The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Iona
Zips Begin Paradise Jam with Iona on Friday
November 20 | Men's Basketball
AKRON, Ohio - The Akron Zips battle Iona for the sixth time in the all-time series on Friday, November 21 for a 5:30 p.m. start. Akron and Iona can be viewed on ESPN+ with Brad Wells (PxP) and Kevin Lehman (Analyst) on the call. Fans can listen to the action on the Akron Sports Radio Network on FOX Sports 1350 AM WARF with Dave Skoczen (PxP) and Joe Dunn (Analyst) on the call. Live stats are also available on GoZips.com/coverage.
Akron (3-1, 0-0 Mid-American) vs Iona (4-0, 0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
Friday, Nov.21 – UVI Arena – St. Thomas, USVI
5:30 pm ET – FOX Sports 1350 AM WARF
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 353-221 | At Akron: 171-89
Iona: Dan Geriot | Overall Record: 4-0 | At Iona: Same
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads 5-0 | Groce vs Iona: First Meeting
First Met:Dec. 20, 1955 (Akron 67, Iona 54) In Quantico, Va.
Last Met: Dec. 13, 2015 (Akron 78, Iona 64) In Las Vegas, Nev.
Current Streak: W5
LAST TIME OUT (AT NO. 2/1 PURDUE 11/16/25)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Tavari Johnson scored 20 points to lead all scorers, but the Akron men's basketball team fell to the Purdue Boilermakers 97-79 on the road Sunday.
The Zips (3-1) had three players score in double figures, led by Johnson, who had 20 points. Evan Mahaffey tacked on 12 points and two steals and Eric Mahaffey helped out with 10 points and four assists. Shammah Scott had a productive day for the Zips, putting up nine points, a team-high five assists and three rebounds.
The Akron offense was very productive from deep, making 13 threes on 33 attempts. Five Zips connected on multiple long range shots against the Boilermakers.
Akron forced 13 Purdue turnovers while committing 10. Those takeaways turned into 11 points on the offensive end of the floor. Four Zips forced multiple steals on the night.
Akron struggled out of the gate, falling behind 52-39 heading into halftime.
Purdue kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 95-70 advantage before Akron went on a 6-0 run to shrink the deficit to 95-76 with 1:13 to go in the contest. The Zips kept their comeback going, but Purdue managed to hold on for the 97-79 win. Akron shot well from three-point range in the half, hitting six shots from deep to score 18 of its 40 points.
LAST TIME AGAINST IONA (12/23/2015)
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of Akron men's basketball team improved its winning streak to six games after defeating non-conference opponent Iona, 78-64, on the final day of the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. Akron handed Iona (4-6) its second consecutive loss while the Zips improved 9-2 overall, which is the best start in head Coach Keith Dambrot's tenure.
Junior center Isaiah Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) earned the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic Most Valuable Player award while senior wing Jake Kretzer (Bainbridge, Ohio) and sophomore guard Noah Robotham (Las Vegas, Nev.) were selected to the All-Tournament team.
For the second-straight game, six Zips scored in double figures. Johnson recorded his second double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds while senior wing Reggie McAdams (Elida, Ohio) led the Zips in scoring with 16 points. McAdams connected with three triples and pulled down a second-best seven rebounds. Kretzer followed with 13 points and five boards while sophomore guard Antino Jackson (Houston, Texas) and junior forward Kwan Cheatham, Jr. (Cincinnati, Ohio) chipped in 11 points each. Robotham rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and added a team-high four assists.
For the game, Akron connected with 29-of-63 shots from the field, finishing at 46.0 percent. The Zips connected with 13 long-range jumpers (13-of-33) for a 39.4 percent effort while making 7-of-9 free throws for a 77.8 percent performance from the charity stripe. Iona shot 44.4 percent from the field (25-of-54) and just 25.0 percent from downtown (5-of-20). The Gaels were 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) from the charity stripe.
Akron won the battle of the boards 38-30 while causing 13 turnovers with five steals. The Gaels caused 14 turnovers and had seven steals.
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips will begin a three-game swing in the U.S. Virgin Islands when they battle the Iona Gales on Friday, November 21 to begin the Paradise Jam.
Akron and Iona will meet for the sixth time and the second straight meeting on a neutral site.
The Zips recently fell to No. 2/1 Purdue 91-79 on November 16. Tavari Johnson led all scorers with 20 points, while Evan Mahaffey tacked on 12 points and two steals and Eric Mahaffey helped out with 10 points and four assists. Shammah Scott had a productive day for the Zips, putting up nine points, a team-high five assists and three rebounds.
The Zips will face either Oregon State or Evansville on November 22 or 23, depending on the results from Friday. The Blue and Gold will conclude the Paradise Jam on November 24.
