For those of you not in the area, this is the MAC's version of a NC/Duke matchup. The schools are 15 minutes apart and share a passionate hate for each other. It's always a war.
Game notes from gozips.com:
Akron Coach Keith Dambrot (Akron ?82):
Is in his fourth season with the Zips, maintaining an 82-30 (.732) mark in that time. He is 190-100 (.655) in his tenth season as a collegiate head coach. Dambrot is 4-7 all-time versus Kent State.
KSU Coach Jim Christian (Rhode Island '88):
Is in his sixth season on the sideline for the Golden Flashes and as a collegiate head coach, owning a 124-55 (.693) record in that time. He is 5-5 all-time versus Akron.
The Series: Wednesday serves as the 123rd meeting between the two schools on the hardwood. Kent State leads the all-time series 62-60, but Akron has won four straight and defeated the Flashes three times last season ? including a 61-54 decision in the MAC Tournament semifinals (March 9) at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Zips closed last year's regular season and won the league's East Division with a 66-64 OT win at M.A.C. Center on March 4, and tallied a 78-68 victory at Rhodes Arena on Jan. 17. KSU has won seven of the last nine meetings in the series on their home floor.
Akron Travels To Cross-Town Rival Kent State...
Looking to strengthen its grip on the lead in the Mid-American Conference's East Division, the University of Akron men's basketball team (14-3, 4-0) travels to cross-town rival Kent State (14-4, 3-1) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. EST contest at M.A.C. Center.
Akron, winners of four-straight and nine of its last 10 games, comes off an 80-44 home victory over Bowling Green on Sunday. That victory extended UA's home-court winning streak to 20 games ? the sixth longest nationally.
Kent State, which has won 10-straight home games (tied for 19th best in the nation), looks to rebound from a 71-59 loss at Ohio on Saturday.
Streaks, Storylines, Sidebars...
? Wednesday marks the fifth-straight regular-season Akron-Kent State match-up in which either the Golden Flashes and/or the Zips are in first place or are playing for first place in the league's East Division.
? The Zips are 4-3 away from Rhodes Arena this season, owning a 2-2 record in true away games and a 2-1 mark when playing on a neutral court.
* Kent State and Akron are tied for the best home records amongst MAC teams, at 10-0. KSU has won 19 of its last 20 at home, with the lone loss coming in overtime to Akron, 66-64, in last year's regular-season finale ? a loss which gave UA its first MAC East title since 1998.
? Akron leads the MAC in scoring (74.1 ppg), scoring margin (+11.6/43rd nationally), 3-point field goal percentage (38.1 percent/142-of-373), 3-pointers made per game (8.4 mpg/40th nationally), assist-turnover ratio (1.1) and turnover margin (+4.4). The Zips rank second in the league in assists (14.4 apg), while their 12.6 turnovers per game ranks 27th nationally (the league does not rank its teams in that category).
? The Zips received two votes in this week's Associated Press poll ? the third time this season they have done so (two votes in the preseason edition and five votes in week 1). UA is also listed No. 5 in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 ? its highest-ever ranking in the poll. KSU is No. 9.
? MAC Player-of-the-Year candidate Jeremiah Wood leads the Zips in scoring (14.5 ppg/seventh in MAC) and rebounding (8.3/second in MAC), and is second in assists (2.5 apg/12th in MAC). He is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (55.9 percent/104-of-186/43rd nationally). Wood scored 12 points, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the floor, and had five rebounds and three assists on Sunday versus Bowling Green.
? Nick Dials, also a candidate for MAC Player of the Year, is UA's second leading scorer (12.3 ppg/15th in MAC) and leads the team in assists (4.2 apg/sixth in MAC). He averages a team-high 31 minutes as the starting point guard, and is the squad's most prolific free-throw shooter (87.0 percent/60-of-69, second in MAC, 29th nationally) and 3-point shooter (39.4 percent/41-of-104), eighth in MAC). He is second in the MAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.1/72 assists, 34 TOs). Dials had a career-high nine assists compared to just two turnovers on Thursday against Bowling Green.
? Cedrick Middleton ranks third on the team in scoring (10.2 ppg/23rd in MAC), and is first in steals (25/1.5 spg/11th in MAC). He also averages 38.3 percent (31-of-81) from 3-point range (ninth in MAC). Last year?s MAC Sixth Man of the Year, he has been a starter in 15 of 17 games this season.
Head Coach Keith Dambrot...
? In his fourth season at the helm of the Akron program, head coach Keith Dambrot has led the Zips to an 82-30 (.732) record. That win total is the most of any MAC school during that span. Kent State follows with 80.
? Dambrot's .732 winning percentage at UA is second-best in the history of the program. Tony Laterza leads that category at .751, after posting a 178-59 record from 1960-68.
? In his 10th season as a collegiate head coach, Dambrot has compiled a 190-100 (.655) record. That winning percentage ranks as second best among the MAC's active coaches, while the total number of wins is fourth most in that group. Kent State's Jim Christian leads the winning percentage list at .693 (124-55) in his sixth season (all at KSU).
? Dambrot's high level of success led to the University giving him a new seven-year contract in April 2007 ? keeping him with the program through the 2014 season.
On The Line At Kent State...
? An Akron victory would be its fifth straight, tying its season long win streak (Dec. 8-Dec. 29). It would also make the Zips winners in 10 of their last 11 outings.
? An Akron victory would make it 15-3 overall, extending the program's best start in its Division I era (began with 1980-81 season). It would also make the Zips 5-0 in league play, their best start to a MAC schedule since the 2005-06 team opened 6-0.
? An Akron victory would be its fifth straight over Kent State (fourth consecutive in regular-season play), and second in as many trips to M.A.C. Center.
