The University of Akron Athletics
Basketball to be Televised at Least Eight Times in 2012-13
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Complete 2012-13 Men's Basketball Schedule | Downloadable Schedule
Complete 2012-13 Women's Basketball Schedule | Downloadable Schedule
CLEVELAND – The University of Akron basketball programs will appear on television at least eight times, with the possibility of nine additional games, the Mid-American Conference announced as part of its record-breaking television package.
The MAC's 40 regional and 53 nationally televised games across the men's and women's schedule surpassed last season's 39 regional and 50 nationally televised contests.
The men's basketball team will play seven games on television, with the possibility of seven 21-day wildcard selection TV games and a Sears BracketBuster contest added to the slate, while the women's squad will appear on television once, with the possible addition of one 21-day wildcard game. Five of Akron's eight televised games are part of the MAC television package.
The women will face rival Kent State in Kent, Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 23, at noon ET on SportsTime Ohio. UA's home contest against Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, March 3, has been designated as a 21-day wildcard game.
The men's television slate will begin on Thursday, Nov. 15, when the Zips face Oklahoma State on ESPNU at 10:30 a.m. in the first round of the 2012 Puerto Rico Tip-Off in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Akron's remaining games on Friday, Nov. 16, and Sunday, Nov. 18, will also appear on the ESPN family of networks, with the opponent, time and station to be determined at a later date.
The men will also play four guarantee games on SportsTime Ohio, including one home and three road contests. The Zips will face Toledo (Jan. 23), Bowling Green (Jan. 30) and Ohio (Feb. 7) all on the road, while playing host to Central Michigan on Feb. 5. Tip-off for all four contests will be 7 p.m.
In addition to its seven guaranteed TV games, the men's program has seven games designated as 21-day wildcard games. Akron's road contest at Buffalo on March 2 and home contest against Miami (Ohio) on March 5 could be picked up by STO. Two additional home games, Ohio (Feb. 2) and Bowling Green (Feb. 16), and UA's road games at Kent State (Jan. 19) and at Miami (Ohio) (Feb. 9) could be picked up by ESPNU or ESPN3.
The Akron-Kent State game at Rhodes Arena to end the season could air on either ESPN or ESPN2 on Friday, March 8, or on SportsTime Ohio on Saturday, March 9. All wildcard games will be announced 21 days prior to the contest.
The league also announced that the FirstEnergy Men's MAC Tournament second and third rounds, as well as the semifinal rounds, will appear on SportsTime Ohio, while the title game is slated for 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
The men enter the 2012-13 season as the defending MAC Regular Season champions for the first time since joining the league in 1992 and advanced to a league-record sixth-straight MAC Tournament title game (second-longest active streak in the nation). UA appeared in the NIT for the fifth time in program history, the third under Dambrot, and played in the postseason for the fifth-straight season, falling 76-74 at Northwestern on March 13.
UA is just one of seven teams to have posted at least 22 victories in each of the last seven seasons, joined by the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Utah State. Over the last eight seasons, all under Dambrot, the Zips have posted 184 victories, tied for 31st nationally among all Division I teams.
The women returns six upperclassmen that played quality minutes last season for a team that finished 14-18 (7-9 MAC) in 2011-12, and made its third consecutive trip to Cleveland for the conference tournament.
Several key starters are back for the Zips this year, including All-MAC selections Taylor Ruper and Sina King. Ruper became UA's all-time leader in 3-pointers made last year, and King quickly became a force underneath for Akron, filling the shoes of the injured Rachel Tecca.
The 2012-13 season marks Tecca's return to the court after utilizing her medical redshirt. Tecca put together one of the most successful seasons in UA women's basketball history as a sophomore two years ago, and was averaging 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds pergame before her season was cut short 10 games into last year.
Season Ticket Information
Men's basketball season ticket renewal information has been mailed out and season tickets are on sale now. Floor seat season tickets are $1,200 (including a $750.00 Z-Fund donation) while season ticket prices for lower reserved seats at mid-court (sections C and K) are $800 (includes $500 Z-Fund donation). Lower reserved seats at the 3-point lines (sections B, D, J and L) are $550 (includes $250 Z-Fund donation) and lower reserved seats on the baselines (sections A, E, I and M) are $400 (includes $100 Z-Fund Donation). Upper reserved season tickets are $200, with obstructed view season packages for $150, and general admission season tickets are on sale for $100.
Family season packages, including two adult and two youth (ages 3-14) or one adult and three youth tickets, are also on sale for $250. Fans can add a women's basketball season ticket package to their men's package for the price of $30 for an adult or $50 for a family package.
New and renewed season tickets for women's basketball are $55. UA faculty and staff may purchase season tickets for $45 with their ID card. The family season package for $99 includes two adult tickets and two youth tickets (ages 3-14).
