Akron Returns to JAR to Play Morgan State

Akron Zips (1-1) vs Morgan State (1-2)
Tuesday, Nov. 15 • James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 7 PM (ET) • ESPN+

TV: ESPN+ http://bit.ly/3gcseZr
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/3gDBthm
Live Radio: WHLO 640AM - https://ihr.fm/3fFmzLo

What's Ahead
The Akron Zips men's basketball program will be back in action at James A. Rhodes Arena against Morgan State on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. Fans can follow the action live on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi (PxP) and Jeff Phelps (analyst) calling the action. The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the Akron Sports Network WHLO 640 AM with hosts Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn. 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.

Head Coaches:
Morgan State
Kevin Broadus (Bowie St. '90)
Overall: 80-66 (6th season)
Record at Morgan State: 43-41 (4th season)

Akron Zips
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 276-192 (15th Season)
Record at Akron: 94-60 (5th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 88-68 (at Ohio and Akron)

Scouting Morgan State
Morgan State currently owns a 1-2 overall record, dropping the first game 96-73 to Xavier before posting a 130-49 victory over Penn State Greater Allegheny. The Bears fell to 69-54 to VCU the last time out. The Bears average 85.7 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting from the floor and 38.5 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 6.7 triples a game. In addition, Morgan State shoots 73.6 percent from the free throw line on 13.0 attempts per game.

Five players average double figures as Malik Miller leads the squad in points (13.3), rebounds (9.7), assists (5.3) and steals (3.67) per game. Will Thomas and Isaiah Burke add 12.7 points per game, while David McCullough and Kamron Hobbs tally 11.7 and 10.3 points, respectively. Burke has knocked down a team-best six 3-pointers at a 37.5 percent rate, and Hobbs connected with five triples and owns a team-high 62.5 percentage.

Defensively, Morgan State limits its opponents to scoring 71.3 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the floor and 28.1 percent from 3-point range, allowing 5.3 long distance strikes per night. The Bears caused 82 turnovers (19.0 to/g) with 49 steals (16.3 stl/g) and 13 blocked shots (4.3 blk/g). Morgan State is slightly outrebounded by the opponent with a -2.3 margin as the opponent grabbed 113 total boards (37.7 rebs/g) compared to the 106 total rebounds (35.3 rebs/g) secured.

1 Week in the Books
After the first week of the 2022-23 season and a 1-1 record for the Zips, several Akron players rank at the top of the Mid-American Conference. Xavier Catsaneda registered a career-high 31 points against South Dakota State and followed with 20 against Mississippi State for a 25.5 points per game average and No. 1 ranking in the MAC. Castaneda also leads the MAC in 3-point field goals per game (5.5), assists per game (6.5) and assist/turnover ratio (3.3). Enrique Freeman is 14^th overall with 16 points per game. Freeman ranks second in field goal percentage (.650) and third in rebounds with 8.5 per game.

Freeman, Castaneda Tabbed Preseason All-MAC, Zips Picked Third
Freeman earned first team preseason All-MAC accolades, while Castaneda was selected second team All-MAC. The Zips received two first place votes and 127 voting points overall for the third-place ranking, while Kent State and Toledo were picked to finish first and second with six first-place votes (135 pts.) and four first-place votes (131 pts.), respectively.

Freeman was named 2022 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, MAC Tournament MVP and Second Team All-MAC and finished the 2022 campaign ranked No. 1 in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.665). He landed in the nation's Top 20 in six categories: No. 4 total rebounds (367), No. 6 rebounds per game (10.8), No. 8 double-doubles (18), No. 9 defensive rebounds per game (7.53) and No. 19 offensive rebounds per game (3.26). Freeman was one of 13 players in the NCAA to average a double-double in points (13.2) and rebounds (10.8). He led the MAC in 5-of-6 categories, ranking No. 2 in offensive rebounds per game.

Castaneda averaged a second-best 13.6 points per game and led the squad from behind the 3-point arc, shooting 37.3 percent (75 of 201) with a team-best 75 made 3-pointers. He scored in double figures 27 times with four 20+ point performances. He finished in third in the MAC for free throw percentage with 82.3 percent (107 of 130) en route to being named All-MAC Honorable Mention. Castaneda also garnered 2022 MAC All-Tournament Team honors.

Akron at a Glance
The Zips return nine players from last season's championship squad and adds six newcomers headlined by transfers graduate Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich.) and junior Sammy Hunter (Nassau, Bahamas). Also joining the Blue and Gold for 2022-23 are freshmen Tavari Johnson (Chicago, Ill.), Amani Lyles (Columbus, Ohio), Prince Mosengo (Congo, Africa) and Ryan Prather, Jr. (Clarksburg, Md.).

• Akron is 40-16 over the last three years in MAC play, best winning percentage (.714) in the conference
• 2022 Mid-American Conference Tournament Champions
• Posted a 24-10 record, including 14-6 mark in league play
• The 2019-20 MAC regular season champions finished with school-record 24 regular season wins (postseason canceled due to COVID-19)
• Akron entered the 2022 NCAA Tournament with an eight-game winning streak

Akron's Run to the Dance
Akron to the 2022 MAC Tournament Championship and fifth appearance all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Zips finished the season 24-10 overall record with a 14-6 league mark, finishing tied for third in regular-season MAC play. As the fourth seed, the Zips defeated fifth-seeded Buffalo (70-68) and top-seeded Toledo (70-62) before posting a 20-point win over second-seeded Kent State (75-55) in the MAC title game. The Zips closed out regular season play on a five-game winning streak and added three consecutive wins to secure the 2022 MAC title. After winning eight consecutive contests, Akron entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 13 seed and played against the No. 4 seed UCLA Bruins in the First Round of the East Region at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on March 17, 2022. The Zips fell 57-53.

2022-23 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Kent State (6) – 135 points
2. Toledo (4) – 131
3. Akron (2) – 127
4. Ball State -- 94
5. Ohio -- 91
6. Buffalo -- 82
7. Eastern Michigan -- 68
8. Western Michigan -- 66
9. Bowling Green -- 42
10. Central Michigan -- 38
11. Miami -- 36
12. Northern Illinois – 26

MAC Tournament Champions: Kent State (4), Toledo (3), Akron (2), Eastern Michigan (1), Western Michigan (1)

2022-23 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-MAC Teams
First Team
Enrique Freeman, F, Akron, Jr.
Payton Sparks, C, Ball State, So.
Sincere Carry, G, Kent State, R-Sr.
JT Shumate, F, Toledo, Sr.
Lamar Norman Jr., G, Western Michigan, Sr.

Second Team
Xavier Castaneda, G, Akron, Sr.
Kevin Miller, G, Central Michigan, So.
Emoni Bates, F, Eastern Michigan, So.
Malique Jacobs, G, Kent State, R-Sr.
Setric Millner Jr., F, Toledo, Sr.

The University of Akron Athletics

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