Zips Look to Even Rivalry Series on ESPN2

Akron Looks to Even Rivalry Series
Follow Akron Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram | Follow Coach Groce on Twitter

Game 23 Notes: Akron vs Kent State (PDF)

Akron Zips (16-6, 9-3 MAC) VS Kent State (14-9, 9-4 MAC)
Friday, Feb. 11 • James A. Rhodes Arena • Akron, Ohio • 7 PM • ESPN2

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 268-186 (14th Season)
Record at Akron: 86-54 (5th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 49-34 (5th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 83-64 (at Ohio and Akron)

Kent State Head Coach
Rob Senderoff (Albany '95)
Overall: 208-137 (11th season)
Record at KSU: 208-137 (11th season)
MAC Record: 106-80 (11th season)

All-Time Series
Kent Leads: 79-78 • Groce vs. Kent State: 5-4 (9-9 Overall)
Last Meeting: Kent 67, Akron 55 at M.A.C. Center on Jan. 14, 2022
First Meeting: Akron 37, Kent 16 in Kent 1915-16 season
In Akron:44-24, Neutral: 8-2, In Kent: 26-53

Broadcast
TV: ESPN2 – Robert Lee (PxP) and Noah Savage (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
Akron is riding a three game winning streak and Kent State has won five straight games at the two rivals get ready to battle for the Crystal Clinic Orthopeadic Wagon Wheel Challenge on Friday night at James A. Rhodes Arena at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. 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-Kent State Series
Friday's game marks the 158th meeting in series history between Akron and Kent State. The first meeting was during the 1915-16 season at Kent State where Akron pulled out the win, 37-16. The Zips have won 16 of the last 28 meetings, but suffered a loss in the first meeting this season after claiming three consecutive games to even the all-time series record at 78-78, dating back to March 6, 2020. Kent holds a 79-78 series advantage.

In 2020-21, Akron swept the season series, claiming the New Year's Day game at The JAR (66-62) and followed with a win at the M.A.C. Center in Kent, Ohio on Feb. 5 (72-61). The season sweep marked the first time either team swept the series since the 2011-12 season when Akron posted three wins.

In 2019-20, the two teams split the series as Akron posted a 79-76 victory at James A. Rhodes Arena (March 6) and KSU claimed the earlier contest 68-67 (Jan. 31) at the M.A.C Center. In 2018-19, Akron and Kent State split the series -- Zips won at home 72-53 (Feb. 8) and Kent State won 68-65 in Kent (March 8).

The team from the east entered 2018-19 season winning 2-of-3 contests, including a split in the 2017-18 season series (W 78-68 in Kent), (L 67-65 in Akron) and the 2017 MAC Championship game (W 70-65 in Cleveland).

Akron was the last team to earn a season series sweep, during the 2011-12 season. In fact, the Zips posted three consecutive wins that season, defeating the Flashes 84-75 at home (Jan. 21), 61-55 in Kent (March 2) and 78-74 in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament in Cleveland (March 9).

In addition, Akron won 2-of-3 games the following season (2012-13), winning on the road (71-67, Jan. 15) and falling at home (68-64, March 8) before winning its second consecutive semifinal matchup in the MAC Tournament (62-59, March 15). During that stretch, Akron won 5-of-6 games.

Akron is 44-24 against Kent State at home, posting wins in eight of the last 10 games at the JAR. Akron is 25-52 all-time at the M.A.C. Center and 8-2 at neutral sites against the Golden Flashes. In 2016-17, Kent State snapped Akron's 30-game home-court winning streak at the JAR. The longest winning streak in the series for Akron is 9-games from 1941-1947 and Kent State's longest winning streak in the series is 5-games, and it happened twice, 1991-1994, and 1980-1985.

Akron and Kent State have met in the MAC Tournament eight times. Akron is 5-3 in the MAC Tournament against the Golden Flashes. In addition, Akron and Kent State have played for the MAC Tournament championship three times. Kent State leads 2-1 in MAC title games. Kent State won the tournament in 2007-08 (74-55), Akron won the title in 2010-11 in overtime (66-65), and Kent State won the tournament in 2016-17 (70-65).

