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This is the air purifier that eliminates up to 99.9% of airborne bacteria, mold, viruses, pet dander, dust mite allergens, and pollen without making a sound. With no filter to replace or clean, the device uses natural convection to silently draw airborne impurities into its patented ceramic heating chamber that instantly destroys the microorganisms with 400� F heat and then releases the clean air into the room. An independent laboratory confirmed that the unit destroyed up to 99.99% of bacteria and mold regardless of the microorganism's size or level of hazardousness. The sanitized air is cooled and recirculated into the room, providing a healthier breathing environment without producing ozone or requiring you to clean or replace a costly filter. It will quickly and efficiently replace the air in a standard room size in about four hours of use. The air purifier remains cool to the touch and the heat it produces will not affect room temperature. 10 1/2" H x 8 1/2" Diam. (3 1/3 lbs.)For Rooms Up To 650' sq. Black.
"The first night we plugged it in, there was an immediate positive effect on my nasal and sinus congestion. " - L, Quebec
Lifetime Guarantee
The Mold and Germ Destroying Air Purifier (650 sq. ft.) comes with The Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee. If this product ever disappoints you, for any reason, you may return your Hammacher Schlemmer purchase for exchange, credit, or refund.
Should you have any questions, we are available seven days a week (8:00 am – midnight EST). Please call 1-800-321-1484 to speak with a specialist or email us at email@example.com to receive a response within three business hours or less.
Shipping charges noted in parentheses apply in addition to our standard shipping & service.
We're sorry, but gift wrap is not available. Please call 1-800-395-7006 for Premium or Express delivery rates.
Oversized items scheduled for expedited delivery (Premium or Express) may incur additional shipping and services charges because of their unusual size. Please call 1-800-321-1484 for an estimate of S&S charges. International callers, please call 1-513-860-3397.
We're sorry, but gift wrap is not available for oversized items.
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GST still applies and will be charged upon processing. For complete shipping & service charges please call Customer Service at 1-800-321-1484.
May we recommend:
(based on 221 reviews)
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Reviewed by 221 customers
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(113 of 115 customers found this review helpful)
Perfect air cleaner for our basement
By Librarian
from St. Louis
This is fantastic in our basement. It is especially good at cleaning the musty basement air. We tried it in our bedroom, but it has a very bright light which was annoying.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Hammacher Schlemmer Response: Thank you for your feedback. The Germ and Mold Destroying Air Purifier's anti-stress light on top of the unit has an esthetic effect, which many people find relaxing. It is possible to adjust the light intensity using the dimmer at the base, or even turn the light off. The light does not intervene or have any relation with the purifier's patented sterilization core functioning.
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(97 of 99 customers found this review helpful)
We would definitely buy another!
By Florida Girl
from Palm Bay, FL
I bought this for my husband as a gift, hoping it would help him with his allergies to my cats (I have 6, run a Veterinary Clinic!)He decided to put it in our bedroom to help him sleep better, and it has made a definite difference! He said doesn't have to keep turning from side to side all night because one sinus always plugs up, now he's staying clear and can breathe much better. We will very likely buy another for some of the other parts of the house he's in the most. Its a bit pricey, but HS has such a good guarantee and return policy, I figured it was worth the cost, especially if I should need to return it, because I've dealt with the hassle of returning things before, and I know HS sells quality products, so the extra cost was worth it for me.
(79 of 81 customers found this review helpful)
Really Works!
By Lar
from Mont-Tremblant, QC
The first night we plugged it in, there was an immediate positive effect on my nasal and sinus congestion. I no longer have to take antihistamines - hurrah!We are planning to buy another unit for other rooms.
(67 of 67 customers found this review helpful)
The air purifier that WORKS!
By Carol the teacher
from Mt. Vernon, IL
My high school classroom was toxic with pollen, dust, and all the germs that come from constantly rotating students. This air purifier immediately made a difference in the air quality. The students and I are both using significantly fewer tissues, and there is a noticeable difference in the air quality in my classroom and other rooms. It was worth the money I had to pay out of pocket for a healthier work environment.
(62 of 64 customers found this review helpful)
Seems to be helping with bird mites!
By Liz
from Ormond Beach, FL
My animals and I have been suffering from bird mites for almost 2 years now. Most people are unaware of the dangers of bringing a bird's nest into or near their home. The particular type of bird mite that we have (D. Gallinae) is the worst one you can get, as almost nothing will get rid of them once they're in your home. No chemicals will kill them, and we have spent thousands of dollars trying (unsuccessfully) to get rid of them. Bird mites make your life and your pets' lives a living hell. They bite you constantly because they feed off your blood, and the allergens produced from their saliva are a million times worse than dust mite allergens. You experience a painful, burning itch, and develop sores from the bites.The first hour I used this product, my animals and I started to notice a difference. I know it says that this product doesn't actually kill dust mites, but I truly believe that when the bird mites get close enough to the unit, they are sucked up and destroyed by the high heat. I only wish the company made a battery-operated version for my car (not the kind that plugs into a cigarette lighter) so that I could leave it on all of the time in my car. Once you have bird mites, they are not only in your home, some stay on your body and follow you where you go. It doesn't take long for your vehicle to become infested, too.Thank you for selling this unique product! Although our problem is far from being alleviated completely, I am hopeful that the longer I use it, the more the population will be reduced. I highly recommend this product for everyday use, but especially for the other poor souls out there who have to suffer daily with the agony of bird mites.
(56 of 59 customers found this review helpful)
Can't recommend this unit
By Ms. stuffy nose
from Winchester, CT
My husband an I both have indoor allergies and I'm sorry to say that this unit didn't work for us. We ran the unit constantly for about 4 weeks and there was no improvement in our symptoms. Returning unit today for credit.
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Hammacher Schlemmer Response: Thank you for your comments. Since this product is designed to destroy mold and germ, there are no noticeable remains to indicate collection. However, if this unit is slightly warm on the top, it is on and working. Over time you should also notice a difference in air quality in up to 650 square feet of area. It is suggested not to place directly near doors, windows or heater/air conditioners to allow best air flow of the unit itself. Although our goal is your complete satisfaction with every product, we understand you may encounter the rare occasion when an item doesn't meet your expectations. That is why we make it easy to return an item—simply call our customer service team at 1-800-321-1484 any time day or night.
(52 of 53 customers found this review helpful)
Works Great!
By ChrisG
from Ontario, Canada
Plug it in and turn the single dial (on the bottom) to determine how bright it is (light can be turned all the way off). That's it! Nothing else to adjust.I have 2 and use in basement bedrooms to completely remove any mildew or 'damp' smell. Within 1 day, occupants of the bedrooms both noticed improvement in their breathing and quality of sleep.
(51 of 53 customers found this review helpful)
Works Pretty Well But Gets Hot
By Pmcg295
from Boston, MA
After only a few hours in the bedroom I noticed a difference in my breathing/stuffiness. The only thing that worries me is that it's quite warm to the touch and if I hold my hand about 6 inches about the unit I still feel heat. It's not burning up hot, just warmer than I expected. The catalog says it stays cool, but the manual that came with the product says it gets warm. I'm just not sure it's supposed to be as warm as it is so I may return it. I'm still debating because it seems to work otherwise.
(47 of 48 customers found this review helpful)
terrific little machine
By Liora
from Catskill Mountains
I just love this little air purifier. I also ownan Austin air purifier which is great, but it isENORMOUS and heavy and so is difficult to movefrom one floor to another. This small model isreally terrific....it's quiet and efficient. I will definitely buy another one.
(46 of 47 customers found this review helpful)
This product really works.
By Bill
from Latham, NY
Moldy smell is gone. It is very easy to use, just plug it in.
COPYRIGHT © 2017 HAMMACHER SCHLEMMER & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. W107147 E. 57th ST • NEW YORK, NY • 10022 • 1-800-_321-1484


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Gender Identity
Dr. Greene, my little boy likes playing with dolls. In fact he wants a Barbie for his birthday. My husband is very upset about this. Is he okay?...
Healthy Eating, Part I – How important is good nutrition?
With all that we know about tobacco, how can people still smoke? Easy. They're enticed by big business; they enjoy it; it's cool; and it's very, very habit forming....
Pamper Your Children — The Right Way
Most parents have vivid memories of their children having a fit if they didn't get what they wanted. If you are lucky enough not to have this memory, you've...
Treating Diaper Rash
I have a 15 month old daughter that has the worst case of diaper rash we've ever seen. It started awhile after she had taken some antibiotics. It...
Stunning New Techniques to Increase Calorie Intake for Picky Eaters
I have a son, now just turned 9 years old who is in need of some help to increase calorie intake. He weighs 47 lbs. now, but has only...
Safer Sun Protection
Happy SUMMER! How can you not fall in love with the long warm days and relaxed fun of summer?! It's a beautiful time of year, and perfect for outdoor...
Sexual Curiosity in Young Children: An A-to-Z guide for parents
Introduction to sexual curiosity in young children: When a parent catches a boy playing with his ears, questions may arise about ear infections, but when a parent catches...
- Gender Identity
- Healthy Eating, Part I – How important is good nutrition?
- Pamper Your Children — The Right Way
- Treating Diaper Rash
- Stunning New Techniques to Increase Calorie Intake for Picky Eaters
- Safer Sun Protection
- Sexual Curiosity in Young Children: An A-to-Z guide for parents
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Books by Dr. Alan Greene
Feeding Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Program for Healthy, Safe Nutrition During Pregnancy, Childhood and Beyond
This unique guide includes advice on how to transform a baby's eating habits that will positively impact their health & development for the rest of their lives. Dr. Greene has included everything a parent needs to know about creating healthy, nutritious meals that help avoid childhood obesity & prevent childhood disease.
Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care
In this illustrated and easy-to-use guide, noted pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, a leading voice of the green baby movement, advises parents how to make healthy green choices for pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care—from feeding your baby the best food available to using medicines wisely.

subset: commoncrawl


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Batter up
Yes, I know LinuxCon is next, and that's in mid-August, but I think they've got the publicity thing covered, especially with the 20-year thing and with Linus being there and all. But if you're going to the next show, make it the Ohio LinuxFest in September. Bradley Kuhn and Cathy Malmrose are keynoting, so you'll not want to miss that (especially Cathy — Go ZaReason!)
