The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Basketball Travels To MAC West Leader WMU
February 05 | Men's Basketball
Akron (16-5, 6-2 MAC) at Western Michigan (12-9, 6-2 MAC)
Wednesday, February 6
7 p.m. EST
University Arena (5,421)
Kalamazoo, Mich.
Television: Comcast Local – Ben Holden
(play-by-play) and Clarence Black (color).
Radio: Akron-ISP Sports Network – SportsRadio
1350 AM (WARF) in Akron, WERE (1490 AM) in Cleveland and on the
Internet at GoZips.com. Steve French (play-by-play) and Joe Dunn
(color). (6:30 p.m. EST airtime)
Akron Coach Keith Dambrot (Akron
‘82):
Is in his fourth season with the Zips, maintaining an 84-32 (.724)
mark in that time. He is 192-102 (.653) in his tenth season as a
collegiate head coach. Dambrot is 4-6 all-time versus Western
Michigan.
WMU Coach Steve Hawkins (South Alabama '87):
Is in his fifth season on the sideline for the Broncos, owning a
88-60 (.595) record during that span. In 14 seasons as a collegiate
head coach he is 225-171 (.568). He is 3-4 all-time versus
Akron.
The Series: Wednesday serves as the 32nd meeting
between the two schools on the hardwood. Western Michigan leads the
all-time series, 16-15. Akron has won four-straight meetings, and
claimed a 69-36 decision in last season's match-up at Rhodes Arena
(Jan. 27, 2006). The Zips defeated the Broncos three times during
the 2005-06 campaign, including a face off in the quarterfinal
round of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. UA
earned a 69-55 victory in its last visit to University Arena (Jan.
10, 2006).
Up Next: Akron travels to Ball State (3-17, 2-6)
on Saturday.
Akron Plays Pivotal Game At Western
Michigan...
Involved in a three-way-tie for first place in the Mid-American
Conference's East Division, the University of Akron men's
basketball team (16-5, 6-2) begins the second half of its league
schedule by making a trip to MAC West Division leader Western
Michigan (12-9, 6-2) on Wednesday. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. EST at
University Arena, and the game will be televised by Comcast Local
in the state of Michigan.
Akron, which has won back-to-back games and six out of its last
eight contests, comes off an 80-61 home defeat of Eastern Michigan
on Saturday. The Zips are 4-5 when playing away from Rhodes Arena
this season.
Western Michigan, which boasts a 7-1 mark at home this season, has
also posted a win in consecutive outings. The Broncos earned a
64-50 home victory over Bowling Green on Saturday.
Streaks, Storylines, Sidebars...
• Akron's trip to Kalamazoo starts a stretch in which it
plays four of its next five games on the road. The Zips are 4-5
away from Rhodes Arena this season (2-4 in true road games, 2-1 in
neutral court contests). UA looks to snap a two-game road losing
streak.
• Wednesday's match-up should feature plenty of scoring, as
UA and WMU are ranked 1-2, respectively, in the MAC in scoring (UA
- 73.4 ppg/WMU - 70.8) and 3-point field goal percentage (UA - 39.0
percent/WMU 36.4).
• Akron leads the MAC in five statistical categories –
scoring (73.4 ppg), scoring margin (+10.8), 3-point field goal
percentage (39.0 percent/181-of-464), 3-pointers made per game (8.6
mpg/29th nationally) and turnover margin (+3.6). The Zips rank
second in the league in assists (14.1 apg) and assist-turnover
ratio (1.0 a-to/298 assists, 285 turnovers).
• For the second-straight week, UA is listed No. 10 in the
CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
• Jeremiah Wood, a MAC Player-of-the-Year
candidate, leads the Zips in scoring (13.9 ppg/eighth in MAC) and
rebounding (8.0/second in MAC), and is second in assists (2.4
apg/15th MAC). He is ninth in the league in field-goal percentage
(52.3 percent/116-of-222). Wood scored his 1,000th career point on
Saturday versus Eastern Michigan, and his 704 career rebounds rank
10th on the school's career list. He tallied his fifth
double-double of the season (17th of his career), with 10 points
and 11 rebounds against EMU.
