The University of Akron Athletics
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Akron Looks to Bounce Back on the Road Against Buffalo
February 23 | Men's Basketball
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Akron Zips (22-6, 12-3 MAC) at Buffalo Bulls (15-13, 9-6 MAC)
Friday, February 24 •Alumni Arena
Buffalo, N.Y. • 8:00 p.m. ET
TV/Video: CBS Sports Network – Darren Goldwater (PxP) and Chris Walker (Analyst)
Live Stats: GoZips.com/Schedule - Live Stats
Radio: Akron-IMG Sports Network - Steve French (PxP) and Joe Dunn (Analyst) WARF 1350 AM (flagship), iHeart Radio, TuneIn.com/Akron Zips
Head Coaches
UB - Nate Oats (Maranatha Baptist '98)
Overall Record: 35-28 (2nd season)
Record at UB: 35-28 (2nd season)
MAC Record:19-14 (2nd season)
UA - Keith Dambrot (Akron '82)
Overall Record: 408-206 (19th season)
Record at Akron: 300-136 (13th season)
MAC Record at Akron: 153-64 (13th Season)
Career MAC Record: 163-88 (15th Season)
All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 32-26 - Dambrot vs Buffalo: 16-12 at UA (16-12 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 91, Buffalo 90 - January 28, 2017 at James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron basketball Notes:
• Akron has won at least 21 games in 12-straight seasons under 13th-year head coach Keith Dambrot, something only a handful of Division I programs have accomplished. In fact, Akron, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, and Ohio State are the only programs to post 11-straight 21-win seasons, and of those five teams Akron (22-6), Gonzaga (28-0), Kansas (25-3), and Duke (22-6) are the only programs to already accomplish that feat this year - Ohio State (15-13).
• Head coach Keith Dambrot became Akron's All-Time Wins Leader on Jan. 3, with an 89-84 win over Bowling Green. At UA, Dambrot collected 289 wins in 422 games, replacing Russell Beichly's mark of 288 wins in 432 games (1941-59). Dambrot earned his 300th career win at Akron on Feb. 14 against Toledo.
• Akron set the all-time longest home winning streak record at James. A. Rhodes Arena with 30 consecutive wins, replacing the 26-game run the Zips made during the 1985-87 seasons under head coach Bob Huggins. The streak ranked No. 2 in the NCAA. The Zips own a 175-24 (.879) at Rhodes Arena.
• The Zips rode a 12 game winning streak into Ohio, which ranked fifth in the NCAA. As a result, Akron received five votes in the AP Top 25 poll and one vote in the USA Today Coaches' Poll (Week 13 – Jan. 30). In addition, Akron are ranked No. 9 on the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 Poll and currently owns a 58 NCAA RPI and 108 Ken Pomeroy RPI.
• As of Feb. 22, UA ranks in the NCAA's Top 100 in 14-of-32 statistical categories (347 teams), ranking No. 5 in the NCAA for 3-point FG's made per game (10.5), No. 6 in 3-point FG's attempted (781), No. 7 in total 3-point FG's made (293), and No. 67 in 3-Point FG Percentage (.375). The Zips also rank No. 61 in Field Goal Percentage (.469), No. 64 in Scoring Margin (+7.4) , and No. 91 in rebound margin (3.0).
WHAT'S AHEAD
The Akron basketball team travels to Buffalo for a Friday night game on CBS Sports Network. On Feb. 24, the Zips will battle the Bulls at Alumni Arena at 8 p.m. Darren Goldwater will be on the call, and Chris Walker will provide analysis for CBSSN. The Zips enter the contest with its 12th-straight seasons of 21+ wins. Akron owns a two-game lead over the Mid-American Conference with a 12-3 MAC record and 22-6 overall mark. The Zips are 13-1 at home and 7-1 at the JAR in league play. Akron is 5-5 on the road and 5-2 when traveling to a MAC opponent.
Fans can also follow the action on WatchESPN/ESPN3, GoZips.com via Live Stats or by Zips' radio. The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron-IMG Sports Network SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship) with Steve French calling the action and Joe Dunn providing analysis. The pregame show starts 30 minutes prior to the contest. The free audio stream is available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.
The Akron-Buffalo Series
Friday's game marks the 59th meeting in series history between Akron and Buffalo, and 29th meeting for a Dambrot coached UA squad. Akron holds a all-time 32-26 series advantage while Dambrot is 16-12 at Akron. The Zips won the initial meeting this season at James A. Rhodes Arena, 91-90, and swept the regular season series last season, winning on the road 75-71 (Jan. 5) and at home 80-70 (Feb. 16). However, Akron fell 64-61 to the Bulls in the MAC Championship game at Quicken Loans Arena on March 12. Akron owns a 4-3 series advantage over the last two seasons as the Bulls won 2-of-3 meetings in 2014-15, including a 68-59 win on March 19 in the semifinal game of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. The Zips are 1-2 against the Bulls in the MAC Tournament all-time.
Last Time Out Against Buffalo
The senior tandem of Kwan Cheatham, Jr. (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Isaiah Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) combined to score 58 points en route to a 91-90 victory over the Buffalo Bulls on Saturday night at James A. Rhodes Arena. With the win, Akron extended its winning streak to 11 games an pushed its home-court winning streak to 28-straight games at Rhodes Arena.
