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Do IT this week: Layering
Coach says they could play much better, hopes to find way to MAC Tournament
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
Jittery University of Akron basketball fans would be wise to play a game of follow the leader.
No, not Zippy, the national-champion mascot.
Instead, the eyes of Zips Nation should turn to coach Keith Dambrot, who is concerned about his team but is not about to panic.
''I don't think this team is as good as last year at this point,'' said Dambrot, whose Zips (14-5, 4-2) will play host to the University of Toledo (6-12, 3-3) tonight in a Mid-American Conference game.
''We have room to develop. It will depend on whether we hang tough through the tough times,'' he said. ''We had a couple of rough games, but we have proven we can compete with anybody. We have to make sure we don't lose our belief structure. That's the key.''
About 8 p.m. Jan. 23, all was right with the world for UA fans. The Zips led archrival and host Kent State 35-25 at the half and a two-game lead in the East Division of the Mid-American Conference was 20 minutes away.
That didn't happen, as a second-half collapse led to a 75-69 loss.
Then came a road game against struggling Central Michigan. Less than three full days after the emotional setback at the M.A.C. Center, the Zips took a long bus ride to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to face the Chippewas, who were coming off a pathetic performance in a 20-point loss at Western Michigan.
This time, it was the Zips who were pathetic, shooting 39 percent and committing 20 turnovers in losing 65-64. That put the Zips into a three-way tie with Ohio and Bowling Green in the MAC East, one game behind the Golden Flashes.
That roller-coaster ride has cut into the collective psyche of the UA faithful, as the realization takes hold that this team is flawed.
It is that, but so are all other teams in the MAC, a league of
parity, with good teams and bad teams, but not great teams. That balance plays havoc on the road, where the Zips were last week. In the first three weeks of conference play, visitors have a 5-31 record, a 13.8 winning percentage.
The Zips have a chance to salve their wounds this week, with winnable home games against Toledo and Eastern Michigan.
The road looks slippery after that, with away games at Western Michigan, Ball State, Bowling Green, Miami and Ohio. Still, a weak West Division and lack of a fourth contender in the East has the Zips in position for a bye in the MAC Tournament that starts March 12.
At this moment, the biggest concern is that opponents have learned how to play — and beat — the Zips.
The lack of a consistent performer inside to go with Jeremiah Wood (who needs eight points to reach 1,000 for his career, but who has a knee sprain that might limit his action tonight) means that opponents have been free to exploit the Zips offensively and defensively.
When UA has the ball, Wood is being hounded by pressure that has given him less room to operate than earlier in the season. None of the other frontcourt players has been consistent enough to merit smothering defensive attention.
On defense, the Zips are being overwhelmed inside. In the two losses last week, Kent State outscored the Zips 34-12 and Central Michigan had a 38-24 edge in an official game statistic known as ''points in the paint.'' Furthermore, the Zips are allowing teams to shoot 45.2 percent from the floor, which ranks them ninth in the MAC.
''We have been soft around the basket,'' Dambrot said. ''We are not going to play guys that don't defend, regardless of who they are.''
The belief here is that freshman forward Brett McKnight should see more playing time in the final 11 games of the regular season to inject some offense into the frontline. Another belief is that 6-foot-10 freshman post Mike Bardo should play more to provide an inside defensive presence.
Another concern is point guard, where teams are starting to realize that attacking Nick Dials is a way to disrupt the UA offense.
Dials, a shooting guard by trade, has been asked to play the point because of no other logical alternative. Here's where a season-long hip injury to freshman point guard Ronnie Steward has hampered the Zips' development.
Dials is 14th in MAC scoring (12.9), third in assists (4.37), second in free-throw shooting (87.8 percent) and sixth in 3-point shooting (40.9 percent).
But any self-respecting UA fan would rather see Dials at shooting guard, where he would be free to work open for his long-range shots and be less susceptible to fatigue.
For instance, in the last 17 seconds against Central Michigan, Dials' value would have been greater as the designated shooter, rather than as the ballhandler.
Another concern is the physical — and mental — state of senior guard Cedrick Middleton. Knee, ankle and back injuries have robbed him of his primary asset — quickness.
His inability to score on slashes to the basket has opponents giving him little room on the perimeter, and his lack of confidence is showing in his body language.
His defensive prowess remains constant, but his shooting has suffered. He shot 44.1 percent from the floor in his first three seasons, but only 37.7 percent as a senior.
Middleton could benefit from more rest, and he might get it tonight. Dambrot said Middleton is questionable for the Toledo game because of his injuries, which might mean more time for sophomore Darryl Roberts.
Without question, UA will see the same defensive patterns by opponents the rest of the season. Teams will play up on Dials and Middleton and make Wood work for all his points. The Zips did not adjust to that against Kent State and Central Michigan, with the result being 23 and 20 turnovers, respectively — scary numbers for a team that averaged 13.2 turnovers in the first 17 games.
The fate of the Zips down the stretch might be decided by how they adjust to the opponents' adjustments. And if they follow the leader.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Jittery University of Akron basketball fans would be wise to play a game of follow the leader.
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