Zips Return Home to Play Miami

Akron (13-6, 5-1) vs Miami (7-12, 1-5)
Tuesday, Jan 24 • Jame A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 7 PM • ESPN+

What's Ahead
Akron is back in action at James A. Rhodes Arena hosting Miami on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. The Zips have won 11 straight home games, nine this season, as head coach John Groce leads the Zips into battle against his brother Travis Steele's RedHawks. Fans can follow the action on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps onthe call 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/3DeiK8n
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3gDBthm
Live Radio: WHLO 640AM - https://ihr.fm/3fFmzLo

Head Coaches
Miami Head Coach
Travis Steele (Butler '04)
Overall Record: 77-62 (5th Season)
Record at Miami: 7-12 (1st Season)
MAC Record at Miami: 1-5 (1st Season)

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 289-197 (15th Season)
Record at Akron: 107-65 (6th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 93-69 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
Series tied: 34-34 • Groce vs. Miami 7-3 (13-6 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 71, Miami 59 at Millett Hall on Feb. 6, 2022
First Meeting: Miami 45, Akron 14 in Oxford on Feb. 20, 1915
In Akron:21-9, Neutral: 2-1, In Oxford: 12-24

The Akron-Miami Series
Tuesday's game marks the 69th meeting in series history between Akron and Miami, and 20th meeting for a Groce coached squad (13-6), 11th at Akron (7-3). The series is tied 34-34, and the Zips have won the last seven meetings, including a sweep in 2022 a 66-55 win at the JAR (Feb. 4) and a 71-59 win at Millet Hall two days later (Feb. 6). The Zips won the lone meeting in 2021 (83-76) in Oxford and the game in Akron was canceled. Akron swept the 2019-20 season, 75-65 and 81-60, and posted two victories in Akron in 2019, 70-58 regular season and 80-51 in the first round of the MAC Tournament. Akron dropped the first meeting in Oxford in 2019 (68-61). With the wins, Akron snapped Miami's four-game winning streak.

In 2016-17, the two teams split the season series with both squads winning on the road. Akron posted a 74-70 win in Oxford and, the RedHawks bounced back with a 79-75 victory at Rhodes Arena. The Zips' win marked the first win in Oxford since February 9, 2013.

Akron and Miami have met five times in the MAC Tournament with the series at 3-2 in Akron's favor. The Zips are 2-1 in Cleveland and 1-0 at home against the RedHawks. Akron dropped a first-round game in Oxford (69-56, 2001). Akron is 20-9 against the RedHawks in Akron, 11-24 on the road in the series, and 2-1 in neutral site competition.

Scouting The RedHawks
The Under the direction of first-year head coach Travis Steele, the Miami RedHawks have dropped the last three games, standing a 7-12 overall and 1-5 in league play. The RedHawks are 6-6 at home, 1-5 on the road and 0-1 in neutral site games this season.

The RedHawks average 74.6 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from the floor and 33.6 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 8.2 triples a game. In addition, Miami shoots 78.8 percent from the free throw line with 13.9 FT made per game.

Miami has three players scoring in double figures led by Mekhi Lairy 17.2 points per game, shooting 44.9 percent from the field with a team-best 34 made 3-pointers. He also leads the squad in assists (82) and steals (27). Morgan Safford adds 15.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game to go along with 28 assists and 18 steals. Anderson Mirambeaux rounds out the double digit scoring with 13.4 points per game and secured a team-high 104 rebounds. He adds a team-best 17 blocked shots and second-rated 49 assitsts with 14 steals.

Defensively, Miami allows its opponents to score 75.1 points per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the floor and 35.9 percent from 3-point range, allowing 7.5 long distance strikes per night. The RedHawks caused 257 turnovers (13.5 to/g) with 130 steals (6.8 stl/g). Miami is slightly outrebounded by the opponent by a -1.9 margin as the opponent grabbed 655 total boards (34.5 rebs/g) compared to the 618 total rebounds (32.5 rebs/g) secured.

Home Sweet Home
The Zips own a 450-135 (.767) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 246-38 (.864) record at the JAR. Under coach Groce Akron is 71-13 (.825) at home. The Zips are 9-0 at home in 2022-23. 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. During COVID shortened season, Akron posted a 9-1 mark at the JAR (2020-21) and last season the Zips posted a 12-3 record. 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.

Akron in the MAC
Akron is 45-17 over the last three seasons in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.714) in the league. The Zips are 31-13 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 214-99 overall (.681), including a 128-30 mark in MAC play at home (.822). The Zips' 214 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 129 of their last 185 MAC games (.694).

The University of Akron Athletics

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