The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Northern Illinois
Akron Travels to NIU for Midweek #MACtion on Tuesday
January 27 | Men's Basketball
Akron (14-5, 7-0 Mid-American) at Northern Illinois (5-14, 1-6 Mid-American)
Tuesday, Jan. 28 – NIU Convocation Center – DeKalb, Ill.
7 pm ET – ESPN + - WHLO 640
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 336-218 | At Akron: 154-86
NIU: Rashon Burno | Overall Record: 38-74 | At NIU: Same
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads: 32-14 | Groce vs. NIU: 8-3 (12-3 Overall)
First Met: Jan. 23, 1988 (W, Akron75, NIU 68) At NIU
Last Met: March. 2, 2024 (W, Akron 80, NIU 73) At Akron
At Akron: 20-3 | At NIU: 12-11 |
Current Streak: 3W
INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday's game marks the 47th meeting in series history between Akron and NIU, and 16th meeting for a Groce coached squad. Akron holds an all-time 32-14 series advantage while Groce is 8-3 at Akron and11-3 against the Huskies all-time.Â
The Zips have won 15 of the last 20 games against the Huskies. Akron is 12-11 all-time on the road against NIU while holding an 20-3 edge at the JAR.
Akron swept the season series in 2023-24. The Zips took care of business at the Convocation Center in the first meeting on Jan. 2, coming away with a 73-51 victory. The Blue and Gold then defended the JAR on March 2 with a close 80-73 victory to conclude the series.
The Zips took the lone meeting in 2022-23 with a 76-51 victory at James A. Rhodes Arena. Akron and NIU split the season series in 2021-22 and which saw the Zips win the first meeting at NIU
(70-64) while the Huskies responded with a win at James A. Rhodes Arena (66-63). The two teams split the series in 2020-21 as well. The Huskies claimed the first meeting on a last second shot for a 67-65 win at the NIU Convocation Center and Akron bounced back with an 81-76 triumph at The JAR. Akron won the lone meeting in 2019-20 in DeKalb, 72-49.Â
SCOUTING THEÂ HUSKIES
The Huskies come into Tuesday's contest with a 5-14 overall record, a 1-6 record in the MAC and a 5-4 record at the Convocation Center.
NIU recently picked up its first conference victory with a 76-66 win over Ball State at home on Saturday, January 25. The Huskies had four players in double figure scoring with Nasir Muhammad leading the way with 19 points. James Dent Jr. and Quaran McPherson both record 18 pt, 10 reb double-doubles against the Cardinals. Before the win, NIU had lost its first six MAC contests.
The Huskies are led by Quetin Jones in scoring (15.7), assists (3.5) and steals (3.5). James Dent Jr. leads the way in assists (5.3) while Ethan Butler is the leader in blocks with 20.
The Huskies average 70.8 points per game and have been outscored by their opponents this season by 4.8 points per game. NIU is shooting .409 from the field and .335 from beyond the arc with 9.3 3-point shots falling per game. The Huskies are also shooting .697 from the free throw line. NIU averages 33.2 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 11.3 turnovers, 6.4 steals and 3.6 blocks per game.Â
NIU ranks in the top five in the MAC in opp. fg pct. (5th - .447), 3pters made per game (3rd - 9.3), turnover margin (3rd - +2.47), assist-turnover ratio (5th - +1.13) and blocked shots (4th - 3.63). The Huskies are ranked 41st in 3-pointers attempted (27.6), 55th in 3-pointers made per game (9.3), 55th in turnover margin (+2.47) and 74th in turnovers forced per game (13.79). Quentin Jones is ranked 23rd in the NCAA for minutes played per game (35:57).
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips begin a two game road swing when they battle Northern Illinois on Tuesday. Akron is 14-5 overall, 7-0 in the MAC and 3-3 on the road.
Akron is coming off a 102-75 victory over Miami (OH) at the JAR to remain undefeated at home and in conference. Six Zips scored in double figures, with Tavari Johnson's 15 points leading the Blue and Gold.
N. Johnson leads the Zips in scoring (13.1) and steals (1.8). Nate is one of three Zips to average 10 or more points per game with Tavari Johnson (12.1) and Gray (10.5) rounding out the list. T. Johnson leads Akron in assists (4.1) while James Okonkwo leads the Zips in rebounds (7.9). Okonkwo andÂ
Amani Lyles share the lead for blocked shots with 20 each.
Akron is currently scoring 84.2 points per game and has outscored its opponents by 11.1 points per game this season. The Zips are shooting .458 from the field while shooting .365 from beyond the arc and averages 11.6 3's per game. The Blue and Gold holds a .758 ft percentage while averaging 40.4 rebounds, 18.6 assists,12.5 turnovers, 8.0 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.
Akron is in the top five in the MAC for scoring offense (1st - 84.2), scoring defense (4th - 73.2), scoring margin (1st - +11.1), opp. fg pct (2nd - .419), 3pt pct (2nd - .365), opp. 3pt pct (3rd - .318), 3pters made (1st - 11.6), ft pct (1st - .758), rebounds (1st - 40.4), off. rebounds (3rd - 12.6), def. rebounds (1st - 27.8), rebound margin (3rd - +4.0), assist-turnover margin (1st - +1.49), blocked shots (t2nd - 3.68), assists (1st - 18.58) and steals (2nd - 8.00).
