The University of Akron Athletics
2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster
Thornton, Kaleb

Jersey Number 3
Kaleb Thornton
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 175
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Bolingbrook, Ill.
- High School:
- Bolingbrook | Northern Illinois
Bio
2023-24: Appeared in 35 games and started four... averaged 15.6 minutes per game for a total of 542:33 minutes... scored 3.2 points per game for a total of 113 points... scored in double figures twice while recording a season-high of 11 against Heidelberg (Nov. 14)... shot 39.0 percent from the field (41-105) recorded 2.17 assists per game for a total of 76... led the Zips in assists nine times while setting a season-high of nine assists against Heidelberg (Nov. 14)... had .37 steals per game, 1.6 rebounds per game, 27 steals, and one block...
2022-23 (At NIU): All-MAC Honorable Mention honoree … Appeared in 30 games, making 17 starts … Averaged 8.8 points, 5.3 assists, second-best in the MAC and 29th nationally, and 2.8 rebounds per game … Also averaged 1.7 steals per game, fourth-most in the MAC … Averaged a league-best 6.7 assists and a league-high 2.2 steals per game in conference play … Shot 41.8 percent (92-of-220) from the field, 36.6 percent (37-of-101) from three, 20th in the MAC, and 65.2 percent (43-of-66) from the free-throw line … Shot 39.2 percent (31-of-79) from three in conference play, 16th-best in the MAC … Had a 1.66 assist/turnover ratio, sixth-best in the MAC … Had a 1.78 assist/turnover ratio in conference play, eighth-best in the MAC … Played 29.0 minutes per game … Averaged 37.6 minutes per game in league play, second-highest in the MAC … Recorded three double-doubles: vs. Kent State (Jan. 24; 13 points, 11 assists), vs. Western Michigan (Feb. 11; 10 points, 11 assists) and vs. Eastern Michigan (March 3; 17 points, 11 assists) … Scored in double figures 13 times … Had 5-plus assists 17 times, including four games with 10-plus assists … Led NIU in assists 24 times … Had a season-high 21 points three times: vs. Toledo (Jan. 14), vs. Ohio (Feb. 7) and at Central Michigan (Feb. 25) … Had a season-high 11 assists four times and a season-best four steals three times … Played a season-high 43 minutes against Miami (Feb. 18).
2021-22 (At NIU): Named to the Academic All-MAC Team … Appeared in 29 games, making 26 starts … Averaged 8.1 points, 4.0 assists, seventh in the MAC, and 2.8 rebounds per game … Averaged 9.4 points, 4.6 assists, fifth in the MAC, and 3.2 rebounds per game in league play … Ranked eighth in the MAC in assist/turnover ratio at 1.46, and 10th in league play at 1.74 … Recorded 26 total steals and seven blocks … Played 29.0 minutes per game … Shot 40.7 percent (88-of-216) from the field, 34.8 percent (24-of-69) from three and 72 percent (36-of-50) from the free-throw line … Scored in double figures 12 times … Dished out five-or-more assists 10 times … Led the Huskies in scoring three times and assists 18 times … Scored a season-high 18 points against Toledo (Feb. 12) … Dished out a season-high nine assists against Bowling Green (Jan. 18) … Played a season-high 39 minutes against Bowling Green (Jan. 18).
2020-21 (At NIU): Appeared in 17 contests, making three starts … Averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game … His 2.9 assists per game ranked 13th in the MAC … Also recorded 17 steals … Averaged 1.25 steals per game in conference play, tied for 13th in the MAC … Averaged 24.5 minutes per game … Shot 39.8 percent (35-of-88) from the field … Scored in double figures twice … Led NIU in assists 10 times … Scored a season-high 10 points twice, against Buffalo (Feb. 23) and Western Michigan (March 2) … Had a season-high six rebounds against Ball State (Dec. 8) … Recorded a season-high seven assists against Buffalo (Feb. 23) … Had a season-high six steals against Western Michigan (March 2), the most by a Huskie since Aaron Armstead had eight against Hampton on Dec. 29, 2014 … Played a season-high 34 minutes against Western Michigan (March 2).
Prior to NIU: Spent one season at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa … Averaged 10.8 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a freshman at Iowa Western in 2019-20, shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line … Earned NJCAA Division I Region XI All-Region Second Team honors … Prepped at Bolingbrook High School in Bolingbrook, Ill., where he earned IBCA 3A/4A All-State Second Team honors as a senior in 2017-18 and Third Team honors in 2016-17.
