Akron Road Trip Continues with Battle Against Northern Illinois

Akron Road Trip Continues with Battle Against Northern Illinois
Follow Akron Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram | Follow Coach Groce on Twitter

Game 22 Notes: Akron at Northern Illinois (PDF)

Akron Zips (15-6, 8-3 MAC) VS Northern Illinois (6-14, 3-7 MAC)
Tuesday, Feb. 8 • NIU Convocation Center • DeKalb, Ill. • 7 PM CT • 8 PM ET • ESPN3

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 267-186 (14th Season)
Record at Akron: 85-54 (5th Season)
MAC Record at Akron: 48-34 (5th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 82-64 (at Ohio and Akron)

Northern Illinois Head Coach
Rashon Burno (DePaul '02)
Overall: 6-14 (1st season)
Record at NIU: 6-14 (1st season)
MAC Record: 3-7 (1st season)

All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 28-13 • Groce vs. NIU 4-2 (8-2 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 81, Northern Illinois 76 at James A. Rhodes Arena on Feb. 16, 2021 First Meeting: Akron 75, Northern Illinois 68 in DeKalb on Jan. 23, 1988
In Akron:18-2, Neutral: 0-0, In DeKalb: 10-11

Broadcast
TV: ESPN3 – Dave Bernhard (PxP) and Mark Lindo (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 continues the road swing in DeKalb, Ill., battling Northern Illinois on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the NIU Convocation Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CT) or 8 p.m. (ET) on ESPN3. 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-Northern Illinois Series
Tuesday's game marks the 42nd meeting in series history between Akron and NIU, and 11th meeting for a Groce coached squad. Akron holds an all-time 28-13 series advantage while Groce is 4-2 at Akron and 8-2 against the Huskies all-time.

The Zips have won 11 of the last 15 games, as the two teams split the series last season. The Huskies claimed the first meeting on a last second shot for a 67-65 win at the NIU Convocation Center (Jan. 12) and Akron bounced back with an 81-76 triumph at The JAR (Feb. 16). Akron won the lone meeting in 2019-20 in DeKalb, 72-49. The two teams split 2018-19 season series with a 73-56 setback in DeKalb and a 67-65 triumph in Akron. The Zips won the 2017-18 lone matchup, 82-67, at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron on Jan. 20. In 2016-17, The Zips won 76-73, at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb on Jan. 31. Akron and the Huskies split the 2015-16 season's series, winning at Rhodes Arena on Jan. 26, 76-66, but falling at NIU Convocation Center on Feb. 13, 80-79.

Akron is 18-2 all-time against the Huskies at Rhodes Arena. However, NIU established the series advantage in DeKalb with the win last season, 10-11. The Huskies have won the last 7-of-11 meetings at the NIU Convocation Center.

Scouting the Huskies
Under first year head coach Rashon Burno, the Huskies own a 6-14 overall record, and 3-7 in league play, standing 2-3 at home, 4-9 on the road and 0-2 in neutral site games this season. NIU averages 63.5 points per game on 41.1 percent shooting from the floor and 33.3 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 6.3` triples a game. In addition, the Huskies shoot 66.5 percent from the free throw line on 12.4 attempts per game.

Northern Illinois has two players averaging double-digits in points as Keshawn Williams leads the way with 15.9 points per game on 45.6 percent shooting from the floor and 37.7 from long distance with a second-best 23 trifectas and 20 steals.

Trendon Hankerson follows with 11.0 points per outing and leads the squad from beyond the 3-point arc with 43 triples. He shoots 36.7 from the field and 36.8 from deep. Hankerson owns a team-best 40 steals and dished out a second-best 43 assists. NIU's assist leader is Kaleb Thornton with 82 helpers and averages 8.1 points per game. Anthony Crump 5.2 rebounds per game with a104 total boards.

Defensively, NIU limits its opponents to scoring 71.7 points per game on 44.3 percent shooting from the floor and 32.3 percent from 3-point range, allowing 6.8 long distance strikes per night. The Huskies caused 280 turnovers (14.0 to/g) with 134 steals (6.7stl/g). Northern Illinois is outrebounded by the opponent by a -3.7 margin as the opponent grabbed 730 total boards (36.5 rebs/g) compared to the Huskies 656 total rebounds (32.8 rebs/g) secured.

On the Road
Akron is 4-3 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 and a 60-56 win over Central Michigan. The Zips fell 84-76 at Toledo.Zips defeated Miami the last time out, 71-59.

Freeman and The NCAA Player Rankings
Sophomore Enrique Freeman registered 11 double-double performances this season and is one of 13 players in the NCAA to average a double-double in points (12.5) and rebounds (10.9). He ranks among the Top 15 Players in the NCAA in six categories, including No. 3 in field goal percentage (65.0), No. 8 in rebounds per game (10.9) and No. 10 offensive rebounds per game (3.48). In addition, Freeman ranks No. 11 in total rebounds (228), No. 12 in double-doubles (11) and No. 13 in defensive rebounds per game (7.38). Freeman leads the MAC in 5-of-6 categories, ranking second overall in offensive rebounds per game.

Xavier Castaneda is ranked No. 95 (NCAA) and No. 2 (MAC) in free throw percentage (.831). Bryan Trimble, Jr. is ranked No. 44 (NCAA) and No. 2 (MAC) in 3-point field goals per game (2.84), No. 93 (NCAA) and No. 3 (MAC) in 3-point FG percentage (.346) and No. 97 (NCAA) and No. 3 (MAC) in 3-point FG made (54).

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.

The X Factor
Junior guard Xavier Castaneda has scored in double figures 11 straight games and 16 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 last time out against Miami.

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.

Akron Road Trip Continues with Battle Against Northern Illinois

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Xavier Castaneda

Enrique Freeman

Bryan Trimble, Jr.

The University of Akron Athletics