The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Eastern Michigan
Zips Travel to Eastern Michigan on Tuesday
February 02 | Men's Basketball
Akron and Eastern Michigan can be viewed on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley (PxP) and Reggie Butler (Analyst) on the call. Fans can listen to the action on the Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen (PxP) and Joe Dunn (Analyst) on the call. Live stats are also available on GoZips.com/coverage
Akron (18-4, 9-1 Mid-American) at Eastern Michigan (9-13, 3-7 Mid-American)
Tuesday, Feb. 3 – Gervin GameAbove Center – Ypsilanti, Mich.
6:30 pm ET – ESPN+ – WHLO 640 AM
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 368-224 | At Akron: 186-92
Eastern Michigan: Stan Heath | Overall Record: 265-298 | At Eastern Michigan: 56-91
ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron Leads 39-24 | Groce vs Eastern Michigan: 13-6 (11-4 at UA)
First Met: Feb. 3, 1968 At Akron (Akron, 62, Eastern Michigan. 55)
Last Met: Dec. 19, 2025 At Akron (Akron 93, Eastern Michigan 72)
Current Streak: W2
At Akron: 21-10 | At EMU: 15-13 Neutral: 3-1
INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday's game marks the 64th meeting in series history between Akron and Eastern Michigan. It's the 20th meeting for a Groce-coached squad, 16th at Akron. Akron holds a 39-24 all-time series advantage while Groce is 13-6 overall against the Eagles all-time and 11-4 at Akron.
The Zips have won 29 of the last 36 meetings, including 16-of-20 games after falling to EMU on March 5, 2024 on a last second dunk.
Akron is 1-0 against EMU this season after defending the JAR with a 93-72 victory to being MAC play on December 19, 2025.
Akron secured a 105-81 victory at EMU last season as seven Zips scored in double figures. Akron's 105 points marked just second time an opponent has surpassed 100 points at the George Gervin GameAbove Center (since 1998-99). Florida Atlantic scored 101 points, Dec. 4, 2022, making the 2023 Final Four.
The Zips split the season series in 2023-24 after winning at EMU77-46 while falling at the JAR 61-60. Akron swept EMU in 2022-23, winning 104-67 at the JAR while winning 78-51 on the road. The Zips swept the 2021-22 series, winning 46-44 at James A. Rhodes Arena and 67-48 at Gervin GameAbove Center. The two teams split the 2020-21 season series with lopsided victories defending their respective home courts. Eastern Michigan won the first meeting this season 71-59 at EMU Convention Center and Akron claimed the second meeting 86-65 at The JAR.
LAST TIME OUT (VS KENT STATE 1/30/26)
AKRON, Ohio - The Akron men's basketball team recorded its 28th consecutive win at James A. Rhodes Arena while defeating Kent State 69-52 on Friday.
Akron's 28 game home winning streak currently stands as the longest in the nation. The Blue and Gold have also defeated Kent State in the previous six contests.
The Zips did a great job at limiting Kent State from deep, holding the Golden Flashes to a 4.3 percent night from 3-point range in a 1-for-23 shooting performance.
The Zips (18-4, 9-1) had two players score in double figures, led by Tavari Johnson, who had 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Bowen Hardman tacked on 15 points off of the bench. Eric Mahaffey, Evan Mahaffey and Shammah Scott all recorded nine points in the win.
Chabi Barre pulled down two offensive rebounds to pace the Akron offense which grabbed 10 boards and turned them into eight second chance points.
After playing to a 2-2 tie, Akron went on a 9-0 run with 16:59 left in the first half to take an 11-2 lead. The Zips then maintained that lead and entered halftime with a 38-29 advantage. Akron relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down six shots to account for 18 of its 38 points.
Akron kept its lead intact before going on a 12-0 run, finished off by Hardman's three, to grow the lead to 50-33 with 12:25 to go in the contest. The Zips held onto that lead for the rest of the game for the 69-52 win. Akron shot well from three-point range in the half, hitting five shots from deep to score 15 of its 31 points.
