Zips Ready for Third Game in Five Days Against Eastern Michigan

Zips Ready for Third Game in Five Days Against Eastern Michigan
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Game 17 Notes: Akron vs Eastern Michigan (PDF)

Akron Zips (11-5, 4-2 MAC) vs Eastern Michigan (7-9, 2-3 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 22 • James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, OH • 7 PM • ESPN3

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 263-186 (14th Season)
Record at Akron: 81-54 (5th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 44-34 (5th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 78-64 (at Ohio and Akron)

Eastern Michigan Head Coach
Stan Heath (Eastern Michigan '88)
Overall Record: 216-215 (14th Season)
Record at EMU: 7-9 (1st Season)
MAC Record at EMU: 2-3 (1^st Season)
Overall MAC Record: 78-64 (at EMU and Kent)

All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 32-23 • Groce vs. EMU 4-3 (6-5 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 86, Eastern Michigan 65 at James A. Rhodes Arena on Jan. 26, 2021
First Meeting: Akron 62, Eastern Michigan 55 in Akron on Feb. 3, 1968
In Akron:18-9, Neutral: 3-1, In Ypsilanti: 11-13

Broadcast
TV: 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 Zips wrap up the week with their third game in five days and looking to go 3-0 this week as Akron hosts Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 22 at The JAR with a 7 p.m. tip-off time Eastern Michigan 71,on ESPN3. The Zips opened the week against Western Michigan at home with and incredible 11-0 run capped by a jumper with 5.4 seconds left in the game by Ali Ali for a 74-73 win. The Zips followed with a 91-66 win on the road at Bowling Green on Thursday as Junior Bryan, Trimble, Jr. hit 10 3-point field goals and scored 33 points, both career-highs. The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron 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. Fans can also follow the action on GoZips.com via Live Stats.

The Akron-Eastern Michigan Series
Saturday's game marks the 56th meeting in series history between Akron and Eastern Michigan, and 12th meeting for a Groce coached squad, eighth at Akron. Akron holds a 32-23 all-time series advantage while Groce is 6-5 overall against the Eagles all-time and 4-3 at Akron.

The Zips have won 22 of the last 28 meetings, including 9-of-12 games. The two teams split the 2020-21 season series with lopsided victories defending their respective home courts. Eastern Michigan won the first meeting this season 71-59 at EMU Convention Center and Akron claimed the second meeting 86-65 at The JAR.

Akron won both meetings in 2019-20 (59-58 H and 64-45 A) and the lone meeting in 2018-19 season (51-49 A), snapping EMU's two-game winning streak. In 2017-18, Eastern Michigan snapped Akron's five game winning streak in the series with a 63-49 win at the Convocation Center. In addition, the Eagles came from behind to advance to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament with a 67-58 win. EMU overcame a 19-point deficit in the second half, 47-28 Zips with 12:30 remaining in the game.

The Zips won both regular-season meetings in 2016-17, 70-63 on Jan. 20, at Rhodes Arena and 87-76 on Feb. 10, at the EMU Convocation Center. The Zips and the Eagles played a third time during the 2016-17 season. Akron met Eastern Michigan in the quarterfinal of the MAC Tournament for the second-straight season. The No. 1 ranked Zips defeated the No. 8 ranked Eagles, 79-62, at Quicken Loans Arena on March 9, 2017. Akron is 5-1 in the MAC Tournament against the Eagles.

Scouting the Eagles
Under the direction of first-year head coach Stan Heath, the Eagles own a 7-9 overall record and stand 2-3 in MAC play. EMU opened the MAC season with a win at Western Michigan (85-79), fell to Ball State (78-72) and defeated Central Michigan at home (99-68) before consecutive league setback the last two times out, NIU (77-70) and Kent State (56-47). EMU is 6-2 at home and 1-7 on the road.

The Eagles average 72.8 points per game on 43.5 percent shooting from the floor and 31.4 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 6.1 triples a game. In addition, the Eagles shoot 71.9 percent from the free throw line with 14.7 FT made per game.

EMU has three players scoring in double figures as Noah Farrakhan leads the Eagles in scoring with 16.2 points per game and steals with 20 takeaways. He shoots 38.6 percent from the floor and leads the squad from downtown with 25 made 3-pointers at a 41.7 percent clip. Farrakhan adds 54 rebounds and 27 assists.

Monty Scott and Bryce McBride follow with 13.9 and 12.6 points per game, respectively. Scott shares the team-high in steals (20) and distributes a team-best 38 assists, while McBride adds 24 assists and 16 steals. Scott and McBride are deep threats, recording second-best (18) and third-best (17) 3-point field goals, respectively. Nate Scott and Colin Golson Jr. leads the squad in rebounding, grabbing 77 and 71 boards.

Defensively, Eastern Michigan allows its opponents to score 75.2 points per game on 43.2 percent shooting from the floor and 33.8 percent from 3-point range, allowing 7.3 long distance strikes per night. The Eagles caused 235 turnovers (14.7 to/g) with 115 steals (7.2 stl/g). EMU is outrebounded by the opponent by a -3.6 margin as the opponent grabbed 627 total boards (39.2 rebs/g) compared to the 569 total rebounds (35.6 rebs/g) secured.

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 438-132 (.766) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 233-36 (.866) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 53-12 (.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. The Zips are 8-1 at The JAR this season.

On the Road
Akron is 2-2 on the road this season, dropping the season opening game to Ohio State (67-66) as time expired and defeating Wright State by a decisive 18 points (66-48). The Zips second road setback came against Kent State (67-55) in the first installment of the 2021-22 Wagon Wheel series. Zips bounced back with 91-66 win over Bowling Green wher Bryan Trimble, Jr. buried 10 3-pointers.

UP NEXT
Akron is on the road for two MAC games next week, traveling to Central Michigan (ESPN3) on Tuesday, Jan. 25 and Toledo (CBSSN) on Friday, Jan. 28. Both games are slated for 7 p.m. tip-off times. Fans can also follow the action on Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen (PxP) and Joe Dunn (analyst) or live stats on GoZips.com.

Zips Ready for Third Game in Five Days Against Eastern Michigan

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Players Mentioned

Ali Ali

Bryan Trimble, Jr.

The University of Akron Athletics