The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Basketball Travels to Toledo for Cross-Divisional Contest
February 04 | Men's Basketball
Akron (12-10, 3-5 MAC) at Toledo (4-18, 1-7 MAC)
Feb. 5 • 7:00 p.m. ET
Savage Arena (7,800) • Toledo, Ohio
Television: None.
Audio Stream/Live Statistics:
Available at GoZips.com - 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 151-72 (.677) mark. Both his wins total and wins
percentage rank third all-time in program history. Dambrot is
259-142 (.646) in his 13th season as a collegiate head coach. He is
8-5 overall against the Rockets and 6-3 against Toledo at
Akron.
Toledo Coach Tod Kowalczyk (Minnesota-Duluth
'89):
Coach Kowalczyk is in his first season as head coach at Toledo. He
has a 4-18 record at UT (.182) and a 140-130 (.519) in nine seasons
as a head coach. He is 1-0 against the Zips.
The Series: Toledo owns a 29-23 record in the series, which began during the 1915-16 season. Akron has won four-straight in the series and have lost four of the last five at Savage Arena.
Last Time Out...
• The University of Akron men's basketball team dropped a
60-56 decision to the Eastern Michigan Eagles on Feb. 2 in
Ypsilanti, Mich.
• The loss snapped a three-game winning streak in Ypsilanti
for the Zips.
• The Zips closed the contest shooting 30.6 percent from the
floor (19-for-62) and 23.8 percent from 3-point range (5-for-21).
Akron held a 41-37 rebounding advantage over EMU, including 17
offensive boards.
• Nikola
Cvetinovic led the way for the Zips, posting his fifth
double-double of the season. He closed the night with 13 points and
a career-high 16 boards (10 offensive). His 16 boards are the most
since Chris
McKnight grabbed 18 boards against Ohio on Feb. 4, 2010
• Zeke
Marshall had a team-high 15 points while Darryl
Roberts finished with 11 points.
A Look at the Rockets...
• Toledo enters this evening's contest with a 4-18 record
(1-7 MAC) and is coming off an 81-58 loss to Buffalo on Feb. 3. The
Rockets have lost four-straight games and nine of their last ten.
UT is led by sophomore guard Malcolm Griffin's 12.8 ppg. Freshman
guard Reese Holliday (10.2 ppg) is the only other player scoring in
double figures and leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg).
On the Line Versus Toledo...
• An Akron victory will be the fifth-straight victory for the
Zips in the series.
• A win will snap a six-game road losing streak for the
Zips.
• A victory will move head coach Keith
Dambrot into a 13th-place tie with Jim McDonald (Kent State
1983-92) on the career MAC-only wins list (85).
Rebounding Hot Streak...
• Junior forward Nikola
Cvetinovic is on a hot streak rarely seen at Akron. In the last
three games, he is averaging 12.0 rpg and has reached double
figures in three-straight games (10-10-16). 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. No one in the D-I
era has posted five-straight 10+ rebound games.
ESPNU BracketBusters Game Announced...
• The Zips will play host to the Creighton Bluejays as part
of the ninth annual ESPNU BracketBusters on Feb. 19. This will be
the eighth year for the Zips as a BracketBusters participant (2-5
overall, 2-1 at Rhodes Arena).
Akron and Creighton last faced each other in the first round of
the 2006 NIT (March 16). The Zips fell 71-60 to the Bluejays in the
only meeting between the two programs.
Last Five Games...
• The Zips have posted a 2-3 record over the last five
contests, averaging 66.4 ppg and are allowing 65.6 ppg (+0.8 ppg).
Akron has turned the ball over an average of 12.2 times/game while
forcing 12.8 turnovers (+0.6) and holds a 1.0 assist-to-turnover
ratio.
• Five Zips are averaging eight points or better during that
stretch, led by Nikola
Cvetinovic's 13.0 ppg. Darryl
Roberts (11.0 ppg) and Zeke
Marshall (10.4 ppg) are the only other players averaging double
figures, followed by Steve
McNees (9.8 ppg) and Brett
McClanahan (8.6 ppg). Cvetinovic leads the team with 9.6 rpg
while Alex
Abreu is averaging a team-best 3.2 apg.
Pass the Rock...
• The Zips are third in the Mid-American Conference in
assists (14.09 apg) and are first in assist/turnover ratio (1.12).
Akron has dished out at least 10 dimes in 19 of 22 games this
season and has a 38-assist advantage over its opponents.
Ball Protection...
• The Zips have been very protective of the ball this season,
turning the ball over just 12.6 times/game while forcing 15.7
turnovers/game. On the road, the Zips are averaging 13.3 turnovers
in 12 games while committing 12.4 turnovers/game at home in 10
games. Akron has turned the ball over 10 times or less in five of
the last 10 games.
• Akron turns the ball over on just 17.7 percent of its
possessions, tied for 55th in the country and tops in the MAC.
Season Records on the Line...
