Zips headed back to Michigan to battle Western

Akron (12-6, 4-1) at Western Michigan (6-12, 2-3)
Saturday, Jan 21 • Read Fieldhouse
Kalamazoo, Mich. • 2:30 PM • ESPN+

What's Ahead
Akron is back on the road in Kalamazoo, Mich. to play Western Michigan at Read Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2:30 p.m. Fans can follow the action on ESPN+ 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.

Game Coverage
TV: ESPN+ - https://bit.ly/3WtncXw
Live Stats: http://bit.ly/3XIL8aD
Live Radio: WHLO 640AM - https://ihr.fm/3fFmzLo

Head Coaches
Western Michigan Head Coach
Dwayne Stephens (Michigan State '93)
Overall Record: 6-12 (1st Season)
Record at WMU: 6-12 (1st Season)
MAC Record at WMU: 2-3 (1st Season)

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 288-197 (15th Season)
Record at Akron: 106-65 (6th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 92-69 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 36-21 (7-2 MAC Tournament) • Groce vs. Western Michigan: 6-2 (9-4 Overall)
Last Meeting: Western Michigan 61, Akron 57 at Read Fieldhouse Feb. 15, 2022
First Meeting: Akron 79, Western Michigan 74 March 5, 1988 in Kalamazoo, Mich.
In Akron:19-7, Neutral: 5-2, In Kalamazoo: 12-12

The Akron-Western Michigan Series
Saturday's game marks the 58th meeting in series history between Akron and Western Michigan with the Zips owning a 36-21 all-time series advantage. In addition, the Zips and the Broncos have met nine times in postseason history as Akron holds a 7-2 edge.

Head coach John Groce is 9-4 all-time against the Broncos and 6-2 at Akron. Akron has won 12 of the last 14 meetings and 24 of the last 29 games of the series. The Zips and the Broncos split the series last season as both teams defended their home court, (L, 61-57 OT) and (W, 74-73). Akron won the first meeting of 2022 in dramatic fashion, coming from 11 points down to win at in the final possession. The Zips won the season series in 2019-20 with an, 84-69 at Rhodes Arena and 71-67 in Kalamazoo. Akron won the lone game in 2020-21 (79-68) and 2018-19 (56-48).

In 2017-18, the two teams split the series (1-1) as the Broncos defeated Akron in the MAC opener 87-75 in Kalamazoo, ending the Zips five-year, six-game winning streak – Western Michigan's pervious win came during the 2014 MAC Tournament semifinals on March 14. WMU needed overtime to advance to the title game, defeating Akron 64-60 at Quicken Loans Arena. In the second meeting of 2017-18, Akron pulled-off an improbable come-from-behind victory to advance in the 2018 MAC Tournament. In the first round of the MAC Tournament at University Arena, the No. 11 seeded Zips earned a 79-78 win over No. 6 seeded Broncos after trailing by 19 points. In 2016-17, Akron swept the season series, winning game one 66-59 at James A. Rhodes Arena and followed with a 90-80 win in Kalamazoo, Mich. In the 2015-16 season's lone meeting, Akron posted a 62-53 win over the Broncos at Rhodes Arena.

Akron is 7-2 in the MAC Tournament against WMU and 5-2 on a neutral court. In addition, the Zips are 12-12 in Kalamazoo, winning six of the last nine meetings at University Arena. In 2002, Akron opened the MAC Tournament in Kalamazoo and advanced to Cleveland after a 90-83 win as the 11th seed. The Zips are 2-0 in the MAC Tournament at University Arena and 6-6 all-time in opening round games.

Scouting The Broncos
The Under the direction of first-year head coach Dwayne Stephens, Western Michigan is 6-12 overall and 2-3 in league play. WMU is 5-2 at home, 1-9 on the road and 0-1 in neutral site games this season. The Broncos average 72.1 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the floor and 37.2 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 8.3 triples a game. In addition, the Broncos shoot 74.2 percent from the free throw line with 11.2 made per game.

Western Michigan has two players scoring in double figures as Lamar Norman Jr. is third in scoring in the MAC with 18.6 points per game. He shoots 43.3 percent from the floor (104-of-240) with more than half of his shots coming from beyond the 3-point arc. Norman buried 52 long distance buckets on 138 attempts for a 37.7 percentage from deep. He owns a team-best 49 assists. Tray Maddox, Jr. follows with 11.6 points per game while adding 52 rebounds, 28 assists and 15 steals.

Markeese Hastings controls the glass for the Broncos, grabbing 10.0 rebounds per game, securing 180 total boards. Hastings adds 7.6 points per game with a team-best 17 steals and team-high 10 blocked shots. Titus Wright adds 8.1 points per game.

Defensively, Western Michigan allows its opponents to scoring 72.8 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting from the floor and 37.2 percent from 3-point range, allowing 8.1 long distance strikes per night. The Broncos caused 187 turnovers (10.4 to/g) with 88 steals (4.9 stl/g). WMU outrebounds the opponent by a +7.9 margin as the opponent grabbed 542 total boards (30.1 rebs/g) compared to the 684 total rebounds (38.0 rebs/g) secured.

On the Road
Akron is 2-3 in true road games this season, snapping a three-game setback streak at Bowling Green (74-70) and following with a 69-51 win at Central Michigan. Akron Fell to Ball State (70-63), Marshall (68-57) and Bradley (74-55). The Zips are 1-3 in neutral site games this season. Akron finished 8-4 on the road in 2021-22, 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 at Toledo (84-76). Zips defeated Miami (71-59) and NIU (70-64) in back-to-back road contests but fell to WMU (61-57). Akron defeated Eastern Michigan 67-48, Ohio (91-83) and Ball State (79-60) to end the season.

Akron in the MAC
Akron is 44-17 over the last three seasons in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.714) in the league. The Zips are 30-13 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 83-23 (.795) at home in league play since the start of the 2011 MAC schedule. UA has seen a ton of success in league play since the start of the 2004-05 season, and is 213-99 overall (.681), including a 128-30 mark in MAC play at home (.822). The Zips' 213 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 128 of their last 184 MAC games (.694).

The University of Akron Athletics

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