The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Basketball Plays Host to Co-East Leader Miami (Ohio) Wednesday
February 22 | Men's Basketball
Miami (Ohio) (14-13, 9-3 MAC) at Akron (17-10, 7-5 MAC)
Feb. 23 • 7:00 p.m. ET
Rhodes Arena (5,500) • Akron, Ohio
Television: None.
Webcast/Audio Stream/Live Statistics:
Available at GoZips.com - webcast and audio stream through
subscription, live statistics free of charge.
Radio: Akron Sports Network from IMG College - SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron and on the Internet at GoZips.com. Steve French (play-by-play) and Joe Dunn (analyst) (6:30 p.m. ET airtime).
Akron Coach Keith
Dambrot (Akron '82):
Coach Dambrot is in his seventh season at the helm of the Zips,
posting a 156-72 (.684) mark. Both his wins total and wins
percentage rank third all-time in program history. Dambrot is
264-142 (.650) in 13 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He is 9-6
against the RedHawks at Akron and 9-10 overall.
Miami (Ohio) Coach Charlie Coles (Miami (Ohio)
'65):
Coach Coles is in his 15th season as the head coach at Miami (Ohio)
and is the longest tenured coach in the MAC. He has a 252-199
record at Miami (Ohio) (.559) and is 344-283 (.549) overall in 21
seasons as a head coach. He is 17-16 against the Zips.
The Series: Miami (Ohio) holds a slim 24-20 lead in the series, which began during the 1914-15 season. Akron has won six of the last eight in the series. The Zips are 6-0 at Rhodes Arena in the series under head coach Keith Dambrot.
Last Five Games...
• The Zips are a perfect 5-0 over the last five contests,
averaging 76.4 ppg and are allowing 58.6 ppg (+17.8 ppg). Akron has
turned the ball over an average of 11.0 times/game while forcing
13.2 turnovers (+2.2) and holds a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Seven Zips are averaging 7.8 points or better during that
stretch, led by Nikola
Cvetinovic's 12.6 ppg. Brett
McKnight (12.0 ppg), Brett
McClanahan (10.6 ppg) and Steve
McNees (10.2 ppg) are averaging double figures, followed by Alex
Abreu (8.0 ppg), Qunicy Diggs (7.8 ppg) and Darryl
Roberts (7.8 ppg). Cvetinovic leads the team at 8.2 rpg while
McNees is averaging a team-best 4.6 apg.
How Hard Can 20 Wins Really Be?
• Currently, the Akron Zips are the only team in the
Mid-American Conference to have won 20-plus games the last five
seasons. How hard of a feat is that? In the last four seasons, only
34 of 336 teams (10.1 percent) have won 20 games each year. Over
the past five years, that number drops to 23 of 336 teams (6.8
percent). Through Feb. 21, only 16 of those teams have already
reached 20 wins (4.8 percent).
Season Records on the Line...
• Freshman guard Alex
Abreu, broke the freshman season record for assists on Feb. 15
at Bowling Green. He now has 98 dimes, passing Russell Brown (90,
1983-84) and Pete Carillo (90, 1979-80). He needs two dimes to
become the 17th player in school history to post 100-plus assists
and the first since Nick Dials (147, 2007-08).
• Sophomore center Zeke
Marshall (63) set the sophomore blocks season record against
Ball State, passing Joel Price (58, 1978-79). He is three blocks
shy of breaking Romeo Travis' single-season mark of 65
(2006-07).
• As a team, the Zips need to make 46 more 3-pointers to
break the season record of 264 3-pointers made (2005-06).
A Sharing Game...
• Assists have been the name of the game the last five
contests for the Zips. Akron is averaging 17.2 assist/game (86
total) during that stretch and are recording an assist on 60.1
percent of its baskets (86-of-143). Senior guard Steve
McNees is leading the way with a 4.6 assist/game average.
Floor General...
• Senior guard Steve
McNees has been the Zips' leader at the point since taking on
increased play at the point guard position. In the last five games,
he is averaging 4.6 assists/game (23 total). In the previous 11
games, he averaged 2.1 assists/game (23 total).
1,000 Point Club...
• Senior forward Brett
McKnight became the 38th member of the 1,000 Point Club with
his 13 points against Western Michigan on Feb. 9. He is now one
point behind 35th place on the career scoring list.
36. 1,040 - Brett
McKnight (2007-Present, 116 games)
35. 1,041 - Hank Vaughn (1946-50, 75 games)
34. 1,046 - Dru Joyce (2004-07, 123 games)
33. 1,055 - Bobby Walker (1946-50, 75 games)
32. 1,086 - Larry Jenkins (1970-74, 75 games)
31. 1,087 - Nick Dials (2006-08, 101 games)
On the Offensive...
• Over the last six games, the Zips have grabbed 65 offensive
boards (10.8 per game), converting them into 65 second chance
points (10.8 ppg). In the previous four games, the Zips averaged
7.8 offensive boards and 8.0 second chance points per game.
Ball Protection...