LAST TIME AGAINST EASTERN MICHIGAN (12/19/25)
AKRON, Ohio - Tavari Johnson led the Zips with 25 points while Amani Lyles and Evan Mahaffey both recorded double-doubles to help lead the Akron men's basketball team to a 93-72 victory over Eastern Michigan at home on Friday.
Akron has now won their last eight Mid-American Conference openers under John Groce and are 26-8 in MAC openers since joining the conference in 1992. The Zips have also posted victories in 22-straight home games. The Zips (9-3, 1-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Johnson, who had 25 points, five assists and four steals. Lyles tacked on a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds while adding four assists and two blocks. Evan Mahaffey chipped in with his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 10 rebounds while adding four assists and one steal.
Akron recorded a season-high 70 points in the paint.
Akron out-rebounded Eastern Michigan 44-36 in Friday's game, paced by Lyles' 12 boards. The Zips also pulled down 14 offensive rebounds and scored 18 second chance points.
The Akron defense held Eastern Michigan shooters to just 39.1 percent from the field, including 26.3 percent from three-point range.
Akron shared the ball well against the Eagles, recording 22 assists on 39 made baskets. Tavari Johnson and Eric Mahaffey led the Zips with five assists while Lyles and Evan Mahaffey added four assists each.
After jumping out to a 32-27 advantage, Akron went on an 8-0 run with 5:08 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Bowen Hardman, to increase its lead to 40-27. The Zips then added one point to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 48-34 advantage. Akron did most of its first half damage in the paint, scoring 34 of its 48 points close to the basket.
Following intermission, Akron kept widening that lead, expanding it to 74-53 before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Lyles' layup, to grow the lead to 81-53 with 6:11 to go in the contest. The Eagles narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Zips still cruised the rest of the way for the 93-72 win. Akron took care of business in the paint, recording 36 of its 45 points in the lane.
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
Akron travels to face Eastern Michigan on Tuesday, February 3.
The Zips enter Tuesday's contest with an 18-4 overall record and a 9-1 record in the MAC. The Blue and Gold are 4-2 on the road this season.
Akron recently defeated Kent State, 69-52, to record its eighth straight win, the 28th straight win at the JAR and sixth straight over Kent State. The Zips were led by Tavari Johnson's 16 points while Bowen Hardman added 15. Akron did a great job at limiting Kent State from deep, holding the Golden Flashes to a 4.3 percent night from 3-point range in a 1-for-23 shooting performance.
Johnson leads the Zips in points (20.3) and assists (5.5). Amani Lyles leads the Blue and Gold in rebounds (7.5) while Evan Mahaffey leads the way in steals (1.8) and total blocks (17).
Akron is scoring 91.5 points per game while outscoring its opponents by 17.0 points per game. The Zips shoot .514 from the field while shooting .381 from beyond the arc and average 11.0 3s per game. The Blue and Gold hold a .764 ft percentage while averaging 38.3 rebounds, 19.9 assists, 11.0 turnovers, 7.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.
Akron ranks in the top five in the MAC in scoring offense (2nd - 91.5), scoring margin (2nd - +17.0), fg pct (2nd - .514), opp fg pct (1st - .420), 3pt pct (3rd - .381), opp 3pt pct (5th - .332), ft pct (3rd - .764), rebounds (2nd - 38.3), off rebounds (4th - 11.8), def rebounds (3rd - 26.5), rebound margin (3rd - +4.9), turnover margin (2nd - +3.09), assist-turnover ratio (1st - +1.81), assists (1st - 19.86) and steals (2nd - 7.82).
The Zips rank 10th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.81), 4th in assists per game (19.9), 42nd in bench points (29.86), 6th in effective fg pct (.598), 23rd in fastbreak points (15.41), 7th in fg pct (.514), 79th in fg pct defense (.420), 67th in fewest fouls per game (16.1), 46th in ft pct (.764), 71st in rebound margin (+4.8), 67th in def rebounds (26.45), 73rd in rebounds per game (38.27), 10th in scoring margin (17.0), 5th in scoring offense (91.5), 84th in steals per game (7.8), 20th in 3pt pct (.381), 11th in made 3s per game (11.0), 35th in turnover margin (+3.1) and 55th in forced turnovers per game (14.09).
