Zips Return Home On Tuesday To Battle Bradley

Tuesday, December 5

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

Bradley

December 04 | Men's Basketball

Akron Game Notes

Akron (4-3, 0-0 Mid-American) vs Bradley (6-2, 0-2 Missouri Valley)
Tuesday, Dec. 5 – James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
7:00 pm ET – ESPN+ - WHLO 640

What's Ahead
The Akron Zips host the Bradley Braves at the JAR on Tuesday, December 5. Akron and Bradley can be viewed on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi (PxP) and Jeff Phelps (Analyst) . 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
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 302-205 | At Akron: 120-73
Bradley: Brian Wardle| Overall Record: 236-193| At Bradley: 141-128

All-Time Series
Bradley Leads: 1-0                               Groce vs. Bradley: 1-1
First/Last Met: Bradley74-55             At Bradley, Dec. 22, 2022
Current Streak: L1                               At Bradley, Dec. 22, 2022


QUICK HITS

December will see the Zips play three home games, one road contest and one neutral site game.
Under coach Groce, the Zips have posted an 89-38 overall record over the past five seasons and a 53-21 conference record in that same span.
Groce recorded his 300th career win with the 72-54 victory over Southern Miss on Nov. 10.
Akron has made at least one 3-pointer in its last 744 games when it was held without a 3-pointer against Purdue in the 2000-01 season.
Akron will look to stop a 3-game losing streak after lossing to Utah State, Darake and UNLV.
Akron is one win away from its 1,700th win in program history.
Under coach Groce, Akron is currently 38-1 at home against non-conference opponents.
Freeman is drawing 6.9 fouls per game, which puts him in the top 50 (49th) according to Kenpom.com. He is also ranked 4th in Defenisve Rebounding Percentage (33.3).
Freeman has recorded three games with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds this season. The most recent being a 22 pt, 13 reb performance at UNLV.
Freeman recorded his 1,000th career rebound in the 77-71 win over FIU. Freeman is just the sixth player to record 1,000 points and rebound as a Zip.
Akron will look to avenge a road loss to the Braves last season when the Zips fell 74-55.

SCOUTING THE BRAVES
Bradley comes into Tuesday's contest with a 6-2 overall record and a 0-2 MVC record after falling to Murray State (79-72) and Indiana State (85-77) to begin MVC action.
Darius Hannah is currently 16th in the nation in FG percentage (.657) while teammate Malevy Leons is 28th in FT attempts (56) and 35th in made FT (41). Leons is also 53rd in the country in steals (17) and 68th in steals per game (2.12).
Leons is one of three Braves to average double figure scoring. He leads the way with 15.6 points per game. Connor Hickman (13.5) and Hannah (12.5) round out the top three scorers.
The Braves scored 47 points in the second half against Indiana State in the 85-77 loss. Hickman led the Braves in scoring with 19 points while Leons was close to a double-double with 18 points and nine rebounds. He also had two assists, blocks and steals. Bradley also had 38 points in the paint and 22 points off turnovers.

ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips will retrun to the JAR for their first game since hosting Heidelberg on November 14. Akron is currently on a three-game lossing skid after falling short at UNLV on Novmeber 28.
Akron continues to be led by Enrique Freeman in points per game (17.3), rebounds per game (11.9) and total blocks (10). Freeman added three blocks to his total against UNLV.
Mikal Dawson (11.7) and Sammy Hunter (11.0) join Freeman in double-figure scoring. Both Dawson and Hunter are shooting above 37 percent from beyond the arc this season with a combined 36 made 3's.
Nate Johnson leads the Blue and Gold in steals per game (1.86) and most recently had a career high six assists at UNLV.
Akron saw yet another double-double from Freeman who had 22 points and 13 rebounds. He also had a season-high three blocks against the Rebels. Sammy Hunter and Mikal Dawson scored 15 and 14 points with each hitting five shots from the field.
The Zips will look to reduce their turnovers, as they average 14.1 per game and most recently commited 18 against the Rebels. KenPom.com has the Zips with a turnover percentage of 21.7 which ranks 323rd.

LAST TIME OUT
(Nov. 28, 2023)
The Akron men's basketball team put together a comeback late in Tuesday's game, outscoring UNLV 14-5 in the final five minutes, but ultimately came up short as they fell to the Rebels 72-70.
The Zips (4-3) had three players score in double figures, led by Enrique Freeman, who had a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. His double-double against UNLV is his fifth of the season.
Freeman has scored 20 or more points three times this season while the Zips now have had a player scorer 20+ in four games this season.
Sammy Hunter tacked on 15 points from the bench and Mikal Dawson helped out with 14 points. Hunter recorded his third double figure scoring performance and second time scoring 15 or more points in a game. Dawson had his fourth double figure scoring game of the season.
Akron utilized great ball movement in Tuesday's game, piling up 19 assists on 25 made field goals. Nate Johnson's six assists led the distribution list for the Zips.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Zips own a 458-134 (.774) all-time record at Rhodes Arena. In the last 16 seasons, Akron has posted a 254-39 (.867) record at the JAR.
Under coach Groce, Akron is 78-14 (.848) at home. The Zips were 15-1 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 posted a 12-3 record in 2021-22. 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.