Akron is scoring 94.2 points per game while outscoring its opponents by 22.2 points per game. The Zips shoot .464 from the field while shooting .340 from beyond the arc and averaged 12.2 3-pointers per game. The Blue and Gold hold a .761 ft percentage while averaging 44.5 rebounds, 22.0 assists, 7.8 turnovers, 10.0 steals and 4.5 blocks per game.
Akron ranks in the top five in the MAC in scoring offense (2nd - 94.3), scoring margin (2nd - 22.3), opp fg pct (2nd - .384), 3pters made per game (12.3), ft pct (3rd - .761), rebounds per game (1st - 44.5), off rebounds (1st - 15.3), def rebounds (3rd - 29.3), rebound margin (4th - 6.3), turnover margin (2nd - +7.75), assist-turnover margin (1st - +2.44), blocked shots (3rd - 4.50), assists (1st - 22.0) and steals (2nd - 10.0)
Akron ranks 5th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+2.44), 7th in assists per game (22.0), 69th in bench points per game (33.5), 92nd in blocks per game (4.5), 69th in fastbreak points (16.5), 61st in fg pct defense (.384), 16th for fewest fouls per game (13.8), 65th in ft pct (.761), def rebounds (29.25), 35th in off rebounds (15.25),31st in rebounds per game (44.5), 37th in scoring margin (+22.3), 21st in scoring offense (94.3), 41st in steals per game (10.0), 2nd in 3pters attempted per game (36.0), 14th in made 3pters per game (12.3), 11th in turnover margin (+7.8) and 43rd in fewest turnovers per game (9.0).
Individually, Shammah Scott ranks 6th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+9.0). Evan Mahaffey ranks 26th in assist-turnover ratio (+5.67). Tavari Johnson ranks 98th in assist-turnover ratio (+3.4). Amani Lyles ranks 58th in fg pct (.625).
SCOUTING THE GALES
The Iona Gales enter the Paradise Jam with a 4-0 record to begin the season, most recently defeating Princeton, 89-69, at home.
Iona has also defeated Hofstra and Fordham at home while taking down Kansas City on the road.
Iona is 4-0 for the first time since starting 6-0 in 2021-22, and for the 11th time in program history.
Against the Princeton Tigers, Iona saw six players reach double-figure scoring, with Denver Anglin and Toby Harris leading the way with 13 points each. Chase Comier scored 11 while three other Gales recorded 10 points. C.J. Anthony came close to a double-double with nine assists to go along with his 10 points.
Anthony leads the way in points (15.5) and assists (6.8). Lamin Sabally is the leader in rebounds (8.3) and steals (2.8). Khalil Badru and Sabally pace the Gales in blocks with four on the season.
As a team, the Gales average 87.8 points per game and outscore their opponents by 11.8 points. Iona shoots .506 from the field and .402 from beyond the arc, with 10.3 3-pointers falling per game. Iona shoots .674 from the free throw line while averaging 35.3 rebounds per game, 17.0 assists, 13.0 turnovers, 8.0 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.
Iona ranks in the top five in the MAAC in scoring offense (1st - 87.8), scoring margin (1st - 11.8), fg pct (1st - .506), opp fg pct (4th - .427), 3pt pct 1st - .402), opp 3pt pct (1st. -.198), 3pters made per game (2nd - 10.3), def rebounds (4th - 26.8), turnover margin (4th - +1.25), assist-turnover ratio (2nd - +1.31) and assists (2nd - 17.00).
Iona ranks 90th in the NCAA for assists per game (17.0), 34th in effective fg pct (.586), 40th in fg pct (.506), 73rd in scoring offense (87.8), 29th in 3pt pct (.402), 4th in 3pt defense (.198) and 59th in made 3pters per game (10.3).
Individually, C.J. Anthony ranks 40th in total assists (27), 20th in assists per game (6.8), 58th in ft attempts (34) and 92nd in made ft (24). Lamin Sabally ranks 92nd in rebounds per game (8.3), 57th in steals (11) and 31st in steals per game (2.75). Toby Harris ranks 21st in 3pt pct (.571).
REGULAR SEASON TOURNAMENTS
Akron is 73-49 all-time and 52-42 in the Division I era (since 1980) in regular season tournaments and 12-14 under Groce.
In 2024, the Zips went 1-1 at the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas after falling to Yale in the opening game 74-58 before rebounding with a 68-50 victory over Jackson State. Shammah Scott was named to the All-Tournament Team. Akron concluded the Akron Basketball Classic with a 3-0 record with wins over Lamar (79-72), Nebraska Omaha (92-84) and Alabama State (97-78). Nate Johnson was named the tournament MVP while Isaiah Gray and Amani Lyles were named to the all-tournament team.
