The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Chicago State
Akron Basketball Host Chicago State in Cayman Islands Campus Game
November 15 | Men's Basketball
Game Notes PDF | ESPN3 | Live Stats | Akron-IMG Sports Network | Season Tickets | Akron Basketball ScheduleÂ
CAYMAN ISLANDS CLASSIC CAMPUS GAME
Game 3 • Akron Zips (2-0) MAC vs. Chicago State (0-4) WAC
Friday, Nov. 16 • James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio • 7 PM ET • ESPN3
Chicago State Head Coach
Lance Irvin (Idaho, '92)
Overall: 0-4 (1st season)
Record at Chicago State: 0-4 (1st season)
WAC Record: 0-0 (1st season)
AKRON ZIPS Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 196-149 (11th Season)
Record at Akron: 16-18 (2nd Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 6-12 (2nd Season)
Overall MAC Record: 40-42 (at Ohio and Akron)
All-Time Series
Akron leads series, 2-1 Groce vs Chicago State:Â 2-0 | Last Meeting: Akron 78-58 James A. Rhodes Arena, Feb. 20, 1988 | In Akron: 1-1 | In Chicago: 1-0
Broadcast
TV/Video: ESPN3 – Michael Reghi (PxP) and Jacki Windon (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
What's Ahead
The Akron men's basketball program continues its 118th season of non-conference hoops by hosting Chicago State (0-4) for the campus game of second annual Cayman Islands Classic on Friday, Nov. 16, at James A. Rhodes Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Second year head coach John Groce leads the Akron basketball program into battle with a newly assembled cast. Groce led the Zips to back-to-back wins this season as the Zips defeated Cedarville 70-50 and Youngstown State 98-69 the first two times out. Akron is 1-0 at Rhodes Arena and 1-0 in neutral site games so far. Â
The Zips home game is scheduled to air on ESPN3 as Michael Reghi will call the action and Jacki Windon provides analysis. Fans can also follow the action on 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-Chicago State Series
Friday's contest marks the fourth meeting in series history between Akron and Chicago State, and first game with Groce at the helm. Akron holds a 2-1 all-time series advantage that started during the 1984-85 season under former head coach Bob Huggins. The Zips dropped the first meeting 65-63 at James Rhodes Arena on Feb. 13, 1985. The two teams met again during the 1987-88 season with both team playing on their home floors. Akron swept the season series, winning in Chicago 61-56 on Jan. 25, 1988 and followed with a 78-58 win at the JAR on Feb. 20, 1988.Groce owns an all-time 2-0 record over the cougars. While at Illinois, Groce posted two wins over Chicago State, first during the 2013-14 season at the State Farm Center, 77-53, and second was an 82-79 win at the Emerald Coast Classic in 2015-16.
Scouting the Cougars
Chicago State is still looking for their first win after four games. The Cougars have been on the road for all four losses, falling to Indiana (104-55), Notre Dame (89-62), Central Michigan (101-60) and recently Illinois State (75-71).
The Cougars have three players scoring in double figures as Anthony Harris leads the way with 13.5 points per game on 48-percent shooting from the floor. Christian Jacob and Cameron Bowles follow with 11 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Jacob leads the squad on the glass, pulling down 33 rebounds at a 8.3 per game clip. Bowles and Delshon Strickland follow with 20 boards (5.0) apiece while Harris grabbed 18 rebounds. to date. The Cougars leading threat from deep is Travon Bell, who drained a team-high seven triples followed by Harris (3) and Strickland (3).Â
Defensively, Chicago State has allowed its opponent to score 92.2 points per game on 48.9 percent shooting from the field and 33.9 percent from downtown with 10 made 3-pt FGs per game. The Cougars caused 40 turnovers (10 tpg) while collecting 25 steals (6.3 stl/g) and five blocked shots (1.3 blk/g). On the glass, Chicago State is edged 177-142 for a -8.7 rebound margin.
Five Players Score Double Figures
Five Zips reached double digits in scoring in the Zips last outing as junior Daniel Utomi led all scorers with 25 points, shooting 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from the floor and 50.0 percent from downtown (2-of-4). He added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot to his stat sheet. Senior Jimond Ivey followed with 18 points and five rebounds, while newcomers sophomore Loren Cristian Jackson, junior Deng Riak and junior Tyler Cheese all turned in career-high performances. Jackson posted a career-high 16 points and Riak reached career-best 14 points and rebounds (7). Cheese collected 13 points, a personal best, and tied his four assist best effort.
Olojakpoke Returns to Action
After having his 2017-18 campaign cut short due to season ending heart surgery, junior frontcourt specialist Emmanuel Olojakpoke returned to action. EMan played 13 minutes in Akron's season opener, scoring two points while causing havoc in the paint. Olojakpoke grabbed four rebounds, blocked two shots and had one steal.Â
Senior Leader Opens Season with a Double-Double
Senior guard/wing Jimond Ivey started the season off right by recording a double-double in Akron's first appearance of the season. Ivey scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. He lead the Zips on the glass, pulling down 10 defensive rebounds and grabbing one offensive board. From the floor, Ivey used a 4-of-6 performance from the floor and a 4-of-6 showing from the free throw line for the 12 points.