Scouting the Flashes
Kent State looking to extend its five-game winning streak and sweep of the rivalry sereis and owns a 14-9 overall record and 9-4 in league play, currently 4th in MAC play. KSU is 8-4 at home, 4-4 on the road and 2-1 in neutral site games. The Flashes average 70.7 points per game on 43.5 percent shooting from the floor and 31.9 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 7.3 triples a game. In addition, the Flashes shoot 75.7 percent from the free throw line on 13.7 attempts per game.

Kent State has two players scoring in double figures and three players at 8-plus points led by Sincere Carry with 17.6 points per game, shooting 42.1 percent from the floor and 33.1 percent from deep with a team best 50 trifectas. He also leads the squad in assists (110) and steals (34). He is 86-of-106 from the free throw line for an 81.1 shooting percentage.

Malique Jacobs follows with 11.6 points per game and leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 boards per game and 160 total rebounds. He is second in assists (66) and steals (31), while

Giovanni Santiago and Justyn Hamilton add 8.9 and 8.6 points per game. Santiago is second in behind the 3-point arc with 36 made triples and Hamilton is second on the glass (6.7 reb/g and 155 Rebs). Andrew Garcia adds 8.5 points per game.

Defensively, Kent State limits its opponents to scoring 64.1 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting from the floor and 30.0 percent from 3-point range, allowing 7.2 long distance strikes per night. The Flashes caused 318 turnovers (13.8 to/g) with 165 steals (7.2 stl/g). Kent State outrebounds the opponent by a +3.7 margin as the opponent grabbed 744 total boards (32.3 rebs/g) compared to the 828 total rebounds (36.0 rebs/g) secured.

Freeman and the NCAA Player Rankings
Sophomore Enrique Freeman registered 12 double-double performances this season and is one of 13 players in the NCAA to average a double-double in points (12.9) and rebounds (11.0). He ranks among the Top 15 Players in the NCAA in six categories, including No. 4 in field goal percentage (64.9), No. 7 in rebounds per game (11.0), No. 9 in double-doubles (12) and No. 9 in total rebounds (241). In addition, Freeman ranks No. 10 in defensive rebounds per game (7.55) and No. 11 offensive rebounds per game (3.41). Freeman leads the MAC in 5-of-6 categories, ranking second overall in offensive rebounds per game.

Xavier Castaneda is ranked No. 96 (NCAA) and No. 3 (MAC) in free throw percentage (.831). Bryan Trimble, Jr. is ranked No. 62 (NCAA) and No. 2 (MAC) in 3-point field goals per game (2.70), No. 97 (NCAA) and No. 4 (MAC) in 3-point FG percentage (.340) and No. 114 (NCAA) and No. 4 (MAC) in 3-point FG made (54).

The X Factor
Junior guard Xavier Castaneda has scored in double figures 11 straight games and 17 games overall. He notched a career-high 29 points against Ball State and followed with a 21-point performance against Kent State. He posted a 16-point effort at (CMU) before recording 14 points three-straight games. Castaneda has five 14-point games total as well as a pair of 17-point and 13-point showings with three 11-point performances. He scored 15 points Miami and 12 points last time out against Northern Illinois.

From Deep
Junior Bryan, Trimble, Jr. buried 10 long distance buckets against Bowling Green, shooting a sizzling 71.4 percent. He went 6-of-10 in the first half and drained all four attempts in the second stanza. Trimble was the first Zips to make 10 trifectas since Derrick Tarver in 2003 vs. Wright State. The all-time record at Akron is 11 triples in a game held by Mark Alberts in 1992 against Wright State.

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 439-132 (.766) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 234-36 (.866) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 54-12 (.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 10-1 at The JAR this season.

UP NEXT
The second installment of the Crystal Clinic Orthopeadic Wagon Wheel Challenge is ondeck as the Zips host rival Kent State on Friday, Feb. 11 on ESPN2. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. 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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Xavier Castaneda

Enrique Freeman

Bryan Trimble, Jr.

The University of Akron Athletics