2023-24 saw Akron go 1-2 at the Cayman Islands Classic, posting a win over FIU before falling to Utah State and Drake. Akron posted a 1-2 record at the 2022 Cayman Islands Classic, defeating Western Kentucky and advancing to the semifinals before falling to LSU and finishing fourth overall after falling to Nevada.
The Zips registered a 1-2 record in the 2021 Gulf Coast Showcase, a 3-1 record in the Global Sports Shootout, and a 1-1 mark in the DC Holiday Hoops Fest, In 2018-19, the Zips went 2-2 at the Cayman Island Classic, and in Groce's first season, Akron posted an 0-3 mark at the 2018 Diamond Head Classic.
Akron has posted multiple wins in 16 of the last 20 in-season tournaments, including four championships. The Zips won two tournaments in 2016-17, the Savannah Invitational (4-0) and the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational (2-0). In 2015-16, Akron went 2-0 at the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic to claim the title. Akron won the Akron Baskeball Classic in 2024-25 with a 3-0 record.
In 2014-15, Akron posted a 2-1 record in the Gildan Charleston Classic following the previous tournament runs at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off (2012, 2-1), 2K Sports Classic (2011, 2-2), the Las Vegas Holiday Hoops Classic (2010, 3-1), the Glenn Wilkes Classic (2009, 2-2), the Legends Classic (2008, 2-2), the Top of the World Classic (2007, 2-1) and the San Juan Shootout (2005, 2-1).
NON-CONFERENCE FOES AT THE JAR
Under John Groce, Akron is 50-1 (.980) at home against non-conference opponents. Akron is on a 40-0 run against non-conference foes at the JAR since losing to Marshall on Dec. 15, 2018.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Zips own a 488-136 (.782) all-time record at the James A. Rhodes Arena. In the last 21 seasons, Akron has posted a 284-40 (.876) record at the JAR. Akron is currently on a 19-game winning streak at the JAR dating back to the 2024-25 season, which currently is tied for the second longest home winning streak in the country.
Under coach Groce, Akron is 109-15 (.879) at home. The Zips were 15-1 at home in 2022-23,13-1 in 2023-24 and16-0 at the JAR in 2024-25.
Akron owns a 103-21 (.831) home-opening record and 39-4 (.907) at Rhodes Arena. The Zips have been winners in the last 23-of-24 home opening games. Akron is 21-8 in MAC openers, and 12-1 at home since joining the league in 1992. Over the last 18 seasons, the Zips are 15-3 in MAC openers and 7-1 at home. Akron has won the last 9-of-10 MAC openers.
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. 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.
FOUR OR MORE
The Zips have had four or more players score in double-figure scoring in three game this season. The most recent game with four or more Zips scoring in double figures happend on Nov. 11 when five Zips score 10 or more points against PSU Shenango.
Akron had four or more players record double-figure scoring in 21 games in the 2024-25 season. The season high was seven players scoring 10 or more points against SUNY Brockport (Dec. 7) and Eastern Michigan (Jan. 11).
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
The Zips are 3-0 this season when scoring 85 or more points. The Zips have scored 85 or more points in three straight games, with the most recent being 109 against PSU Shenango on Nov. 12.
Akron scored 85 or more points in 19 games in 2024-25 and were 19-0 when hitting that mark.
Under John Groce, Akron is 54-3 (.947) all-time when scoring 85 or more points.
WE'LL TAKE YOUR BEST
The Zips will take on three teams picked to finish in their respective preseason polls. Purdue, who was tabbed the No. 1 team in the preseason AP-Top 25 and Coaches Poll, was picked to finish first in the Big 10, James Madison was picked to finish first in the Sun Belt while Milwaukee was picked to finish 1st in the Horizon League.
Other teams the Zips will face in non-conference action this season picked to finish in the top-three are Tulane (3rd - American Conference) and Murray State (3rd - MVC).
NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENT RANKINGS
(Div. 1 Opponents)
James Madison (SBC) - 1st
Princeton (Ivy) - 4th
Purdue (B1G) - 1st
Iona (MAAC) - 6th
Milwaukee (HL) - 1st
Bucknell (PL) - 5th
Tulane (AC) - 3rd
Murray State (MVC) - 3rd
STAYING IN STATE
Akron features 10 players from the state of Ohio on the 2025-26 roster. Those include Amani Lyles, Shammah Scott, Eric Mahaffey, Tai Perkins, Josh Henderson, Cody Head, Conner Groce, Evan Mahaffey, Bowen Hardman and Zach Halligan.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Akron will battle either Evansville or Oregon State on November 22 or 23. Time, date and opponent will be determined based on results from Friday.