I've never met Esther Schindler, but I recognize her name when it comes up in posts of the mutual friends we have on Facebook — these friends, of course, are the tech writers who'll have Larry the Free Software Guy as a pal.
Nevertheless, despite being an Arizona Diamondbacks fan (Note: I found this out by requesting we be friends on Facebook), she can manage my team anytime.
Esther wrote a great blog item entitled "3 Things Software Developers Can Learn From Prince Fielder and the Home Run Derby." There's not much more to add to that, however the blog outlines how Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers put his friend — Rickie Weeks — above the objective — actually winning for the National League — when fielding a team for the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game this year.
Oh, if you're keeping score at home, the National League got killed in the Home Run Derby. Good thing San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy led the team to a victory in the All-Star Game itself. But I digress . . .
"Be wary of hiring your friends," Esther writes. "It rarely ends well. Most of us learned this in 8th grade."
A certain first baseman must have slept through that subject in the 8th grade.
The blog makes some excellent points that translate to life in the software/IT realm. Rather than spoil it by summarizing these points here, click on the link above and take a look. I'll be here when you get back.
And Prince Fielder? Despite the fact you're a thorn in the Giants' side and despite being remarkably good with a Louisville Slugger (also, I have a story about your Dad which is kind of humorous), you need to read Esther's blog, too.
Batter up.
This blog, and all other blogs by Larry the Free Software Guy and Larry Cafiero, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND license. In short, this license allows others to download this work and share it with others as long as they credit me as the author, but others can't change it in any way or use it commercially.
(Larry Cafiero is one of the founders of the Lindependence Project and has just started developing software in his new home office. Watch this space.)


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PHOTO: Zach Braff photobombs couple's wedding picture
Zach Braff was recently in the right place at exactly the right time — photobombing a random couple's wedding picture as he crossed the street in New York's Times Square.
Photographer Sascha Reinking captured the amazing moment when Braff turned at smiled at the camera just as the newlyweds went in for a kiss.
The newlyweds, Verena and Michael, were visiting from Germany and wanted to take some shots in one of the city's most famous locations.
Reinking only noticed Braff after the fact, when he was editing the images.
Reinking tweeted the picture at the actor:
@zachbraff Sir, I think you photobombed my newlywed couple the other day in New York. :) Well played... pic.twitter.com/QFpgGM8pVi
— Sascha Reinking (@saschareinking) November 22, 2013
Braff agreed, writing, "This is one of my best photobombs ever."


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Voting right
Section highlights
Old Mutual International:A winning team
Working for Old Mutual International
Your goal – saving for education
Your goal – providing an income
Executive Bonds: Provides the freedom to build your wealth
Managed Capital Account: Freedom to adapt
Wealth Interactive: facts and figures at your fingertips
Why use Wealth Interactive?
Our Managed Solutions fund range enables you to diversify your investments
Structured products for Old Mutual International Portfolio Bond investors
A right enjoyed by a shareholder to participate in the affairs of the company by voting at its annual meeting or other policy making forum. See also corporate governance, proxy.


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|Shipping to
- Fashion
- Solid
- Turndown Collar
- Long Sleeve
- High Low
- Cotton
- Mini
- 1 x Dress, Without Accessories
Converter: inch cm
How To Measure
Measurements should be taken directly on your body.
BUST:Measure under your arms around the fullest part of your bust.Make sure to keep the tape level.
Waist:Make sure the measuring tape fits comfortably as you measure around the narrowest part of your natural waist.
HIPS:Stand with your feet together,and measure around the widest part of your hips.


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Jumbo Clip With 1 3/8" D-Ringis available 100 pieces per package of the same color and width.
General Shipment Timing GuidelineThis product takes about 4-5 weeks before we are ready to ship not including ship time to your area from JKM's facility.
(Product Characteristic: Not Available) / (Fabric Content: Not Available)


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Rolling Stones releasing Hyde Park concert on DVD
Listen to Rolling Stones on iHeartRadio
The Rolling Stones "50 and Counting" tour finale is being released on DVD.
The group wrapped up their 50th anniversary trek back in July with a pair of concerts at London's Hyde Park - where they last played in 1969.
Guitarist Keith Richards says the shows were "like a full circle being drawn," and the band was "in top form."
"The Rolling Stones Sweet Summer Sun - Hyde Park Live" features the group's two-hour concert along with backstage footage. The band's set featured such classics as "Start Me Up," "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll," "Gimme Shelter," and "Sympathy for the Devil."
The show also features a guest appearance from former Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, and other surprises.
"The Rolling Stones Sweet Summer Sun - Hyde Park Live" will be released in a variety of formats, including DVD and Blu-ray as well as a two-CD plus DVD and 3 LP plus DVD sets. A deluxe edition will also feature a 60 page book.
The release is slated to hit stores in November.
Photo Credit Getty Images


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Men's basketball
Better late than never, right?
My computer and my blog's Ohio.com server suffered simultaneous meltdowns last night. The server has been running since noon. Unfortunately, my laptop is off to B.F. Egypt for a speaker replacement. My girlfriend's computer will have to do for now.
Here are the game notes I scribbled while sitting frustrated at the media table last night:
It's a wonder how Toledo got so bad, so quickly. Certainly, they lost some seniors last year, but from what I hear from "One Who Knows," this isn't just a young team, it's a team without even young talent. Eek. Bad combination.
On Friday, I was studying in the law library. Up the stairs walked Zippy. It was really funny to see her in that context. She was with a representative of the athletics department to sell basketball tickets to professors. Hats off to the staff for this ingenious strategy. It also took my mind off of the legal process of clearing checks, which was quite necessary.
The men's soccer team was honored during the game. There aren't many occasions when it's appropriate to clap from press row. I felt this was one. These guys worked so hard and established an airdock full of school pride.
Toledo is having an awful time beating Akron's full-court press. On the first three possessions, here were the results: steal, timeout (then successful passage), turnover.
At halftime, the score is 27-19. The teams combined for 1-of-12 on 3-point attempts. Toledo has the rebounding edge, 17-13. There is really not much more to report. It was an ugly, uneventful 20 minutes.
The university announced the induction of several new members of its Varsity A Hall of Fame. Among the people accompanying these folks out to the court was my law school buddy Joe Rich, who is a student trustee for the university. (This should serve as notice to my law school friends that if you read my blog and follow the Zips, you might just get a shoutout someday.)
A fan posted a sign reading: "Frenchie and Dunn are No. 1" … I alerted Joe Dunn to this, and the radio guys shared a good laugh. I told Joe he must alert his listeners to such a creative sign. He responded: "Only if we win."
Toledo's Malcolm Griffin dashed around two screens for an uncontested layup. Nik Cvetinovic was late on the rotation, and it was clearly his fault. Acknowledging it, Cvetinovic shouted a four-letter word you often hear used in Martin Scorsese movies. It starts with F. I could have misheard him, but I think the second letter was U.
Cvetinovic, I feel, is at a crossroads in his career. He has the talent and drive to be a franchise player, much like Romeo Travis and Jeremiah Wood. But we also need to see more consistent statistics out of him. That's what separates Wood and Travis from guys like Chris McKnight and Matt Futch, who are good players that never really carried the team.
The same goes for Humpty Hitchens. No one would question his talent or drive. Much like Cvetinovic, he must learn to harness his competitiveness and emotions. That is what Nick Dials was able to do. Hitchens certainly has the same capacity for being a star in the league like his predecessors Dials, Dru Joyce and Cedrick Middleton.
Toledo is hanging around in this game because Akron can't make an open 3-pointer. The Zips are 2-for-17 on 3s. As I type that, Hitchens drilled a 3 to extend Akron's lead to nine with 7:26 left. Next possession: Steve McNees canned a 3 with 5:48 to take the lead to 10. Then Hitchens made another 3 to extend the lead to 13 with 5:18 remaining. The next two possessions resulted in steals in the backcourt and easy layups. Akron put this game out of reach in one blog paragraph. The lead is 17.
Hitchens and McNees did a nice job breaking Toledo's press. Hitchens lobbed a pass over Toledo's defense to a cutting Cvetinovic, who dunked it. The next possession, Toledo's 6-foot-9 forward Justin Anyijong heaved an ill-advised 3-point attempt that resulted in a long rebound, which resulted in Hitchens feeding Chris McKnight for a second-straight Zips dunk.
Final score: Akron 59, Toledo 45
I will blog about tomorro's game against EMU tomorrow.
Men's basketball
Akron is favored to beat Toledo by 25 tonight, in what must be one of the largest point spreads the Zips have ever enjoyed in a conference game.
What's more, the over-under is 126.5, which means the predicted outcome allows for only about 50 points by the Rockets.
The ABJ's Tom Gaffney did a great job breaking down the Akron-Toledo thriller from last season's MAC Tournament. That game easily could have ended the Zips' season, but it wound up providing the team with confidence it used to propel themselves into the NCAA Tournament.
Rather than asking, "Who will win?", and having it be 92 percent vs. 8 percent (consisting solely of Kent State fans), I want to know...
[poll id="93"]
Men's basketball
Tonight, Buffalo lost a home game to Ball State (busting up my hypotheses below). Miami, however, defended Millett Hall by beating Central Michigan.
Both results are good for Akron. This takes Buffalo down a game -- one the Bulls figured they'd easily win. It also reduces the likelihood of two MAC West teams earning first-round byes.
Buffalo has another tough test on Saturday, when the Bulls visit Northern Illinois. Central Michigan plays at Bowling Green. Kent State must hold serve at the M.A.C. Center against Western Michigan. Eastern Michigan plays at Miami. Of course, Toledo visits Rhodes Arena for a knuckle sandwich taste testing.
It's been several months since I've written anything of substance about recruiting.
During football season, nothing was happening because the Zips were so bad and recruits were hearing that J.D. Brookhart was not going to be around. Consequently, there were no verbal commitments.
Since then, it's been basketball season. I wouldn't want to disrespect his majesty Keith Dambrot by talking about a football team that hasn't done anything in five years.
But here are some updates:
The Canton Repository reported that North Canton running back Erick Howard has verbally committed to Akron, but that he is very open to considering Toledo. The third option is prep school, because Howard's grades are likely to require his status as a Prop 48 player. Scout.com calls Howard its No. 24 running back in the nation. He would be the marquee player of this class, if he commits to Akron.
Akron also added two players from Staten Island, N.Y. You can read about the story here. One is Marvin Staten, a big tailback. The other is cornerback Micklos Blake.
