The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Buffalo
Zips Travel to Buffalo for #MACtion on Tuesday
January 20 | Men's Basketball
Akron (12-5, 5-0Â Mid-American) at Buffalo (6-11, 1-4 Mid-American)
Tuesday, Jan. 21 – Alumni Arena – Amherst, N.Y.
7 pm ET – ESPN + - WHLO 640
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 334-218 | At Akron: 152-86
Buffalo:Â George Halcovage III | Overall Record: 10-38 | At Buffalo: Same
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads: 42-33 | Groce vs.Buffalo: 8-8 (13-12 Overall)
First Met: Dec. 4, 1954 (W, Akron 84, Buffalo 74) At Akron
Last Met: Feb. 17, 2024 (W, Akron 73, Buffalo 62) At Buffalo
At Akron: 27-8 | Neutral: 3-4 | At Buffalo: 12-21
Current Streak: 7W
INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday's game marks the 76th meeting in series history between Akron and Buffalo, and 26th meeting for a Groce coached squad. Akron holds an all-time 42-33 series advantage while Groce is 13-12 overall and 8-8 at Akron. The Zips and the Bulls have met seven times in postseason play with Buffalo holding a 4-3 edge. The Zips have won the past seven meetings.
The Zips swept the 2023-24 season series with a 76-59 win at James A. Rhodes Arean on January 12 Arena and a 73-62 victory at Alumni Arena on February 17.
Akron swept the regular season series in 2023, defeating the Bulls at Alumni Arena (81-64) and at The JAR (86-66) Akron won the lone regular season meeting in 2021-22 on New Year's Day after trailing by as many as 14 points and won by 12 points (88-76). Akron also defeated Buffalo in the MAC Tournament 101-77.
SCOUTING THE BULLS
Buffalo comes into Tuesday with a 6-11 overall record, a 1-4 record in the MAC and a 4-3 at Alumni Arena this season. The Bulls recently took down Western Michigan 85-76 on the road to end a seven-game lossing skid dating back to December 3.
Five Bulls scored in double figures with Tyson Dunn leading the Blue and White with a 20 point performance that saw him go 6-of-12 from long range. Ryan Sabol, Noah Batchelor and Anquan Boldin Jr. joined Dunn in double figure scoring. Batchelor also recorded a 10 point, 12 rebound double-double against Western Michigan
Buffalo is led in scoring by Sabol (15.8) while Tyson Dunn leads the way in assists (5.9) and steals (1.9). Batchelor is the leader in steals (1.9) and Ben Michaels leads Buffalo in total blocks (15).
The Bulls average 72.6 points per game and have been outscored by their opponents this season by 8.4 points per game. Buffalo is shooting .432 from the field and .308 from beyond the arc with 8.0 3-point shots falling per game. The Blue and White average 34.9 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 14.8 turnovers, 6.7 steals and 3.9 blocks per game.Â
Buffalo ranks in the top five in the MAC in def. rebounds (t1st - 26.9), blocked shots (1st - 3.88) and assists (4th - 14.29).
The Bulls rank 59th in the NCAA in fastbreak points (13.35) and 60th in def. rebounds (26.88). Tyson Dunn ranks 33rd in the NCAA in total assists (101), 23rd in assists per game (5.9), 82nd in steals (33), 68th in steals per game (1.94) and 2nd for triple doubles (2). Ryan Sabol ranks 22nd in ft pct. (.902), 67th in 3-point pct. (.402), 54th in 3-pointers made per game (2.88) and 80th in total 3's made (49).
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips travel to battle the Buffalo Bulls on Tuesday with a 12-5 overall record, a 5-0 record in the MAC and a 2-3 record on the road.
Akron is coming off a 92-80 home win over the Ohio Bobcats where Isaiah Gray and Amani Lyles both recorded career highs in scoring to keep the Zips undefeated in the MAC and at home.
N. Johnson leads the Zips in scoring (12.8) and steals (1.8). Nate is one of three Zips to average 10 or more points per game with Tavari Johnson (11.5) and Gray (10.4) rounding out the list. T. Johnson leads Akron in assists (4.1) while James Okonkwo leads the Zips in rebounds (8.0) and total blocks (18) while Amani Lyles is close behind with 16 blocks on the season
Akron is currently scoring 82.8 points per game and has outscored its opponents by 8.9 points per game this season. The Zips are shooting .446 from the field while shooting .353 from beyond the arc and averages 11.3 3's per game. The Blue and Gold holds a .755 ft percentage while averaging 39.9 rebounds, 18.3 assists,12.1 turnovers, 8.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per game.
Akron is in the top five in the MAC for scoring offense (t1st - 82.8), scoring defense (5th - 73.9), scoring margin (2nd - +8.9), opp. fg pct (3rd - .424), 3pt pct ( 3rd - .353), opp. 3pt pct (5th - .325), 3pters made (1st - 11.3), ft pct (1st - .755), rebounds (1st - 39.9), off. rebounds (3rd - 13.0), def. rebounds (t1st - 26.9), rebound margin (5th - +2.2), assist-turnover margin (1st - +1.52), turnover margin (4th - +1.82), Blocked shots (3rd - 3.59), assists (1st - 18.29) and steals (2nd - 8.12).
