Preview - Akron vs. Toledo

Men's basketball

I know it's the eve of Signing Day.

I don't care.

Terry Bowden, you have to make me care.

Akron is a basketball/soccer school, until you prove differently.

The Zips will try to continue their MAC hot streak Wednesday at home against Toledo.

For months, Keith Dambrot has preached that, if Akron survives January, then February will be quite fruitful. The Zips didn't survive January, they thrived. Now let's see if Akron can take care of business, as they open a streak of four-out-of-five at home.

Toledo is about as average as you can get, in MAC terms. Their crown achievement has been winning at Millet Hall, but Miami is showing that's not the most impressive feat anymore. The Rocket to watch is Rian Pearson, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, who is averaging 16.4 points and 7.9 points per game. He's a scorer who crashes the boards.

But the bottom line is that the MAC East is 10-3 against the MAC West, and Toledo only went 1-4 in the first round against its division foes. So this game is more about the Zips than the Rockets. It should be a stress-free win for the fans at Rhodes Arena, so long as the Zips continue their strong play.

Football

For what it's worth, I will attend tomorrow's 5 p.m. press conference to announce the new football class, but it's reluctantly. After eight years of hearing about "great speed" and "leaping ability" and players who are "hard-nosed" and "competitors," I need to see results before getting excited about this stuff.