The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Northern Illinois
Zips Host NIU on Tuesday For Enrique Freeman Night
February 17 | Men's Basketball
Akron (20-5, 12-0 Mid-American) vs Northern Illinois (5-20, 1-11 Mid-American)
Tuesday, Feb. 18 – James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
7 pm ET – ESPN + - WHLO 640
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 342-218 | At Akron: 160-86
Northern Illinois:Â Rashon Burno | Overall Record: 38-80 | At Northern Illinois:Â Same
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads: 33-14 | Groce vs. NIU: 9-3 (13-3 Overall)
First Met: Jan. 23, 1988 (W, Akron75, NIU 68 At NIU)
Last Met: Jan. 28, 2025 (W, Akron 80, NIU 70 At NIU)
At Akron: 20-3 | At NIU: 13-11
Current Streak: 4W
INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday's game marks the 48th meeting in series history between Akron and NIU, and 17th meeting for a Groce coached squad. Akron holds an all-time 33-14 series advantage while Groce is 9-3 at Akron and 12-3 against the Huskies all-time.
The Zips have won 16 of the last 21 games against the Huskies. Akron is 13-11 all-time on the road against NIU while holding a 20-3 edge at the JAR.
Winning the last four meetings, the Zips took the first meeting this season with an 80-70 win on the road on January 28.
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.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
The Huskies come into Tuesday's game with a 5-20 overall record, a 1-11 record in the MAC and a 0-13 record on the road.
NIU is coming off an 89-83 overtime loss at Ball State on February 15. Trailing 38-20 at halftime, the Huskies scored 56 points to force an extra frame but fell to the Cardinals. Quentin Jones led NIU with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists, James Dent Jr. had 20 points and Tsvet Sotirov scored 14 points, all of which came after halftime. In the first meeting against the Zips Quentin Jones scored a game-high 25 points and James Dent Jr. added 22.
Quentin Jones leads the Huskies in points (16.5), assists (3.7) and steals (1.2). Terry Copeland Jr. is the leader in rebounds (6.0) while Ethan Butler is the Huskies leader in blocks (29).Â
Northern Illinois averages 71.6 points per game and has been outscored by their opponents this season by 5.1 points per game. The Huskies are shooting .414 from the field and .332 from beyond the arc with 9.2 3-point shots falling per game. NIU is also shooting .713 from the free-throw line. The Huskies averages 33.2 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 11.2 turnovers, 6.2 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.Â
The Huskies rank in the top five in the MAC in Opp. fg pct. (t4th - .443), made 3's per game (3rd - 9.2), def rebounds (4th - 25.6), turnover margin (3rd - +1.88) and blocked shot (2nd - 3.68).
NIU ranks 36th in the NCAA in 3-point shots attempted (27.6), 56th in 3's made per game (9.2), 78th in turnover margin (+1.9). Ethan Butler ranks 82nd in blocks per game (1.53) while Quentin Jones ranks 17th in minutes played per game (36:22).
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
The Zips host Northern Illinois on Tuesday as it looks to keep its winnings way rolling on Tuesday, February 18. Akron holds a 20-5 overall record, a 12-0 record in the MAC and a 13-0 record at the JAR.
The Zips are coming off an 85-82 victory at Central Michigan on February 15. Five Zips hit double-figure scoring with Nate Johnson leading the way with 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
N. Johnson leads the Zips in scoring (14.0) and steals (1.9). Nate is one of three Zips to average 10 or more points per game with Tavari Johnson (12.5) and Isaiah Gray (10.1) rounding out the list. T. Johnson leads Akron in assists (4.3) while James Okonkwo leads the Zips in rebounds (7.8). Amani Lyles leads the Zips in for blocks (27).
Akron is currently scoring 84.6 points per game and has outscored its opponents by 10.8 points per game this season. The Zips are shooting .469 from the field while shooting .366 from beyond the arc and averages 11.4 3-pointers per game. The Blue and Gold hold a .748 ft percentage while averaging 39.6 rebounds, 18.9 assists,12.6 turnovers, 7.9 steals and 3.8 blocks per game.
