Akron Battles Wheeling at The JAR on Thursday at 5 PM

Akron Battles Wheeling at The JAR on Thursday at 5 PM
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Game 3 Notes: Akron vs Wheeling (PDF)

Akron Zips (1-1) vs Wheeling (1-1)
Thursday, November 18 • James A Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio • 5:00 p.m.

Broadcast
TV/Video: No TV or Stream
Radio: Akron Sports Network - Dave Skoczen (PxP), Joe Dunn (Analyst) - WHLO 640 AM (iHeart Radio)
Live Stats: GoZips.com - https://bit.ly/3gDBthm

What's Ahead
The Akron Zips are back in action against Wheeling on Thursday, Nov. 18 at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. as the Zips enter the 121st season and fifth under head coach John Groce at the JAR. Fans can follow the action on Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen calling the action and Joe Dunn providing analysis or via live stats on GoZips.com.

The Akron-Wheeling Series
Thursday's game marks the first meeting in series history between the Zips and the Cardinals.

Scouting the Cardinals
Wheeling enters the first-ever meeting against Akron with a 1-1 overall record under second-year head coach Chris Richardson. The Cardinals opened the season with a 72-70 win over East Stroudsburg before falling to Winston-Salem State 66-65.

Wheeling has four players scoring in double figures as Jordan Reid leads the squad with 18.5 points per game. He shoots 48.0 percent from the floor (12-of-25) and visted the free throw line a team high 15 times, finishing at an 80.0 percent clip (12-of-15). He adds 5.5 rebounds per game. Jarett Haines follows with 13.5 points, while Jay Gentry adds 11.0 points per game with a team-best two made 3-point field goals. Rounding out the double-digit scores is Andrew Taylor with a double-double 10-points and 10-rebounds per game. He leads the team on the glass with 20 rebounds and adds team-highs in steals (4) and blocked shots (2) – Haines also has four steals.

Defensively, Wheeling limits its opponents to 68.0 points per game on 40.0 percent shooting from the floor and 10.0 percent from 3-point range, allowing 2.0 long distance strikes per night. The Cardinals caused 26 turnovers (13.0 to/g) with 13 steals (6.5 stl/g). Wheeling is slightly outrebounded the opponent by a -3.0 margin. The opponents snagged 78 (39.0) total boards compared to the 72 (36.0) total rebounds secured.

The Zips Last Time Out
Leading from start to finish in their home opener, the Akron Zips put a tough season-opening loss in the rearview mirror and routed visiting Point Park 102-46 at James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday. Five players scored in double figures as sophomore forward Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) led Akron with 20 points and 14 rebounds for his first double-double of the year.

Junior guard Xavier Castaneda (Chicago, Ill.) followed with 17 points and made 5-of-8 3-pointers, and sophomore forward Mikal Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) chipped in with 12 points to help the Zips claim their first victory of the campaign. Freshman center Aziz Bandaogo (Senegal, Africa) turned in a solid all-around game with 11 points, nine rebounds and five blocks coming off the bench.

In a thoroughly dominant effort, the host Zips (1-1) led by as many as 58, limited the Pioneers to just 18 made field goal attempts, forced 20 turnovers and outrebounded the visitors by a count of 56-25. Bandaogo was a force on defense in the opening frame, blocking two shots and influencing several others. Combined with 13 forced turnovers in the half, the Zips suffocated the visiting Pioneers (1-2) to the tune of just 14 points prior to intermission. Senior guard Sherron Schifino led Point Park with 10 points and senior guard Jesse Calloway added eight in defeat.

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 430-131 (.766) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 224-35 (.866) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 51-10 (.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 in 2019-20 en route to the regular season MAC Championship. Last season the Zips posted a 9-2 mark at the JAR. 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.

UP NEXT
Akron will travel to the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla. The Zips open the tournament against Fordham on Monday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. and will play Appalachian State or Delaware in the second round matchup on Tuesday and wrap-up tournament play on Wednesday.

Akron Battles Wheeling at The JAR on Thursday at 5 PM

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Players Mentioned

Aziz Bandaogo

Xavier Castaneda

Mikal Dawson

Enrique Freeman

The University of Akron Athletics