The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio Wesleyan
Zips Host Ohio Wesleyan for Home Opener and 2023-24 MAC Championship Celebration
November 07 | Men's Basketball
Akron (0-1, 0-0 Mid-American) vs Ohio Wesleyan (0-0, 0-0 North Coast Athletic Conference)
Friday, Nov. 8 – James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
7:00 pm ET – WHLO 640
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 322-214 | At Akron: 140-82
Ohio Wesleyan:Â Mike DeWitt| Overall Record: 447-340 | At Ohio Wesleyan: 397-265
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads 25-14 | Groce vs Ohio Wesleyan: 0-0 | Frist Met: Jan. 1, 1910 (L, OWU 17, Akron 14) | Last Met: Jan. 6, 1968 (W, Akron 76, OWU 71) | Current Streak: 4W
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Zips and Battling Bishops will meet for the first time since the 1967-68 season when Akron earned a 76-61 victory on the road. The former Div. II rivals will meet for the 40th time in the all-time series with the Blue and Gold owning a 25-14 record over the Battling Bishops. Akron has also taken the previous four meetings against OWU.
SCOUTING THE BATTLING BISHOPS
The Battling Bishops begin their season with an exhibition match against the Zips. Ohio Wesleyan went 11-15 overall and 8-8 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (Div. III). OWU concluded its season in the NCAC tournament with a 71-59 loss to Wittenberg.
Ohio Wesleyan returns D3hoops.com All-Region selection Henry Hinkle. Hinkle led the North Coast Athletic Conference and ranked 31st in NCAA Division III in free throw percentage (88.2). He ranked third in the North Coast Athletic Conference in scoring (18.8/game), points (490), field goal attempts (356), field goals (162), 3-point field goal attempts (143), free throws (112); fourth in 3-point field goal percentage (37.8), 3-point field goals (54), assists (83), assists per game (3.2); fifth in free throw attempts (127); 12th in steals per game (1.1); tied for 12th in steals (29); and ranked 19th in field goal percentage (45.5). Hinkle was a first-team All-NCAC selection last season.
David Rice and Jessee Battle also made an impact last season. A returning starter, Rice averaged 9.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last year; Battle thrived as a scoring option off the bench, averaging 10.4 points per game to rank 17th among conference scorers.
Up front, Tony Carter is also back for the Battling Bishops after ranking fourth in the conference in rebounding (6.9/game) in 2023-24.
Ohio Wesleyan opens its Div. III season by hosting La Roche on Nov. 11 before heading to Chicago for the Midway Classic on Nov. 16-17. Â
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Akron Zips play their first home game of the 2024-25 season with a meeting from Ohio Wesleyan.
Akron fell to Arkansas State to begin the season on the road, 80-75, in overtime. Six players made their Zips debut against the Red Wolves while freshman Sharron Young led the Zips with 15 points on a 6-of-8 night from the field. Josiah Harris added 13 points and seven rebounds while Nate Johnson had 11 points and three steals. James Okonkwo hauled in a team-high 12 rebounds while Isiah Gray flirted with a double-double, finishing with seven rebounds and seven assists.
The Zips shot 47.2 percent in the second half to erase a 10-point deficit to force overtime with the Red Wolves Akron is now 0-1 in the MAC-SBC Challenge with the second game of the series set for February 8 at James A. Rhodes Arena against an opponent to be named later.
Young leads the Zips in scoring early in the season (15.0) while Harris is second in scoring (13.0). Okonkwo is the leading rebounder (12.0) with Amni Lyles (8.0) and Gray (7.0) close behind. Gray holds the top mark for assists (7.0), N. Johnson is the leader in steals (3.0) while Harris leads the way in blocks (2).
Akron is currently top five in the MAC in scoring offense (4th - 75.0), 3pt percentage (5th - .294), opp 3pt percentage (t4th - .300), 3pt field goals made ( t2nd - 10.0), total rebounds (2nd - 42.0), off. rebounds (t2nd - 14.0), def. rebounds (28.0), rebound margin (5th - 0.0), assist-turnover margin (t2nd - 1.36), assists (1st - 19.0) and steals (t4th - 9.0).
HOME SWEET HOME
The Zips own a 469-135 (.776) all-time record at the James A. Rhodes Arena. In the last 17 seasons, Akron has posted a 265-40 (.868) record at the JAR. The Zips recorded a 13-1 record at the JAR this season and had won their last 16 home games dating back to the 2022-23 season before falling to EMU on March 5, 2024.
Under coach Groce, Akron is 88-15 (.854) at home. The Zips were 15-1 at home in 2022-23 and 13-1 in 2023-24.
Akron owns a 101-21 (.828) home-opening record and 37-4 (.902) at Rhodes Arena. The Zips have been winners in the last 21-of-22 home opening games. Akron is 21-8 in MAC openers, and 12-1 at home since joining the league in 1992. Over the last 18 seasons, the Zips are 15-3 in MAC openers and 7-1 at home. Akron has won the last 9-of-10 MAC openers.
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. 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.
STRONG DEBUT
Playing in his first collegiate game, freshman Sharron Young led the Zips in scoring against Arkansas State with 15 points while going 6-of-8 (.750) from the field and 3-of-5 (.600) from 3-point range. He also added a rebound and an assist against the Red Wolves.
NON-CONFERENCE FOES AT THE JAR
Under John Groce, Akron is currently 41-1 at home against non-conference opponents. Akron is on a 30-0 run against non-conference foes at the JAR since losing to Marshall on Dec. 15, 2018.
IN THE ASSOCIATION
Enrique Freeman became the first Akron player to be selected in the modern two-round NBA Draft era as the Indiana Pacers selected him with the 50th pick of the second round on June 27, 2024.
He became the seventh Zip to be drafted in the NBA Draft, joining Louis Arko (Syracuse Nationals, 1950), Bill Turner (Golden State Warriors, 1967), Len Paul (Detroit Pistons, 1973), Nate Barnett (Houston Rockets, 1975), Joe Jakubic (Cleveland Cavaliers, 1984) and Marcel Boyce (Phoenix Suns, 1987). In addition, Fred "Fritz" Nagy (Pittsburgh Ironmen, 1947) and Joe Wahl (Philadelphia Warriors, 1948) were selected to the Basketball Association of America that existed for three seasons and merged with the NBA in 1949.
WE'LL TAKE YOUR BEST
The Zips are set to battle three teams picked to finish first in their respective conference preseason poll. Arkansas State (Sun Belt), Milwauekee (Horizon) and Princeton (Ivy League) were all selected to be the top team in their conference. Three other schools were selected in the top three with Saint Mary's (West Coast) selected to finish second, Yale (Ivy League) picked to finish second and Northern Kentucky (Horizon) picked to finish third.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Akron travels to California to battle Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif., on November 12 for a 10 p.m. ET start.
