GAME PREVIEW: Akron vs Ball State, Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 PM | James A. Rhodes Arena

GAME PREVIEW: Akron vs Ball State, Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 PM | James A. Rhodes Arena | ESPN3

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Akron Looks to Defend JAR Streak Against Ball State

Akron Zips (9-3, 7-2 MAC) vs Ball State (6-7, 4-4 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 30 • James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio • 2 p.m. • ESPN3

AKRON HEAD COACH
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 244-175 (13th Season)
Record at Akron: 64-44 (4th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 35-28 (4th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 69-58 (at Ohio and Akron)

BALL STATE HEAD COACH
James Whitford (Wisconsin '94)
Overall:123-125 (8th season)
Record at BSU: 123-125 (8th season)
MAC Record: 56-78 (8th season)

ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads: 24-18 - Groce vs. Ball State: 1-3 (4-6 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 75, Ball State 60 at James A. Rhodes Arena on Jan. 10, 2020
First Meeting: Ball State 39, Akron 38 in Akron 1937-38 season
The Zips in Akron 14-6, at Neutral Site 2-0, in Muncie 8-12

BROADCASTS
TV/Video: ESPN3: Michael Reghi (PxP) and 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 is riding a five game winning streak, collecting all five win in an 11 day span. The Zips return to action at James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday, Jan. 30 against Ball State on ESPN3 at 2 p.m.. Akron is 7-0 at home this season and currently owns an 12 game winning streak at The JAR.

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-BALL STATE SERIES
Saturday's game marks the 43rd meeting in series history between Akron and Ball State, and 11th meeting for a Groce coached squad, fifth at Akron. Akron holds a 24-18 all-time series advantage while Groce is 4-6 against the Cardinals and 1-3 at Akron. Akron is 14-6 all-time against BSU at home, 8-11 at BSU and 2-0 in neutral site games. Akron is 1-1 all-time versus Ball State in the MAC Tournament.

Last season Akron snapped the Cardinals three-game winning streak with a convincing 75-60 win on Jan. 10 at The JAR. Ball State ended Akron's 15-game winning streak in 2017-18 which included a double overtime thriller in Muncie, Ind. (111-106). UA's Jimond Ivey broke Worthen Arena's all-time scoring mark of 41 points previously held by Bonzi Wells (Ball State, 1996) and Earl Boykins (Eastern Michigan, 1998). Ivey's nine 3-pointers set an arena record and he tied the arena record for made field goals (15) set in 1992 by Xavier's Brian Grant. In addition, the 217 combined points are the most in Worthen Arena history, while Akron's 106 points are the most ever by a visiting team and the most ever by the losing team in that arena.

The Cardinals won the second meeting of 2017-18 by a 90-77 score at Rhodes Arena and claimed 2018-19 lone meeting 57-56 on a tip-in at the buzzer. In 2016-17, Akron claimed both games. Isaiah Johnson lifted Akron to a 65-63 win in dramatic fashion with a buzzer-beating jumper at James A. Rhodes Arena (Feb. 7, 2017). A few weeks later, the two teams met in the semifinal game of the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seeded Zips defeated the No. 4 Cardinals 74-70 at Quicken Loans Arena (March 8, 2017). Ball State's previous win against Akron came in the 2003-04 season when the Cardinals defeated the Zips 76-72 in the first round of the MAC Tournament at Worthen Arena. Ball State also won the regular season matchup that season 77-71 in overtime.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS
The Cardinals own an 9-6 overall record, standing 5-3 at home, 2-1 on the road and 2-2 in neutral site games this season. Ball State averages 72.4 points per game on 44.1 percent shooting from the floor and 34.8 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 9.7 triples a game. In addition, the Cardinals shoot 67.1 percent from the free throw line on 10.9 attempts per game.

Ball State has two players scoring in double figures and four players with double-digit 3-pointers as K.J. Waslton leads the way with 16.1 points per game. Walton has attempted only one triple this season, scoring all his points as a perimeter player with two's and free throws. He connected with 79 field goals and 51 free throws and shoots 53.0 percent from the field and 76.1 percent from the charity stripe. He owns a team-best 73 rebounds (5.6 REB/G), a second-best 20 steals and 19 assists.

Ishmael El-Amin returned for a senior season and averages 15.3 points per game. He is shooting 38.6 percent from the floor with 66 field goals, including a team-best 27 trifectas. He shoots 31.4 percent average from deep while adding a team-high 46 assists, 38 rebounds (4th) and a team-best 24 steals. El-Amin also converts 85.1 percent of his free throws, tallying a second-best 40-of-47.

In addition, Luke Bumbalough adds a second-best 23 long-distance strikes on 37.7 percent shooting en route to 8.3 points per game. Thomas Miryne and Zach Gunn round put the double-digit e-point marksmen with 17 and 14, respectively. Miryne adds 62 rebounds (5.6 REB/G).

Defensively, Ball State limits its opponents to scoring 72.8 points per game (league best) on 42.9 percent shooting from the floor and 30.4 percent from 3-point range, allowing 6.5 long distance strikes per night. The Cardinals caused 177 turnovers (13.6 to/g) with 84 steals (6.5 stl/g). Ball State is outrebounded the opponent by a -2.6 margin as the opponent grabbed 494 total boards (38.0 rebs/g) compared to the 460 total rebounds (35.4 rebs/g) secured.