Cheatham led the way for the Zips (18-3, 8-0 MAC) with a career-high 31 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Cheatham also set a new career-high for three-pointers made in a contest, knocking down seven long distance buckets while shooting 7-of-13 from deep and 10-of-17 overall. Johnson registered his fourth double-double of the season with 27 points and 10 rebounds, including the game-winning free throw with 2.3 seconds left on the clock. Antino Jackson (Houston, Texas) and Josh Williams (Akron, Ohio) chipped in 12 points apiece.
Blake Hamilton led the way for the Bulls (9-12, 3-5 MAC) with a game-high 33 points. Willie Connor added 19 and Nick Perkins totaled 14 points and eight rebounds.
For the contest, the Zips shot 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the floor and connected on 35.5 percent (11-of-31) of their shots from downtown. From the charity stripe, Akron converted 65 percent (26-of-40) of their attempts. The Bulls connected on 53.2 percent (33-of-62) of their shots from the field and knocked down 45.5 percent (10-of-22) of their three-point attempts. Buffalo shot 60.9 percent (14-of-23) of their shots from the free throw line.
Scouting the Bulls
Buffalo enters the second meeting with a 15-13 overall record and 9-6 conference mark. The Bulls are 6-1 since the last meeting with Akron, including six-straight wins, and a loss to Kent State (77-69). The Bulls defeatedCentral Michigan (101-91),Ball State (96-69), Northern Illinois (65-45), Bowling Green (88-74)99-93), and Miami (71-58), Central Michigan (99-93) before the Golden Flashes ended the winning streak.
The Bulls are 7-4 at home , 7-8 on the road, and 1-1 in neutral site games. In league play, Buffalo is 4-3 at home and 5-3 on the road. Buffalo averages 77.7 points per game on .451 percent shooting from the floor and a 3.28 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 7.5 triples a game. In addition, the Bulls shoot 68.1 percent from the free throw line with 14.9 bonus buckets a night.
The Bulls have four players scoring in double figures, led by Blake Hamilton. He averages 17.1 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the field and 35.9 percent rate from beyond the 3-point arc with a second-best 51 made 3-pointers. Hamilton leads the squad in assists with 123. CJ Massinburg follows with 14.3 points pergame on 41.5 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from deep with 64 made 3-pointers. Willie Conner averages 13.0 points per night on 41.4 shooting and 36.5 from long distance with a second-best 81 triples. Nick Perkins rounds out the double-digit scorers with 12.9 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting from the field and 28.0 percent from deep with 30 triples. He owns team-highs in rebounds (191) and blocks (25).
Defensively, the Bulls allow their opponents to score 74.0 points per game on 41.3 percent shooting from the floor and 34.2 percent from 3-point range, allowing 7.3 long distance buckets a night. Buffalo has caused 362 turnovers (13.0 to/g) with 158 steals (5.6 stl/g) and 111 blocked shots (4.0 blk/g). The Bulls have outrebounded their opponent 1140-1005, establishing a +4.8 margin on the glass.
Zips Drop Second Consecutive Game
The Akron Zips fell to Bowling Green, 66-65, in the final seconds at the Stroh Center on Tuesday evening. In a game featuring six lead changes in the final 2:27, the Falcons buried two free throws with 2.3 seconds showing on the clock to take a one-point 66-65 lead. Jimond Ivey led Akron with 13 points to go along with six rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. Tavian Dunn-Martin followed with 12 points on a 4-of-9 effort from deep, while Noah Robotham and Johnson added 11 points each. Johnson completed his fifth double-double of the season by grabbing a team-high 14 rebounds. Dylan Frye led the Falcons with 22 points, while Denny followed with 20 points.
Akron shot 35.9 percent from the field (23-of-64), 30.0 percent from long distance (9-of-30), and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. The Zips won the battle of the boards 42-38, but lost the turnover battle 14-8. Bowling Green shot 41.0 percent from the floor (25-of-61), 31.6 percent from deep (6-of-19), and 71.4 percent from the charity stripe (10-of-14).
Zips Winning Streak Ends at 30 Games,
The Akron Zips 30-game home winning streak came to an end as the Zips suffered a 70-67 setback against rival Kent State in front of a sold-out James A. Rhodes Arena crowd. As a result, 30 games is the all-time longest home-court winning streak at Rhodes Arena.
Isaiah Johnson paced the Zips with 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Daniel Utomi added 16, while Antino Jackson finished with 10 points. For the contest, the Zips shot 42 percent (22-of-53) from the floor and converted 78 percent (18-of-23) of their free throw attempts. The Golden Flashes connected on 43 percent (25-of-58) of their attempts and made 62 percent (13-of-21) of their attempts from the charity stripe.
The Zips in the MAC
The Zips have posted a 43-20 mark (.683) in the last 63 games against the MAC East dating back to the start of the 2012 league schedule. Akron is 5-1 against the MAC East at the conference tournament during that stretch. Akron is 98-42 in the regular season against the West Division (.700), including winners of 41 of the last 49 regular-season contests since divisional play began during the 1997-98 season, and 73-25 overall under head coach Keith Dambrot (.745).