The Zips rank 39th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.49), 7th in assist per game (18.6), 10th in bench points (34.63), 64th in effective fg pct (.545), 29th in fastbreak points (14.42), 53rd in ft pct (.758), 75th in rebound margin (+4.3), 24th in def. reb. (27.89), 47th in off. reb. (12.89), 14th in rebounds per game (40.79), 14th in scoring offense (84.2), 3rd in 3pt attempts (31.7), 3rd in 3-pointers made per game (11.6) and 78th in turnovers forced (13.74). James Okonkwo ranks 63rd in the NCAA in off. rebounds (2.95) and 94th in rebounds per game (7.8). Nate Johnson ranks 90th in total steals (36) and 72nd in steals per game (1.89).
LASTÂ TIME AGAINSTÂ NIUÂ (3/2/24)
AKRON, Ohio - Enrique Freeman notched a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds; while Ali Ali scored 17, which included his 1,000th point as a Zip, to help the Akron men's basketball team beat the Northern Illinois Huskies 80-73 at home Saturday.
In addition to Freeman's impressive performance, the Zips (21-8, 13-3) were led by Ali Ali, who had 17 points, six rebounds and four assists, and by Kaleb Thornton, who added six points and two steals.
Freeman pulled down five offensive rebounds to lead the Akron offense which grabbed 14 offensive boards and turned them into 22 second chance points.
After falling behind 23-18, Akron went on a 7-0 run with 6:49 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Freeman, to take a 25-23 lead. The Zips then surrendered that lead and entered halftime down 37-34.
After the intermission, Akron managed to gain control and had a 55-53 lead before going on an 8-0 run, finished off by Ryan Prather Jr.'s three, to grow the lead to 63-53 with 8:07 to go in the contest. The Huskies narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Zips still cruised the rest of the way for the 80-73 win.
UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE
Akron is one of 12 teams to hold a perfect record in conference play. Teams that the Zips have battled this season that are also undefeated in conference are Yale, Omaha and Saint Mary's.
HOT START TO #MACTION
The Blue and Gold have started conference play with seven straight wins. The Zips have started MAC play 7-0 in back-to back seasons under Coach Groce, with the Zips starting #MACtion 7-0 last season. The 7-0 start in 2023-24 and 2024-25 is the best start to an Akron led John Groce squad.
The last time the Zips started 7-0 was back in 2016-17 where the Zips ultimately started conference action with a 9-0 start. The 2012-13 squad started #MACtion to the tune of a 13-0 record. The Zips finish that season 26-7 overall and 14-2 in the MAC.
TAVARI JOHNSON - MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tavari Johnson was named the MAC Player of the Week on January 27. He becomes the third Zip this season to earn the weekly honor joining Nate Johnson (Nov. 25) and Amani Lyles (Jan. 20).
The junior guard averaged 17.5 points per game, 5.5 assists, an assist-turnover ratio of +2.8, 1.0 blocks and 0.5 steals per game for the week. On the week, Tavari shot .591 (13-of-22) and .556 (5-of-9) from 3-point range. Scoring 15 or more points in both games, Johnson recorded his fifth and sixth 15+ scoring performances of the season this past week
Tavri started the week dropping 20 points on Buffalo while shooting .613 (8-of-13) from the field and .571 (4-of-7) from beyond the arc. The electric guard dished out five assists while adding five rebounds, one steal and one block to his name in the 90-58 road victory.
Against a previously undefeated Miami squad, Johnson scored 15 points on a 5-of-9 (.556) shooting day that also saw him go a perfect 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. He'd supply six more assists against the RedHawks while adding one rebound and one block in a blowout 102-75 victory to keep Akron perfect in the MAC and at home.
AKRON IN THE MAC
Akron is 72-25 since the 2019-20 season in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.742) in the league. The Zips are 58-22 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 104-28 (.788) 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 241-108 overall (.690), including a 146-32 mark in MAC play at home (.820). The Zips' 241 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 156 of their last 220 MAC games (.709).
COMING OFF THE BENCH
Akron ranks 10th in the NCAA for bench production with 34.63 points per game. The Zips' bench has recorded 15 games with 30 or more points and six games with 40 or more points. The Akron bench recorded a season high 47 points at Eastern Michigan on January 11. The Akron bench has scored 30 or more points in nine consecutive games.
DISHING OUT DIMES
Ranking in the top-10 in assists per game, the Zips aren't afraid to share the rock. Akron has recorded 20 or more assists in 10 games with a season high 28 coming against Ohio Wesleyan (11/8/24)
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
Akron has scored 85 or more points in 11 games this season and is 11-0 when hitting that mark. The Zips have scored 85 or more points in the past six conference games.
FOUR OR MORE
Akron has had four or more players record double-figure scoring in 10 games this season. The season high is seven players scoring 10 or more points against SUNY Brockport (Dec. 7) and Eastern Michigan (Jan. 11). The most recent game to feature four or more Zips scoring in double figures was against Miami (OH) (Jan. 25) when six Zips scored 10 or more points.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Zips stay on the road when they travel to face the Kent State Golden Flashes for nationally televised game (CBS Sports Network)Â on Friday,January 31 for a 7 p.m. start.
