Akron Zips and Ohio Bobcats Collide on CBS Sports Network 6 PM Tuesday

Akron Zips and Ohio Bobcats Collide on CBS Sports Network 6 PM Tuesday
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Game 12 Notes: Akron vs Ohio (PDF)

Akron Zips (8-3, 1-0 MAC) vs Ohio (10-2, 1-0 MAC)
Tuesday, Jan. 4 • JAMES A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, OH • 6 PM • CBS Sports Network

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 260-184 (14th Season)
Record at Akron: 78-52 (5th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 41-32 (5th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 75-62 (at Ohio and Akron)

Ohio Head Coach
Jeff Boals (Ohio '95)
Overall: 99-67 (6th season)
Record at Ohio: 43-25 (3rd season)
MAC Record: 18-15 (3rd season)

All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 45-41 • Groce vs.Ohio 5-2 (5-2 Overall)
Last Meeting: Ohio 90, Ohio 73 at Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio Feb. 23, 2021
First Meeting: Akron 21, Ohio 18 in Akron 1911-12 season
In Akron:27-14, Neutral: 3-1, In Athens: 15-26

Broadcast
TV/Video: CBS Sports Network - John Sadak (PxP) and Mike O'Donnell (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 opened Mid-American Conference play at James A. Rhodes Arena with an 88-76 win over Buffalo to extend its winning streak to six games. The Zips are back in action at the JAR against the Ohio Bobcats, who currently own a five-game winning streak. The two teams will compete on CBS Sports Network on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. Fans can follow the action on CBSSN with John Sadak calling the action and Mike O'Donnell 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-Ohio Series
Tuesday's game marks the 87th meeting in series history between Akron and Ohio, and ninth meeting for a Groce coached UA squad. Groce owns a 5-3 record against his former team. The Zips are 3-2 against the Bobcats in the MAC Tournament.

Akron holds an all-time 45-41 series advantage. The Zips have won 14 of the last 21 meetings, and Akron is 27-13 against the Bobcats in Akron, winning 16 of the last 19 meetings at Rhodes Arena, including a 90-70 win last season (Dec. 22, 2020). Akron fell 90-73 in Athens in the two teams second meeting of the 2020-21 season.

The Zips are 15-26 against OU in Athens, winning five of the last nine meetings at the Convocation Center, including an 88-86 win in 2019-20. 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 enters Tuesday's game with a five-game winning streak and a 10-2 overall record while winning its MAC opener over Western Michigan (59-47). The Bobcats average 72.3 points per outing on 41.8 percent shooting from the floor and a 32.4 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 8.3 triples a game. The Bobcats are 3-2 on the road and 7-0 at home this season.

Ohio has three players scoring in double figures and two players at seven-plus points per game as Mark Sears leads the squad with 18.7 points per game on 47.2 percent shooting from the floor and 44.1 from deep with a second-best 15 made 3-pointers. He also leads the team in assists (41) and steals (24).

Jason Carter follows with 13.9 points per game and a team-best 7.4 rebounds per game with 89 total boards. He shoots 43.9 percent from the field and has buried eight 3-point field goals (.229).

Ben Vander Plas rounds out the double-digit scoring with 12.1 points per outing. He leads the team behind the 3-point arc, draining 22-of-67 for a 32.8 percent effort from deep. Vander Plas is second on the glass with 6.7 rebounds per game with 80 total rebounds. Miles Brown and Ben Roderick add 7.5 and 7.2 points per game, respectively.

Defensively, Ohio limits its opponents to 64.9 points per game on 44.2 percent shooting from the floor and 30.9 percent from 3-point range, allowing only 6.3 long distance strikes per night. The Bobcats have caused 196 turnovers (16.3 to/g) with 99 steals (8.3 stl/g). The Bobcats are slightly outrebounded by the opponent by a -0.8 margin, allowing the opponent to grab 414 total boards (34.5 rebs/g) compared to the 405 total rebounds secured by the Bobcats (33.8 rebs/g).

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 436-131 (.766) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 230-35 (.866) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 57-10 (.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. The Zips are 6-0 at The JAR this season.

UP NEXT
Akron is back in MACaction traveling to Oxford, Ohio to battle Miami RedHawks t on Saturday, Jan. 8 on ESPN3. 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.

The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Zips and Ohio Bobcats Collide on CBS Sports Network 6 PM Tuesday

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