Receiver Keith Sconiers will visit campus this weekend, and it sounds likely that he'll commit, according to the Chicago Tribune. Rivals.com gives the 6-foot-3 Illinois product three stars.
Jon Duckett, a safety from Pennsylvania, is choosing between Kent State, Army and Akron. He likes Akron, but Ianello's defensive scheme changed from 3-3-5 to 4-3 (heavenly angels are rejoicing), so there is a lesser need for safeties. He might also choose to walk on at Penn State.
Rivals.com lists two new commitments:
Richard Hall, weakside defensive end, Wheeling, W.V. Offers: Akron Height: 6-3 Weight: 240 Speed: 4.8 Notes: While Hall only had one offer, other schools were interested: Marshall, Ohio and West Virginia. His coach says Hall is "definitely the smartest football player I've ever coached." Hall liked Akron's facilities and Rob Ianello's staff.
Anthony Holmes, safety, New Berlin, N.Y. Offers: Akron, Temple and Buffalo Height: 6-1 Weight: 185 Speed: Not listed Notes: Ianello told Holmes that he is their No. 1 target on their recruiting board. He decommitted from Temple, because Temple sent him to Milford Academy, then jostled him around on what academic standards the school wanted him to meet. Rivals.com gives Holmes three stars.
Signing Day is Wednesday, Feb. 3. I intend to cover it and keep you updated before then.
Men's basketball
Six players scored at least eight points for Akron, which won in its first matchup against a MAC West team, Western Michigan, 79-70.
The Zips survived a 30-point explosion from conference Player of the Year candidate David Kool. Akron countered with sweet shooting: 53.3 percent from the field, 50 percent on 3s and 74.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Leading Akron were Brett McKnight (11), Jimmy Conyers (11), Chris McKnight (10), Nik Cvetinovic (10), Brett McClanahan (nine) and Steve McNees (eight).
WMU beat Akron on the boards, 35 to 26. The Broncos also forced 19 Akron turnovers. But they couldn't keep up with the Zips' shooting, particularly on 3s, where WMU was 4-of-15.
The Zips return home for a Saturday game against Toledo at 7 p.m.
Men's basketball
As Tom Gaffney writes, WMU is much stronger at home, where the team is 8-1, as opposed to 1-5 on the road.
Broncos coach Steve Hawkins admits:
Men's basketball
Fans of MAC East schools psych themselves up for games against their rivals (i.e. Kent/Akron, Miami/Ohio, etc.).
In reality, it's these crossover games that make or break a team that seeks a first-round bye at The Q. I call it the "don't screw it up" part of the schedule.
First, beating up on the West teams helps to ensure that the West only gets one of the four byes. Heading into tomorrow's games (Kent @ Toledo, Miami @ Ball State), two West teams (CMU and NIU) are leading the conference at 4-1. If both of these teams can escape crossover play at 7-4 or better, then the competition in the divisional games becomes a lot hotter. Without a bye, one of the three favorites (UB, UA and KSU) must win four games to earn a MAC Championship.
Second, it's a chance to catch your breath. The MAC East is a gauntlet. It's not quite so bad with Ohio having a down year, but would it really surprise anyone to see Buffalo to lose at Ohio? (Check.) Or for Kent to lose at Miami and at home against Bowling Green? (Check. Check.) Conversely, Toledo and Ball State should be wins, regardless of the venue. And, despite their pre-crossover records, the West teams should not come into Buffalo, Kent or Akron expecting to win.
Third, the parity makes a season sweep in the East unlikely. If you're going to pick up games, you have to look to the crossover schedule.
The good news is, I think the 4-1 teams are not the best two West teams. If I'm right, they will fall off, and Western Michigan (my favorite to win the division) will rise.
The Zips will face off against the Broncos tomorrow at 7 p.m. Then Akron will return home Saturday to play the hapless Rockets. Beating WMU at Kalamazoo would be a great start to the "don't screw it up" games.
Men's basketball
Keep refreshing your browser during the game for updates...
Heading to the M.A.C. Center is one of my two annual blogging road trips (the Q being the other). I look forward to it. There is almost always something unusual. Two years ago, it was fans throwing things onto the floor. Last year, it was Chris Singletary's sucker punch. Of course, it goes back way longer than that, as the older fans can catalog.
The Kent State athletics folks do a great job for the media, too.
The Flashes' athletic director job will be filled soon with Laing Kennedy's successor. I know of two very, very worthy candidates. Of course, if I endorse them, it won't help one lick. So I'll just publicly congratulate one of them after he/she hopefully gets the job.
With eight minutes before gametime, it looks like we'll have a full house. The student sections are exchanging chants. From Kent: "Screw the roo." From Akron: "What's a Flash?"
The downside to covering this game is that I won't get to hear the sweet, sweet voice of Michael Reghi on ESPNU.
Kent State is favored by between two and 2.5. The over-under is 133.5.
Akron's starters: Brett McKnight, Jimmy Conyers, Zeke Marshall, Steve McNees and Humpty Hitchens. Hitchens also started Wednesday in place of Darryl Roberts, whose ankle isn't 100 percent. Kent's starters: Frank Henry-Ala, Justin Greene, Rodriguez Sherman, Tyree Evans and Chris Singletary.
Hitchens scored Akron's first five points off a layup and a 3-pointer.
Kent State is doing a better job than Akron on the boards. They have three offensive rebounds by my count.
The refs called a technical foul on Conyers for extracurricular shoving. They will certainly be more apt to call the tech considering the shenanigans of years past. Evans made one of two free throws.
Since 2005-06, the MAC has scheduled Akron and Kent to play in the last conference game of the year. That contest has alternated between Rhodes Arena and the M.A.C. Center. It's good they rotate it, because having such an emotional game right before the MAC Tournament probably has a different impact based on who hosts the game.
Sherman stole the ball and dunked on a fast break. Kent State is on a 6-0 run, thanks to some Zips turnovers.
Nik Cvetinovic drove past Brandon Parks for an easy layup. Cvetinovic didn't necessarily get the first step on Parks, either. It was more of just being faster. On the next possession, they called Parks for a blocking foul. That is a matchup the Zips will try to exploit in the next potential 110 minutes of basketball against Kent this year.
Akron already has six team fouls with 12:45 to play in the first half.
McNees drilled a deep 3 to retake the lead for Akron. That is a 7-0 Zips run. Someone told me during the Cavs game on Wednesday that NBA basketball is a game of runs. I told him, "Have you ever watched college basketball?" It seems like the adrenaline of a surge carries a team much further. Having said that, I don't care if Akron mounts a 20-point lead in the first half. This rivalry has proven repeatedly the power of momentum to surmount any lead.
Tom Gaffney made a good point. As we looked out over the Kent student section, he said, "This is what Akron needs." He's right. The Zips student section is only about one-tenth the size of Kent's in terms of area. I'm sure Kent doesn't fill the section during the run-of-the-mill weekday game, but the large area is inviting to students who have not attended a game before and perhaps don't know the protocol for student attendance/participation. The small sections behind each basket at Rhodes Arena suggest they are exclusively for a special club -- and they are.
Mike McKee has run off five straight points to regain the lead for Kent.
After another put-back bucket, Kent State has 12 second-chance points.
So what's the solution to Akron's student problem? I feel that a lot of students do attend Zips games, but they are dispersed among the bleacher sections. Therefore, they don't get into the group atmosphere. Therefore, they probably might not develop the attachment to the team. Therefore, you're leaving a lot of fanbase development on the table. You have heard a lot of chatter about a new basketball arena. The inadequate student section -- along with insufficient concession stand capacity -- are two driving forces toward finding a new home for Zips basketball.
Akron hasn't made a bucket since McNees' 3-pointer -- almost four minutes ago. Neither team is shooting well, but Kent has attempted eight more free throws, as well as two more field goals.
McNees is looking quite comfortable running the point. It might be that Kent's premier backcourt pest of the past four years, Jordan Mincy, is no longer on the roster.
Brett McClanahan is responsible for consecutive field goals. The first looked like a set play, where Zeke fed him a bound pass from the high post to the base line. Then McClanahan faded away for a 10-footer. The second shot was a finger roll off the dribble drive.
Singletary is scoreless on five missed shots and two missed free throws. I guarantee that will change by my next post.
Marshall swatted a Greene layup attempt. Cvetinovic made a layup while getting fouled to extend (what has now become) a Zips lead to four. McClanahan drilled a 3 to make it seven.
Marshall rejected another Green layup, but the Kent sophomore grabbed the loose change and put it back in.
McKee scored his 10th point of the half. Keith Dambrot is doing a great job defending Evans and Singletary (six combined points), but the team keeps losing McKee on the fast break and secondary break.
Halftime stats of note: Akron is shooting 44.8 percent; Kent is 37.9 percent. McKee leads Kent with 10 points; McClanahan has seven for the Zips. Evans, Greene and Marshall each have five rebounds. McNees has three assists. Marshall is responsible for two of the game's five blocked shots. Both teams have committed five turnovers.
There is only about a foot separating the out-of-bounds line and the scorer's table, which leaves very little space for a player to occupy when waiting to check in. Seems dangerous.
The Flashes are starting to work the ball through Singletary, who scored his first basket. They are on a 9-0 run.
Sherman stole the ball from McNees. Roberts tracked Sherman down and, rather than going for the ball, wrapped him up. That made for an easy "intentional foul" call from both refs who were in position.
That makes a 13-0 run. It's getting dangerous now. Akron needs to chip it down to six, rather than let it get up to 15.
Dambrot's teams over the years have suffered from droughts in notable games. It is probably the downside of never allowing the offense to become beholden to a "go-to" player. We haven't seen an Akron field goal in more than 6:30. With a go-to guy, you know who's getting the ball when you really need a bucket. Who is that player on Akron ... Brett McKnight? I don't know.
After a breakaway layup, Kent leads by 18. And it's getting ugly, too, with turnovers, monster swats, etc.
McNees graciously ended Akron's seven-minute futility session. The Zips followed it up with a full-court press that Kent State easily passed around and finished off with an uncontested Parks dunk. Then the Zips went to a zone, which Evans beat with a 3-pointer. It doesn't seem like Dambrot can win with his variations.
Akron got a quick 5-0 spurt from a Hitchens 3 and a Conyers steal that resulted in a McNees transition layup.