Women's basketball season tickets can also be combined with men's basketball season ticket packages at the price of $30 for an individual add-on and $50 for a family plan add-on.
Akron fans can also purchase the "Zips All-Access 10-Pack." This unique ticket package includes 10 vouchers, redeemable for general admission tickets to any 2012-13 regular-season home athletics contest for the Zips five ticketed sports, as well as 10 buy-one, get-one-free breakfast or lunch extra value meal coupons at McDonald's – all for just $90.
Tickets can be purchased online at ZipsTickets.com, by phone at 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or in person at the Akron Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the intersection of E. Exchange and S. Union streets), Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET.
2013 MAC Men's
Basketball TV Schedule
Wednesday, January 9: Buffalo @ Ohio, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, January 12: Eastern Michigan @ Bowling Green, 6 p.m.
ET
Tuesday, January 15: Central Michigan @ Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m.
ET
Wednesday, January 16: Kent State @ Buffalo, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, January 19: Toledo @ Ohio, 6 p.m. ET
Wednesday, January 23: Akron @ Toledo, 7 p.m.
ET
Saturday, January 26: Ohio @ Kent State, 6 p.m. ET
Wednesday, January 30: Akron @ Bowling Green, 7 p.m.
ET
Saturday, February 2: Eastern Michigan @ Kent State, 6 p.m. ET
Tuesday, February 5: Central Michigan @ Akron, 7 p.m.
ET
Wednesday, February 6: Buffalo @ Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, February 9: Western Michigan @ Ball State, 6 p.m. ET
Wednesday, February 13: Miami @ Kent State, 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, February 16: Northern Illinois at Western Michigan, 6
p.m. ET
Wednesday, February 27: Akron @ Ohio, 7 p.m.
ET
Saturday, March 2: Two (2) 21-day Wildcard Selections
– 12 Noon & 6 pm ET
Tuesday, March 5: 21-day Wildcard Selection, 7 p.m.
ET
Saturday, March 9: Two (2) 21-day Wildcard Selections
– 12 Noon & 2 or 4 pm ET
Wednesday, March 13: MAC Tournament Second Round – 6:30
& 9 pm ET
Thursday, March 14: MAC Tournament Third Round – 6:30 &
9 pm ET
Friday, March 15: MAC Tournament Semifinals – 6:30 & 9
pm ET
2013 MAC
Women's Basketball TV Schedule
Thursday, January 10: Central Michigan at Toledo, 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, January 13: Toledo at Bowling Green, 2 p.m. ET
Saturday, January 19: Kent State at Ball State, 12 Noon ET
Sunday, January 20: Eastern Michigan at Miami, 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, February 3: Miami at Northern Illinois, 2 p.m. ET
Saturday, February 9: Ohio at Eastern Michigan, 12 Noon ET
Sunday, February 10: Buffalo at Central Michigan, 2 p.m. ET
Saturday, February 16: Western Michigan at Ohio, 12 Noon ET
Saturday, February 23: Akron at Kent State, 12 Noon
ET
Sunday, February 24: 21-Day Wild Card Selection, 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 3: 21-Day Wild Card selection, 2 p.m.
ET
Friday, March 15: MAC Tournament Semifinals – 12 Noon &
2:30 pm ET
Saturday, March 16: MAC Tournament Championship Game – 1 pm
ET
ESPN/ESPN2
– Four (4) Games
Tuesday, Nov. 13 – Northern Illinois @ Valparaiso, 8am
ET/ESPN
Tuesday, Nov. 13 – Temple @ Kent State, Noon ET/ESPN
Friday, March 8 – 21-Day Wildcard Selection, 7pm
ET/ESPN2
Saturday, March 16 – MAC Tournament Championship, 6:30 pm
ET/ESPN2
ESPNU –
Nine (9) Games
Monday, Dec. 3 – Eastern Michigan @ Syracuse, 7 pm
ET/ESPNU
Saturday, Dec. 8: Purdue @ Eastern Michigan, TBD/ESPN3
Tuesday, Dec. 18 – Michigan State @ Bowling Green, 7pm
ET/ESPNU
Saturday, Dec. 29 – Western Michigan @ N.C. State, 12 Noon
ET/ESPNU
Wednesday, Jan. 2 – Eastern Michigan @ Kentucky, 6 pm
ET/ESPNU
Saturday, Jan. 19 – 21-Day Wildcard Selection, 3
pm ET/ESPNU
Saturday, Feb. 2 – 21-Day Wildcard Selection,
5pm ET/ESPNU
Saturday, Feb. 9 – 21-Day Wildcard Selection,
1pm ET/ESPNU
Saturday, Feb. 16 – 21-Day Wildcard Selection,
11am ET/ESPNU
