Akron Hoops Host Florida A&M on Sunday at 2 PM

Akron Hoops Host Florida A&M on Sunday at 2 PM

Game 9 Notes: Akron vs Florida A&M (PDF)

Akron Zips (5-3) vs Florida A&M (2-5)
Sunday, Dec. 12 • James A Rhodes Arena • Akron, OH • 2 PM • ESPN+

Florida A&M Head Coach
Robert McCullum (Birmingham Southern '76)
Overall Record: 127-197 (12th Season)
Record at FAMU: 43-76 (5th Season)

AKRON ZIPS Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 256-184 (13th Season)
Record at Akron: 75-52 (4th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 40-32 (4th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 74-62 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
Zips lead: 1-0 - Groce vs Florida A&M: 0-0 at Akron (0-0 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 91, Florida A&M - Dec. 17, 2011 at James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio
First Meeting: Same

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

What's Ahead
The Akron Zips return to James A. Rhodes Arena for a non-conference showdown against Florida A&M on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 2 PM. Fans can follow the action on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi calling the action and Jacki Windon providing analysis or listen to Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen (PxP) and Joe Dunn (analyst). Live stats are also available on GoZips.com.

The Akron-Florida A&M Series
Sunday's game marks the second meeting in series history between the Zips and the Rattlers. Akron won the lone meeting 91-69 on Dec. 17, 2011 at James A. Rhodes Arena. This is the first meeting for a John Groce led squad.

Scouting The Rattlers
Florida A&M enters the game with a 2-5 overall record, and 0-4 on the road. The Rattlers average 63.4 points per outing on 41.1 percent shooting from the floor and a 25.7 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 3.9 triples a game.

FAMU fell to Florida Gulf Coast 69-55 the last time out and defeated LeMoyne-Owen (95-70) and Fort Valley St. (76-63). The Rattlers fell to Kansas St. (67-57), Miami (Fla.) (86-59), UTEP (67-53) and UC Riverside (60-49).

Florida A&M has three players scoring in double figures led by M.J. Randolph with 17.3 points per game on 43.4 percent shooting from the field and 30.8 percent beyond the 3-point arc with four triples. Randolf also grabs a second best 6.4 rebounds per game (45 Rebs) while posting team highs in assists (29), steals (21) and free throws (.735, 25-of-34)

Jalen Speer follows with 11.2 points per game and buried a team-best nine 3-point field goals (.290, 9-of-31). Bryce Moragne rounds out the double-digit scoring with 10.0 points per game, while leading FAMU on the glass with 7.5 boards a game ( 30 Rebs).

Defensively, FAMU limits its opponents to scoring 68.9 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting from the floor and 37.8 percent from 3-point range, allowing only 9.3 long distance strikes per night. The Rattlers have caused 118 turnovers (16.9 to/g) with 59 steals (8.4 stl/g). FAMU is outrebounded by the opponent by a -6.6 margin, allowing the opponent to grab 265 total boards (37.9 rebs/g) compared to the 219 total rebounds secured by the Rattlers (31.3 rebs/g).

The Last Meeting
Nikola Cvetinovic finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds to help Akron to a 91-69 victory over Florida A&M in a non-league men's basketball game on Saturday at Rhodes Arena.

Cvetinovic, who went 4-for-9 from the field, registered his seventh career double-double in 23 minutes as starter. He was one of five Akron (5-5) players to post double-digit points. Quincy Diggs had 16 points in 17 minutes off the bench, while Zeke Marshall scored 13 and Demetrius Treadwell and Adedeji Ibitayo had 11 apiece for the Zips, who won their second game in a three-day stretch. Ibitayo's point total was a career best. Marshall added nine rebounds and three blocked shots.

UA led 48-19 at the half and pushed its advantage over 30 points on several occasions in the second period, going up by as much as 37 (78-41) with 6:40 to go in the contest. Akron shot 46.9 percent (30-of-64) from the field for the game and held Florida A&M (2-9) to 36.8 percent (25-of-68) from the floor.

The Zips opened the game by scoring five early points to force a Rattlers' timeout just 18:52 into the game. UA kept the pressure on and pushed its lead to 26-11 at the 8:37 mark thanks to a 13-2 run after the opponent closed to 13-9 with 15:01 left in the half. The Zips closed the first period by scoring 22 of the final 30 points. Cvetinovic and Marshall led all scorers with 11 points in the half, while Diggs pitched in with 10.

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 434-131 (.766) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 228-35 (.866) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 55-10 (.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 is scheduled to travel to Dayton, Ohio for a game against Horizon League opponent Wright State on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at Nutter Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. Fans can follow the action on ESPN+ or listen to Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen (PxP) and Joe Dunn (analyst). Live stats are also available on GoZips.com.

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