After Sherman swished a 25-footer with the shot-clock expiring, I realized it's Kent's night.
Kent's student section revealed a 10 foot-by-4 foot banner reading: "Akron chicks ARE FAT!!" It is now circulating the section, being passed back and forth. After a few minutes of fun for the hippies, a Kent official confiscated the sign. Akron's student section returned the foul play by colluding a chant: "Look at your dance team." ... I thought this was a basketball game, not a swimsuit contest.
Akron is working hard to trap on defense. The problem is, Kent seems to keep getting off the hook, and Akron is unable to capitalize when the Zips do force an error.
I like how Akron is pressing and trapping. It makes me wonder, why doesn't that become a more frequent look? If any team can do it, it's Akron -- a deep team with smart players. The Zips have chipped the lead down to 11 after a three-point play from Chris McKnight.
The game is a sellout, with attendance at 6,204.
Greene is having a fantastic game. He has 21 points and 11 rebounds. While Marshall was in the game, they were having a nice duel. I expect the two to have a nice individual rivalry over the next few years.
For most of the game, the Kent fans in front of me have been more occupied with staring at the AK-Rowdies section than the actual NCAA basketball contest on the hardwood floor. Now that the result is secured, it's really annoying. That goes both ways, of course.
Singletary went down under the hoop after a missed layup. He played possum while Akron took the ball to the other side of the court. He cherry-picked an easy hoop after the Zips scored.
Final stats of note: Greene led both teams with 23 and 13. A total of five Flashes scored in double figures. Singletary had seven assists. Chris McKnight had 13 points and Cvetinovic and Marshall tied for the team lead with six boards. Kent State shot 65.5 percent in the second half. They also outrebounded Akron, 38 to 28.
Now that the first third of the MAC season is complete, I can't say I'm surprised by anything -- except maybe Ohio being 0-4 (and potentially 0-5 after today's game vs. Buffalo). Akron won the game it should have. It lost the games it should have. It would have been nice to compete better at Kent and at Buffalo, but it's just as likely that Akron blows them out at Rhodes Arena. The key will be sweeping the West to secure the first-round bye. Lose a game to one of the MAC West scrubs, and you might have to play on Wednesday at The Q.
Final score -- Akron 70, Kent State 87
Justin Greene
"It was great. To be on national TV and get a big win, it's good for us."
"He's 7-foot with long arms. I have to get my body into him to get a good shot. He blocked a couple of my shots but I didn't lose any confidence. I wanted to keep attacking him."
"I didn't think I'd be doing this well."
Chris Singletary
"I thought I didn't show my emotion enough in the first half. I was too afraid to get too hyped up. Second half, I just let loose and played with emotion and energy, and that's why I had a better second half."
"Coach told us to look ourself in the mirror and ask how we want to end the year and how we want to be remembered. We know that when we defend, we can beat just about anybody in the nation. The offense keeps getting better. The chemistry keeps getting better."
"We did a great job tonight letting our defense help our offense. In the huddle was walking about getting it (the lead) to 10, then getting it to 15."
"When we play defense for 33 seconds, it's tiring. We almost want to slow it down. Making the other team play defense for 30 seconds helps."
"It was really important. Just having that energy. When somebody hit a big 3, the place went crazy. It was easy to feed off the energy and play defense."
"Having Mike (McKee) step up like that, allowed me to just focus on the defensive end, seeing that Mike had it going on the offensive end. We have five or six guys who can put up double figures on a given night."
"Every big man I play with, I try to get him easy baskets because that helps on the defensive end. Justin's a great player. He knows how to adjust to the game. He's going to find a way to score. He knows how to use his body, finish right hand, finish left hand, using the rim to block the defender."
Rodriguez Sherman
"We've just been focusing on going inside-out. Coach wants us to push the ball, but he also wants us to be smart. We've been sharing the ball, playing smart. We want to make them play defense as well."
"We had to have pressure at all times. We wanted to make them drive. We wanted to be out on their shooters."
"Our bench gave us a lot of energy."
Greene "stepped up to the challenge. He stayed with it. We trust Justin."
Chris McKnight
"We just didn't guard as well as we should have. They had too many easy buckets. We knew it would be hard coming in here. It always is. The crowd is always great here. We didn't handle that well in the second half at all. They converted. We didn't convert as well as we should have. We have to do better when everything hits the fan."
"Greene got going early. When the monster's hungry, you've gotta be able to feed him. That's what they were doing."
"We knew we had to stay composed. They have great shooters. You have to be able to make plays, finish and play defense. Being up seven is not that big of a margin."
Keith Dambrot
"I think they physically manhandled us. Really from the get-go. They physically gave it to us. I didn't think we handled adversity well. I've said it many times, they have some of the best talent in the league."
"I thought they had a good gameplan. Our guys tried to play hard and come back. I'm not going to play to play close. We pressed, and that's not really our cup of tea."
"We're not going to win many games when it's 35-35 at halftime. I thought we did a very poor job of keeping it out of Singletary's hands. They played through him exclusively in the second half. That put pressure on us because he's a terrific passer."
"We have to do a better job at handling adversity. We have shown tendency to multiply mistakes."
"We're 9-0 when we hold people under 60. We just don't have capability to score like that. We took the easy way out. We reached. Usually the tougher team wins. It's not surprising. They're good in here. Both teams played with some class tonight. Instead of fighting each other, we decided we are the best two teams in the league in the past five years."
"I didn't even know it was 19-0. I just knew they were kicking our behinds. It's a game of spurts. They got the spurts. We didn't handle adversity, and they handled prosperity. We have to become fighters when things go poorly."
"Justin Greene can't get 23 points and 13 rebounds, and you can't expect to win. It's just like Brett McKnight getting 29 in our place last year."
"Jimmy's technical foul. Not very smart. We can't have him get three rebounds."
"In the second half, Zeke tired a little bit. He was terrific in the first half. But he's going to be good. He showed me he has no nervousness."
"He (Greene) has not shown he can go to his right shoulder, but we kept letting him go to his left shoulder."
"We built the program on toughness. Toughness can be described two ways. Physical toughness, they took it to us around the rim. We generally have held our own in the post. They got 13 offensive rebounds. We got nine. They got more easy ones around the rim. And then, mental toughness. We came at their throat early, they handled it. When they came at our throats, we couldn't handle it. It's something that's hard to work on. It's something that this team has to do better."
"When 6,200 are in this building, Kent's not going to lose too often. When we get 6,200 in our building, we're not going to lose often. When it gets loud, we puckered up."
"This is the same team that we had that was 9-8 last year. This is the same team, without Linhart. We're going to have nights that, despite what people think, we're not the best team in the league. It's not the best team we've ever had. But it's a team that can develop, because the big boy is gonna get bigger."
"If we get hit in the mouth a couple times, then we get hit in the mouth a couple times. It's not going to kill us. I've coached too long to let one game affect me."
On Geno Ford changing up his lineup: "Sometimes you've gotta be hard on your guys to get better. They played tonight like the best team in the league."
"We have inconsistencies, but they do, too. We're trapping them, and they're struggling. You know who saved them, right? Singletary. They're in trouble. They ball went through Singletary. Zips are in trouble. The ball went through Wood. The ball went through Rome. The ball went through Brett McKnight. He wasn't too good tonight."
"When things went bad, we tried to do things on our own. We tried to play one-on-one. I'm not worried about not having a go-to guy. I'm not disappointed losing here. I just wish we played better in the second half."
In fewer than 24 hours, Akron and Kent State will tip off at the M.A.C. Center.
The ABJ's Stephanie Storm wrote about the uncertainty of Geno Ford's starting lineup.
The game starts at noon and will be televised on ESPNU. Here are the game notes from GoZips.com.
I expect the line to be Kent State minus two or three.
[poll id="91"]
Men's basketball
The Zips will tip off against hated rival Kent State in just under 48 hours.
Last night, coach Keith Dambrot had something interesting to say about Kent State:
Men's basketball
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I said I wasn't going to blog tonight. And I shouldn't be. I got out of a council meeting at 7:30 and busted it up to campus. Earlier this week, I was wondering: "How much longer do I want to keep blogging?" I think I answered my question by ending a crazy day at Rhodes Arena: "As long as I physically can." This stuff is enjoyable and relaxing to me. You can't fight new taxes all day without some outlet.
The Zips are up 38-20 at the half, thanks in part to a great first half by Chris McKnight, who tallied a game-high 12 points and seven rebounds. Miami is shooting 26.7 percent from the floor, but the RedHawks have started a lot of games poorly. The big advantage for Akron is 18 points in the paint, compared to Miami's four.
As for McKnight, this is a guy who must get it going. If he can play this well, and Jimmy Conyers maintains his new persona, the Zips have the best frontcourt in the conference. And I don't think it's very close.
Adam Fletcher started the second half by backing down Zeke Marshall and executing a textbook layup. I think it was Elton Alexander who predicted that the wide centers of the MAC East would give Marshall fits.
I was really hoping to come to this game for another reason: You never know when Charlie Coles will call it quits. I don't want to pass up an opportunity to hear his final press conference at Akron.
Marshall tossed in a beautiful sky hook against Fletcher. If there's a theme to Marshall's season, it has been the rapid ups and downs. In a way, Marshall creates the problem for himself when he shows such great potential before making a mental error or allowing his lack of weight affect him.
LeVon Morefield was honored at the 15:40 mark for winning the Rudy Award. When someone rebounds from such severe strife, it's really special. He worked almost 70 hours a week to pay for school as a walk-on football player. That's not to mention growing up without parents (they were crack addicts).
Humpty Hitchens only has five points, but he has been playing solid defense against Kenny Hayes, who has nine. Hayes is probably one of the best five guards in the league.
In other MAC-tion, Kent is beating up on Buffalo at the MAC Center; Ball State is pulling off an upset over Western Michigan in Muncie, Ind.; Ohio and Bowling Green are neck-and-neck in the second half; Central Michigan has a big lead at home over Eastern Michigan; NIU and Toledo are close.
Antonio Ballard went up high to complete an impressive alley-oop from Hayes. With the athleticism that Coles has, you have to wonder if the slow-it-down style suits his personnel.
Chris McKnight has a double-double now with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Unlike at other times this season, he seems to be in the right place more often.