Akron is 48-8 at home in league play since the start of the 2011 MAC schedule (.857). UA has seen a ton of success in league play since the start of the 2004-05 season, and is 153-64 overall (.705), including a 94-15 mark in MAC play at home (.862). The Zips' 153 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 73 of their last 99 MAC games (.737).
Akron is 25-9 in the MAC Tournament under head coach Keith Dambrot, going 19-5 in its last 24 tournament games. Under head coach Keith Dambrot, the Zips have won at least one game in the MAC Tournament every year and have made eight MAC Tournament title game appearances in the last ten seasons with an unprecedented 11-straight semifinal appearances. The Zips' runs of consecutive title game and semifinal appearances are the longest streaks in MAC history. The Zips are 22-9 at Quicken Loans Arena.
Akron Zips Two Game Lead Over the MAC
The Akron Zips are 12-3 in league play, defeating Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Miami, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, and Northern Illinois before falling to Ohio, and bouncing back with wins over Ball State, Eastern Michigan, and Toledo. The Zips dropped two consecutive games to Kent State and Bowling Green. In league play, Akron averages 76.9 points per game in the MAC while shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 36.0 from long distance with 9.9 made 3-pointers a game. The Zips own a +0.9 margin on the glass, outrebounding the competition 519-506. Akron averages 14.9 assists (224), 10.3 turnovers per game (155), 5.3 steals (80), and 2.9 blocked shots (43) in league play.
The Zips won 12 consecutive regular season MAC games, dating back to the 2015-16 season, which was the second longest MAC winning streak in Dambrot's tenure. The 2006-07 Zips won nine straight games in a single season after dropping the MAC opener to Ohio. However, the 2012-13 Zips won 19-straight games and rattled-off 13 consecutive league games during that run. Kent State owns the MAC regular season consecutive win record (21), and single season record (17-1).
The Starting Five
Isaiah Johnson and Antino Jackson are the only two Zips to start all 28 games this season. Kwan Cheatham has 27 starts and 28 games played, while Noah Robotham has played and started in 25 games. Jimond Ivey entered the starting lineup after seven games and never left, posting 21 starts. Josh Williams has nine starts, while Daniel Utomi and Tavian Dunn-Martin each have one.
The starting five have combined for 1623 of the 2177 total points scored for 58.0 points per game. They are shooting a combined .481 percent from the field (556-of-1156), including 38.6 percent from deep (201-of-521) and 69.2 percent effort from the free throw line (310-of-448). The starting unit has contributed 24.4 rebounds per game (683), including 18.14 defensive (508) and 6.25 offensive (175). The squad is receiving 12.4 assists (347), 3.8 steals (105), and 1.9 blocked shots (52).
Off the Bench
The Akron bench has been the catalyst for success under 13th-year head coach Keith Dambrot and this year is no different. The Zips' bench is scoring 19.8 points per game (554 total points). The UA reserves are shooting 43.7 percent from the floor (188-of-430), 35.5 percent from long range (92-of-259), and 66.2 from the free throw line (86-of-130). The UA bench has contributed 11.0 rebounds per game (308), and squad is receiving 2.5 assists (70), 1.4 steals (38), and 1.3 blocked shots (36).
Trifecta!
Four of Akron's players rank in the Mid-American Conference Top 15 for 3-point FG percentage and six are shooting above 35.0 percent for the Zips. Daniel Utomi leads the Zips and the conference from behind the 3-point arc with a 48.9 percent effort on 22-of-45 shooting. Antino Jackson follows with a No. 9 ranking in the MAC with 40.5 shooting percentage (53-of-131), and Tavian Dunn-Martin is No. 10 with a 40.3 percentage (29-of-72). Kwan Cheatham, Jr. ranks 12th overall (.387, 65-of-168). Noah Robotham (.381, 37-of-101), Josh Williams (.372, 54-of-154), and Jimond Ivey (.333, 24-of-72) are keys in Akron's perimeter game.
The Zips rank among the nations best from behind the 3-point arc. The Zips rank No. 5 out of 347 teams in the NCAA for 3-point FG made per game with 10.5 triples. In addition, Akron is No. 7 overall in total 3-pointers made with 293, and ranked 6th for 3-point attempts at 781. As a result, the Zips 37.5 long distance percentage ranks 67th best.
Three Zips Averaging Double Figures
Three Zips are averaging double figures in scoring led by Johnson's 16.5 points per game while fellow senior Kwan Cheatham, Jr. is second with 11.8 points per game. Antino Jackson follows with 11.3 points per game, while Jimond Ivey, Noah Robotham and Josh Williams follow closely with 9.9, 8.2, and 7.4 points per game, respectively.
Five players have scored in double figures six times this season, including the starters twice. In the UMES game, all five starters scored double-digits for the first time since March 10, 2009, and the Zips matched that feat as the starters did it again against Western Michigan (1/24). Johnson ranks No. 8 overall in the MAC for scoring while Cheatham and Jackson are 28th and 29th.
