[Reader warning: low-level amateur scouting to follow]

Akron-Toledo was on ESPN+ tonight...figured I'd do some recon on the Rockets before they visit Holmes for the SBC/MAC Challenge.
A hard fought contest but the Mighty Zips prevailed to take 1st place in the MAC.

Toledo is now 8-2 in the conference. Announcers mentioned the Rockets only goes 8 players deep, which makes things interesting. They had 4 players in heavy foul trouble...with 8 mins left in the contest.

Their small stature means Toledo isn't productive on the boards. But they are tenacious on defense and aggressively double team/trap opponents in the paint.

The Rockets FT shooting is on par with the Mountaineers (for better or worse). But their perimeter game is non-existent: during one stretch, they went 26 mins without attempting a 3-pointer (yes, you read that correctly). And in spite of being a smaller team, the Rockets aggressively attack the basket on offense in one of two ways:

1. Penetrate to attempt high-percentage shots (and draw easy fouls in the paint) or...
2. Dump the ball into Cochran and watch him play "back to the basket" a la Anthony Mason

Much of this could play to App's advantage next weekend. But we'd be fools to see Toledo as an easy out.
Looking forward to being at Holmes for the game.

Sounds like Abson and Spillers could be trouble for them.

Saw them play Iowa in person. March 10,1979 Bloomington ,Indiana . NCAA Regionals.

Stonewall wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 03, 2024 10:45 am

Saw them play Iowa in person. March 10,1979 Bloomington ,Indiana . NCAA Regionals.

With medical redshirts and a guy from Miami in his ninth year, wonder if some of the same guys are still playing on Akron's team this year that played in 1979

Doubt it. They lost to Iowa. We lost to LSU.

Will the game day thread include Holy Toledo!!!?

Bigdaddyg1 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 03, 2024 11:53 am

Will the game day thread include Holy Toledo!!!?

You'll have to ask @T-Dog...that's sort of his thing to determine when it comes to setting up game threads.