If the photographers were in the right place, Marshall just made Fletcher famous. Marshall finished a dunk over Miami's center and drew a foul. It was a welcomed show of aggression. Oh my! On the next play, Marshall pinned the ball against the backboard on a Fletcher dunk attempt. Fletcher probably won't his parents about that sequence when he calls home after the game.
Julian Mavunga drove from the 3-point line with a dunk in mind. Marshall entered the picture and rejected him -- one of those blocks where the offensive player's elbow is locked, so he feels the force of the block personally. The referee made a bad call by whistling Marshall for a foul. Still, it was a brutal rejection.
Marshall sprinted out to the perimeter to swat a 3-point attempt. When this kid gets a burst of confidence, it's really fun to watch because you can tell he's playing with different attributes than anyone else in the conference.
I do hate to see him abuse Fletcher, who has possessed the MAC's best beard for years now. He's a senior, and he will be sorely missed by facial hair aficionados around the Midwest.
The AK-Rowdies struck up a "Kent State sucks" chant with 2:30 to play and the Zips holding a 22-point lead. The student section has been OK tonight. Just OK. Probably filled to capacity, but not as loud as I've heard them in the past against "The Sweaters" as they nickname Miami.
Conyers dropped some jaws with a sweet reverse layup.
The reserves came in with a minute to play. That is a group that includes the Tim Carroll, Steve Swiech, Alex Sullivan, Ronnie Steward and Mike Bardo.
Final stats of note: Marshall had 13 points and three blocks. Chris McKnight finished with game highs of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Steve McNees had six assists and only one turnover. Hayes had 15 points. Fletcher logged a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards. The Zips shot 48.1 percent, compared to Miami's 32.2 percent. The RedHawks made only 2-of-16 3-pointers (12.5 percent).
Final score -- Akron 69, Miami 49
Zeke Marshall
"I don't know what triggers when I play like that. Maybe it's the big games."
"I'm starting to post harder. I wouldn't say I 'demand the ball,' because I don't like yelling. I'm starting to score a little more."
On back-and-forth with Fletcher: "We were just joking around. That's a possible friend I could have after basketball, if that ever happens."
On Kent State: "I haven't been introduced to that rivalry, but I have a good feeling about the game. I don't know why I do, but I play better in big games. In high school, it was the same exact thing. That's how I'm going to approach it on Saturday."
Chris McKnight
"I didn't feel good coming into the game. My body is tired."
"In Buffalo, we didn't play well enough together. We didn't guard enough. If we guard like we did tonight, we're really hard to beat."
"We know that [Nick] Winbush is an unbelievable shooter. He had eight 3s against Kentucky."
"We wanted to jump on them early and get out to an early lead."
On Kent State: "This is my last go-around. And it's Kent State. If we play like we did tonight, we're going to win."
"Now, we just have to stay consistent. Coach references last year a decent amount, for the simple fact that we'd win a couple games, then lose one. We just have to be consistent."
Keith Dambrot
"Unbelievable congratulations to Coach Coles and what he's done. His toughness and longevity, and what he's overcome. It's motivational to me."
"I thought we played our best game of the year. Maybe one of the better games I've been here. It reminded me about what Buffalo did to us. We did everything went right and everything went wrong for them."
"When the McKnights play well, we're hard to beat. When they don't, we're hard to win."
"We ran better. We decided we were too conservative. We had to call less sets. I think they like playing that way more, too."
"We took Monday off, which was the best thing we did. We didn't do anything different. Same attack, but we ran more. We tried to play less in the half-court."
On Marshall: "I thought he played like he did in that two-week stretch when he was really good. We need for him to play good when he hits adversity. We need to stick with him. He changes the game. Even if he doesn't block some of them, he's in their head."
"Kent's good. And Buffalo's good. They just caught them on a bad night. If Kent wants to play, they're pretty good. They've got two high-major guys in [Chris] Singletary and Tyree Evans. The teams that are old in this league win. It's a man's league. It's a mini-Big Ten. It's not a finesse league. It's not like the Horizon. It's not like the Ohio Valley."
"They have a guy they can play through. Chris Singletary is probably the best passer in the league. They can overcome ball pressure. They remind me of the old OU teams with Jeremy Fears and that. When they want to play, they're great. When they don't want to play, they're just OK. Sometimes Kent doesn't feel like playing."
"They have some guys who are really good who don't get credit like Mike McKee. Chris Singletary probably doesn't think I respect him, but I think he's the best player in the league. To me, Singletary and [David] Kool are the best two guys."
"I didn't think we came out in the second half very good, but we made enough baskets to overcome our bad defense. We made a lot of shots in transition that helped us."
"When Zeke plays, we go from a good defensive team to a great defensive team. When he feels like playing ... That's why he needs to play."
"I'm not going to say a word (to Zeke about Kent). They're trying to bully the guy. He has to be ready. If he's good, he's good. Fine. What we have to do is develop the guy. He might not get to where he's consistent this year. Zeke can talk about all those big games he played in high school. He has no idea. He has no clue when it comes to big games. Nervousness has never been his problem. He has been unemotional at times."
Charlie Coles
"We got beat by a very good basketball team. The team that I think, right now, is the best team in the league. I don't think anybody compares to these guys. To get nine or 10 players to play, like he gets them to play ... Let's face it, Chris McKnight on another team would be playing 30 minutes. If he was on my team, I'd never take him out."
"It used to be, we'd come up here. We were better. Now we come up here, we don't have a chance. They did a great job. They move the ball. They don't miss their 3s. We miss our 3s. Our senior guard Kenny Hayes missed a 3. I called a timeout. I said, 'Kenny, I thought I'd mention to you that this would be a trade-off. You hit the 3; he [Hitchens] hits the 3. You didn't hit the 3. They started keeping score this year.'"
"But seriously, they have a good team. I don't know how good we are. I don't know how good we are. We don't play particularly hard. We don't play particularly smart. They got Marshall. I can see him getting better."
"The good team never gets confused. The bad team does. That was most of it. I don't think they did anything in particular. In the beginning, we were getting good shots. We just couldn't make them. Then we couldn't stop them. Then we lost our confidence."
"Mavunga couldn't get much done. The McKnight boys, when they see him, they say, 'Ah ha! Here you come. OK.'"
"Conyers is the wild card for them. At 6-5, he sneaks in there and gets things done. Last year, they had [Nate] Linhart who gave [Michael] Bramos a lot of fits. This year, Conyers is more offensive. I think he and Marshall are the wild cards for them. If you look up and see them in the [NCAA] Tournament, you'll see Conyers and Marshall making a difference. I see Akron as an almost-Butler team. Oh, they're smart."
"They have a great pace to their game. They'll go fast and then slow. Slow and then fast. The trick is, knowing how to use the speed you have, when you need to use it."
"Akron, if we played them tomorrow, you'd see the same outcome. If we played them Saturday, you'd see the same outcome."
"To be honest, you're going to think I'm joking when I say this: I have a ball coaching them, except when we play. I hate games, man. It seems like the worst comes out in us."
"Let's face it, I enjoy going different places and playing. I've always enjoyed that. That's the reason I've stayed in coaching so long. I wouldn't just miss my team. I wouldn't just miss Miami. I would miss sportswriters, the fans, going different places. Last year, I wasn't ready to give it up. I haven't thought twice about it.
"I met Mr. McKnight tonight. I told him a story about last year. He came in the locker room before our game. He and Brett embraced and he kissed Brett on the cheek. I told him how that touched me. I called a friend, and he started crying on the phone. You don't see that kind of love and guidance. I have the highest respect for them. I think Akron is lucky to have them. You miss those things. They all tell a story."
"I'll leave you with this: A former teammate of mine called me. He used to guard me in practice. I reminded him that he was second-string, and I was the starter. And forgive me, but he's always been an ass. He called me, and said, 'Congratulations on the record. You're not only the winningest coach at Miami, but you're the losingest coach at Miami, too.'"
Men's basketball
Akron is a nine-point favorite to win tonight against Miami at Rhodes Arena.
The ABJ's Tom Gaffney wrote a great story about the significance of former Zips coach Wyatt Webb to the current coach Keith Dambrot, who surpassed Webb last week to become third all-time in the program for wins.
Pete Conrad of the Oxford Press did a nice job previewing the game. Miami, which has the nation's No. 2 strength of schedule, feels that the prior course has helped the team come together once the MAC season began.
[poll id="90"]
Men's basketball
In the Buffalo News, Keith Dambrot discussed his scheduling philosophy.
As usual, Dambrot talked about how he has been "whacked up and down" for his strategy. I think he's talking a little about me, and probably a lot about Elton Alexander. Following tradition, let's go point-counterpoint:
Dambrot: In the history of the MAC, which is 60 years or whatever, we've only had six multiple-bid years. So until we prove we can get multiple bids, we're a one-bid league. And that's as simple as I see it. So you might as well win.
Rasor: It very well could have happened two years ago with Kent State. The Flashes played a rough, yet manageable schedule, which included only one true "buy game" against No. 1 North Carolina. For a mediocre team, it doesn't make a ton of sense to play the big boys, because you're not going anywhere without winning the MAC Tournament, regardless. But for a team that is consistently at the top of the league, a shocker win (or just the improved RPI from playing on the road at Duke, UNC, etc.) could take a team from the run-of-the-mill MAC Champion status (see Akron '09) to elite mid-major status (see Miami circa Wally Szczerbiak). It all depends on your goals for the program, I suppose. One who is "thinking bigger than the MAC" would want to go for it all, particularly when it doesn't affect the ability to win the MAC, as well. If you want to cause a stir around town, beat a top-25 team on the road. If it happens only once out of 10 games, so be it.
D: I think we should play mid-majors and not get bought. That's my opinion. I think our league will be better for it. We'll get more people in the postseason [such as the NIT] ... Until we show we're a two-bid league we're a one-bid league and we shouldn't even talk about it.
R: Is there something so awful about getting "bought"? Isn't it true the program pulls in a truckload of money? Isn't it true the college athletes get a unique experience that, heck, might even be valuable come March? Isn't it true that, even if the referees completely screw you out of the gym, your players learn the lesson that life isn't fair, and it won't be fair in athletics, either? Isn't it true that getting "bought" generally results in an RPI boost, win or lose? Dambrot must consider whether the downside of taking bruises 90 percent of the time in a hostile gym that he is concerned about is really an ego thing.