Streaking Zips
The Zips secured their 21st win for the 12th consecutive season thanks to a 12-game winning streak and bouncing back with three wins over Ball State, Eastern Michigan, and Toledo. In addition, the Zips completed a 30-game home-court winning streak at Rhodes Arena, setting the facility record, which spanned three seasons from 1985-87 under head coach Bob Huggins (26 games). The Zips rattled-off 13 consecutive wins this season at Rhodes Arena over American, Radford, Georgia Southern, Adrian, Coppin State, Marshall, Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Ohio, Eastern Michigan, Buffalo, Ball State, and Toledo. In addition, Akron won 12 consecutive regular season MAC games, dating back to the 2015-16 season, second most in Dambrot's tenure. The win over Ball State moved Akron to 20-4 on the season, which ties the fastest UA team to reach 20 wins in Akron's Division I era. The 2012-13 team reached the 20-win plateau on Feb. 13, 2013 (20-4, 24 games).
Akron's home-court winning streak was the second longest in the NCAA and dated back to the 2014-15 season. Akron won the final two home games that season over Ohio and Northern Illinois, and posted an unblemished 15-0 record in 2015-16 at Rhodes Arena. After a loss to Kent State, the Zips are 175-24 with an 87.9 winning percentage at the JAR. Akron's previous loss came Feb. 21, 2015 against Miami (57-52).
Another Breakout Moment
Redshirt freshman Daniel Utomi received his first start on Saturday, Jan. 14, against Miami. The Houston, Texas native took full advantage of the moment, scoring 15 points. Utomi started the game on fire, knocking down five 3-pointers on five attempts in the first half. For the game, he went 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from deep with a career-best three steals and a rebound. He followed with three-straight games of at least five points, and then exploded for a career-high 19 points against Eastern Michigan with a perfect shooting night from behind the 3-point arc. He shot 5-of-5 from 3-point land and finished the game shooting 6-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. Utomi added a 16 point effort against Kent State with a 4-of-4 performance from deep.
Chop-ing Up the Competition
Senior forward Kwan Cheatham, Jr. has emerged as one of the Zips leaders in all areas of the game. Cheatham scores a second-best 11.8 points per game and leads the team shooting efforts behind the 3-point arc. He ranks No. 15 in the MAC at 38.7 percent, and has buried a team-high 65 triples (2.7 per game No. 6 in MAC) and connects from the charity stripe with a team-best 83.7 percent (41-of-49). In addition, he is the leader on the glass, pulling down 7.6 rebounds per game (213) with a team-high 171 defensive boards and 42 offensive grabs. Cheatham is also the Zips' leading rim protector with 23 blocked shots while adding 52 assists and 16 steals. Cheatham Earned MAC East Player of the Week on Jan. 30.
Zips Continue to Feed the Dog
Last season, Isaiah Johnson was a force in the paint for the Zips, and this year, he proves to be even better. Johnson leads the Zips' scoring efforts with 16.5 points per game, scoring double digits in 26-of-28 games including 20-of-the-last-21 outings. Johnson buried a 16-foot shot from the wing as the buzzer sounded to lift the Zips to 65-63 home win over Ball State. Big Dog has led the Zips' scoring efforts in 13-of-28 games, while posting a career-high 33-point performance against Central Michigan. He has five double-doubles this season, and one against Buffalo, scoring 27 points with 10 boards.
Big Dog ranks No. 14 in the NCAA for FG percentage, shooting 62.2 percent from the floor (173-of-278), and pulled down a second-best 210 rebounds with 124 defensive boards and 86 on the offensive end. He leads in assists (84) and is second in blocks (23) with 11 steals. Big Dog earned the Savannah Invitational MVP award, MAC East Player of the Week (three times, 11/28, 1/16, and 2/10), College Sports Madness Player of the Week, and Sun Bowl All-Tournament team.
Thriving in A New ROLE
With the loss of two starters and a third key player from the Akron's 2015-16 MAC Championship run, more minutes have been available for junior guard Jimond Ivey, and he has made the most of his time on the court. Ivey has played himself into the starting lineup after three starts due to an injury to point guard Noah Robotham. Now, Ivey is thriving in his new role, making 21 starts in 28 games. He has scored in double digits 16 times and 10-of-the-last-16 games, including a career-high 23 points and a personal best 11 rebounds. In addition, he posted his first career double-double against American that included 12 points and a career-best 11 boards.
In 27 games, Ivey averages 28.2 minutes with 9.7 points and ranks fifth in the MAC with a 53.5 shooting percentage from the field. He drained 91-of-170 shots and leads the team with 30 steals. Ivey is third on the squad with 5.8 rebounds per game, hauling in 156 total rebounds with 125 defensive and 31 offensive boards.
The Zips Sixth Man
Sophomore Josh Williams is a career 38.1 percent shooter from long distance, knocking down 112-of-294 triples to date. The Akron, Ohio native started nine games this season, and now is the Zips' sixth man, leading Akron's second unit. He has buried a second-best 54 long distance buckets on 154 attempts while averaging 7.4 points per game. Williams matched a career-high 18 points against UC Irvine, burying six 3-pointers on nine attempts.
In 27 games, Williams averages 22.4 minutes while shooting 37.2 percent from the field, 67-of-180. In 17 trips to the charity stripe, Williams collected 11 bonus buckets while pulling down 56 rebounds (2.1 rebs/g) and dishing out 25 assists with 12 steals.
