The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Troy
Zips Travel to Troy for MAC-SBC Challenge on Saturday
February 06 | Men's Basketball
Akron (19-4, 10-1 Mid-American) at Troy (16-8, 9-3 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Feb. 7 – Trojan Arena – Troy, Ala.
6 pm ET – ESPN2 – WHLO 640 AM
HEAD COACHES
Akron: John Groce | Overall Record: 369-224 | At Akron: 187-92
Troy:Â Scott Cross | Overall Record: 344-256 | At Troy: 119-95
ALL-TIME SERIES
First Meeting | Groce vs Troy: 0-0
LAST TIME OUT (AT EASTERN MICHIGAN 2/3/26)
YPSILANTI, Mich. - Bowen Hardman hit a 3-pointer with only nine seconds remaining on the clock to put the Akron men's basketball team up for good in a 66-64 win against the Eastern Michigan Eagles on the road Tuesday.
The Zips (19-4, 10-1) had four players score in double figures, led by Tavari Johnson, who had 17 points and six rebounds. Hardman tacked on 12 points, Evan Mahaffey helped out with 12 points and two steals, while Sharron Young added 12 points, three steals and two rebounds
Amani Lyles pulled down four offensive rebounds to pace the Akron offense which grabbed 10 boards and turned them into 14 second chance points.The Zips turned 16 takeaways into 14 points on the other end of the floor. Sharron Young's three steals led the way for Akron.
Lyles's eight rebounds led the Zips while Eric Mahaffey's seven and Johnson's six were close behind.
After falling behind 26-24, Akron went on a 5-0 run with 4:28 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Johnson, to take a 29-26 lead. The Zips then added one point to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 31-27 advantage. Akron relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down seven shots to account for 21 of its 31 points.
Eastern Michigan proceeded to take a 52-43 lead before Akron went on an 8-0 run, finished off by Shammah Scott's three, to shrink the deficit to 52-51 with 6:41 to go in the contest. The Zips kept the rally going and took the lead for good on Hardman's three-pointer with 00:09 left for a 66-64 comeback victory. Akron made the most of seven offensive rebounds to tack on seven second chance points out of 35 total in the period.
MAC-SBC CHALLENGE
This will mark the third season the Mid-American and Sun Belt Conferences will battle in the MAC-SBC Challenge. Akron is 3-2 all-time in the challenge with a perfect record at home.
Akron has picked up wins over Southern Miss (2023-24), South Alabama (2024-25) and James Madison (2025-26) at the JAR while falling to James Madison (2023-24) and Arkansas State (2024-25) on the road.
ON THE ROAD
Akron is 5-2 in road contest this season, falling to No. 2/1 Purdue and (RV) Miami (OH) while defeating Tulane, Bowling Green, Buffalo,Ohio and Eastern Michigan.
The Zips were 8-4 on the road in 2024-25.
ZIPS AT A GLANCE
Akron travels to battle Troy in the second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge in the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
The Zips enter Tuesday's contest with a 19-4 overall record and a 10-1 record in the MAC. The Blue and Gold are 5-2 on the road this season.
Akron is 1-0 in the MAC-SBC Challenge with a win over JMU earlier in the season.
Akron recently defeated Eastern Michigan, 66-64, on the road Tuesday. Bowen Hardman hit a clutch 3-pointer with nine seconds left to put Akron on top.
Johnson leads the Zips in points (20.1) and assists (5.4). Amani Lyles leads the Blue and Gold in rebounds (7.5) while Evan Mahaffey leads the way in steals (1.8). Lyles and Mahaffey are tied for total blocks (17).
Akron is scoring 90.4 points per game while outscoring its opponents by 16.4 points. The Zips shoot .508 from the field while shooting .377 from beyond the arc and average 11.0 3s per game. The Blue and Gold hold a .764 ft percentage while averaging 38.1 rebounds, 19.4 assists, 11.0 turnovers, 7.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.
The Zips rank in the top five in the MAC in scoring offense (2nd - 90.4), scoring defense (4th - 74.0), scoring margin (2nd - +16.4), fg pct (2nd - .508), fg pct def (1st - .419), 3pt pct (3rd - .377), 3s made per game (1st - 11.0), ft pct (3rd - .764), rebounds (2nd - 38.1), off rebounds (4th - 11.7), def rebounds (3rd - 26.3), turnover margin (2nd - +3.09), assist-turnover ratio (1st - +1.76), assists (1st - 19.43) and steals (3rd - 7.78).
Akron ranks 14th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.76), 5th in assists per game (19.4), 46th in bench points per game (29.39), 6th in effective fg pct (.592), 34th in fastbreak points (15.04), 14th in fg pct (.508), 74th in fg pct defense (.419), 56th in fewest fouls per game (16.0), 44th in ft pct (.764), 78th in rebound margin (+4.3), 76th in def rebounds (26.3), 74th in rebounds per game (38.04), 11th in scoring margin (+16.4), 9th in scoring offense (90.4), 88th in steals per game (7.8), 26th in 3pt pct (.377), 13th in made 3s per game (11.0), 39th in turnover margin (+3.1) and 51st in fewest turnovers per game (14.17).
