The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Miami (OH)
Zips and RedHawks Battle at the JAR on Saturday
January 24 | Men's Basketball
Akron (13-5, 6-0Â Mid-American) vs Miami (OH) (14-4, 6-0 Mid-American)
Saturday, Jan. 25 – James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
2 pm ET – ESPN + - WHLO 640
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 335-218 | At Akron: 153-86
Miami (OH): Travis Steele  | Overall Record: 111-91 | At Miami (OH): 41-41
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads: 38-33 | Groce vs. Miami: 9-4 (15-7 Overall)
First Met: Feb. 20, 1915 (L, Miami 45, Akron 14) At Miami
Last Met: March. 14, 2024 (W, Akron 75, Miami 63) In Cleveland
At Akron: 22-9 | Neutral: 3-1 At Miami: 13-23
Current Streak: 1W
INSIDE THE SERIES
Saturday's game marks the 72nd meeting in series history between Akron and Miami, and 23rd meeting for a Groce coached squad (15-7), 14th at Akron (9-4). Akron leads the series 38-33, and the Zips have won nine of the last 10 meetings, including a sweep in 2022 and the lone meeting in 2023. The Zips fell to the RedHawks on the road in the first meeting in 2023-24, 70-68 on January 27 before defeating the RedHawks in the MAC Tournament 75-63.
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
The RedHawks come to James A. Rhodes Arena undefeated in MAC play while holding a 14-4 overall record, a 6-0 record in the MAC and a 4-3 record on the road. The RedHawks have won eight straight dating back to December 22.
Six RedHawks scored in double figures in Miami's recent victory against Bowling Green. Mekhi Cooper led the RedHawks' scoring efforts with 14 points. Kam Craft was next in line with 13 points while Eian Elmer had 12. Miami outscored BGSU 45-36 in the second half.
Miami is led in scoring by Craft (15.2) while Peter Suder leads the way in assists (3.4). Antwone Woolfolk leads the way in rebounds (5.9) and Elan Elmer is the leader in steals (2.0). Elmer and Woolfolk are tied for the lead in blocks with 14 each.Â
The RedHawks average 82.8 points per game and have outscored by their opponents this season by 11.7 points per game. Miami is shooting .501 from the field and .398 from beyond the arc with 10.7 3-point shots falling per game. The RedHawks are also shooting .743 from the free throw line. The Red and White average 33.7 rebounds, 16.0 assists, 12.1 turnovers, 8.7 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.Â
Miami ranks in the top five in the MAC in scoring (2nd - 82.8), scoring def. (3rd - 71.2), scoring margin (1st - 11.7), fg pct. (1st - .501), 3pt pct (1st - .398), 3pters made per game (2nd - 10.7), ft pct. (.747), opp. rebounds (1st - 30.8), rebound margin (5th +2.9), turnover margin (1st - +3.39), assist-turnover ratio (3rd - +1.32), blocked shots (5th - 3.33), assists (2nd - 16.00) and steals (1st - 8.67).
The RedHawks rank 90th in the NCAA for assist-turnover ratio (+1.32), 68th in assists per game (16.0), 55th in bench points (26.44), 4th in effective fg pct. (.589), 8th in fg pct. ( .501), 96th in ft pct (.743), 42nd in scoring margin (+11.7), 27th in scoring offense (82.8), 44th in steals per game (8.7), 51st in 3pters attempted (26.9), 7th in 3pt pct (.398), 10th in 3pters made per game (10.7), 33rd in turnover margin (3.4) and 27th in turnovers forced per game (15.50). Peter Suder ranks 93rd in the NCAA in fg pct (.517). Eian Elmer ranks 64th in steals (36) and 53rd in steals per game (2.00). Kam Craft ranks 28th in 3pt pct. (.437), 27th in 3pters made per game (3.06) and 46th in total made 3's (55).
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips host Miami (OH) in a battle of undefeated MAC schools as Akron holds a 13-5 overall record, a 6-0 record in the MAC and a 9-0 record at the JAR.
Akron is coming off a 90-58 victory at Buffalo on Tuesday, January 21 that saw five Zips record double figure scoring while Amani Lyles and Marvin Musiime-Kamali both recorded career-highs. Lyles reset his career-high in blocks with four after setting it against Ohio on January 17 while Musiime-Kamali set a career-high in scoring with 10 points coming against the Bulls
N. Johnson leads the Zips in scoring (13.1) and steals (1.8). Nate is one of three Zips to average 10 or more points per game with Tavari Johnson (11.9) and Gray (10.4) rounding out the list. T. Johnson leads Akron in assists (4.1) while James Okonkwo leads the Zips in rebounds (7.9) while Amani Lyles leads the squad with 20.