Fire and Ice
We are not talking hot and cold, rather high intensity and fast play mixed with a methodical calculated approach to describe Akron's backcourt. The combination of junior guards, Antino Jackson and Noah Robotham, provide the Zips' with that type of leadership. Both, Jackson (Fire) and Robotham (Ice) are a threat with or without the ball in their hands.
Jackson, and his high-energy approach, is always in attack mode. He has the ability to beat an opponent off the bounce and uses a devastating step back to generate several different types of open looks. He is third in team scoring (11.3 ppg), and has buried 53 long distance field goals. He shoots 45.2 percent from the field and 40.5 from deep and owns a second-best 25 steals, while adding 2.9 assists (81) and 2.3 rebounds per game (64).
On the other hand, Robotham has a methodical approach to navigating the offense and picking apart defenses. His change of pace during play keeps defenders on their heels as he contributes 8.2 points per outing following a career-high 27-point performance against Marshall. He has 72 assists (2.9 ast/g) and 17 steals. He shoots 38.1 percent from the floor and 36.6 from behind the 3-point arc, burying 37 triples this season.
Fresh Start
The Akron Zips continue to improve its bench play this season with the help of five newcomers, two freshmen and three redshirt freshmen, whom are beginning to see more and more action. Playing in all 28 games is freshmen Tavian Dunn-Martin. After 16 straight appearances, freshman Michael Hughes was sidelined with an injury, while second-year freshmen, Emmanuel Olojakpoke, Daniel Utomi, and Craig Eubanks are starting to see their roles increase.
Dunn-Martin has made an immediate impact from the outside, draining 29-of-72 long distance shots for a 40.3 3-point FG shooting percentage. In 11.0 minutes a game, Dunn-Martin owns a 41.6 FG shooting percentage (42-of-101) en route to adding 4.5 points per game. As a backup point guard, Dunn-Martin has dished out 33 assists and made 18 trips to the charity stripe, draining 14 bonus buckets for a 77.8 free throw percentage.
After missing six games, Hughes returned to action against Ohio and buried two free throws. In 7.4 minutes per game in the center position, he has scored 35 points and pulled down 23 rebounds with 10 blocked shots and five steals.
Olojakpoke is a rim protector who managed to block four shots against Coppin State. In 24 games and 6.2 minutes on average, Olojakpoke is shooting 66.7 percent on 26-of-39 shots from the field and has pulled down 35 rebounds with 17 blocked shots.
Meanwhile, Utomi has a knack for scoring the ball. He shoots 50.0 percent from the floor on 33-of-66, including a 48.9 percent effort from downtown. In 8.6 minutes per game, Utomi has connected with 22-of-45 shots from deep while adding 21 rebounds, seven steals, four assists, and a blocked shot. Rounding out the newcomer play is Eubanks. He provided a spark in 26 minutes of work, knocking down 3-of-5 shots, including 2-of-4 from long distance with one rebound and one blocked shot.
21 WINS, 12 STRAIGHT SEASONS
The Akron Zips recorded its 21st win of the season on ESPNU, using 18 long distance shots and a 52.9 percent shooting effort from downtown to defeat Eastern Michigan 87-76 at the EMU Convocation Center on Friday night.
Under 13th-year head coach Keith Dambrot, the Akron basketball program has won at least 21 games in 12-straight seasons , something only a handful of Division I programs have accomplished. In fact, Akron, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, and Ohio State are the only programs to post 11-straight 21-win seasons, and of those five teams Akron (21-4), Gonzaga (24-0) and Kansas (21-3) are the only programs to already accomplish that feat this year. Duke (19-5) and Ohio State (15-10) need just a few more wins.
The Zips (21-4, 11-1 MAC) had five players score in double figures led by redshirt freshman Daniel Utomi (Houston, Texas) with a career-high 19 points. Utomi was perfect from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 5-of-5 shots from downtown and finishing 6-of-7 from the floor with a 2-of-2 effort from the free throw line in 15 minutes of action.
Zips' Win Streak Improves to 30 Games, Dambrot Earns 300th Win
The Akron Zips erased an 11-point second-half deficit and defeated the Toledo Rockets, 71-65, on Spectrum Sports Network at James A. Rhodes Arena. The win was the 30th consecutive victory at James A. Rhodes Arena for the Zips and also marked the 300th career victory for head coach Keith Dambrot. In addition, the win against the Rockets halted a four-game skid for the Zips.
Senior forward Kwan Cheatham, Jr. led the way for the Zips with a game-high 21 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Senior center Isaiah Johnson added 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while junior guard Antino Jackson rounded out the Zips in double-digit scoring efforts with 13 points. Steve Taylor poured in 13 points and pulled down 13 boards for the Rockets. Nate Navigato added 13 points and Jonathan Williams chipped in 12 points and seven assists.
For the contest, the Zips shot 41.3 percent (26-of-63) from the field and connected on 35.5 percent (11-of-31) of their shots from beyond the arc. From the free throw line, the Zips converted 53.3 percent (8-of-15) of their attempts. The Rockets were successful on 43.4 percent (23-of-53) percent of their attempts from the floor and 37.5 percent (9-of-24) from downtown. Toledo converted 58.8 percent (10-of-17) of their free throw attempts.