• Freshman guard Alex
Abreu, through 22 games, needs 10 assists to break the freshman
season record for assists (90, Russell Brown, 1983-84; Pete
Carillo, 1979-80). He passed Eric McLaughlin (33, 1985-86) for
second on the freshman steals list (35). He needs 24 steals to pass
Jimmal Ball (58, 1996-97) for the freshman record.
• Sophomore center Zeke
Marshall (51) needs eight blocked shots to own the sophomore
season record (58, Joel Price, 1978-79). He is closing in on the
sophomore field goal percentage record (.544), held by Joe Jakubick
(.563, 1981-82).
A Tale of Two Halves...
• Over the last 11 games, Akron is averaging 7.2
turnovers/half in the first half while forcing 7.7 turnovers/half
and holding a 0.9 turnover-to-assist ratio. On the flip side, the
Zips are averaging just 4.6 turnovers/half in the second half and
are forcing their opponents into 7.6 turnovers/half. Akron has a
1.4 assist-to-turnover ration in the second half.
Lights, Camera, Action...
• Akron has been a familiar figure on television this year as
the Zips are currently scheduled to make 10 appearances throughout
the 2010-11 season. So far, the Zips are 3-5 on television,
defeating Central Michigan 63-43 on Jan. 30 (ESPNU) last time out.
Last year, the Zips played on television 11 times, posting a 5-6
record.
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 223 games, the Zips have held 163 opponents to 70
points or less, going 130-33 (.793). Akron has held 127 of those
foes to 65 points or less, going 109-18 (.854). On the flip side,
Akron is 21-39 when allowing 70-plus points (.339).
Player Notables...
• Freshman guard Alex
Abreu is assisting on 35.11 percent of the baskets made by the
Zips while on the floor, which is 26th in the country and fifth in
the MAC.
• While on the floor, sophomore center Zeke
Marshall is blocking 8.35 percent of the shots taken by Akron
opponents, which is 18th-best in the nation (third MAC).
• Junior guard Brett
McClanahan has made three or more 3-point buckets in 12 of 22
games this season.
• Senior guard Steve
McNees has three or more assists in 12 of 22 games this
season.
• Senior guard Darryl
Roberts has at least one assist in 20 of 22 games this
season.
• Junior forward Nikola
Cvetinovic has recorded at least five boards in 13 of the last
15 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 (11.8 ppg, 18th in the MAC) and leading rebounder
with 7.0 rpg (fifth in the MAC). He has five double-doubles on the
season.
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 (11.0 ppg, 22nd
in the MAC) and third in rebounds/game (4.1 rpg). He has reached
double-figures in nine of the last 13 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.
Daily Double...
• Through 22 games this season, three Zips' players have
recorded eight double-doubles. Junior forward Nikola
Cvetinovic has five double-doubles this season (six career). He
was the first Zips' player to record back-to-back double-doubles
since Jeremiah Wood had double-doubles in February 2007. Sophomore
center Zeke
Marshall has two double-doubles this season (three career)
while junior guard Brett
McClanahan recorded his first-career double-double this season.
Five Zips combined for 14 double-doubles last season.
"Bench"-mark...
• The Akron bench has been a productive force over the last
11 games, averaging 24.0 points/game while out-scoring the
opposition 264-164.
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 (93) should surpass 100 games this season.
A Look at the Polls...
• Four Zips' opponents appeared in the Jan. 31
CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll, led by No. 1 Cleveland State.
Other opponents receiving votes included Kent State (26), Ball
State (20) and Buffalo (18). The Zips are 1-2 against these teams
so far this season.
• Three opponents were mentioned in the Jan. 31 AP and
ESPN/USA Today Coaches Polls. Minnesota was the only ranked
opponent in both polls, coming in at No. 18 in the AP poll and No.
20 in the ESPN poll. Temple received 15 votes in the AP poll and
four votes in the ESPN poll while Cleveland State received votes in
the AP (3) and ESPN polls (9).
Career Chart Watch...
• Two Zips, Steve
McNees and Mike
Bardo, have their sights set on the career games played record.
McNees (127) needs to appear in 11 games while Bardo (122) needs to
play in 16 games to break Chris
McKnight's record of 137 career games played (2006-10).
• Senior Darryl
Roberts is on pace to set the career mark for free throw
percentage. Should he maintain his .877 mark and attempt 80 more
free throws this season, he would break the previous mark of .834
held by Jami Bosley (1998-00). He is 34-for-37 (.919) from the line
this season.
• Sophomore center Zeke
Marshall, with 51 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 (110). He trails only Romeo Travis (165, 2004-07). He has 31
multi-block games, including 15 this season.
• Senior Brett
McKnight needs 20 points to become the 38th member of the
1,000-point club.
• Senior center Mike
Bardo is ninth on the career blocks list with his 55 swats for
his career and is 10 blocks behind Quade Milum (65, 2005-08) for
eighth place.
• Senior guard Steve
McNees (268) passed Mike Dowdell (261, 1984-87) for ninth place
on the career assists list. He needs nine assists to pass Jami
Bosley (276, 1998-00) for eighth place.