Game notes from gozips.com:
Akron Coach Keith Dambrot (Akron ?82):
Is in his fourth season with the Zips, maintaining an 82-30 (.732) mark in that time. He is 190-100 (.655) in his tenth season as a collegiate head coach. Dambrot is 4-7 all-time versus Kent State.
KSU Coach Jim Christian (Rhode Island '88):
Is in his sixth season on the sideline for the Golden Flashes and as a collegiate head coach, owning a 124-55 (.693) record in that time. He is 5-5 all-time versus Akron.
The Series: Wednesday serves as the 123rd meeting between the two schools on the hardwood. Kent State leads the all-time series 62-60, but Akron has won four straight and defeated the Flashes three times last season ? including a 61-54 decision in the MAC Tournament semifinals (March 9) at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Zips closed last year's regular season and won the league's East Division with a 66-64 OT win at M.A.C. Center on March 4, and tallied a 78-68 victory at Rhodes Arena on Jan. 17. KSU has won seven of the last nine meetings in the series on their home floor.
Akron Travels To Cross-Town Rival Kent State...
Looking to strengthen its grip on the lead in the Mid-American Conference's East Division, the University of Akron men's basketball team (14-3, 4-0) travels to cross-town rival Kent State (14-4, 3-1) on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. EST contest at M.A.C. Center.
Akron, winners of four-straight and nine of its last 10 games, comes off an 80-44 home victory over Bowling Green on Sunday. That victory extended UA's home-court winning streak to 20 games ? the sixth longest nationally.
Kent State, which has won 10-straight home games (tied for 19th best in the nation), looks to rebound from a 71-59 loss at Ohio on Saturday.
Streaks, Storylines, Sidebars...
? Wednesday marks the fifth-straight regular-season Akron-Kent State match-up in which either the Golden Flashes and/or the Zips are in first place or are playing for first place in the league's East Division.
? The Zips are 4-3 away from Rhodes Arena this season, owning a 2-2 record in true away games and a 2-1 mark when playing on a neutral court.
* Kent State and Akron are tied for the best home records amongst MAC teams, at 10-0. KSU has won 19 of its last 20 at home, with the lone loss coming in overtime to Akron, 66-64, in last year's regular-season finale ? a loss which gave UA its first MAC East title since 1998.
? Akron leads the MAC in scoring (74.1 ppg), scoring margin (+11.6/43rd nationally), 3-point field goal percentage (38.1 percent/142-of-373), 3-pointers made per game (8.4 mpg/40th nationally), assist-turnover ratio (1.1) and turnover margin (+4.4). The Zips rank second in the league in assists (14.4 apg), while their 12.6 turnovers per game ranks 27th nationally (the league does not rank its teams in that category).
? The Zips received two votes in this week's Associated Press poll ? the third time this season they have done so (two votes in the preseason edition and five votes in week 1). UA is also listed No. 5 in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 ? its highest-ever ranking in the poll. KSU is No. 9.
? MAC Player-of-the-Year candidate Jeremiah Wood leads the Zips in scoring (14.5 ppg/seventh in MAC) and rebounding (8.3/second in MAC), and is second in assists (2.5 apg/12th in MAC). He is fourth in the league in field-goal percentage (55.9 percent/104-of-186/43rd nationally). Wood scored 12 points, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the floor, and had five rebounds and three assists on Sunday versus Bowling Green.
? Nick Dials, also a candidate for MAC Player of the Year, is UA's second leading scorer (12.3 ppg/15th in MAC) and leads the team in assists (4.2 apg/sixth in MAC). He averages a team-high 31 minutes as the starting point guard, and is the squad's most prolific free-throw shooter (87.0 percent/60-of-69, second in MAC, 29th nationally) and 3-point shooter (39.4 percent/41-of-104), eighth in MAC). He is second in the MAC in assist-turnover ratio (2.1/72 assists, 34 TOs). Dials had a career-high nine assists compared to just two turnovers on Thursday against Bowling Green.
? Cedrick Middleton ranks third on the team in scoring (10.2 ppg/23rd in MAC), and is first in steals (25/1.5 spg/11th in MAC). He also averages 38.3 percent (31-of-81) from 3-point range (ninth in MAC). Last year?s MAC Sixth Man of the Year, he has been a starter in 15 of 17 games this season.
Head Coach Keith Dambrot...
? In his fourth season at the helm of the Akron program, head coach Keith Dambrot has led the Zips to an 82-30 (.732) record. That win total is the most of any MAC school during that span. Kent State follows with 80.
? Dambrot's .732 winning percentage at UA is second-best in the history of the program. Tony Laterza leads that category at .751, after posting a 178-59 record from 1960-68.
? In his 10th season as a collegiate head coach, Dambrot has compiled a 190-100 (.655) record. That winning percentage ranks as second best among the MAC's active coaches, while the total number of wins is fourth most in that group. Kent State's Jim Christian leads the winning percentage list at .693 (124-55) in his sixth season (all at KSU).
? Dambrot's high level of success led to the University giving him a new seven-year contract in April 2007 ? keeping him with the program through the 2014 season.
On The Line At Kent State...
? An Akron victory would be its fifth straight, tying its season long win streak (Dec. 8-Dec. 29). It would also make the Zips winners in 10 of their last 11 outings.
? An Akron victory would make it 15-3 overall, extending the program's best start in its Division I era (began with 1980-81 season). It would also make the Zips 5-0 in league play, their best start to a MAC schedule since the 2005-06 team opened 6-0.
? An Akron victory would be its fifth straight over Kent State (fourth consecutive in regular-season play), and second in as many trips to M.A.C. Center.