Johnson Buzzer Beater LiftS Zips to 29th Straight Win at Rhodes Arena
Isaiah "Big Dog" Johnson continued his dominant season, hitting a 16-foot jumper from the wing as time expired to give the Akron Zips a 65-63 victory over the Ball State Cardinals. The victory marks the 29th consecutive win at James A. Rhodes Arena, which is the second-best home-court winning streak in the country behind Oregon (40). Johnson led the way for the Zips, scoring 20 points and pulling down a game-high nine rebounds. Jimond Ivey (Cleveland, Ohio) chipped in 10 points and Antino Jackson added eight points and five assists. Franko House paced the Cardinals in scoring with 18 points and seven rebounds and Ryan Weber added 16 points.
For the game, Akron converted 42.6 percent (26-of-61) of their attempts from the floor and shot 67 percent (8-of-12) from the charity stripe. Ball State shot 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the floor and converted 76.9 percent (10-of-13) of their free throw attempts. The Zips outscored the Cardinals 40-24 in the paint and pulled down 11 offensive rebounds in the contest.
Akron Sets Rhodes Arena Record with 70-63 Win Over Eastern MichigaN
The Akron Zips set the all-time longest winning streak at James A. Rhodes Arena with its 27th straight victory on Friday night, defeating the Eastern Michigan Eagles, 70-63. The Zips' run ranks as the third best home winning streak in NCAA Division I basketball behind Kansas (54) and Oregon (39). The streak also replaces the 26-game winning streak that spanned three seasons under head coach Bob Huggins from 1985 to 1987. The Zips did not lose at home since Feb. 21, 2015 against Miami.
Zips Don Haskins Sun Bowl Champions
The Akron Zips secured its second tournament championship this season, defeating Maryland Eastern Shore, 76-60, to be crowned the 55th Annual WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Champions at the Don Haskins Center. Junior guard Antino Jackson earned the Barry Kobren Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Zips to their second tournament title, while senior center Isaiah Johnson was named to the Sun Bowl All-Tournament Team. In addition, 13th-year head coach Keith Dambrot recorded his 288th victory at Akron, tying former head coach Russell Beichly (1941-59) as the winning-est coach in program history. Jackson used two stellar performances to lead the Zips at the Sun Bowl Invitational, scoring a career-high 23 points against UC Irvine and 13 points in the finale. Meanwhile, Johnson followed a 12-point, six-rebound game with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds.
All five starters scored in double figures for the first time since March 10, 2009 as junior Jimond Ivey, senior Kwan Cheatham, Jr., and freshman Tavian Dunn-Martin joined Jackson and Johnson with double-digit scoring performances. Ivey poured in 13 points with a second-best eight rebounds, while Cheatham and Dunn-Martin tallied 10 points each. It was Dunn-Martin's first career start.
2016 Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational All-Tournament Team: Antino Jackson (MVP), Isaiah Johnson (Akron), Bakari Copeland (Maryland Eastern Shore), Jaron Martin (UC Irvine), Dominic Artis (UTEP), Dante Caldwell (Maryland Eastern Shore - Don Haskins Award)
Zips Win Savannah Invitational
The Akron Zips won the inaugural 2016 Savannah Invitational Championship, defeating Mercer 65-63 on Saturday, Nov. 26, at the Savannah Civic Center. Senior center Isaiah Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) earned the tournament's Most Valuable Player award, while junior guard Antino Jackson (Houston, Texas) was named to the all-tournament team. Akron led by as many as 12 points throughout the Savannah Invitational finale, but the Mercer Bears found their way to claw back into the game to be decided in the final minutes.
Johnson was selected as the Savannah Invitational MVP. Also scoring in double figures in back-to-back games was Jackson. He poured in 15 points on Friday against Air Force and returned with a 14 point showing in the finale on 5-of8 shooting from the field, including a 2-of-5 showing from deep. Jackson added two rebounds, two assists, and a block. Cheatham finished with nine points, draining 3-of-4 3-pointers.
2016 Savannah Invitational All-Tournament Team: Isaiah Johnson, Akron, (MVP), Antino Jackson, Akron, Desmond Williams, FAMU, Derick Newton, Stetson, Ike Smith, Georgia Southern, Ed Polite Jr., Radford, Frank Toohey, Air Force, B.J. Tyson, East Carolina, Ria'n Holland, Mercer
Up Next
The Akron basketball tbe back at James A. Rhodes Arena against the Miami RedHawks for Senior Day on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. on Spectrum Sports Network. The Zips will honor their four seniors before the game. Fans can also follow the action on WatchESPN/ESPN3, GoZips.com via live stats, or by Zips' radio broadcast on Akron-IMG Sports Network available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.
The Zips LeBron James Shoe Deal and New LOOK
Since June 2008, the Akron men's basketball program has been partnered with Nike under which the Zips' shoes, game uniforms, warm ups and accessories are licensed under the Nike and LeBron James Trademarks. The Zips are just one of two college programs in the country that are partnered with the LBJ line of Nike equipment, the other is Ohio State.
