Four-Game Homestand Ends Against Maine on Monday

Akron (6-4) vs Maine (6-4)
Monday, Dec. 19 • James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 7 PM (ET) • ESPN+

Game Coverage
TV: ESPN+: https://bit.ly/3jg9ART
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3gDBthm
Live Radio: WHLO 640AM - https://ihr.fm/3fFmzLo

Head Coaches
Maine Head Coach
Chris Markwood (Maine '05)
Overall Record: 6-4 (1st Season)
Record at Maine: 6-4 (1st Season)

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 282-195 (15th Season)
Record at Akron: 100-63 (6th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 88-68 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
First Meeting
Last Meeting: -
First Meeting: -

The Akron-Maine Series
Monday's game marks the first meeting in series history between the Zips and the Black Bears. It is also the first meeting for a team under the direction of head coach John Groce.

Scouting The Black Bears
Maine enters the game with a 6-4 overall record. The Black Bears average 72.8 points per outing on 48.6 percent shooting from the floor and a 32.2 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 6.4 triples a game.

The Black Bears enter the contest on a two-game winning streak, defeating Maine at Augusta (103-67) and Merrimack (50-47) while snapping a three-game losing streak. In addition, Maine defeated Boston College 69-64.

Maine has three players scoring in double figures led by Kellen Tynes with 15.1 points per game on 56.9 percent shooting from the field. He leads the team in steals (34) and is second in rebounds (47) and assists (39). Gedi Juozapaitis follows with 13.7 points and paces the squad from deep. He shoots 49.5 percent from the floor, including a team-best 45.1 from deep with 23 made triples. Peter Filipovity rounds out the double-digit scoring with 11.3 points per game, shooting 49.4 percent from the floor and 84.4 from the charity stripe with a team-high 27 made free throws. He is the team's top rebounder, pulling down 6.2 boards per game with 62 total rebounds.

Defensively, Maine has allowed its opponents to scoring 63.4 points per game on 42.8 percent shooting from the floor and 32.2 percent from 3-point range, allowing only 6.9 long distance strikes per night. The Black Bears have caused 151 turnovers (15.1 to/g) with 103 steals (10.3 stl/g). The Black Bears outrebound the opponent by a +1.8 margin, allowing the opponent to grab 323 total boards (32.3 rebs/g) compared to the 341 total rebounds secured by the Raiders (34.1 rebs/g).

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 446-135 (.767) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 242-38 (.864) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 67-13 (.825) at home. The Zips are 5-0 at home in 2022-23. Akron went 12-4 at Rhodes Arena in Groce's first year as head coach and followed with a 14-3 effort. The Zips went 15-2 at home in 2019-20 en route to the regular season MAC Championship. During COVID shortened season, Akron posted a 9-1 mark at the JAR (2020-21) and last season the Zips posted a 12-3 record. Groce became the third Akron coach since 1940 to win his first six home games in the first season as head coach. The Zips rattled off seven straight wins at the JAR before falling in the MAC home opener to Buffalo. The Zips set the all-time longest home winning streak record at Rhodes Arena with 30 consecutive wins during the 2015-17 seasons, replacing the 26-game run the Zips made during the 1985-87 seasons under head coach Bob Huggins. The streak ranked No. 2 in the NCAA.

The University of Akron Athletics

Four-Game Homestand Ends Against Maine on Monday

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