The Zips rank 34th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.52), 10th in assists per game (18.3), 11th in bench points (34.41), 31st in fastbreak points (14.59), 59th in ft pct. (.755), 54th in def. rebounds (27.00), 36th in off. rebounds (13.29), 22nd in rebounds per game (40.29), 83rd in scoring margin (+8.9), 25th in scoring offense (82.8), 74th in steals per game (8.1), 3rd in 3-pointers made per game (11.3), 93rd in turnover margin (+1.8) and 73rd in turnovers forced per game (13.88). James Okonkwo ranks 37th in the NCAA in off. rebounds (3.18) and 75th in rebounds per game (8.0).
LAST TIME OUT (VS OHIOÂ 1/17/25)
AKRON, Ohio - Isaiah Gray and Amani Lyles set career highs in scoring as the Akron Zips took down the Ohio Bobcats, 92-80 at home Friday evening.
Akron moves to 5-0 in the MAC and 9-0 at home this season.
The Zips (12-5, 5-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Isaiah Gray, who had a career high 22 points and two steals. Amani Lyles tacked on a career high 17 points while adding six assists and three blocks from the bench. Nate Johnson chipped in with 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
Akron did a stellar job taking care of the basketball, dishing out 24 assists while turning the ball over nine times. Lyles' six assists paced the Zips. Sharron Young also added with five assists of his own.
The Akron defense held Ohio shooters to only 34.4 percent from the field, including 25 percent from three-point range.
After jumping out to a 27-20 advantage, Akron went on a 7-0 run with 5:45 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Johnson, to increase its lead to 34-20. The Zips then added one point to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 44-29 advantage. Akron relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down six shots to account for 18 of its 44 points.
Akron kept its lead intact before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by Gray's layup, to grow the lead to 72-54 with 8:44 to go in the contest. The Bobcats narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Zips still cruised the rest of the way for the 92-80 win. Akron took care of business in the paint, recording 28 of its 48 points in the lane.
LAST TIME AGAINST BUFFALO (2/17/24)
BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Akron men's basketball team shot 58.1 percent in the second half while holding Buffalo to just 16.7 percent from beyond the arc on the way to a 73-62 win over the Bulls on the road Saturday.
The Zips (19-6, 11-1) had five players score in double figures, led by Enrique Freeman, who had a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Ali Ali added 15 points and two steals and Greg Tribble chipped in as well with 13 points and four assists.
Akron out-rebounded Buffalo 40-37 in Saturday's game, led by Freeman's 15 boards. The Zips also grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and scored 21 second chance points.
Akron's defense held Buffalo to only 38.3 percent shooting from the field, including 16.7 percent from beyond the arc. The Zips also limited Isaiah Adams to 5-of-17 shooting in the game. The Bulls did not have much luck cleaning up their misses on the offensive glass either, as they finished with nine offensive rebounds and managed two second chance points while Akron cleared 29 defensive rebounds.
MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
University of Akron forward Amani Lyles was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday, January 20.
Lyles becomes the second Zip to be named Player of the Week, joining Nate Johnson who earned the honor on November 25.
Posting a pair of career nights this past week, Amani Lyles was a driving force that helped power the Akron Zips to a 2-0 week to stay undefeated in the MAC.
Amani averaged 16.5 points (33 points) while shooting .778 (14-of-18) from the field and 4-of-5 (.800) from the free throw line. Lyles was captain clutch for the Zips with 31 of his 33 points coming in the second half. Lyles also added nine rebounds, eight assists, five blocks and two steals on the week.
Playing a then-undefeated Toledo squad, Lyles posted a then career-high 16 points with all of them coming in the second half. Amani went 7-of-9 from the field ( .778) and was perfect from inside the arc (6-of-6) while adding five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and one steal against the Rockets.
Amani would reset his career-high in scoring with 17 points coming against a then-undefeated Ohio squad. Along with setting a new career-high in scoring, Amani set career highs in blocks (3) and assists (6) against the Bobcats. He would once again shoot 7-of-9 from the field ( .778). Lyles added four rebounds and one steal to go along with his assists and blocks.
AKRON IN THE MAC
Akron is 70-25 since the 2019-20 season in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.737) in the league. The Zips are 56-22 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 103-28 (.786) at home in league play since the start of the 2011 MAC schedule. UA has seen a ton of success in league play since the start of the 2004-05 season, and is 239-108 overall (.689), including a 145-32 mark in MAC play at home (.819). The Zips' 239 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 154 of their last 219 MAC games (.703).
HOT START TO #MACTION
The Blue and Gold have started conference play with five straight wins. The Zips have started MAC play 5-0 in back-to back seasons under Coach Groce, with the Zips starting #MACtion 7-0 last season. The 7-0 start in 2024 is the best start to conference play under Groce.
The last time the Zips started 7-0 was back in 2016-17 where the Zips ultimately started conference action with a 9-0 start. The 2012-13 squad started #MACtion to the tune of a 13-0 record. The Zips finish that season 26-7 overall and 14-2 in the MAC.
UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE
Akron is one of 22 teams to hold a perfect record in conference play. The Zips are joined by conference foe Miami (OH), who the Blue and Gold will host on Saturday, January 25 at the JAR. Teams that the Zips have battled this season that are also undefeated in conference, outside of Miami, are Jackson State, Yale, Omaha, Princeton and Saint Mary's.
CAREER NIGHT AGAINST THE BOBCATS
Isaiah Gray and Amani Lyles set new career highs against the Ohio Bobcats on January 17.Â
Gray set a new career high in points (22)Â while Lyles set a new career high (17) after setting a career high (16) in the previous game against Toledo on January 14. Lyles also set a new career high in assists (6) and blocks (3) against the Bobcats.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Zips return to James A. Rhodes Arena to battle the Miami RedHawks on Saturday, January 25 for a 2 p.m. start.