Individually, Evan Mahaffey ranks 44th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+2.89) and 80th in total steals (41). Tavari Johnson ranks 82nd in assist-turnover ratio (+2.53), 40th in total assists (124), 49th in assists per game (5.4), 84th in fg pct (.534), 10th in total fg made (172), 21st in ft pct (.904), 23rd in total points (463) and 27th in points per game (20.1). Amani Lyles ranks 88th in double-doubles (5), 36th in fg pct (.587), 98th in total rebounds (171) and 74th in def rebounds per game (5.57).
SCOUTING THE Trojans
Troy enters Saturday's contest with a 16-8 overall record and a 9-3 record in the Sun Belt. The Trojans are 7-3 at home so far this season.
Five Trojans scored in double figures in a 74-63 victory over Georgia State on Wednesday. Thomas Dowd led the way with a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double while shooting7-of-12 from the field.
Victor Valdes leads the way in scoring (16.0) while Cooper Campbell is the leader in assists (4.8) and steals (1.7). Dowd leads the way in rebounds (10.3) and total blocks (30).
Troy is scoring 83.3 points per game while outscoring its opponents by 8.1 points. The Trojans shoot .452 from the field while shooting .343 from beyond the arc and average 9.8 3s per game. Troy holds a .730 ft percentage while averaging 39.1 rebounds, 16.5 assists, 11.9 turnovers, 8.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.
The Trojans rank in the top five in the SBC in scoring offense (1st - 83.3), scoring margin (1st - +6.1), fg pct (4th - .452), 3pt pct (3rd - .343), rebounds (4th - 39.1), off rebounds (2nd - 12.9), def rebounds (5th - 26.2), rebound margin (4th - +2.9), turnover margin (3rd - +2.08), assist-turnover ratio (2nd - +1.39), assists (2nd - 16.54) and steals (2nd- 8.83).
Troy ranks 86th in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+1.39), 85th in def rebounds per game (26.17), 50th in off rebounds per game (12.92), 44th in rebounds per game (39.08), 77th in scoring margin (+8.1), 49th in scoring offense (83.3), 38th in steals per game (8.8), 45th in made 3s per game (9.8) and 71st in turnover margin (+2.1).
Individually, Cooper Campbell ranks 43rd in the NCAA in assist-turnover ratio (+2.90), 57th in total assists (116), 77th in assists per game (4.8) and 97th in total steals (40). Victor Valdes ranks 85th in total assists (107) and 93rd in assists per game (4.7). Thomas Dowd ranks 6th in double-doubles (14), 35th in ft attempts (160), 40th in made ft (121), 38th in minutes played per game (35:30), 5th in total rebounds (253), 6th in def rebounds (7.33), 39th in off rebounds (3.21) and 9th in rebounds per game (10.5). Cobi Campbell ranks 7th in 3pt pct (.450).
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 |Â 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.Â
The last, and only other time, the Zips started 13-0Â 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.
TOP 10 FOR ASSISTS AND CLIMBING
Tavari Johnson entered the top 10 for career assists with 10 assists against CMU (Jan. 6). Standing with 349 assists, Johnson needs 3 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 1,197 points, currently ranks as the 27th highest scorer in program history.
ON NATIONAL TV
The Zips are 3-1 this season in national televised games after falling to Purdue (Big Ten Network) and defeating Bowling Green (CBSSN),Ohio (ESPNU) and Kent State (CBSSN).
Akron will be featured three more times on national television, with two wildcard dates to be possibly selected. Akron will be featured on CBSSN when they host UMass (Feb.13) while traveling to Ball State (Feb. 20). The Zips will also be featured on ESPN2 when they travel to Troy (Feb.7).
The remaining dates will be announced 21 days prior to the contests, which may affect two game dates for Akron, including a home contest against NIU (March 6), as well as a road game at Kent State (Feb. 27).
Akron went 6-2 on the national stage in 2024-25 with wins at Bowling Green (71-68), against Ohio (92-80) at Kent State (85-71), against Kent State (77-72), against Toledo (100-90) and against Miami (OH) (76-74). The two defeats came at Ohio (84-67) and against Arizona (93-65).
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 93-33 (.738) overall and 53-12 (.815) 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 156-58 (.729) overall record and an 93-27 (.775) 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 (13th - 11.0), Akron has been one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country the pastÂ
couple of seasons. The Zips have made 10 or more 3pters in 17 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 15-2 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 103-22 (.824) 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.
Kent State (2001-02) and Toledo (2022-23)Â 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.
DISHING OUT DIMES
Ranking in the top 10 in assists per game in the NCAA (5th - 19.4), 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. 14 (+1.76).
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).Â
HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE
One of the nation's top scoring team's, Akron ranks in the top 10 in scoring offense (9th - 90.4). 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.Â
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 returns to #MACtion when it hosts UMass on Friday, February 13, for a 9 p.m. start. The Zips and Minutemen will be featured on CBS Sports Network.