• Nick Dials, also a candidate for MAC Player of
the Year, is UA's second leading scorer (12.6 ppg/15th in MAC) and
leads the team in assists (4.5 apg/second in MAC). He averages a
team-high 31 minutes as the starting point guard, and is the
squad's most prolific free-throw shooter (87.1 percent/74-of-85,
first in MAC, 25th nationally) and second-best 3-point shooter
(40.3 percent/52-of-129), fourth in MAC). He is second in the MAC
in assist-turnover ratio (1.9 a-to/95 assists, 49 TOs). Dials's 273
career assists rank him eighth on the school's career list. He has
935 points in his UA career.
• Since being added to the starting lineup 13 games ago, Nate
Linhart has averaged 10 points (3rd on team in that span), five
rebounds (2nd on team in that span) and 31 minutes (ties for first
in that span with Dials). He ranks second on the team in steals
(29) and third in blocks (10) this season. Linhart had 12 points,
three assists, three steals and two rebounds against EMU.
Head Coach Keith Dambrot...
• In his fourth season at the helm of the Akron program, head
coach Keith Dambrot has led the Zips to an 84-32 (.724)
record. That win total is the most in the MAC during that span,
Kent State (83-38) is second
• Dambrot's .724 winning percentage at UA is second-best in
the history of the program. Tony Laterza leads that category at
.751, after posting a 178-59 record from 1960-68.
• In his 10th season as a collegiate head coach, Dambrot has
compiled a 192-102 (.653) record. That winning percentage ranks as
second best among the MAC's active coaches, while the total number
of wins is fourth most in that group. Kent State's Jim Christian
leads the winning percentage list at .694 (127-56) in his sixth
season (all at KSU). Miami's Charlie Coles leads the wins list at
295 in his 18th season.
• Dambrot's high level of success led to the University
giving him a new seven-year contract in April 2007 – keeping
him with the program through the 2014 season.
On The Line Versus Western Michigan...
• An Akron victory would be its third-straight, and seventh
in nine games overall.
• An Akron victory would snap a two-game road losing streak
– losses at Kent State (75-69 on Jan. 23) and at Central
Michigan (65-64 on Jan. 26).
• An Akron victory would be its second-straight at University
Arena, and fifth straight in the all-time series with the
Broncos.
Akron-Western Michigan Connections...
• Fifth-year Western Michigan assistant coach Cornell Mann
played at Akron for three seasons (1993-95).
• First-year Western Michigan assistant coach Andy Hipsher
played at Akron for five seasons (2000-04). He finished his UA
career with 1,136 points (27th best in school history), 344 assists
(fifth) and 48 blocks (tenth). Andy's father, Dan (now an assistant
coach at USF), was head coach at Akron for nine seasons
(1996-2004). Current UA head coach Keith
Dambrot was an assistant under Dan at Akron for three
seasons.
Eastern Michigan Postgame Notes...
• Akron used a strong second-half surge to defeat Eastern
Michigan 80-61 on Saturday at Rhodes Arena.
• Nate Linhart paced the Zips with 12 points (10 in
the second half) on 4-of-8 shooting (2-of-5 3-pointers). For the
game, his team connected on 44.4 percent (24-of-54) of its shots
from the floor, going 12-of-26 (57.7 percent) from 3-point range.
UA went 20-of-24 (83.3 percent) at the line.
• After clinging to a 34-30 halftime lead, UA would outscore
EMU 20-4 over a 6:46 span to begin the second half, and led 68-45
with 7:52 remaining.
• Jeremiah Wood (10 points, 11 rebounds) recorded
his fifth double-double of the season.
• Nick Dials (10 points) also reached double
figures, leading the Zips with a game-high seven assists.
• The Eagles were paced by Tyler Jones, who led all scorers
with a career-high 17 points on 4-of-9 shooting from behind the
arc. EMU shot 33.3 percent (19-of-57) from the field, and went 92.9
percent (13-of-14) from the line.
News, Notes, Trends...
• Seven different Akron players have led the team in scoring
this season. Additionally, five players have scored 20 points or
more in a game, with two of those (Dials and Wood) having done so
on three occasions each.