D: I think that's who we should play, like the Missouri Valleys, the Colonials, sometimes the Mountain Wests. Mix in some A-10s who will play you home and home. I think those are the best schedules we can get rather than going to all these high majors where you're going to lose. Most times even if you're better, you're going to lose.
R: I agree. However, I've been hearing about this plan for five years. When will we see the upper-echelon mid-majors coming more frequently? Why are we still caulking our schedule with the Midstate Upstairs B.S. Universities of the world? That's acceptable to fans as a warm-up game. But in December, they serve no purpose. People don't want to pay to see Akron dust up the Washington Generals -- not with their time or money. These games are a big reason attendance is low until the MAC season begins. The other is effective marketing, but that's another story...
D: Look at Davidson last year. They had a lottery pick [Stephan Curry]. They lost every one of them. Do you think they're going to let you win consistently in the Big East? You may win one but you ain't winning many. That's how I see it. I've been whacked up and down for it but I believe I'm right. And I think most everybody in our league now is doing it that way. Not everybody, and Miami [of Ohio]'s an example. They're pretty good. They're 4-11 but they're pretty good.
R: Davidson did what it needed to do to prepare itself for a national title run. They wanted experience against the big boys. They lost by four at Oklahoma and by 12 at Duke. Not bad. Unfortunately for them, they also lost early in the conference tournament and barely missed the NCAA Tournament. Just think if Davidson played nobody and lost in the Southern Conference tournament. They wouldn't have been a high seed in the NIT; that's for sure. As for Miami, Charlie Coles takes the gamble that he can catch a big boy off guard and possibly steal a win that could propel consideration for an at-large bid. Year after year, we see his teams catching momentum once the MAC season begins, so it's hard to argue the schedule is detrimental to Coles.
Regardless of how you come out on this issue, there are good arguments on both sides. I disagree with the coach, but I don't think there is a wrong or right here.
Akron will play Miami on Wednesday at Rhodes Arena at 7 p.m.[poll id="89"]To read more or comment...
Men's basketball
Buffalo exacted early revenge for its loss in the MAC Championship with a 78-65 win over Akron.
Bulls senior guard Rodney Pierce tied a career high with 31 points. The big difference in the game was 3-point shooting, where Buffalo was 9-for-14 (64.3 percent) and Akron made only 4-of-18 (22.2 percent). The Zips also missed 12 free throws (55.6 percent).
Heading into the game, the teams were tied at 2-0 for the division lead.
Jimmy Conyers led Akron with 17 points and seven rebounds. Sean Smiley added 21 points for Buffalo.
"We've been waiting for this game since last year," Smiley said in the postgame TV interview.
Buffalo built its lead in the final minutes in the first half, when the margin quickly grew from three to 13. The run included a technical foul on Keith Dambrot. Akron whittled Buffalo's lead down to six with six minutes to play, but Buffalo responded with a 7-0 run to put the Zips away.
Akron's next game is Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Miami at Rhodes Arena. I have a council meeting, so unfortunately I won't be able to make it.
Men's basketball
You can watch Akron's game at Buffalo by clicking the link on this page and having RealPlayer installed prior.
The Zips are one-point favorites to win today. Winning, of course, is the primary objective, but I would like the Zips to get Zeke Marshall more involved.
During a timeout, I'd recommend reading about Keith Dambrot's contract incentives, which Tom Gaffney wrote about in today's paper.
You can also read about the new revenue that InfoCision Stadium made possible.
University of Akron men's soccer coach Caleb Porter received the highest collegiate coaching honor Friday night.
Porter was named the NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America awards banquet in Philadelphia.
''I'm humbled to receive this award,'' Porter said in a statement. ''Truly, it is a reflection of the work of our team and success they had this year. The credit should go to my players, assistant coaches and support staff, who all played a part in our program's accomplishments this season.''
UA had a 23-1-1 overall record in 2009 and finished national runner-up in the NCAA Tournament.
The Zips led all 203 Division I teams in goals per game (2.32) and goals-against-average (0.27), and were the consensus No. 1-ranked team for the final nine weeks of the regular season.
UA had 19 shutouts, which is the second-highest total in NCAA history. Their goals-against-average and .760 shutout percentage are each third all-time.
Porter has a 68-12-8 overall record and a 20-1-1 mark in the Mid-American Conference since being named Zips coach in 2006. He has led the Zips to four consecutive MAC regular season championships, three MAC Tournament titles in a row and appearances in each of the past three NCAA Tournament's.
Porter has also earned the past three MAC Coach of the Year honors.
The 2010 Major League Soccer Draft started at 2 p.m. and was televised live on ESPN2 from Philadelphia.
The University of Akron men's soccer team had two players selected in the top 10; sophomore forward Teal Bunbury was selected fourth by the Kansas City Wizards and junior midfielder Blair Gavin was selected 10th by Chivas USA.
Zips senior midfielder Ben Zemanski was selected in the third round by Chivas USA with the 47th overall pick.
Chivas USA is a franchise located in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, Calif.
Former Zips sophomore forward standout Steve Zakuani was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2009 MLS draft pick by the Seattle Sounders FC, an expansion team that recently completed its first season.
The Philadelphia Union, an expansion team, made the No. 1 overall draft pick. They also made the sixth and seventh picks in the first round after working some trades.
Check out Friday's Akron Beacon Journal newspaper and/or the ohio.com website for a story about Bunbury, Gavin and Zemanski getting drafted.
Below is a list of the top 10 picks as they happened:
First Round (Top 10 Picks)
2:06 p.m. No. 1 -- The Philadelphia Union selects Danny Mwanga, a forward from Oregon State University, with the first pick. He is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds and is from the Republic of Congo, which is also where Zakuani is from.
2:12 p.m. No. 2 -- The New York Red Bulls selects Tony Tchani, a midfielder from the University of Virginia, with the second pick. He is 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds and helped the Cavaliers win the national championship.
2:15 p.m. No. 3 -- The San Jose Earthquakes selects Ike Opara, a defender from Wake Forest University, with the third pick. He is 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds.
2:21 p.m. No. 4 -- The Kansas City Wizards selects Teal Bunbury, a forward from the University of Akron, with the fourth pick. He is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds and recently won the Hermann Trophy after helping guide the Zips to a national runner-up finish. His father, Alex Bunbury, played for the Kansas City Wizards during his professional career that spanned 15 years and included stints in England, Portugal, Canada and the United States. Teal is the first son of a former MLS player to get drafted. Alex also played on the Canadian national team.
2:26 p.m. No. 5 -- FC Dallas selects Zach Loyd, a defender/midfielder from the University of North Carolina, with the fifth pick. He is 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds.
2:29 p.m. No. 6 -- The Philadelphia Union selects Amobi Okugo, a midfielder from UCLA, with the sixth pick. He is 6-foot and 175 pounds.
2:36 p.m. No. 7 -- The Philadelphia Union selects Jack McInerney, a forward that did not attend college, with the seventh pick. He is 5-foot-8 and 155 pounds and has experience playing on the U.S. U-17 Men's National Team. Several of the earlier picks also have youth national team experience.
2:41 p.m. No. 8 -- The Columbus Crew selects Dilly Duka, a midfielder from Rutgers University, with the eighth pick. He is 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds.
2:46 p.m. No. 9 -- The New England Revolution selects Zack Schilawski, a forward from Wake Forest University, with the ninth pick. He is 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds and is a native of Cary, N.C. where the Men's Soccer Cup was held this past December.
2:51 p.m. No. 10 -- Chivas USA selects Blair Gavin, a midfielder from the University of Akron, with the 10th pick. He is 6-foot and 165 pounds and helped guide the Zips to a national runner-up finish.
That concludes the top 10 selections of the MLS Draft.
Here is some addtional information regarding the University of Akron's 62-55 win over rival Kent State on Wednesday night in a Mid-American Conference women's basketball game:
Postgame Stats and Notes
-- The Zips (8-8, 2-1) had four players score in double figures and also held an advantage over the Golden Flashes (9-6, 2-1) in shooting percentage and rebounding.
-- Junior forward Kara Murphy led the Zips with 16 points and two assists. Senior guard Ayla Guzzardo contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, senior forward Jolene Tamboue had 13 points and 14 rebounds and sophomore center Kyle Baumgartner had 12 points and five rebounds.
-- Golden Flashes junior forward Taisja Jones scored a game-high 23 points and junior center Ellie Shields contributed 12 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Jamilah Humes had eight points and six assists before fouling out with 26 seconds left in the game.
-- The score was tied 47-47 with 6:55 to go. UA then went on a 6-0 run with a jumper by Tamboue and two layups by Baumgartner to lead 53-47 with 5:17 left. KSU got no closer than three points the rest of the game.
-- Tamboue helped the Zips to a 38-28 advantage in rebounds.
-- UA made 47.1 percent (24-of-51) of its shots from the field, and KSU converted 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the field.
-- Junior guard Amber Witt (four assists), sophomore forward Jasmine Mushington (four points) and freshman forward Rachel Tecca (three points) also contributed for the Zips.
-- The Zips have won two of their past three games against the Flashes. UA and KSU next meet on Feb. 24 at Kent for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Postgame Quotes
Akron coach Jodi Kest
''I am just very proud of my young ladies. The coaches did a terrific job of preparation, but ultimately it comes down to our young ladies executing and I thought that we did a great job of that, especially in the second half.''
''Tonight we finished. We shot 47 percent [from the field] and we made the plays down the stretch. Kara made great plays. I thought Kyle had a great second half, Jolene gave us great energy with her offensive rebounding and Ayla made some key 3-pointers that we needed.
''It was another great team effort. It was nice to have four players in double figures. That is one thing we have talked about all year. It is not just about one player. Anyone on this team is capable of scoring in double figures.''
on Tamboue: ''The great thing about Jolene is what you see in the game is how she practices every day. She is always the first one on the court and the last one to leave. She has high energy and works hard every practice and every game.''
''I think our kids did a terrific job of preparing for this game and taking care of business.''
Kent State coach Bob Lindsay
''I was disappointed with the way we rebounded and the quality of our defense. Give all the credit to Akron. They outplayed us in the second half and that was the difference in the game."
''I think Jodi and her staff deserve a lot of credit. She has gotten this team to play hard.''
Akron senior forward Jolene Tamboue
''I know I started off a little bit slow [this season], but I feel I have stepped it up, especially with my rebounding. That is one of the main things I focus on. I know that is what I do and what my role is.''