The Akron Zips men's basketball team will be sporting new uniforms in 2016-17. The new look represents a reinvigorated pride in our University, our City, and Zips Athletics. The new design for both home and away were inspired by the "Pride of the City" slogan that men's basketball will carry throughout the season. The goal is to strengthen the pride for the University of Akron within community.
The home uniforms are white with dark blue trim and accents, while the away are dark blue with white trim and accents. The "Pride of the UniverCity" uniforms display the name Akron in a prestigious old-style script font on the chest with the number(s) below. The script font and numbers are the same color as the jersey top (white/white or blue/blue) and outlined with the opposite color. The inspiration for the script writing and to use Akron on the chest stemmed from tradition and an overwhelming amount of pride for the city of Akron and its University.
The game shorts have three distinguishing marks. The right side of the shorts depicts the Zips' mascot Zippy, and her Fear the Roo head logo, while the left side dons the University's official seal. The final mark on the shorts is the notorious Z logo, which appears on the front waistband.
Big DOG EARNS THIRD MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior center Isaiah Johnson was named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week for the third time this season, the league office announced. Johnson had a huge week for the Zips, leading Akron to its 21st win for the 12th-straight season. Johnson opened the week in the national spotlight, draining the game-winning jumper at the buzzer for a 65-63 win over Ball State. He was featured No. 8 on ESPN SportsCenter's Top Plays of the Night.
For the week, Johnson averaged 18.5 points per game (37) while shooting 56.0 percent from the field (14-of-25) and 69.2 from the free throw line (9-of-13). He grabbed 7.0 rebounds per game (14), while adding 2.5 assists (5) and 0.5 steals (1).
Cheatham Named MAC East Player of the Week
Senior Kwan Cheatham, Jr. was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Jan. 30.
Cheatham led the Zips through another undefeated week in Mid-American Conference play as Akron (18-3, 8-0) extended its winning streaks to 11-straight games on the season and 28-consecutive at James A. Rhodes Arena. Cheatham scored 51 points last week, averaging 25.5 points. In a pair of wins over Western Michigan (90-80), and Buffalo (91-90), He shot 60.7 percent from the field (17-of-28) , 52.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc (10-of-19), and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe.
Against WMU, Cheatham poured in a team-high 20 points to go along with a team-best 11 rebounds for the double-double. In 33 minutes of work, he shot 63.6 percent from the field (7-of-11), 50.0 percent from downtown (3-of-6) and a perfect 3-of-3 from the free throw line, Against Buffalo, Cheatham had a career night with 31 points in 35 minutes of play. He shot 53.6 percent from deep, connecting with 7-of-13 long distance shots while shooting 58.8 percent from the floor (10-of-17). He was a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe and added seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
Big Dog Earns Second MAC Weekly Honor
For the second time this season, senior Center Isaiah Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Monday. In addition on Jan. 16, Johnson was selected as the University of Akron's Student-Athlete of the Week. Johnson became Akron's 42nd member of the 1,000 point club after a career-high 33-point performance against Central Michigan.
For the week, Johnson scored 41 points on 59 percent (13-of-22) shooting from the floor and a 65 percent (15-of-23) performance from the free throw line. He added 14 rebounds (7.0 rebs/g), three assists (1.5 ast/g), two blocked shots (1.0 blk/g), and a steal (0.5 stl/g).
Jackson Named MAC East Player of the Week
Junior guard Antino Jackson was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Dec. 27. In addition, Jackson is the third player from Akron to be recognized as MAC East Division Player of the Week this season, joining Isaiah Johnson (Nov. 28) and Noah Robotham (Dec. 19). Jackson earned the Barry Kobren Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Zips to their second tournament title defeating Maryland Eastern Shore, 76-60, to be crowned the 55th Annual WestStar Bank Don Haskins Sun Bowl Champions.
For the tournament, Jackson logged 59 minutes, averaging 18 points per game on 56.5 percent shooting from the field (13-of-23) that included a 50.0 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc (6-of-12). He was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line and averaged 4.5 assists (9) and 4.0 rebounds (8) per game.
Robotham Named MAC East Player of the Week
Junior guard Noah Robotham (Las Vegas, Nev.) was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week on Dec. 19. In addition, Robotham was selected as the Madness Mid-American Men's Basketball Player of the Week by collegesportsmadness.com. Robotham earned the honor after posting a career-high 27 points and leading the Zips to a 99-88 victory over Marshall on Saturday. The win marked Akron's 23rd consecutive victory at James A. Rhodes Arena. Robotham started the game on fire and never really slowed down. He only missed one shot in Akron's lone game of the week and was a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc in the first half.
In 34 minutes of play, Robotham shot 6-of-7 (.857) from long distance and 8-of-9 from the field (.889). In addition, he made five trips to charity stripe and drained all five attempts. Robotham also contributed four assists and three boards.
BIG DOG Named MAC East Player of the Week
After securing the 2016 Savannah Invitational Most Valuable Player Award, senior center Isaiah Johnson was named the Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week. In addition, Johnson was selected as the Madness Mid-American Men's Basketball Player of the Week by collegesportsmadness.com and Student-Athlete of the Week by the University of Akron. Johnson had a big week, leading the Akron Zips to the 2016 Savannah Invitational Championship. Akron defeated Georgia Southern, Air Force and Mercer to claim the inaugural title. Johnson led the Zips' scoring efforts in all three games.
