Akron Is Back on the Road for #MACtion Against Bowling Green

Akron (9-6, 1-1) at Bowling Green (8-7, 2-0)
Tuesday, Jan 10 • Stroh Center
Bowling Green, Ohio • 7 PM • ESPN+

What's Ahead
Akron is back on the road for #MACtion, traveling to Bowling Green, Ohio to play the Falcons at the Stroh Center on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 7 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/3GlpVw8
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/35Vat8S
Live Radio: WHLO 640AM - https://ihr.fm/3fFmzLo

Head Coaches
Bowling Green Head Coach
Michael Huger (BGSU '94)
Overall Record: 123-112 (8th Season)
Record at BGSU: 123-112 (8th Season)
MAC Record: 61-69 (8th Season)

Akron Head Coach
John Groce (Taylor '94)
Career Record: 285-197 (15th Season)
Record at Akron: 103-65 (6th Season)
Overall MAC Record: 89-69 (at Ohio and Akron)

All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 44-28 • Groce vs. Bowling Green: 8-3 (11-9 Overall)
Last Meeting: Akron 82, BGSU 68 at James A. Rhodes, Feb. 22, 2022
First Meeting: Akron 52, BGSU 29 in Akron 1937-38 season
MAC Tournament: 3-2

The Akron-Bowling Green Series
Tuesday's game marks the 73rd meeting in series history between Akron and Bowling Green, and 21st meeting for a Groce coached squad. Akron holds an all-time 44-28 series advantage while Groce is 11-9 against BGSU and 8-3 at Akron. The Zips have won 33 of the last 38 games as Akron swept the 2021-22 season series with a 91-66 win at the Stroh Center and a 82-68 triumph at the JAR. The Zips won 2-of-3 games in 2020-21, ending the Falcons 2021 MAC Tournament run with a 74-67 win at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The two teams split the season series with the Zips posting a 69-57 win at the Stroh Center, but Bowling Green won the rematch 83-71 at the JAR, snapping the Zips 14-game winning streak and 9-0 record in 2021.

The two teams split the 2019-20 season's series with a 78-60 setback at the Stroh Center and a 74-59 win at the JAR. Both teams protected home court and split the 2018-19 series . Akron dropped the last season's series opener at the Stroh Center (73-69) and bounced back with a lopsided 91-67 triumph. Akron swept 2017-18 season's series with an 80-78 win at Rhodes Arena (1/13/18) and an 81-79 win at the Stroh Center (2/20/18). Both games came down to the final possession.

In 2016-17, the two teams split the season series. The Zips opened Mid-American Conference play with an 89-84 win over BGSU at the JAR (1/3/17). BGSU picked up the win in the closing seconds at the Stroh Center, 66-65, snapping the Zips' 17-game winning streak against the Falcons. It was Akron's first loss to BGSU since March 1, 2009, a 50-46 loss at Rhodes Arena.

In addition, Akron posted three wins in the 2015-16 season, including an 80-66 win during the semifinal round of the MAC Tournament. The Zips have met the Falcons four times in the MAC Tournament with the series being tied at two games apiece. In addition, the 2017 MAC opener was the third time in series history that Akron and Bowling Green have met to open the MAC schedule. Akron holds a 3-0 advantage in conference openers, posting a 53-51 win in 1992-93, 71-45 victory during the 2009-10 season, and an 89-84 win in 2016-17 – all at Rhodes Arena.

Scouting The Falcons
Bowling Green looks to continue its MAC winning streak, posting a 2-0 record in the opening week with wins over Eastern Michigan (91-65) and Ohio (88-79). BGSU is 8-7 overall, 5-3 at home and 3-4 on the road. The Falcons average a league-best 77.7 points per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the floor and 33.2 percent effort from beyond the 3-point arc, draining 7.7 triples a game. In addition, the Falcons shoot 76.0 percent from the free throw line with 14.3 FT made per game.

BGSU has four players scoring in double figures as Leon Ayers III leads the Falcons in scoring with 17.0 points per game. He shoots 447.0 percent from the floor and leads the squad at the free throw line with 61 appearance and made 49 bonus buckets at an 80.3 percent clip. Ayers leads the squad in steals with 18. Curtis Samari follows with 12.0 points per game with a second-best 19 made 3-pointers, while leading the squad in assists (72). Kaden Metheny is the top 3-point marksman with 37 made trifectas on 41.6 percent shooting from deep. Metheny averages 11.4 points per game and is second-best in assists (32) and steals (15). Rashaun Agee rounds out the double-digit scores with 11.2 points per game and leads the defensive efforts with 26 blocked shots, averaging 1.73 per game.

Defensively, Bowling Green allows its opponents to score 74.1 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting from the floor and 34.7 percent from 3-point range, allowing 8.3 long distance strikes per night. The Falcons caused 180 turnovers (12.0 to/g) with 92 steals (6.1 stl/g). BGSU outrebounds the opponent by a +2.3 margin as the opponent grabbed 536 total boards (35.7 rebs/g) compared to the 571 total rebounds (38.1 rebs/g) secured.

Akron in the MAC
Akron is 41-17 over the last three seasons in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.714) in the league. The Zips are 27-13 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 82-23 (.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 210-99 overall (.681), including a 127-30 mark in MAC play at home (.822). The Zips' 210 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 125 of their last 181 MAC games (.694).

On the Road
Akron is 0-3 in true road games this season, falling 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.

The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Is Back on the Road for #MACtion Against Bowling Green

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