Akron Ends Homestand against YSU on Thursday

Thursday, November 21

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

Youngstown State

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November 20 | Men's Basketball

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Akron Zips (3-1) Youngstown State (2-2)
Thursday, Nov. 21 • James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio • 7 PM • ESPN+

Youngstown State Head Coach
Jerrod Calhoun (Cincinnati '04)
Overall Record: 146-84 (8th Season)
Record at YSU: 22-46 (3rd Season)

AKRON ZIPS Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 214-166 (12th Season)
Record at Akron: 34-35 (3rd Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 14-22 (3rd Season)
Overall MAC Record: 48-52 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
Akron leads series: 58-32 - Groce vs YSU: 1-0
Last Meeting: Akron 98, Youngstown State 69 at Wolstein Center (CSU) Nov. 10, 2018
First Meeting: Akron 23, Youngstown State 16 in Akron Dec. 11, 1937
In Akron: 35-9, Neutral: 1-0, In Youngstown: 22-23

Broadcast
TV/Video: ESPN+ – Michael Reghi (PxP), Jacki Windon (Analyst)
Live Stats: GoZips.com/Schedule - Live Stats
Radio: Akron Sports Network - Steve French (PxP), Joe Dunn (Analyst), WARF 1350 AM (flagship), iHeart Radio, TuneIn.com/Akron Zips

What's Ahead
Akron completes the Global Sports Shootout three-game homestand at James A. Rhodes Arena on Thursday, Nov. 21 against Youngstown State at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Akron moved to 3-0 at Rhodes Arena this season and stands at 2-0 in tournament play, defeating NC Central (57-47) and USC Upstate (76-45).

The Broadcasts
The game is scheduled to be televised on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi calling the action and Jacki Windon providing analysis. The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron 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/AkronZips. Fans can also follow the action on GoZips.com via Live Stats.

The Akron-Youngstown State Series
Thursday's matchup marks the 91st meeting in series history between Akron and Youngstown State, and second for a Groce coached squad (1-0). Akron holds a 58-32 all-time series advantage, dating back to the 1937-38 season -- the Zips claimed the first meeting 23-16. The Zips are 35-9 when playing the Penguins in Akron and 1-0 at neutral sites. In Youngstown, YSU holds a slight advantage with a 23-22 all-time record. Akron has won seven of the last eight meetings. The two teams last met on Nov. 10, 2018 at the Wolstein Center as part of the Northeast Ohio Coaches vs Cancer event hosted by Cleveland State. The Zips recorded a 98-69 victory. In 2017-18, YSU posted a 90-82 victory to snap the Zips six game winning streak – Nov. 10, 2018 at the Beeghly Center.

Scouting the Penguins
Youngstown State enters the game with a 2-2 record, winning their season/home opener over Theil College before dropping two-straight road games to No. 4/5 Louisville (78-55) and Louisiana (73-61). On Tuesday, the Penguins defeated N.C. Central (66-60).

YSU averages 70.8 points per game on 39.8 percent shooting from the field, including a 22.9 percent effort from deep. They average 6.3 made 3-point buckets per game and collectively soot 62.5 percent from the free throw line (40-of-64), averaging 10.0 FTs a game. The Penguins two players averaging double-digits in scoring.

Darius Quisenberry leads in scoring with a team-best 15.5 points per game. He is shooting 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the field leads the squad with six made 3-point field goals and 13 assists. In addition, Quisenberry has made a team-high 10 trips to the free throw line and made eight free throws.

Naz Bohannon follows with 12.3 points and a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game. He is shooting 53.8 percent from the floor (21-of-39) and grabbed a team-high 31 boards. Bohannon also leads the squad in steals with seven. The Penguins have seven players averaging between 7.3 and 4.0 points per game.

Defensively, YSU allows opponents to score 66.0 points a game on 42.1 percent shooting from the floor and 32.8 percent from 3-point range, permitting 4.8 long distance strikes per night. The Penguins caused 57 turnovers (14.3 to/g) with 30 steals (7.5 stl/g). YSU outrebounds the opponent by a +9.0 margin as the opponent grabs 34.3 rebounds per game (137 total rebs) compared to their 43.3 boards per game (173 total rebs).

Zips' Scoring in Bunches
The Zips have four players averaging double figures in scoring led by Xeyrius Williams with 16.3 points per game. Williams is followed by Tyler Cheese (14.3), Loren Cristian Jackson (14.0) and Channel Banks (10.5). Over the first four games, the Akron Zips have seen at least three players score in double digits per game. Akron had five double-figure scorers against Malone (Williams 17, Banks 15, Cheese 15, Reece 13 and Jackson 12), four against West Virginia (Williams 20, Banks 16, Jackson 16 and Cheese 15) and three against N.C. Central (Cheese 20, Williams 19 and Jackson 10) and USC Upstate (Jackson 18, Tribble 11, Reece 10).

Are You Xeyrius?
Senior Xeyrius Williams is leading the Akron offense, averaging nearly a double-double with 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per night. He owns team-highs in rebounds (37), 3-point field goals made and attempted (9-of-35), and blocked shots (11). Williams is shooting 94.7 percent from the free throw line and is one attempt shy of the team lead at 18-of-19. He has scored with double figures three times this season, including a season-high 20 points against WVU – Others: vs Malone 17 and vs NC Central 19.

UP NEXT
The Zips will travel to Louisville, Ky. for the final game of the Global Sports Shootout against nationally ranked No. 2 Louisville Cardinals at the KFC YUM! Center on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. on the ACC Network.