Akron is in the top five in the MAC for scoring offense (1st - 84.6), scoring defense (4th - 73.8), scoring margin (1st - +10.8), fg pct. (3rd - .469), opp. fg pct (2nd - .421), 3pt pct (2nd - .366), opp. 3pt pct (2nd - .312), 3pters made (1st - 11.4), ft pct (4th - .748), rebounds (1st - 39.6), off. rebounds (3rd - 12.0), def. rebounds (1st - 27.5), rebound margin (t1st - +4.2), assist-turnover margin (1st - +1.50), blocked shots (1st - 3.76), assists (1st - 18.92) and steals (3rd - 7.92).
The Zips rank 31st in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.50), 2nd in assists per game (18.9), 7th in bench points per game (33.64), 37th in effective fg pct. (.557), 20th in fastbreak points (14.60), 73rd in fg pct. (.469), 90th in fg pct def. (.421), 79th in ft pct. (.748), 56th in reb. margin (+4.4), 27th in def. rebounds (27.6), 63rd in off. rebounds (12.24), 21st in reb. per game (39.84), 29th in scoring margin (10.8), 6th in scoring offense (84.6), 74th in steals per game (7.9), 4th in 3-point shots attempted (31.3), 59th in 3pt pct. (.366), 63rd in 3pt def. (.312), 3rd in 3pt shots made per game (11.4), and 96th in turnovers forced per game (13.20). James Okonkwo ranks 94th in total rebounds (196), 74th in off. rebounds per game (2.84) and 78th in rebounds per game (7.8). Nate Johnson ranks 59th in total steals (48) and 61st in steals per game (1.92).
WINNING... IT'S WHAT WE DO
Akron is currently on a 13-game winning streak, which is currently the longest active streak in the country. Towson is second in the nation with a 12-game winning streak. The Citadel and Bellarmine hold the nation's longest losing streak with 17 straight defeats.
UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE
Akron (12-0) is one of two teams in Div. I to hold a perfect record in conference play. Yale (9-0) is the only other team in Div. I to remain perfect in conference. Five teams have yet to win a conference game this season.
HOT START TO #MACTION
The Blue and Gold have started conference play with 12 straight wins. The 12 wins to begin conference action is the best start for an Akron-led John Groce squad. The Blue and Gold started last season 7-0 in MAC play.
The last time the Zips started 12-0Â was when the 2012-13 squad began conference with 13 straight wins. The 2012-13 squad started #MACtion to the tune of a 13-0 record and finished that season 26-7 overall and 14-2 in the MAC.
AKRON IN THE MAC
Akron is 77-25 since the 2019-20 season in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.755) in the league. The Zips are 63-22 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 106-28 (.791) 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 246-108 overall (.695), including a 148-32 mark in MAC play at home (.822). The Zips' 246 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 161 of their last 225 MAC games (.715).
PERFECT AT HOME
Out of the 364 Div. I basketball teams, just 14 remain perfect at home. One of those teams is the Akron Zips, who have a 13-0 record at their home crib. Akron is the only team in the MAC to have a perfect home record. There is one team the Zips have played are perfect at home, which is Yale. New Orleans (Southland) is the only school yet to win at home this season. On the flip side, just Houston remains perfect on the road.
COMING OFF THE BENCH
Akron ranks 7th in the NCAA for bench production with 33.64 points per game. The Zips' bench has recorded 18 games with 30 or more points and eight games with 40 or more points. The Akron bench recorded a season high 49 points against Ball State om February 4.
DISHING OUT DIMES
Ranking in the top-10 in assists per game in the NCAA (2nd - 18.9), the Zips aren't afraid to share the rock. Akron has recorded 20 or more assists in 13 games with a season high 28 coming against Ohio Wesleyan (11/8/24).Â
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Zips travel to Ohio to battle the Bobcats on Saturday, February 6 p.m. The two schools will be featured on ESPN2