• Akron has won 22-straight games at Rhodes Arena – the
fifth-longest streak of its kind in the nation. Tennessee is fourth
on that list, with 27.
• The Zips, 12-0 at home this season, have been victorious in
43 of their last 44 home contests – dating to last December's
73-71 loss to top-25 ranked Nevada. UA is 52-2 at home under
fourth-year coach Keith Dambrot.
• UA has won 25-straight league games at home, dating back to
the 2004-05 season (a 57-54 loss to Kent State on Feb. 9,
2005).
• The Zips' combined margin of victory in their 12 home dates
(12-0) this season is +18.8.
• UA's MAC-leading 8.6 3-pointers made per game ranks as the
29th-highest nationally. The Zips have made eight or more treys 16
times this season, doing so in 12 of the last 14 games. UA made 12
in each of the last two games. The team nailing a season high 13
(season-high 31 attempts) versus North Carolina A&T (Dec.
19).
• UA has made at least one 3-pointer in 222-straight games,
dating back to a Dec. 27, 2000 loss (98-67) to Purdue at Rhodes
Arena.
• UA has had more assists than turnovers 10 times this season
– going 10-0 in those games – but did so for the first
time in four games versus Eastern Michigan on Saturday (16 assists,
11 turnovers). The Zips have had 11 or fewer TOs six times, and 13
or fewer on 13 occasions.
• Akron has moved itself into the top third of the league in
terms of free throw shooting, after being around the bottom third
at one point this season. The Zips are averaging 71.1 percent
(318-of-447) (fourth in MAC) from the line, and went 20-for-24 from
the stripe on Saturday against EMU.
• The Zips received votes three times this season in the
Associated Press poll. Earning two tallies in the preseason
edition, and five votes in week 1 and two votes in week 11.
Player Notables...
• Reserve point guard Steve
McNees (redshirt-freshman) is averaging 6.9 points (7.4 in MAC
play), 2.2 assists (1.6 in MAC play) and 22 minutes. His 41.3
percent (33-of-80) from 3-point range is the best on the squad and
the third highest in the league. He had eight points (3-5 FGs/2-3
3FGs), and two assists against Eastern Michigan on Saturday.
• Cedrick Middleton ranks third on the team in
scoring (9.2 ppg/29th in MAC), and is first in steals (30/11th in
MAC). He also averages 36.7 percent (36-of-98) from 3-point range
(11th in MAC). Last year's MAC Sixth Man of the Year, he has been a
starter in 17 of 21 games this season, coming off the bench in the
last two contests.
• Quade Milum leads the team and ranks fifth in the
MAC in field goal percentage (56.3 percent/63-of-112). He had five
points (2-3 FGs/1-2 FTs) versus Eastern Michigan.
• On Dec. 17, UA added freshman forward Brett
McKnight (NCAA Clearinghouse issue) to its roster and learned
that sophomore guard Darryl Roberts (academics) was
eligible.
Career Chart Watch...
• In Saturday's win over EMU, Jeremiah
Wood became the 34th player in school history to score 1,000
points. He has scored 1,007 points in 91 career games. Wood's 704
rebounds (167 this season) rank him No. 10 on UA's all-time career
list. Romeo Travis sits in the No. 9 spot, with 783
(2004-07/122 games).
• Two other UA seniors are on pace to become 1,000-point
scorers – Cedrick Middleton (973) and Nick
Dials (935).Dials has scored 1,020 points during his collegiate
career, as he spent his freshman season at Ohio State
(2003-04).
• Dials's 273 career assists (95 this season) in 87 career
games played rank No. 8 on UA's career chart. Jami Bosley is No. 7,
with 276 (1998-00/75 games).
• Middleton's 112 steals (30 this season) in 116 career games
played rank him No. 10 on UA's all-time career list. Mike Dowdell
is No. 9, with 121 thefts (1984-87/80 games).
• Quade Milum's 57 career rejections (13 this
season) in 108 career games played are the seventh most in program
history. David Mason sits in the No. 6 spot, with 76 (1979-80
'80-81/49 games).
