The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Central Michigan
Akron Battles Central Michigan on Tuesday
February 05 | Men's Basketball
Tuesday, Feb. 6 – James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
7:00 pm ET – ESPN + - WHLO 640
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 315-207 | At Akron: 133-75
Central Michigan: Tony Barbee| Overall Record: 161-180 | At Central Michigan: 30-53
All-Time Series
Akron Leads: 39-15 Groce vs. Central Michigan: 7-1 (10-3 Overall)
First Meeting: Akron 29, CMU 23 1938-39 season in Akron
Last Meeting: Akron 69, CMU 51 at Central Michigan, January 17, 2023
In Akron: 22-5 | Neutral: 1-0 | In Mount Pleasant: 15-10
Current Streak: 6W
WHAT'S AHEAD
The Akron Zips host Central Michigan in conference play on Tuesday, February 6 for the 55th all-time meeting. Akron and Central Michigan can be viewed on ESPN + with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps. 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.
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan will look to extend its five-game winning streak on Tuesday after taking down Bowling Green 77-76 in 2ot. CMU's winning streak started with a 65-62 victory against Toledo on January 19 on CBS Sports Network. CMU has had to battle for wins in back-to-back double-overtime victories.
Paul McMillian IV was the leading scorer for the Chippewas with 19. Derrick Butler (17) and Brian Taylor (15) also finished in double-figure scoring while KJ Odour finished with five points, 14 rebounds, four blocks, and one steal and rebounds. Anthony Pritchard leads the squad with 14.6 points per game and 4.6 assists. Brian Taylor is leading the way in rebounds with 7.5 boards per game and 21 total blocks. Taylor (12.4) and Markus Harding (10.6) join Pritchard in double-figure scoring.
CMU holds the third-best opponent fg% in the MAC with a .430 percentage and the best opponent 3pt fg % with a .307 mark.
The Chippewas are 43rd in the country in 3pt percentage defense (.307).
Pritchard is 79th in the country in assists (99), 71st in assists per game (4.7), 94th in double-doubles (5), 46th in minutes per game (35:12), 75th in defensive rebounds (5.86), 95th in steals (38) and 87th in steals per game (1.81).
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
Akron will be looking for its third straight win when Central Michigan comes to town on Tuesday. The Zips are 17-5 overall and 9-1 in the MAC while holding a 10-0 record at the JAR.The Zips recently took down Toledo 77-70 on February 2 which was featured on ESPN 2. The Zips are 4-0 on nationally televised events with wins over Bowling Green, Buffalo, and Toledo at home and Kent State on the road.
Ali Ali (26) and Enrique Freeman (20) led the scoring in the win over Toledo while the pair combined for five blocks. Freeman was also named the MAC Player of the Week for the eighth time this season after averaging 18.5 points per game and 12.5 rebounds.
Freeman is also the leader in points (18.6), rebounds (12.9), and total blocks 35. Kaleb Thornton leads the way with 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals. The Zips hold the MAC's best scoring defense with opponents scoring just 65.0 points per game and the top scoring margin (11.2) in the conference. Akron also has the second-best FG percentage (.469), the second-lowest shooting percentage (.427) in the MAC, and second lowest 3PT FG percentage (.310).
The Zips are 49th in the country in effective fg% (.545), 68th in fg% (.469), 49th in rebound margin (+5.0), 31st in scoring defense (65.0), 38th in scoring margin (+11.2), 57th in 3pt fg defense (.310), and 71st in 3pters made per game (8.7)
INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday's game marks the 55th meeting in series history between Akron and Central Michigan, and the 14th meeting for a Groce coached squad, the ninth at Akron. The Zips hold an all-time 39-15 series advantage while Groce is 10--3 overall and 7-1 at Akron.
The Zips have won 24 of the last 27 meetings, including a six-game winning streak.
Akron has swept the series since the 2019-20 series with the last CMU victory coming in the 2018-19 season when the two teams split the season series. Akron fell in overtime 88-86 at McGuirk Arena in the first meeting but bounced back with a 70-67 win at Rhodes Arena.
The Zips won last season on the road 69-51 while winning at McGuirk Arena (60-56) and The JAR (57-56) in 2022-23. Akron won in 2020-21 (81-67 at James A. Rhodes Arena) and 2019-20 (80-67 at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich.).
