The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Basketball Plays Host to NIU in MAC Tournament Opener on Monday
March 08 | Men's Basketball
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Northern Illinois at Akron Game Notes in PDF Format
MAC Tournament Central | MAC Tournament Bracket
Game Day Coverage:
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#10 Northern Illinois (14-15) at # 7 Akron (18-13)
Monday, March 9, 2015 • 7:00 p.m. ET
James A. Rhodes Arena (5,500)
Akron, Ohio
Television: None.
Webcast and Live Stats: Available at GoZips.com – webcast (free for home games only) and live statistics.
Radio: Akron-IMG Sports Network – SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship) and for free at GoZips.com/TuneIn. Steve French (play-by-play) and Joe Dunn (analyst) will have the call beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The Akron-Northern Illinois Series: Akron leads the all-time series 21-10, having won four of the last six meetings overall. The Zips are 13-2 against the Huskies in Akron, winning 11 of the last 12 meetings. The Zips fell 64-61 at NIU on Jan. 21 in the only meeting this season.
Scouting the Huskies: Northern Illinois enters tonight's game with a 14-15 record and concluded MAC play with an 8-10 mark. The Huskies are 4-10 on the road this season, with all four wins coming in league play.
Three Huskies are averaging double figures in the scoring column, including Aaric Armstead (11.1 ppg), Anthony Johnson (10.8 ppg) and Darrell Bowie (10.2 ppg). Jordan Threloff is the team's leading rebounder (7.5 rpg).
News, Notes and Storylines
- Akron opens the 2015 MAC Tournament on Monday by playing host to Northern Illinois.
- The Zips are coming off a 79-77 loss at Kent State on Friday. Akron lost at the buzzer at the M.A.C. Center for a second-consecutive season.
- The meeting between the Zips and the Huskies is the first in the MAC Tournament.
- Akron is 20-7 in the MAC Tournament under head coach Keith Dambrot, going 14-3 in its last 17 tournament games.
- In 11 years under head coach Keith Dambrot, the Zips have won at least one game in the MAC Tournament every year.
- Keith Dambrot is seeking win No. 250 as head coach of the Zips (249-120).
- In the MAC Tournament, Akron is 4-6 in the opening round (3-0 under Dambrot), 0-0 in the second round, 7-2 in the third round (7-1 under Dambrot), 7-2 in the Semifinals (all under Dambrot) and 3-4 in the Championship game (all under Dambrot).
- Akron has hit eight or more 3-pointers in 24 games this season. The Zips are 15-9 when they make at least eight long balls in a contest. Akron is second in the Mid-American Conference and eighth nationally in 3-pointers made per game (9.4).
- The UA bench has dominated the last 10 games, out-scoring the opposition, 319-110 (31.9 ppg vs. 11.0 ppg, +20.9 ppg).
What You May Not Know About the Series
- Northern Illinois is the only MAC team that the Zips have not played in the conference tournament prior to tonight's meeting.
- The 31 games played in the series are the fewest of any MAC opponent for the Zips.
On the Line vs. Northern Illinois
- An Akron win will advance the Zips to the second round of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
- A victory will give Akron at least one win in each of the last 11 MAC Tournaments.
- A win would give head coach Keith Dambrot win No. 250 at Akron, second-most in program history.
- A victory will give the Zips 19 wins for an 11th-straight season, becoming one of just 11 programs to do so.
Odds and Ends
- Akron is 17-0 this season when leading with 5:00 to go in a game.
- The UA defense is holding opponents to 44.2 percent shooting from inside the arc, 48th nationally. The Zips are holding opponents to just 0.964 points per possession, 95th nationally.
- Eleven of Akron's 14 players have posted at least one game with 10 or more points. Ten of those players have scored 13 or more points at least once.
- The Zips have seven players with at least 30 made 3-pointers this season.
- Deji Ibitayo has more double-figure scoring performances in his last 38 games (18) than he had in his previous 60 games (5).
- UA has at least one blocked shot in 63-straight and 115 of the last 116 games. Additionally, Akron has blocked multiple shots in 114 of those 115 games.
- Of Akron's 13 losses, 10 have been by seven points or less, eight have been by five points or less, and six have been by just one possession (three points or less).
- The Zips need just five more made 3-pointers to break the single-season school record (294, 2007-08).
- • For the first time in program history, the Zips played two-consecutive games decided by one point (69-68 win at Bowling Green, Jan. 31; 83-82 loss at Ohio, Feb. 4).
- • Freshman guard Noah Robotham will miss the rest of the 2014-15 season after tearing his right ACL vs. Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 21.
- • Head coach Keith Dambrot was named the 19th-best college coach for the money in 2014 by Forbes Magazine.
MAC Tournament Notes
- The Zips will be making their 18th appearance in the MAC Tournament, posting a 21-14 record in 35 games.
- Two of Akron's three MAC Tournament Championships have come without receiving a bye (No. 5 seed, 2009; No. 6 seed, 2011).
- Akron has never played a MAC Tournament game as the No. 7 seed.
- In the MAC Tournament, the No. 7 seed is 32-35 overall. The No. 7 seed has advanced to seven MAC Title Games, twice when playing three games to reach the championship game (Toledo, 2006; Buffalo, 2005). In the current MAC Tournament format, the No. 7 seed has won at least two games in two of three years.
- The Zips have appeared in seven MAC Title Games in the last eight years. Only Gonzaga (8) has made more conference title games in the last eight years, playing in 17-straight WCC Championship contests.
- The Zips have 20 wins in the MAC Tournament since 2005, the most of any program in the league.
- Five active players on the roster have played in the MAC Tournament, combining to play in 14 tournament games.
Looking Ahead
- With a win, Akron will advance to the second round of the MAC Tournament and would face the winner of the Ohio at Western Michigan contest on Wednesday, March 11. Tip off would be 30 minutes following the first game of the first game (approximately 9 p.m. ET).
- With a loss, the Zips will wait to hear its named called for one of the postseason tournaments.