2022-23 (At NIU): All-MAC Honorable Mention honoree … Appeared in 30 games, making 17 starts … Averaged 8.8 points, 5.3 assists, second-best in the MAC and 29th nationally, and 2.8 rebounds per game … Also averaged 1.7 steals per game, fourth-most in the MAC … Averaged a league-best 6.7 assists and a league-high 2.2 steals per game in conference play … Shot 41.8 percent (92-of-220) from the field, 36.6 percent (37-of-101) from three, 20th in the MAC, and 65.2 percent (43-of-66) from the free-throw line … Shot 39.2 percent (31-of-79) from three in conference play, 16th-best in the MAC … Had a 1.66 assist/turnover ratio, sixth-best in the MAC … Had a 1.78 assist/turnover ratio in conference play, eighth-best in the MAC … Played 29.0 minutes per game … Averaged 37.6 minutes per game in league play, second-highest in the MAC … Recorded three double-doubles: vs. Kent State (Jan. 24; 13 points, 11 assists), vs. Western Michigan (Feb. 11; 10 points, 11 assists) and vs. Eastern Michigan (March 3; 17 points, 11 assists) … Scored in double figures 13 times … Had 5-plus assists 17 times, including four games with 10-plus assists … Led NIU in assists 24 times … Had a season-high 21 points three times: vs. Toledo (Jan. 14), vs. Ohio (Feb. 7) and at Central Michigan (Feb. 25) … Had a season-high 11 assists four times and a season-best four steals three times … Played a season-high 43 minutes against Miami (Feb. 18).
2021-22 (At NIU): Named to the Academic All-MAC Team … Appeared in 29 games, making 26 starts … Averaged 8.1 points, 4.0 assists, seventh in the MAC, and 2.8 rebounds per game … Averaged 9.4 points, 4.6 assists, fifth in the MAC, and 3.2 rebounds per game in league play … Ranked eighth in the MAC in assist/turnover ratio at 1.46, and 10th in league play at 1.74 … Recorded 26 total steals and seven blocks … Played 29.0 minutes per game … Shot 40.7 percent (88-of-216) from the field, 34.8 percent (24-of-69) from three and 72 percent (36-of-50) from the free-throw line … Scored in double figures 12 times … Dished out five-or-more assists 10 times … Led the Huskies in scoring three times and assists 18 times … Scored a season-high 18 points against Toledo (Feb. 12) … Dished out a season-high nine assists against Bowling Green (Jan. 18) … Played a season-high 39 minutes against Bowling Green (Jan. 18).
2020-21 (At NIU): Appeared in 17 contests, making three starts … Averaged 5.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game … His 2.9 assists per game ranked 13th in the MAC … Also recorded 17 steals … Averaged 1.25 steals per game in conference play, tied for 13th in the MAC … Averaged 24.5 minutes per game … Shot 39.8 percent (35-of-88) from the field … Scored in double figures twice … Led NIU in assists 10 times … Scored a season-high 10 points twice, against Buffalo (Feb. 23) and Western Michigan (March 2) … Had a season-high six rebounds against Ball State (Dec. 8) … Recorded a season-high seven assists against Buffalo (Feb. 23) … Had a season-high six steals against Western Michigan (March 2), the most by a Huskie since Aaron Armstead had eight against Hampton on Dec. 29, 2014 … Played a season-high 34 minutes against Western Michigan (March 2).
Prior to NIU: Spent one season at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa … Averaged 10.8 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a freshman at Iowa Western in 2019-20, shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line … Earned NJCAA Division I Region XI All-Region Second Team honors … Prepped at Bolingbrook High School in Bolingbrook, Ill., where he earned IBCA 3A/4A All-State Second Team honors as a senior in 2017-18 and Third Team honors in 2016-17.
2024-25 Akron Zips Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament Pre-Game - Press Conference - 3/20/2025
Friday, March 21
2024-25 Zips Weekly with John Groce - Episode #12 - 3/18/25
Wednesday, March 19
2024-25 Akron Zips Men's Basketball Post-Game Press Conference vs. Miami (MAC Championship)
Sunday, March 16
2024-25 Akron Zips Men's Basketball Post-Game Press Conference vs. Toledo (MAC Semifinal) - 3/14/25
Saturday, March 15