HOME SWEET HOME
Akron is riding an 12-game homecourt winning streak, including a 7-0 start to the season. The Zips own a 427-130 (.766) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 221-34 (.866) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 48-9 (.839) at home. Akron went 12-4 at Rhodes Arena in Groce's first year as head coach and followed with a 14-3 effort. The Zips went 15-2 at home last year en route to the regular season MAC Championship. Groce 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.

AKRON IN THE MAC
Akron opened 2020-21 MAC play with a 90-70 win over Ohio and followed with a 66-62 win over rival Kent State, before falling to Eastern Michigan, 71-59, and Northern Illinois, 67-65. Akron bounced by winning five games in 11 days, knocking off the top-ranked Toledo Rockets in overtime, 95-94, the top-ranked Bowling Green Falcons for the first road win, 69-57, the Central Michigan Chippewas, 81-67, the Western Michigan Broncos, 79-68 and the rematch against Eastern Michigan, 86-65. The Zips are 7-2 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 71-18 (.795) at home in league play since the start of the 2011 MAC schedule. UA has seen a ton of success in league play since the start of the 2004-05 season, and is 190-91 overall (.669), including a 118-24 mark in MAC play at home (.822). The Zips' 190 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 107 of their last 154 MAC games (.685). Previously, the Zips posted a 59-36 mark (.617) in the last 95 games against the MAC East dating back to the start of the 2012 league schedule. Akron is 6-3 against the MAC East at the conference tournament during that stretch. Akron is 112-53 in the regular season against the West Division (.679), including winners of 55 of the last 72 regular-season games since divisional play began during the 1997-98 season.

THE LAST MEETING
The Akron Zips are still refusing to lose at home, as the Zips posted a 75-60 comeback win over Ball State on Jan. 10, 2020. After falling behind by 10 late in the first half, Akron surged back and overwhelmed the visiting Cardinals behind a blend of strong shooting and even better defense to improve to 10-0 on their home court last season. Loren Cristian Jackson had 19 points, eight assists and four rebounds and Akron outrebounded Ball State 41-29 for the game.

Following a slow start, Akron caught fire in the middle portion of the contest, outscoring the Cardinals 34-10 in a period of 12:30 spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second half. Three early second-half 3-pointers were key in Akron asserting control over the game, but a bevy of Zips had a hand in maintaining the lead once the hosts pushed ahead.

It was a rally made possible by a gritty, determined effort in the first half, when the shots simply weren't falling for the Zips and they watched the visitors slowly build a double-digit lead.

Despite shooting just 30 percent from the field in the first half, the Zips scrapped and battled to stay in the game, getting plenty of defensive stops of their own, including taking multiple charges and playing excellent help defense.

They were able to withstand a 10-4 Ball State run midway through the half and pull off a 10-3 spurt of their own, tying the game at 27-all with 1:59 left in the opening frame. It was a first half that saw the two teams play to a virtual standoff across the stat sheet. Each side made just two 3-pointers, missed just one free throw, recorded three assists and had 16 defensive rebounds. They were also nearly even in turnovers (9-8 in favor of Akron), second-chance points (4-3 in favor of Akron) and total rebounds (22-20 in favor of Akron). Ball State edged ahead 30-27 heading into intermission.

Akron took its first lead since the third minute of the game at the 18:31 mark of the second half. The Zips quickly extended that lead to four, 37-33, with an 8-0 Akron run. Even after Ball State scored to snap the run, the Zips simply regrouped and launched another burst, a 7-2 run that gave them their largest lead to that point, 44-37.

Improved shooting fueled the run, as the hosts canned seven of their first nine second-half attempts, including three of their first four tries from long distance. Ishmael El-Amin reached double figures with 16 for the Cardinals.

UP NEXT
On Tuesday, Feb. 2 the Zips are scheduled to travel to Toledo for another intense battle with the Rockets. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 PM (ET). Fans can follow the action on ESPN+, 640 WHLO AM or GoZips.com.

QUICK HITS

• Jackson named Lute Olson and Lou Henson National Player of the Year Mid-Season Watch List
• LCJ, Lute Olson National Player of the Week (1/4), MAC Player of Week last two weeks (12/28 & 1/4)
•Jackson leads the team and MAC in scoring (22.9 ppg) and assists (6.8 APG)
• The Zips are 7-0 at James A. Rhodes Arena and currently own an 12-game winning streak at the JAR
• Enrique Freeman's 21-rebound effort stands as the most by an Akron player since 1985.
• Bryan Trimble posted a career-high 6-of-6 from deep against Ohio and 25 points against CMU
• Jackson, Dailey and Trimble combined for 14-of-20 from beyond the arc against Ohio 70.0 Percent
• Akron Top 100 NCAA rankings: 13th FT % (78.7), 14th DRebs/g (29.5), 16th 3Pt. FG/g (10.1), 28th Rebs/g (40.3), 31st 3PT FG % Def (29.0), 34th Reb Margin (+6.5), 47th Scoring Offense (79.5), 47th W-L % (75.0), 58th Scoring Margin (+10.0), 61st 3PT FGA (362), 74th 3PT FGM (121), 80th AST-TO Ratio (1.17), 81st AST/g (15.0), 86th FG% (46.1) and 96th Fewest Turnovers (15.4)

GAME PREVIEW: Akron vs Ball State, Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 PM | James A. Rhodes Arena | ESPN3

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Players Mentioned

Enrique Freeman

Loren Cristian Jackson

The University of Akron Athletics