Individually, Evan Mahaffey ranks 47th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+2.86) and 89th in total steals (39). Tavari Johnson ranks 63rd in assist-turnover ratio (+2.69), 36th in total assists (121), 42nd in assists per game (5.5), 67th in fg pct (.544), 8th in total fg made (167), 18th in ft pct (.909), 24th in total points (446) and 25th in points per game (20.3). Amani Lyles ranks 82nd in double-doubles (5), 29th in fg pct (.597) and 68th in def rebounds per game (5.64).
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Eastern Michigan enters Tuesday's contest with a 9-13 overall record and a 3-7 record in the MAC. The Eagles are 6-3 at home this season and are currently on a four-game losing skid.
Gregory Lawson II poured in a career-high 20 points in the Eagles' loss at UMass on Saturday, January 31. Mohammad Habhab added 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
Habhab leads the Eagles in points (14.3), assists (3.0) and rebounds (8.1). Carlos Hart serves as the leader in steals (1.3), while Godslove Nwabude has recorded a team-high 28 total blocks.
Eastern Michigan is scoring 71.5 points per game while being outscored by its opponents by 1.5 points per game. The Eagles shoot .446 from the field while shooting .324 from beyond the arc and average 16.1 3s per game. Eastern Michigan holds a .727 ft percentage while averaging 35.5 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 12.0 turnovers, 6.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game.
Eastern Michigan ranks in the top five in the MAC in scoring defense (3rd - 73.0), opp fg pct (5th - .444), opp 3pt pct (4th - .326) and blocked shots (2nd - 3.95).
The Eagles rank 94th in the NCAA in blocks per game (4.0).
Individually, Mohammad Habhab ranks 29th in the NCAA in double-doubles (8), 82nd in total rebounds (171), 30th in def rebounds per game (6.24), 63rd in rebounds per game (8.1), 23rd in minutes played per game (35:49) and third in triple-doubles (1). Addison Patterson ranks 51st in fg pct (.567).
TAVARI JOHNSON: PLAYER OF THE WEEK (2/2)
For the second time this season. University of Akron guard Tavari Johnson was named the Mid-American Conference Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday, February 2
Nearly recording double-doubles in back-to-back games, Tavari Johnson helped the Akron Zips to a 2-0 week. Averaging 20.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, Johnson went 14-of-27 (.519) from the field, 6-of-12 (.500) from beyond the arc and 7-of-7 (1.000) from the free throw line.
He started the week by recording 25 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals in a 91-81 win over Toledo while shooting 50 percent from the field (9-18).
In a 69-52 win over rival Kent State, he added 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists to his resume.
AKRON IN THE MAC
Akron is 92-27 since the 2019-20 season in MAC play, owning the highest winning percentage (.773) in the league. The Zips are 77-24 in the MAC under the new conference format without divisions (new in 2020-21). Akron is 115-28 (.804) 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 260-110 overall (.703), including a 157-32 mark in MAC play at home (.831). The Zips' 260 wins are the most in the league during that stretch. The Zips have won 175 of their last 260 MAC games (.673).
HOT START TO #MACTION
The Zips have gotten off to a hot start to begin MAC play under John Groce's guidance. The Zips have started at least 9-1 in four straight season (25-26: 9-1 | 24-25: 10-0 | 23-24: 9-1 | 22-23: 9-1) and at least 7-3 in the past seven seasons.
Akron started the 2025 MAC schedule with 13 straight wins before falling at Ohio on Feb. 22. The 13 wins to begin conference action is the best start for a UA-led John Groce squad.
The last, and only other time, the Zips started 13-0 was back in 2012-13. The 2012-13 squad finished 26-7 overall and 14-2 in the MAC. Akron holds the best start to MAC play at 13-0 with both the 2012-13 and 2024-25 squads hitting that mark.
