular season title, and was one shot, one bounce, one steal away from getting to the NCAA Tournament for a 3rd time in 4 years. All but one of his rotation players will be back, and there should be major improvements across the board.

I believe next year is the year they not only get back to the NCAA Tournament, but also win their first NCAA Tournament game (and maybe more).

As mentioned before, we are free to disagree.
 
What Ohio is doing, again, is something that Dambrot needs to produce fairly quickly IMO to be considered to stay in his position. First round NIT losses should not be considered a good season in fashion.
 
Good game. Grew up in NE, Ohio and had a brother graduate from Akron. Would have liked to see the Zips get it done but gotta tip your cap to the Bobcats.

I dont think either team would win a game in the tourney

I would kindly like to ask that you eat your words. O.U.!!!!
 
What Ohio is doing, again, is something that Dambrot needs to produce fairly quickly IMO to be considered to stay in his position. First round NIT losses should not be considered a good season in fashion.

If you think he should go, that's one thing. If you think his job is at all in jeopardy, you really don't follow Akron athletics very closely. Dambrot will leave Akron when he retires, which shouldn't be for awhile.
 
If you think he should go, that's one thing. If you think his job is at all in jeopardy, you really don't follow Akron athletics very closely. Dambrot will leave Akron when he retires, which shouldn't be for awhile.

And that's the problem. It's sad when fans are OK w first round NIT losses while other teams in the conferences make statements outside of the conference.

But again, that's your school and if you want to sulk in mediocrity, then I guess that's what Zips fans find acceptable.

I think it's pathetic.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top