Banks Leads Zips in Division I Debut
Junior college transfer Channel Banks (Las Vegas, Nev.) buried 4-of-6 attempts from beyond the 3-point arc in Akron's season/home opener against Cedarville. He led the squad in scoring with 15 points while shooting 67-percent from downtown and an overall 71.4 percent (5-of-7) showing from the floor.
Loren Cristian Jackson Did Not Miss a Beat
Transfer guard Loren Cristian Jackson didn't show any signs of rust as sophomore transfer from Long Beach State led the Zips offense and was second in scoring in the opener. He tallied 14 points in the 70-50 win over Cedarville. HE grabbed a second best seven rebounds while dishing out two assists. Jackson connected with four long range buckets on seven attempts for a 57.1 percent showing from beyond the arc.
Starting the Season Off Right
The Zips are 72-46 (.610) all-time in season openers with a 58-12 (.829) home record and 14-34 (.292) on the road. Since the 2004-05, UA is 10-5 (.667) when opening the season, standing 7-1 (.875) at home, 3-4 (.429) on the road and 2-0 (1.000) under head coach John Groce. In addition, Akron owns a 97-21 (.822) home-opening record and 32-4 (.888) at Rhodes Arena. The Zips have been winners in the last 17-of-18 home opening games. Akron is 18-8 in MAC openers, 10-1 at home since joining the league in 1992. Over the last 15 seasons, the Zips are 11-4 in MAC openers and 7-1 at home. Akron has won the last 7-of-8 MAC openers.
Best Start to a Season
The 2015-16 Akron Zips started the season with a 3-0 winning streak. The three consecutive wins to open the season marks the best start in the Division I era of Akron men's basketball history. In addition, the 13-2 start was the best opening to a season in Akron basketball's Division I era, while the Zips win over the Arkansas Razorbacks marked the fifth consecutive season the Zips posted a win over a Power Five Conference opponent.
Home Sweet Home
Akron went 12-4 at Rhodes Arena in Groce's first year as head coach. He became the third
Akron coach since 1940 to win his first six home games in the first season as head coach. The Zips rattled off seven straight wins at the JAR before falling in the MAC home opener to Buffalo. The Zips set the all-time longest home winning streak record at Rhodes Arena with 30 consecutive wins during the 2015-17 seasons, 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. In 34 seasons at the JAR, the Zips own a 394-124 (.761)all-time record, and in the last 14 seasons, Akron has posted a 187-30 (.862) record at the JAR.
Groce Debuts with a WIN
Zips' head coach John Groce has spent over two decades on the sidelines of a basketball court as a coach and enters his 11th season as the lead man, and secondt at Akron. On April 6, 2017, Groce was named the 22nd head coach in Akron Basketball history. On Nov. 11, 2017, Groce and the Zips accomplished something that has only been done 10 times in Akron's history, debuting a coaching career with a win. Akron defeated Cleveland State 67-57 in Groce's Akron coaching debut to become the first coach since the 1984-85 season to win their initial game.
In fact, the last coach to start his Akron career with a win was Bob Huggins during the 1984-85 season against Western Illinois, 64-57. Prior to Huggins, six coaches were unsuccessful in accomplishing that feat since Thomas Dowler did so in 1939-40 against Franklin, 34-25.
The LeBron James Shoe Deal and Nike Apparel
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 three college programs in the country that are partnered with the LBJ line of Nike equipment, the others are Ohio State and Duquesne. Akron rocks six pairs of LBJ kicks in three different styles all customized to Akron Basketball.
The Akron Zips men's basketball team has six different uniforms, including four new looks for the 2018-19 season. Akron will continue to sport the grey set of uniforms modeled after the Team USA uniforms, which were new for 2017-18. The Grey uniforms feature the script Akron on the chest in blue outlined in the university gold. The numbers are depicted the same way which matches the blue piping that outlines the uniform. The shorts feature the Z-logo on both sides of the leg and are piped with the blue. Akron also had a new set of purple se uniforms last season that are worn as a tribute to former coach and director of operations Dan Peters.
For 2018-19, the Zips will showcase new home and away, whites and blues, with combinations that brings back the gold. Both sets feature the script Akron across the chest in gold with the white set accented by blue outlines and piping, while the  blues are outlined in white.The pants feature the Z-Logo on one leg and script Akron on the opposite side. Also, the Roo-Head debuts on the waistband.Speaking of Gold, Akron's "Gold Standard" uniforms are back. Yes, Akron will be rockin gold uniforms once again. The Team USA inspired uniforms feature the script Akron in blue across the chest with the Roo-Head on the sides of the shorts. The waistband features the Z-Logo.
The final uniform is a Fear The Roo uniform that is anthracite (dark grey) as the base color. Those are all the details we can divulge at this time.
UP NEXT
Akron will travel to Grand Cayman Island for the second annual Cayman Islands Basketball Classic, playing three games in three days. Akron is scheduled to play No. 19 Clemson in Game 1 on Monday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. ET. fans can follow the action live on GoZips.com via live stats, Zips radio network or Facebook live.