Kent State (2001-02) and Toledo (2022-23) hold the conference record for most consecutive MAC wins with 15 each. The Rockets' regular season MAC win streak eventually ended with a total of 20 in a row, spanning from January, 14 2023 to January 16, 2024.
ON THE ROAD
Akron is 4-2 in road contest this season, falling to No. 2/1 Purdue and (RV) Miami (OH) while defeating Tulane, Bowling Green, Buffalo and Ohio.
The Zips were 8-4 on the road in 2024-25.
TOP 10 FOR ASSISTS AND CLIMBING
Tavari Johnson entered the top 10 for career assists with 10 assists against CMU (Jan. 6). Standing with 346 assists, Johnson needs 6 more to pass Nate Barnett (1972-75) who is 6th all-time with 351 assists.
1K SCORING AS A ZIP AND CLIMBING
Tavari Johnson recorded his 1,000th career point wearing the Akron Blue and Gold against Concord on Dec. 29, 2025 with a 28 point performance. He became the 50th player in program history to record 1k points. Johnson, who stands at 1,180 points, currently ranks as the 30th highest scorer in program history.
THE SENIOR CLASS: A WHOLE LOT OF WINNING
Akron's senior class has seen a great deal of success wearing the Blue and Gold. Since the 2022-23 season, the Zips have gone 92-33 (.800) overall and 52-12 (.812) in the MAC. Akron has also claimed the MAC Regular Season Title (2025) and MAC Tournament Title (2024+25) in that span as well.
SINCE 19-20
Since the 2019-20 season, Akron has recorded a 155-58 (.727) overall record and an 92-27 (.773) record in the MAC. The Zips have claimed the MAC Regular Season Title twice ('20,'25) and the MAC Tournament Title three times as well ('22,'24'25).
RAINING 3S
Ranking in the top 15 for made 3's per game (11th - 11.0), Akron has been one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country the past couple of seasons. The Zips have made 10 or more 3pters in 16 games this season, with a season-high 20 falling against Western Michigan. Akron tied the program record for 3s in a game against the Broncos.
Akron is 14-2 this season when hitting 10 or more 3s and went 18-2 in during the 2024-25 season. Under the direction of John Groce, Akron is 102-22 (.823) when making 10 or more 3's.
Akron ranked 8th in the nation for made 3's per game in 2024-25 (10.7). The Blue and Gold hit 10 or more 3's in 20 games, 15 or more in six, while connecting on 19 3's against South Alabama (Feb. 8), which is the second most in program history.
DISHING OUT DIMES
Ranking in the top 10 in assists per game in the NCAA (4th - 19.9), the Zips aren't afraid to share the rock. Akron has recorded 20 or more assists in 10 games with a season high 32 coming against PSU Shenango (Nov. 12). The most recent game with 20+ assists was at Buffalo (21) on Jan. 20, 2026.
The Zips are 10-0 this season when recording 20 or more assists and 37-0 with John Groce leading the Blue and Gold.
Akron is also one of the top teams in the country when it comes to assist-turnover ratio, ranking No. 10 (+1.81).
The Zips ranked 4th in the nation in assists per game (17.7) last season. The Blue and Gold recorded 20 or more assists in 15 games with a season high 28 coming against Ohio Wesleyan (11/8/24).
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
One of the nation's top scoring team's, Akron ranks in the top 10 in scoring offense (5th - 91.5). The Zips are 14-2 this season when scoring 85 or more points. The most recent game this season to feature 85 or more points was 91 against Toledo on Jan 27.
Akron scored 85 or more points in 19 games in 2024-25, were 19-0 when hitting that mark and finished ranked No.8 in the nation in scoring offense (84.0).
Under John Groce, Akron is 65-5 (.928) when scoring 85 or more points.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Akron travels to Troy, Ala., to battle the Troy Trojans as part of the MAC-SBC Challenge on February 7 for a 6 p.m. ET start. Akron and Troy will be featured on ESPN2.