Akron will look to defend the JAR from Central Michigan and keep the home winning streak intact against the Chippewas that has stood since January 24, 2004.
LAST TIME AGAINST CENTRAL MICHIGAN (JAN. 17, 2023)
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Another suffocating defensive performance by Akron resulted in a second straight road win as the Zips defeated Central Michigan 69-51 at McGuirk Arena on Tuesday night.
Akron had four players score in double figures as 8-of-12 players that played touched the scoring column. Senior guard Xavier Castaneda led the way with 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while junior Sammy Hunter (12 points) scored double-digits for the third straight game.
Graduate Trendon Hankerson and junior Greg Tribble rounded out the top scorers with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Akron (12-6, 4-1 MAC) fell behind early as the Chippewas (7-11, 2-3 MAC) used a 7-0 run to start the game. Akron responded with defensive aggression, causing five turnovers by the 12-minute which allowed the visitors to take a 13-10 advantage. Five minutes later, the score was tied 22-22 and the Zips held the Chippewas scoreless for four minutes and caused three additional turnovers that led to a 9-0 run. Akron held the Chippewas scoreless for over four minutes and closed out the half on a 14-4 run.
In the second half, the Zips picked up where they left off as Hunter buried a 3-pointer just nine seconds into the period. Akron outscored CMU 14-6 to extend the lead to 57-35 midway through the half and led by as many as 27 points (66-39). The Zips forced 10 second-half turnovers, pressuring the Chippewas into 18 turnovers for the game while registering seven steals. Freshman Nate Johnson recorded a team-best three steals and added five points and three rebounds.
Akron won the battle of the boards 37-32 as Freeman led the Zips with nine rebounds. The Zips finished the game shooting 41.8 percent from the field (25 of 55) and 30.8 percent from beyond the arc (8 of 26).
MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK X8
Shooting 80 percent from the field and over 80 percent over the free throw line, Enrique Freeman helped power the Akron Zips to wins over Eastern Michigan and Toledo. The Akron senior averaged a double-double with 18.5 points per game and 12.5 rebounds per game. He also averaged three assists per game and 1.5 blocks per game. On the week Freeman shot 12-of-15 (.800) and went 13-of-16 (.813) from the free throw line. The Zips started the week with a 77-46 win at Eastern Michigan on January 30. Freeman went 6-of-7 (.857) from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line (.833) that saw the Zips explode for 42 points in the first half. He also hauled in 11 boards while dishing out two assists and getting one steal against the Eagles. Freeman would then follow that performance up with yet another double-double for his 19th of the season as the Zips took down Toledo, 77-70. Against the conference's best offense, Freeman would collect 14 rebounds and have three blocks against the Rockets. He'd finish with 20 points as well to record his 11th game with 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds. Freeman had another superb shooting night with a 6-of-8 (.750) performance and an 8-of-10 (.800) night from the free throw line. He also added four assists.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Zips own a 466-134 (.776) all-time record at the James A. Rhodes Arena. In the last 17 seasons, Akron has posted a 262-39 (.870) record at the JAR. The Zips are 10-0 at the JAR this season and have won their last 13 home games dating back to the 2022-23 season.
Under coach Groce, Akron is 85-14 (.858) at home. The Zips were 15-1 at home in 2022-23.
THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Freeman has 19 double-doubles this season, ranking 1st in the NCAA, and is the only player in the MAC to average a double-double. He is 1-of-10 players in Div. I to average a double-double and have recorded 20+ points and 10+ rebounds 11 times. Freeman recorded 11 consecutive double-doubles from Nov. 28 to Jan. 16 and has recorded four straight since Jan. 23.
Additionally, he ranks 68th in total blocks (35), 77th in blocks per game (1.59), 28th in fg% (.598), 53rd in fg made (144), 23rd in free throws attempted (156), 32nd in made free throws (111), 63rd in total points (409), 67th in points per game (18.6), 2nd in total rebounds (283), 2nd in def. RPG (9.55), 27th in off. RPG (3.32) and 1st in rebounds per game (12.9).
THE FINAL 10
Akron senior forward Enrique Freeman was one of 10 finalists for the 2024 Karl Malone Award as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on February 1. The annual honor is in its tenth year and recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The Selection Committee for the Karl Malone Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Zips travel to James Madison on Saturday, February 10. The Zips and Dukes will be on ESPN 2 for a 6 pm start.