For the week, Johnson scored 58 points in three games to average 19.33 points. He shot 22-of-30 from the floor for a 73.3 shooting percentage and 14-of-23 from the free throw line for a 61-percent effort. Johnson finished with 15 rebounds (5.0 rebs/g), 10 assists (3.33 ast/g), and three blocked shots (1.0 blk/g).
Johnson Named to Preseason All-MAC Squad
Senior center Isaiah Johnson was named to the East Division Preseason All-MAC team by the 24-member MAC News Media Panel and 12 league head coaches. In 2015-16, he played in all 35 games, making nine starts and averaging 13.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, and 1.3 bpg. He led the Zips' offensive and rebounding efforts en route to an All-MAC First Team selection, NABC All-District First Team honor, and the MAC Sixth Man of the Year award. Furthermore, Johnson was a three-time MAC East Player of the Week recipient while being named to the MAC All-Tournament team, the South Point Classic Most Valuable Player, and collegesportsmadness.com Madness Mid-American Men's Basketball Player of the Week.
Zips Add Two Players in Early Signing Period
The Akron men's basketball program added a pair of student-athletes to the 2017-18 roster during the early signing period, announced by head coach Keith Dambrot. Signing national letters of intent to play for Akron were Eric Parrish (Cypress, Texas) and Jaden Sayles (Cincinnati, Ohio).
Parrish, a 6-6, 185-pound wing, played for Cypress Springs High School in 2015-16 and will spend the 2016-17 playing for Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kan. In 30 games during his senior season, Parrish nearly averaged a double-double from the wing position, scoring 18.4 points and pulling down 8.2 rebounds per game. In addition, he added three assists, two steals, and 1.6 blocks on average per night. During his four-year high school career, Parrish eclipsed the 1,000 point scoring threshold, recording 1,132 points while earning back-to-back team MVP awards. In addition, Parrish was a two-time all-district award winner as well as a two-time academic all-district recipient.
Sayles, a 6-9, 235-pound forward, plays Sycamore High School. As a junior, Sayles led the team in scoring with 13.6 points per game while shooting at a 53.6 percent clip from the field and 71.9 percent from the charity stripe. He pulled down a team-best 4.9 rebounds per game and averaged a team-high 1.5 blocks a night. Sayles finished the season ranked sixth in scoring, third in blocked shots and 14th in rebounds for Greater Miami Conference en route to a Second-Team ALL-GMC selection.
Zips Basketball Selected for Eight Television Appearances
As a result of the largest television package in Mid-American Conference history, the Akron men's basketball program enters the 2016-17 season with eight guaranteed television games on various regional and national sports networks. In addition, the Zips' current schedule allows for nine games to be selected as wildcard games for television. Six of the nine dates provide several TV opportunities that may involve a change in game dates and times and/or same date with time changes.
Last season, the Zips appeared in 17 televised games with an additional four games aired exclusively on ESPN3. Included in those contests were the MAC Championship (ESPN2) and National Invitation Tournament (ESPN). New to this season, CBS Sports Network agreed to air the MAC semifinal game in addition to the MAC season finale.
Zips Selected to Win MAC
For the fourth consecutive year, the Akron men's basketball team was selected to win the Mid-American Conference East Division while ranking as the favorite to claim the MAC Tournament title, according to the 2016-17 MAC Preseason Men's Basketball Poll. The Zips received 15 first-place votes for 194 points, edging out Ohio, who finished second in voting with 190 points and 16 first-place votes. Buffalo (144 points, five first place vote) was picked third overall in the East followed by Kent State (116 points), Bowling Green (63 points), and Miami (49 points).Eastern Michigan is the favorite in the West Division.
In addition, the Zips were selected as the favorite to claim the season finale in March. Akron received 15 votes to be crowned champions at the MAC Tournament, holding a four-vote margin over Ohio (11). Eastern Michigan earned three votes, while Buffalo and Northern Illinois each had two. Rounding out the tournament voting were Central Michigan, Kent State, and Miami with one vote apiece.
Akron No. 12 on Collegeinsider.com Men 's Mid-Major Top 25 preseason poll
The Akron Zips men's basketball team opens the 2016-17 season ranked No. 12 on the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 preseason poll. The Zips were one of two Mid-American Conference schools to be ranked in the Top 25 preseason poll with three others receiving votes. Akron received 387 points for the 12th spot. Ohio joined the Top 25 at No. 16 with 217 points, while the other MAC schools receiving votes were Buffalo (31), Ball State (21), and Eastern Michigan (2).
Four of Akron's non-conference opponents joined the Mid-Major Top 25 or received votes, including No. 1 Gonzaga (754), who also starts the season ranked at No. 13 on the USA Today Top 25 Coaches poll and No. 14 on the Associated Press Top 25. The Zips' opponents receiving votes for the Mid-Major list were UC Irvine (57), Mercer (40), and Georgia Southern (13). In addition, Akron is scheduled to play against another Top 25 ranked opponent the No. 22 (AP Poll) and No. 23 (USA Today Poll) preseason ranked Creighton Bluejays on Saturday, Dec. 3, at CenturyLink Center Arena in Omaha, Neb.