Akron junior forward Kara Murphy
''It's good [to win this game], but I want to get them twice.''
Men's basketball
The most unlikely star in the conference led Akron to another win, this time on the road at Ohio.
Jimmy Conyers scored 16 and grabbed 14 rebounds in 36 minutes, giving the Zips a 67-62 win over the Bobcats.
Ohio won or tied almost every statistic except offensive rebounds, where the Zips led 17-8. Those 11 extra possessions were the difference in the game, however. Conyers was responsible for six of the offensive boards.
The Zips' road trip continues Sunday at 2 against Buffalo, who plays at Bowling Green tomorrow night. If the Bulls win, it will be a matchup of the only unbeaten teams in the MAC East.
Women's basketball
The Zips beat Kent State tonight at Rhodes Arena, 62-55.
Kara Murphy scored 16 and Joline Tamboe grabbed 14 rebounds for Akron.
Curt Mallory will be Akron's next defensive coordinator, according to the Associated Press.
Mallory had served as co-defensive coordinator at Illinois the past three seasons. He was one of three finalists for the head coaching job at Central Michigan, which eventually went to Michigan State's Dan Enos.
The new coordinator lettered two years at Michigan (1989-90) and served as an assistant coach at Ball State, Central Michigan and Indiana.
The other finalist was rumored to be Vince Okruch, Akron's linebackers coach last season under J.D. Brookhart.
Men's basketball
Ohio is favored by two tonight against Akron at The Convo.
As Tom Gaffney writes, this game begins Akron's most difficult stretch of games this season, with four of the next five coming on the road.
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Rob Ianello hired a former Syracuse defensive line coach to fill the same position on his staff.
Akron's coach calls Derrick Jackson an energetic recruiter and teacher. An earlier report said Bryant Young, a former San Francisco 49er, would take the defensive line job, but whispers began to surface that wasn't accurate.
Other notes...
Ianello also hired Mike Cochran as strength and conditioning coach. Cochran served in that role at Marshall. He also has experience working under Jim Tressel at Youngstown State and Ohio State.
You absolutely must read the story of LeVon Morefield, an Akron player who won the national Rudy Award, given to the walk-on who best demonstrates character, courage, contribution and commitment. What a great accomplishment! It's also nice that Morefield's professional career is looking up.
Men's basketball
I apologize for missing the last couple home games. Michael Beaven, as always, did a great job filling in.
Here are some observations as we enter the meat of the MAC season:
The surprise of Saturday was Kent State's win at Ohio. The Bobcats (8-6), with a strength of schedule (SOS) at 128, probably would have done the same against Akron's competition as the Zips have. Their freshman point guard, D.J. Cooper, is going to be a marquee guard in this league for a long time (see Dru Joyce, with even gaudier numbers). So this win validates a Flashes team that, in my opinion, has never found its swagger under Geno Ford. No matter how we paint Chris Singletary (hoodlum on and off the court), he is my frontrunner for MAC Player of the Year. Add in All-MAC caliber guards Rodriguez Sherman and Tyree Evans and high-ceiling big man Anthony Simpson and you have a team that must be considered--at a minimum--the co-favorite to win the division.
Whoa! Toledo is really, really bad. Central Michigan won by 11 at the Rockets' place. Will Toledo go 0-16? It should be a morbid sidebar for the conference's rubberneckers.
With the Carlos Medlock and Brandon Bowdry inside-outside combination, Eastern Michigan was poised to be a top-two team in the MAC West. Well, the division favorite, Western Michigan, gave them a little dusting-up in Kalamazoo. Don't expect that to be a trend. EMU shot 26.4 percent from the field on Saturday, and WMU has shown decent improvement on its defense. I see the West to shake out like this: WMU, EMU, NIU, BSU, CMU and (far behind) UT.
As for the Zips, I didn't see the game, but it seems like the Zips really tortured BG, forcing 21 turnovers and allowing 27.7 percent shooting. You can make a great case for Jimmy Conyers being another favorite for MAC Player of the Year, as well, if the voters only consider conference play. Other candidates must include EMU's Bowdry, WMU's David Kool, one of Buffalo's two seniors (Calvin Betts, Rodney Pierce) and, as stated, KSU's Singletary.
Speaking of Buffalo, the Bulls stamped an 18-point embarrassment on Miami. Buffalo, given its run in the 2009 MAC Tournament, must be considered a favorite. The team to watch is Miami. Will the RedHawks, as protocol, start slowly and build momentum toward March? This is the Charlie Coles method. It would be a short-sighted error to write off the RedHawks as an inconsequential team.
Akron plays at Ohio on Wednesday. Can the Zips match Kent State's win at The Convo? I think so, as long as the Zips play an inside-outside game. The Bobcats play solid perimeter defense, so chucking 3s won't work in that hostile environment. Ohio is also the conference's second-worst shooting team. A solid effort on defense by Akron should merit a victory.
The University of Akron men's basketball team overcame a slow start Saturday night to emphatically defeat visiting Bowling Green 71-45 before a crowd of 3,028 at Rhodes Arena in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams.
The Zips (11-4, 1-0) had to adjust to the 2-3 zone that the Falcons (7-6, 0-1) presented them. UA faced an early 6-0 deficit in the first half and then responded with a 10-0 run. BGSU then answered with a 13-0 run to lead 19-10 with about seven minutes to go in the first half.
UA then took control of the game offensively and defensively. The Zips missed their first 10 shot from beyond the 3-point arc and then made 9-of-11 3-pointers after that.
Senior forward Jimmy Conyers led the Zips with 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and one block. He made 3-of-3 attempts from 3-point range.
Junior guard Steve McNees (11 points), sophomore guard Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens (10 points, five assists) and senior forward Chris McKnight (10 points, five rebounds) were the Zips other key players Saturday.
UA led 32-28 at halftime. The Zips extended the lead to 54-37 by going on 22-9 run in the first 11:27 of the second half.
The Zips made 42.9 percent of their field goal attempts (24-of-56) and the same percentage from 3-point distance (9-of-21). The Zips defense limited BGSU to 27.7 percent (13-of-47) from the field and to 35.7 percent (5-of-14) from 3-point range.
UA also held an advantage in rebounds, 36-31.
BGSU junior guard Joe Jakubowski scored a game-high 17 points. Falcons senior center Otis Polk was limited to 2-of-11 from the field for eight points.
UA has two MAC away games coming up, at Ohio on Wednesday and at Buffalo on Jan. 17.
Postgame Quotes
Akron coach Keith Dambrot
"I thought we got good shots against the zone in the first half, but we made nothing. But that zone is hard. If you don't make shots from the outside, it becomes difficult."
"We did the same things in both halves. We just made a few shots in the second half."
"We are a good defensive team. There is no doubt about that. We have based the whole program on that end."
"We care about offense, but we know if we are going to win big games, we have to play good defense."
Dambrot on Conyers: "He is becoming one of the best players in the league. He is a tough son-of-a-gun."
Bowling Green coach Louis Orr
"You got to stay grinding and stay on the shooters. We didn't do enough of that. You play a team like Akron, you have to grind it out, especially on defense."
"We hurt ourselves. We missed too many shots around the basket and you can't beat a good team like Akron when you have 21 turnovers."
New Akron head coach Rob Ianello has received what is believed to be his first verbal commitment in 6-foot-8 offensive lineman Micah Lio.
Lio attends Knoch High School in Pennsylvania. He was a member of the All-Greater Allegheny Conference second team for his play at offensive tackle. He also lined up on the defensive line.
The 265-pound Lio also had interest from Indiana, Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Purdue, according to Rivals.com. Lio is not rated by Rivals.com and unlisted by Scout.com.
Pittsburghlive.com reports that Lio also received scholarship offers from Eastern Michigan and New Hampshire.
"He was bound and determined to be a force on the offensive line, and he really did that," Knoch coach Mike King told the paper. "In some games, I saw him taking people 6 and 7 yards off the ball and putting people on their backs."
University of Akron sophomore forward Teal Bunbury concluded his collegiate men's soccer career by winning the sport's most prestigious award Friday night in St. Louis.
Bunbury won the Hermann Trophy, a crystal soccer ball that is college soccer's version of football's Heisman Trophy, at the Missouri Athletic Club.
''I'm feeling really good right now,'' Bunbury said Friday by telephone from St. Louis. ''It is a great feeling to win this award. I have to give a lot of credit to all my teammates; without them I could not have won this award. I also have to give a lot of credit to my coaches and the university. I am really excited and happy.''
The first runner-up was Harvard senior forward Andre Akpan. Wake Forest junior midfielder Corben Bone was third.
Bunbury previously was named a National Soccer Coaches Association of America first team All-American, received national Player of the Year honors from Soccer America and Goal.com and was chosen as the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year.
''It is a tremendous honor for Teal and certainly for our program,'' UA coach Caleb Porter said Friday by telephone from St. Louis. ''We accomplished a lot this year and this is icing on the cake. This has never happened in the 54 years of the program. It is really a credit to how hard Teal has worked.''
Bunbury led all Division I players with 17 goals in 2009 and had five assists.
Bunbury and junior midfielder Blair Gavin each decided to turn pro and pursue a career in MLS this past month after helping the Zips (23-1-1) to a national runnerup finish in the 2009 NCAA Tournament and MAC regular-season and tournament titles.
It is the second year in a row that the Zips had a finalist for the award. Former Zips star forward Steve Zakuani finished second last year.
Check out Saturday's Akron Beacon Journal newspaper and/or the ohio.com wesbite for more on this story with additional comments from Bunbury and Porter.
The University of Akron men's basketball team committed too many turnovers and shot poorly from the free throw line in a 68-63 loss to visiting Rhode Island on Tuesday night at Rhodes Arena.
The Rams (12-1) made a rally in the second-half after the Zips (10-4) held a 36-29 lead at halftime. The loss snapped UA's six-game win streak and also ended their string of seven victories in a row at home. The Rams, who are receiving votes in both national polls this week, won their eighth game in a row.
Rams senior forward Lamonte Ulmer finished with game highs in points (20) and rebounds (11) and junior forward Delroy James scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Ulmer (6-foot-6 and 215 pounds) and James (6-foot-8 and 220 pounds) were each a difficult matchup for the Zips because of their length and quickness.
Senior guard Keith Cothran finished with 12 points and five rebounds for Rhode Island.
