GAME PREVIEW: Akron vs Ohio, Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 2 PM | James A. Rhodes Arena

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Akron Zips (2-1, 0-0 MAC) vs. Ohio (4-2, 0-0 MAC)
Tuesday, Dec. 22 • James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio • 2 PM ET

Ohio Head Coach
Jeff Boals (Ohio '95)
Overall: 76-58 (5th season)
Record at Ohio: 21-17 (2nd season)
MAC Record: 8-10 (2nd season)

AKRON ZIPS Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 237-173 (13th Season)
Record at Akron: 57-42 (4th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 28-26 (4th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 62-56 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 44-40 - Groce vs.Ohio 4-2 (4-2 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 74, Ohio 67 at James A. Rhodes Arena on March 3 , 2020
First Meeting: Akron 21, Ohio 18 in Akron 1911-12 season
In Akron:26-14, Neutral: 3-1, In Athens: 15-25

Broadcast
TV: ESPN+ - Michael Reghi (PxP), Jacki Windon (Analyst)
Radio: Akron Sports Network - Dave Skoczen (PxP), Joe Dunn (Analyst) WHLO 640 AM (flagship), iHeart Radio, TuneIn.com/Akron Zips
Live Stats: GoZips.com/Schedule - Live Stats

What's Ahead
The University of Akron men's basketball team continues its 120th season of collegiate basketball and is scheduled to open MAC play on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at James A. Rhodes Arena as the Zips play host to the Ohio Bobcats. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Akron was originally scheduled to open Mid-American Conference play against Kent State, but due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing in the Kent State basketball program the game was postponed to a later date.

The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron-IMG Sports Network WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn calling the action. The pregame show starts 30 minutes prior to the contest. The free audio stream is available at iHeart Radio and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips. Fans can also follow the action on GoZips.com via Live Stats.

The Akron-Ohio Series
Tuesday's game marks the 85th meeting in series history between Akron and Ohio, and seventh meeting for a Groce coached UA squad. Groce owns a 4-2 record against his former team. The Zips are 3-2 against the Bobcats in the MAC Tournament.

Akron holds an all-time 44-40 series advantage. The Zips have won 13 of the last 19 meetings, and Akron is 26-13 against the Bobcats in Akron, winning 15 of the last 18 meetings at Rhodes Arena, including a 74-67 win on March 3, 2020. Ohio's last win in the series was at the JAR last year 73-49 (3/2/19).

The Zips are 15-25 against OU in Athens, winning five of the last eight meetings at the Convocation Center, including an 88-86 win earlier this season. The Zips dropped two meetings in 2017-18 by scores of 99-75 (2/6/18) Rhodes Arena and 85-70 (2/4/17) at the Convocation Center.

Scouting the Bobcats
Ohio opens Mid-American Conference play with a 4-2 overall record this season. the third game. Ohio is 2-0 (0-0 MAC) at home, 0-2 (0-0 MAC) on the road and 2-0 in neutral site games.

Ohio has four players averaging double figures in points led by Jason Preston with 19.3 points per game. Preston is shooting 58.8 percent from the floor with a team-high 47 made field goals on 80 attempts. From long distance, he has buried a team-best 13 triples while shooting at a 52.0 percent clip. Preston adds a team-best 47 assists and six steals. He grabs 6.0 rebounds per game (36 rebs).

Dwight Wilson follows with 15.8 points per game. He is shooting 60.3 percent from the floor (41-of-68) and leads the squad with 10.0 rebounds per game (60 rebs).

Ben Vander Plas is third in scoring with 12.3 points per game and averages 5.5 rebounds per game (33 rebs) with 20 assists and team-highs in steals (11) and blocked shots (6). Vander Plas has made a second-best nine long-distance buckets while shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent from deep. Lunden McDay rounds out the double-digit scoring with 10.0 points per game and has knocked down seven 3-pointers (7-of-19; .368). He adds 13 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals.

Ohio has two additional 3-point threats in Ben Roderick (8-of-16; .500) and Miles Brown (7-of-14; .500).

Defensively, Ohio limits its opponents to 68.2 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from the floor and 28.1 percent from 3-point range, allowing 5.7 long distance strikes per night. The Bobcats caused 102 turnovers (17.0 to/g) with 46 steals (7.7 stl/g). Ohio outrebounds the opponent by a +4.2 margin. The opponents snagged 195 (32.5) total boards compared to the 220 (36.7) total rebounds secured.

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 five different uniforms. 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.

In 2018-19, the Zips will showcased new home and away, whites and blues, with combinations that brought back the Akron 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. The front of the jersey features the blue and gold Roo Head Logo with a blue number outlined in gold. The shorts features Zips in gold script on the waistband with a Roo Head on the left leg and script Akron logo on the right leg in gold.

The University of Akron Athletics

GAME PREVIEW: Akron vs Ohio, Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 2 PM | James A. Rhodes Arena

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