• The Zips have been very protective of the ball this season,
turning the ball over just 12.3 times/game while forcing 15.2
turnovers/game. On the road, the Zips are averaging 12.9 turnovers
in 14 games while committing 11.7 turnovers/game at home in 13
games.
• Akron turns the ball over on just 17.5 percent of its
possessions, tied for 55th in the country and tops in the MAC.
Rebounding Hot Streak...
• Junior forward Nikola
Cvetinovic is on a rebounding hot streak. In the last eight
games, he is averaging 9.6 rpg and has reached double figures in
four of eight games, including one stretch of three-straight
(10-10-16-9-5-8-11-8). During Akron's Division I era (1980-81),
only two additional players have grabbed double-digit rebounds in
three-consecutive games. Pete Freeman (Dec. 4-15, 1990) and Marcel
Boyce (Jan. 27-Feb. 3, 1986) each reached double figures in
four-consecutive games.
Did You Know...
• The last time the Zips opened Mid-American Conference play
1-3 was the 2008-09 season. The Zips answered with a seven-game
winning streak, including six-straight in the MAC, and closed out
the season 9-3 to earn the No. 5 seed in the MAC Tournament (10-6
MAC). Akron would win four games in five days to capture its first
MAC Tournament title and face Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament (No.
13 seed).
Inside the Scoring Numbers...
• The Zips have been one of the better defensive squads in
the league under seventh-year head coach Keith
Dambrot. In 228 games, the Zips have held 167 opponents to 70
points or less, going 134-33 (.803). Akron has held 130 of those
foes to 65 points or less, going 112-18 (.860). On the flip side,
Akron is 22-39 when allowing 70-plus points (.350).
Player Notables...
• While on the floor, sophomore center Zeke
Marshall is blocking 8.63 percent of the shots taken by Akron
opponents, which is tied for 16th in the nation (third MAC).
• Junior guard Brett
McClanahan has made at least one 3-point bucket in 26-of-27
games this season.
• Senior guard Steve
McNees has three or more assists in 16-of-27 games this season
including four-plus in six of the last eight.
• Senior guard Darryl
Roberts has at least one assist in 25-of-27 games this
season.
• Junior forward Nikola
Cvetinovic has recorded at least five boards in 18 of the last
20 games.
Junior Leadership...
• One junior stepping up to help lead the Zips this season
has been forward Nikola
Cvetinovic. Entering the season with a career average of 5.6
points and 3.4 rebounds per game, he has emerged up as the Zips'
leading scorer (11.9 ppg, 19th in the MAC) and leading rebounder
with 7.2 rpg (fifth in the MAC). He has five double-doubles this
year.
What a Difference a Year Makes...
• For junior guard Brett
McClanahan, a year has made a big difference. So far this
season, he is the second-leading scorer on the team (10.9 ppg, 23rd
in the MAC) and third in rebounds/game (3.9 rpg). He has reached
double-figures in 12 of the last 16 contests. He recorded his first
double-double against Youngstown State (22 points, 10 rebounds) on
Nov. 20. Last season, he averaged 3.3 points and 1.5 boards per
game.
"Bench"-mark...
• The Akron bench has been a productive force over the last
16 games, averaging 26.0 points/game while out-scoring the
opposition 416-229.
Century Club...
• Senior guard Darryl
Roberts joined fellow seniors Steve
McNees and Mike
Bardo as one of three members of the current Zips' squad to
have played in 100-plus games. Roberts reached the milestone on
Nov. 20 against Youngstown State while McNees and Bardo joined the
century club last season. Brett
McKnight made his 100th appearance against Stetson (Dec. 22)
while Nikola
Cvetinovic (98) should surpass 100 games this season.
A Look at the Polls...
• Akron received five votes in the Feb. 21 CollegeInsider.com
Mid-Major poll while four Zips' opponents appeared in the poll as
well. Cleveland State came in at No. 9 as the only ranked opponent.
Kent State (40), Miami (Ohio) (1) and Western Michigan (1) received
votes. The Zips are 2-2 against these teams so far this season.
• One opponent was mentioned in the Feb. 21 AP and ESPN/USA
Today Coaches Polls. Temple appeared in the No. 24 slot in both
polls.
Career Chart Watch...
• Two Zips, Steve
McNees and Mike
Bardo, have their sights set on the career games played record.
McNees (132) needs to appear in six games while Bardo (127) needs
to play in 11 games to break Chris
McKnight's record of 137 career games played (2006-10).
• Sophomore center Zeke
Marshall, with 63 blocks on the season, passed George Phillips
(107, 1996-2000) and Bruce Weinkein (109, 1998-2001) against
Central Michigan and is now in second place on the career blocks
list (122). He trails only Romeo Travis (165, 2004-07). He has 35
multi-block games, including 19 this season.
• Senior center Mike
Bardo is ninth on the career blocks list with his 57 swats for
his career and is eight blocks behind Quade Milum (65, 2005-08) for
eighth place.
• Senior guard Steve
McNees (291) passed Jami Bosley (276, 1998-00) for eighth place
on the career assists list. He needs 10 assists to pass Joe
Jakubick (300, 1980-84) for seventh place.
