Zips Travel To South Dakota State To Begin The 2023-24 Season

Monday, November 6

Brookings, SD

9:15 PM

University of Akron

South Dakota State

Zips Travel To South Dakota State To Begin The 2023-24 Season

November 04 | Men's Basketball

Akron (0-0, 0-0 Mid-American) at South Dakota State (0-0, 0-0 Summit League)
Monday, Nov. 6 - Frost Arena | Brookings, S.D. - 9:15 EST - Summit League Network

What's Ahead
The Zips begin the 2023-24 season on the road as they travel to Brookings, S.D., to face South Dakota State on Monday, November 6. The season opener will be broadcast live on the Summit League Network with Tyler Merriam (pxp) and Brad Newitt (analyst) on the call. Fans can 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.

Head Coaches

South Dakota State: Eric Henderson | Overall Record: 87-35 | At SDSU: Same
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 298-202 | At Akron: 116-70

All-Time Series
Akron leads 1-0 | First/Last Meeting: Akron 81-80 OT at James A. Rhodes Arena 11/07/22 |
In Akron: 1-0, Neutral: 0-0, In Brookings, S.D. 0-0

Quick Hits
Akron will play five of its seven games in the month of November on the road or at a neutral site.

The Zips battle South Dakota State for just the second time in program history, and first time on the road, after opening the 2022-23 season with an 81-80 OT victory at the James A. Rhodes Arena.

Senior forward Enrique Freeman was one of 20 players named to The 2024 Karl Malone Award watchlist on October 26.

SDSU is one of two teams Akron will face to be ranked No. 1 in their respective conference's preseason poll. The Zips have four total teams ranked No. 3 or higher.

Akron has made at least one 3-pointer in its last 737 games when it was held without a 3-pointer against Purdue in the 2000-01 season.

SDSU is 562-136 (.805) all-time at Frost Arena and 151-9 (.944) since the 2011-12 season.

Under coach Groce, the Zips have posted an 84-35 overall record over the past four seasons and a 53-21 conference record in that same span.

Scouting The Jackrabbits
The Jackrabbits roll into the 2023-24 season as the Summit League's top team in the preseason. South Dakota State was named the No. 1 team while also seeing Zeke Mayo named the preseason Player of The Year and All-Summit League First Team honors. Luke Appel joined Mayo on the first team while William Kyle III earned second-team honors.

Mayo is the league's top returning scorer after averaging 21.1 ppg against League foes for an SDSU squad that went 13-5 and finished as the runner-up in the 2022-23 regular season standings. Mayo was the only Summit League player to average 20.0-plus ppg, 6.0-plus rpg, and 4.0-plus apg a season ago

Mayo is the league's top returning scorer from both overall (18.8 ppg) and league-only (21.1 ppg) and is the only all-league first-team selection back from the 2022-23 season. SDSU tops the preseason poll a season after the Jackrabbits did not win a regular season or postseason tournament title for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Luke Appel, the 2022 Summit League Newcomer of the Year, played in only five games last season before suffering a season-ending injury. He was granted a medical redshirt and joined Mayo on the preseason all-league first team.Sophomore William Kyle III, an all-newcomer team selection a season ago, gave the Jackrabbits a league-high three preseason selections after being named to the second team. Kyle III averaged 8.9 ppg across 32 games and added 38 blocks, which led all league rookies in 2022-23.

Last Time Against South Dakota State (Nov. 7, 2022)
The Akron Zips started the 2022-23 season with a thriller, outlasting the visiting South Dakota State Jackrabbits 81-80 in overtime as junior guard Greg Tribble (Cincinnati, Ohio) made the game-winning free throw with 2.4 seconds left in the extra period.

Senior guard Xavier Castañeda (Chicago, Ill.) led the way with a career-high 31 points for Akron, including 8-of-12 marksmanship from long distance, with junior forward Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) delivering an all-around effort that included 23 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. Graduate student guard Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich.) also reached double figures with 11 points in his Akron debut.

Preseason No. 1
The Zips were selected as the preseason No. 1 team in the Mid-American Conference coaches' poll on November 1. Senior forward Enrique Freeman and senior guard Ali Ali earned preseason all-league honors as well. Akron received 121 points and 11 first-place votes for the first-place ranking, Kent State earned 104 points while Ohio rounded out the top three with 102 points and the final first-place vote.

Starting The Season Off Right
The Zips are 75-47 (.610) all-time in season openers with a 61-12 (.829) home record and 14-35 (.285) on the road. Since the 2004-05, UA is 13-6 (.667) when opening the season, standing 10-1 (.875) at home, 3-5 (.429) on the road and 4-1 (.800) under head coach John Groce.

Akron owns a 100-21 (.822) home-opening record and 36-4 (.897) at Rhodes Arena. The Zips have been winners in the last 20-of-21 home opening games. Akron is 19-8 in MAC openers, 11-1 at home since joining the league in 1992. Over the last 16 seasons, the Zips are 13-3 in MAC openers and 7-1 at home. Akron has won the last 8-of-9 MAC openers.

Akron is 23-8 in MAC openers since joining the league in 1992. Over the last 16 seasons, the Zips are 13-3 in MAC openers. Akron has won the last 14-of-15 MAC openers, including a 5-1 mark under head coach John Groce.

Climbing The Scoring Charts
Enrique Freeman enters the season as the 27th-highest scorer in program history with 1,191 career points at Akron. Freeman needs two points to tie Climon Lee for 26th with 1,193 points. Jerry Sloan sits at 25th with 1,210 points.

Closing In On 300
After going 22-11 overall last season, Coach Groce stands at 298 career wins entering his 16th season and seventh as the head coach of the Akron Zips. Coach Groce has had a winning season in five of his six seasons leading the Zips and has won 20+ games three times with the past two seasons seeing Akron claim 24 and 22 wins.

What's Next?
The Zips return to home on Friday, November 10 to host Southern Mississippi for a 7 p.m. start as part of the MAC-SBC challenge.