Junior forward Brett McKnight led the Zips with 13 points and had eight rebounds and two assists. Zips sophomore reserve forward Nikola Cvetinovic played with a lot of energy and finished with 12 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Senior forward Jimmy Conyers grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and scored eight points.
Rhode Island trailed 48-39 with 14:35 remaining in the second half, before outscoring UA 17-6 over the next 7:48. James scored 11 of his 19 points during the Rams run. He made two layups, a jump shot, two free throws and a 3-pointer before capping the run with a layup with 6:47 remaining, to give his team a 56-54 advantage and its first lead since being ahead 19-18 with 9:02 left in the first half.
The Zips overcame a 14-6 deficit in the first seven minutes of the game by putting together a 22-5 run to lead 28-19 with just over four minutes to play in the first half.
UA made 38.7 percent (24-of-62) of it shots from the field and Rhode Island made 35.9 percent (23-of-64) of its shots from the field.
The Zips held a 45-39 advantage in rebounds, but had 16 turnovers to the Rams 10.
Rhode Island shot 80 percent (16-of-23) from the free throw line and UA converted 61.1 percent (11-of-18).
UA was unable to consistently handle Rhode Island's full-court pressure after successfully facing a full-court pressure in an 85-76 win over host Wyoming this past Wednesday night in Laramie, Wyo.
McKnight and sophomore guard Anthony ''Humpty'' Hitchens each scored 16 points to lead the Zips in that victory over the Cowboys. Conyers had 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds in the Wyoming win and junior guard Steve McNees contributed 14 points.
UA opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday against Bowling Green at Rhodes Arena for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
Postgame Quotes
Akron coach Keith Dambrot
"There's no doubt, turnovers were the difference tonight. We made mistakes in the half court, but we didn't make them in the full court. We prepared heavily for the full court pressure, but I thought a lot of them were unforced. We just made bad decisions. I feel bad for our kids. We competed very hard in the first half. I thought we did a much better job rebounding the ball in the first than in the second. I think they hurt us when it really mattered, we didn't rebound when it really mattered and we didn't guard when it mattered and we certainly didn't make shots when it mattered."
"We tried very hard and you can tell Rhode Island has won some games, that one's a heartbreaker for us because we probably played good enough to win. Defensively, especially the first half, we just did not make enough plays. We got the ball point blank, had a hard time scoring over them and then we missed free throws and open 3-pointers when it mattered. They made their shots and we didn't make ours."
"We made some bad plays too, a combination of catching and passing. We did a poor job of that. Rhode Island is long and athletic, they've got a good team, not necessarily a good half court defensive team, which is probably what disappointed me the most. When it mattered, they played better defense than we did."
Rhode Island coach Jim Baron
"It was a hard-fought game. It went back and forth. The difference was we were able to rebound the ball in the second half."
"I told our guys we had to step it up and rebound the basketball on the defensive end, and, on the offensive end, we needed to get second and third shots. Our guys did a great job of doing that."
Akron sophomore forward Nikola Cvetinovic
"We had them on the ropes. In the second half, we got anxious and didn't execute the plays."
Note: For the record (and responding to a comment below), I did attend the Zips/Rams men's basketball game Tuesday night. I sat in the crowd with some family and friends and watched the game. After the game ended, I had to go back to the office to work on high school sports stuff. I posted this information in the early morning hours based on what I witnessed and by reading the box score. I also corrected the first sentence and adjusted the height and weight references regarding players.
A source tells me that Vince Okruch is among the two finalists for the defensive coordinator job.
Okruch coached the linebackers under J.D. Brookhart in 2009. That unit was one of the team's most productive, including stud freshman Brian Wagner. Okruch has served as defensive coordinator at four schools, most recently being Illinois. FootballScoop.com says Okruch planned to interview at Florida International.
The other candidate for Akron's defensive coordinator job is Curt Mallory, who just finished his second season as co-defensive coordinator at Illinois.
From what I hear, many players really enjoyed working with Okruch. He would bring some continuity to the 2010 team.
This news comes a week or so after Akron hired former San Francisco 49er Bryant Young as its defensive line coach and Charlie Camp as linebackers coach.
Men's basketball
When I watched Nick Dials play -- particularly in rivalry games -- I could picture the feisty guard one day becoming a fiery coach.
Dials took the first step in that route, taking an assistant coaching role with at a leading Division II school from West Virginia, Alderson Broaddus College.
His alma mater plays Tuesday at home against Rhode Island at 7 p.m. Akron is riding a six-game winning streak, but this win would be a marquee notch on the nonconference schedule.


text:
Justin Timberlake's "20/20" part two coming out September 30th
Listen to Justin Timberlake on iHeartRadio
Justin Timberlake fans may have to wait less than they expected to hear the second part of The 20/20 Experience.
Part Two of the star's recent comeback album was rumored to drop in November, according to collaborator QuestLove of The Roots. But on Sunday, Timberlake took to Twitter to post a photo of himself in the studio, along with a handwritten sign reading "The 20/20 Experience, 2 of 2, September 30th."
#2020Experience2of2 #TheTNKids instagram.com/p/Y8P76yydj6/— Justin Timberlake(@jtimberlake) May 5, 2013
Justin has remained quiet on the subject of the follow-up, after only briefly confirming to Ryan Seacrest in March.
When 20/20 dropped that month, it sold 968-thousand copies in its first week. The album remained at number one on the Billboard 200 for three consecutive weeks. Its two singles "Suit & Tie" and "Mirrors" are currently in the top 10 on the Hot 100 as well.


text:
Economy Adds 195,000 Jobs In June
The nation's economy added 195-thousand jobs last month. The latest numbers out this morning from the Labor Department show the unemployment rate is still stuck at seven-point-six-percent. The jobless rate hasn't changed much since February. Jobs grew in leisure and hospitality, profession and business services, retail trade, health care, and financial activities. The gain of 195-thousand jobs is an improvement over May, when the economy added 176-thousand jobs. It's also better than most analysts had been expecting.


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Boy, 8, Shoots, Kills Elderly Woman - Intentionally
(NEWSER) – An 8-year-old boy fatally shot his elderly "caregiver"—WBRZ identifies the victim as his grandmother—in Slaughter, Louisiana, last week, authorities say. The victim was Marie Smothers, 87. The boy has not been identified because of his age. He originally told police the shooting was unintentional, but authorities say their investigation has led them to believe the boy "intentionally shot Mrs. Smothers in the back of the head as she sat in her living room watching television," CNN reports. The gun belonged to Smothers, reports WBRZ.


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Peaches Geldof - daughter of Bob Geldof - dead at 25
(TMZ) - English socialite Peaches Geldof has died, reports TMZ.
The 25-year-old was found dead at her home in Kent, England, Monday afternoon. Details surrounding the death are unclear. Kent Police tell TMZ, they do not suspect foul play. Investigators are treating the death as "unexplained and sudden."
A law enforcement source at the Kent PD tells TMZ, a woman called in and said she could not reach Peaches, so officials dispatched an ambulance and emergency responders found Peaches' body.
Peaches is the daughter of singer and famed philanthropist Bob Geldof, the man behind the Live Aid concerts. Peaches was a socialite and model. She also worked as a TV presenter.
Bob just released a statement, saying, "We are beyond pain. She was the wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us."
Peaches' mother, Paula Yates (who was a British television presenter and writer), died when Peaches was around only 11 years old. Yates was tragically found dead of a heroin overdose on September 17, 2000.
Peaches was married to Chester French singer Max Drummey from 2008-2011. She married S.C.U.M. singer Thomas Cohen in 2012. She also famously dated Eli Roth.
She's survived by her two children, her husband Thomas, her sister, and her dad.
Peaches posted this video to Instagram Sunday, showing her playing with her baby son.
Rest in peace.
Photo Credit Getty Images


text: BORN: Albuquerque, New MexicoFROM: Fort CollinsAFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES...When I'm not in the studio or a some station event....I like snowboarding, started with Chris and Kramer at the X Games in Aspen and have been working on that, falling down a lot at progressively faster speeds. I DJ all the Colorado Eagles Games which is a blast, I play lots of Frolf (Frisbee Golf for you non Sinefeld fans) in the summer, camping is a must if you live in Colorado. I'm a licensed pilot. I constantly add to my digital music collection, that takes up a lot of time and eye strain which I like to work out sitting on the lawn, drinking beer and grilling. When I'm not doing any of the above I probably end up watching TV...who doesn�t.TV...The Office, Daily Show, Entourage, Sinefeld, 24, The Shield, King of The Hill, Simpson�s, Blind Date, Law and Order (yeah I'm one of those people).MUSIC...Everything on the radio station of course. I'm a huge Jimmy Buffett fan, Jack's Mannequin, Wilco, John Mayer, Tom Petty, Bob Marley, Sublime, Alkaline Trio, Green Day, Biggy, Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco, Dre, Snoop, Gangstarr, DMB but not like Kramer, Zeppilin, Maroon 5, Eve 6, All Texas Country Music...The Great Divide, Pat Green, Randy Rodgers, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Reckless Kelly, Chris and I are both big Robert Earl Keen fans as well. Too many other to list...BOOKS...Lots of travel diaries..."Dark Star of Africa" by Paul Theroux, "Fate is The Hunter" by Ernest Gann. But usually it's magazines...The Onion, The Week (best news brief ever and super interesting), Rolling Stone, Blender, Wikipedia and Wikitravel can kill some time when you only have a computer.MOVIES...I have a short attention span, Anchorman was sweet or anything with Zombies.FOOD...(no one else has a food section so I'm startin� it!)Hot Sauce...I kind of have a hot sauce problem, I really love the stuff, all kinds on basically every kind of food, I even carry a little bottle of Tabasco in my car, and I am subjected to constant hot sauce opression in restraunts and the jock lounge. It might have something to do with me being from New Mexico and eating all that spicy food at a young age.Beer - is delicious and liking it in Northern Colorado makes it even better, the microbrew capitol of the world baby!! But recently I have been drinking some sloppily prepared homebrew concocted by my roommates and myself. It tastes like beer and gets the job done, it just doesn't taste like good beer, but we're getting better. Aside from that it�s been Odell's IPA and Cuervo shots with the Kiss crew.. Watchout when that starts.Hooters across the parking lot with Big Rob, "yeah yeah hooters". Contact Call (877) 498-9600 Text 49330 Reply STOP to cancel. Standard text message and data rates apply.