Kent State University
Akron
Flashes-Zips Wagon Wheel Showdown Friday at the JAR
2/7/2019 2:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KENT, Ohio- The Kent State University men's basketball team will make the 12-mile trip down the road to take on rival Akron for the first installment of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge on Friday, Feb. 8 in Akron, Ohio. Tip-off from the James A. Rhodes Arena is set for 9 p.m. and will air on ESPNU. The winner of the contest will earn a half-point for its school in the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge standings, which the Zips currently lead 3.0-2.5.
THE GAME
Kent State (17-5, 6-3 MAC) vs. Akron (13-9, 5-4 MAC)
Friday, Feb. 8 | 9 p.m. | James A. Rhodes Arena
BROADCAST
TV:ESPNU- Robert Lee (pbp) and Rob Kennedy (analyst)Â Â Â Â Â
RADIO: Kent State-IMG Sports Network, Ty Linder(pbp), Tanner Castora (analyst) WHLO 640 AM (flagship), iHeart Radio
AKRON HEAD COACH
John Groce
Record at Akron: 27-27 (2nd season)
KENT STATE HEAD COACH
Record at Kent State: 156-103 (8th Season)
ALL-TIME SERIES
Friday's game marks the 151st meeting in series history between Akron and Kent State. The first meeting was during the 1915-16 season at Kent State where the Zips pulled out the win, 37-16. Kent State owns a 76-74 all-time series advantage. Kent State is 24-41 when playing at the JAR and holds a 50-25 record at the M.A.C. Center. Kent State's last win at the JAR was during the 2016-17 season when the Flashes ended the Zips' home-court winning streak of 30 games.
In the 2017-18 season, Kent State and Akron split the season series with both teams defending home court. The Flashes won the season-opener, 78-68, before falling at Akron, 67-65.
Kent State and Akron have met in the MAC Tournament eight times. Kent State is 3-5 in the MAC Tournament against the Zips. In addition, Kent State and Akron have played for the MAC Tournament championship three times. Kent State leads 2-1 in MAC title games. Flashes won the tournament in 2007-08 (74-55), Akron took the tile in 2010-11 with a 66-65 overtime win, and the Flashes most recently won the tournament in 2016-17 (70-65).
The last time the Flashes swept the regular season series was back in 2010. In the current format, the Zips have not swept both games in the regular season.
The last time Kent State swept all three games (2 regular season games, 1 post season) was in 2008. Akron swept all three games back in 2012.
Kent State is 7-11 against the Zips under head coach Rob Senderoff.
FLASH FACTS
- Kent State improved to 17-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play in a 70-67 win at home against Miami on Tuesday.
- The Flashes ended with a 6-0 run with senior Jaylin Walker scoring the final four points in free throws to win the game.
- The Flashes have won five of their last six games and improved the squad to 8-0 in games decided by five points or fewer.
- On the season, the Flashes are shooting 43.8 percent (585-1337) from the floor, and 188-of-523 from long range (35.9 percent). ). The Flashes have three players averaging in double-figure scoring with Walker leading the team averaging 23.2 points per game, Jalen Avery with 12.0, and Williams with 10.8. Junior Philip Whittington leads the team averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and has 172 total on the season. Defensively, Kent State has held its opponents to 72.9 points per game on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 34.3 percent from long range.
- Walker ranks 6th in the country in 3-point FG made per game and leads the conference with 3.88. He ranks 12th in the country in points per game (23.2) and is the conference leader. Avery leads the nation in assist/turnover ratio at 5.67.
- Akron is 13-9 overall and 5-4 in conference play. The Zips are coming off a 65-52 loss against Toledo on Tuesday. Junior Tyler Cheese led the Zips with 19 points and six rebounds, alongside sophomore Loren Christian Jackson and junior Daniel Utomi who added 11 points each.
- Â Akron has four players averaging in double figures with three averaging more than 13 points per game (Utomi, Ivey, and Loren Christian Jackson). Cheese is averaging 10.1. Ivey also leads the team's rebounding category averaging 6.5 rebounds per game.
-Defensively, the Zips have held their opponents to 62.4 points per game on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 31.1 percent from downtown allowing 6.6 made 3-pt FG per game. Besides its overtime game against CMU, Akron has not allowed an opponent to score more than 75 points in a game.