NON-CONFERENCE FOES AT THE JAR
Under John Groce, Akron is currently 38-1 at home against non-conference opponents. Akon is on a 27-0 run against non-conference foes at the Jar since losing to Marshall on Dec. 15, 2018 under the direction of Groce.

NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
The Zips had a three-game losing streak around this time last season with a pair of defeats to LSU and Nevada in the Caymand Islands Classic and a road loss to Marshall before rebounding with a four-game winning streak.

20-POINT PERFORMANCES
Akron has seen four 20+ point performances this season.
Mikal Dawson - 25 pts vs Heidelberg (11/14/23)
Enrique Freeman - 27 pts vs FIU (11/19/23)
Enrique Freeman - 25 pts vs Utah State (11/20/23)
Enrique Freeman - 22 pts at UNLV (11/28/23)

ENRIQUE FREEMAN - THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Freeman has five double-doubles so far this season after his 23-point, 13-rebound performance at UNLV.
Freeman is currently 4th in the country in double-doubles (5), 86th in FG percentage (.554), 86th in FG percentage (.554), 73rd in FT attempts (48), 92nd in free throws made (35), 16th in rebounds (83), 4th in defensive rebounds per game (9.14) and 2nd in rebounds per game (11.9).
He has recorded 20+ points and 10+ rebounds three times this season with the most recent being a 22 pt, 13 reb performance at UNLV (Nov. 28).
In 2022-23 Freeman finished the season as 1-of-12 players in the NCAA to average a double-double, scoring 16.8 points per game and grabbing 11.2 boards per contest. He ranked 5th in the NCAA with 19 double-doubles which topped the MAC. He pulled down double-digit rebounds in 22-of-33 outings, including a 15-rebound, 32-point career-best performance against Ohio while posting 26 double-digit scoring efforts.

Enrique Freeman ranks in the top 50 among active Div. 1 players in the following categories.

Double-Doubles - 5th (47) | 6th in all divisions
FG Percentage - 6th (.643) | 13th in all divisions
FT Attempted - 39th (432) |
Rebounds - 4th (1,035) | 6th in all divisions
Rebounds Per Game - 5th (10.0) | 18th in all divisions
Blocked Shots - 34th (137) |
Blocked Shots Per Game - 39th (1.32)

THE 1K, 1K CLUB
Enrique Freeman became the sixth player in program history to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds as a member of the Akron basketball team.

Len Paul - 2,028 Pts | 1021 Reb | 107 GP
Bill Turner - 1,630 Pts | 1,171 Reb | 106 GP
Enrique Freeman - 1,312 Pts | 1035 Reb | 104 GP
Fred Golding - 1,229 Pts | 1,360 Reb | 97 GP
Ray Pryear - 1,152 Pts | 1,213 Reb | 91 GP
Don Williams - 1,145 Pts | 1,218 Reb | 107 GP

CLIMBING THE SCORING CHARTS
Enrique Freeman is 18th in all-time scoring in Akron history with 1,312 career points. He added 22 points at UNLV. Jim Fenton (1951-54) is next with 1,319 points.

TOP 5 IN REBOUNDS
Enrique Freeman is in the top five for career rebounds with 1,022 career rebounds. He recently passed Len Paul (1969-73) who had 1,021 career rebounds.

1. Fred Golding - 1,360 Reb (1956-59)
2. Don Williams - 1,218 Reb (1963-67)
3. Ray Pryear - 1,213 Reb (1956-59)
4. Bill Turner - 1,213 Reb (1962-67)
5. Enrique Freeman - 1035 Reb (2019-Pres.)

GREG TRIBBLE - STAYING CONSISTENT

Among one of Akron's most consistent players, Greg Tribble acts as the primary cover on the oppositions best player and is Akron's best on-ball defender.

Tribble is averging 9.0 points per game this season with double figure scoring in four games. He also leads the Zips in free throw percentage with a .900 clip. Starting every game this season, Tribble is second on the team with 27.4 minutes per game.

LONG RANGE SPECIALISTS

Sammy Hunter ansd Mikal Dawson have made 36 of the 68 (.529) 3pters this season for Akron.

Hunter has also recorded at least one 3pter in every game this season for the Zips and has made three or more 3pters in three games.

CLOSING IN ON 1,700 PROGRAM WINS
Akron currently has recorded 1,699 wins in program history. Akron (then Buchtel College) first started competing in men's basketball in 1901-02.

NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENT PRESEASON RANKINGS
South Dakota State (Summit) - No. 1
Southern Mississippi (Sun Belt) - No. 4
Heidelberg (Ohio Athletic Conference) - No. 5
Florida International (CUSA) - No. 7
Utah State (Mountain West) - No. 9
Drake (Missouri Valley) - No. 1
UNLV (Mountain West) - No. 6
Bradley (Missouri Valley) - No. 3
Northern Kentucky (Horizon) - No. 1
Gardner-Webb - (Big South) - No. 4
St. Bonaventure - (Atlantic 10) - No. 3

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Zips return to the road for a Saturday contest at Northern Kentucky on December 9.