Akron is currently scoring 83.2 points per game and has outscored its opponents by 10.2 points per game this season. The Zips are shooting .453 from the field while shooting .360 from beyond the arc and averages 11.5 3's per game. The Blue and Gold holds a .755 ft percentage while averaging 40.4 rebounds, 18.4 assists,12.4 turnovers, 8.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game.
Akron is in the top five in the MAC for scoring offense (1st - 83.2), scoring defense (4th - 73.1), scoring margin (2nd - +10.2), opp. fg pct (2nd - .416), 3pt pct (2nd - .360), opp. 3pt pct (t5th - .318), 3pters made (1st - 11.4), ft pct (1st - .755), rebounds (1st - 40.4), off. rebounds (3rd - 12.7), def. rebounds (1st - 27.7), rebound margin (3rd - +3.3), assist-turnover margin (1st - +1.48), blocked shots (t2nd - 3.78), assists (1st - 18.44) and steals (2nd - 8.00).
The Zips rank 39th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.48), 9th in assists per game (18.4), 10th in bench points (34.22), 83rd in effective fg pct. (.538), 31st in fastbreak points (14.56), 93rd in fg defense (.416), 61st in ft pct. (.755), 28th in def. rebounds (27.83), 46th in off. rebounds (12.94), 15th in rebounds per game (40.78), 58th in scoring margin (+10.2), 22nd in scoring offense (83.2), 82nd in steals per game (8.0), 5th in 3pt attempted per game (31.6), 3rd in 3pters made per game (11.4) and 84th in turnovers forced per game (13.67). James Okonkwo ranks 56th in the NCAA for off. rebounds (3.06) and 82nd in rebounds per game (7.9).
A BATTLE OF UNDEFEATED TEAMS...AGAIN
This will the third time Akron has faced a fellow undefeated team in the MAC, with all three games played at the JAR. Akron is 2-0 in the previous contests with a 85-78 win against Toledo (previously 3-0) and a 92-80 win against Ohio (previously 4-0).
UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE
Akron is one of 16 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 will/have battled this season that are also undefeated in conference, outside of Miami, are Yale, Omaha, Princeton and Saint Mary's.
PERFECT AT HOME
Out of the 364 Div. I basketball teams, just 33 remain perfect at home. One of those teams is the Akron Zips, who have a 9-0 record at their home crib. Akron and Ohio are the only teams in the MAC to have a perfect home record. Along with Ohio, four other teams the Zips have played are perfect at home (Ala. State, Ark. State, Yale, Jackson State). New Orleans (Southland) is the only school yet to win at home this season. On the flip side, just six schools are perfect on the road, one of which is Saint Mary's.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Zips own a 478-135 (.780) all-time record at the James A. Rhodes Arena. In the last 17 seasons, Akron has posted a 274-40 (.873) record at the JAR. The Zips recorded a 13-1 record at the JAR last 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 96-15 (.865) at home. The Zips were 15-1 at home in 2022-23 and 13-1 in 2023-24. Akron is 9-0 at the JAR in 2024-25.
Akron owns a 102-21 (.829) home-opening record and 38-4 (.905) at Rhodes Arena. The Zips have been winners in the last 22-of-23 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.
AKRON IN THE MAC
Akron is 71-25 since the 2019-20 season in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.739) in the league. The Zips are 57-22 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 240-108 overall (.690), including a 145-32 mark in MAC play at home (.819). The Zips' 240 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 155 of their last 219 MAC games (.708).
HOT START TO #MACTION
The Blue and Gold have started conference play with six straight wins. The Zips have started MAC play 6-0 in back-to back seasons under Coach Groce, with the Zips starting #MACtion 7-0 last season. The 7-0 start in 2023-24 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.
CAREER NIGHT AGAINST THE BULLS
Amani Lyles and Marvin Musiime-Kamali both set career highs at Buffalo on January 21. Lyles set a new career-high in blocks (4) after setting his previous high (3) against Ohio on January 17. Musiime-Kamali set career highs in points (10) and field goals made (5).
COMING OFF THE BENCH
Akron ranks 10th in the NCAA for bench production with 34.22 points per game. The Zips' bench has recorded 14 games with 30 or more points and five games with 40 or more points. The Akron bench recorded a season high 47 points at Eastern Michigan on January 11.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Akron travels to Northern Illinois for a conference match on Tuesday, January 28 for a 7 p.m. ET start.
