The Akron Zips (23-7) welcome the Kent State Golden Flashes (19-11) in a matchup that pits the Mid-American’s fifth-ranked offense against the top-ranked defense. Action starts at 7:00 pm ET on Friday, Mar. 4 and can be seen on ES2 and ES3.
The Zips defeated Ohio 91-76 on Tuesday. Kwan Cheatham Jr. played a key role, recording his first double-double this season with 21 points and 12 rebounds. The Golden Flashes, meanwhile, are coming off a 70-54 win against Bowling Green on Tuesday. Jimmy Hall led the game in scoring with 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting.
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Golden Flashes winning the first matchup 85-76. Isaiah Johnson was a top player in the game with 24 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
The Zips are looking to build on their records of 23-7 Straight Up (SU) and 14-10-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 3-7 ATS over their last 10 games. The Zips have one of the most prolific home offenses in the entire nation, averaging 81.1 points per game. Akron is excellent from the perimeter with 362 three-pointers made (12.0 per game), the second-most in the country. Akron is one of the most disciplined teams in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.31. As for the Akron defense, it’s been a struggle for opposing teams to score on the Zips. The 63.6 points that Akron’s defense allows per home game makes them the 46th-ranked defense at home. The Zips prevent teams from making three-pointers, ranking 34th in the nation with 173 total three-pointers allowed (5.0 per game).
In the other locker room, Kent State has a SU record of 19-11 and an ATS record of 11-15. Offensively, the Golden Flashes have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 74.4 points per game by averaging 80.7 during that stretch.
Kent State won the last meeting this season between these two teams, but the win was not enough to overtake Akron in their recent head-to-head series. Its record is now 4-6 SU over the most recent meetings. However, Kent State leads the matchup ATS with a record of 5-3-2. During their latest five matchups, neither team ever held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers.
Predictions: SU Winner – Akron, ATS Winner – Akron
Notes
Akron averages 78.0 points per game (ranked 55th). Kent State, on the other hand, allows 72.4 points per game (ranked 162nd).
Akron scores 81.1 points per home game (ranked 49th). Kent State ranks a poor 155th in points allowed on the road, allowing 75.1 points.
Ranked 43rd, the Akron Zips have an offensive rating of 113.1. The Kent State Golden Flashes rank 169th with a defensive rating of just 106.4.
On average, Akron has 68.9 possessions per game and scores 1.131 points on each possession. Kent State has both fewer possessions (68.1) and scores fewer points during those possessions (1.092).
Kent State has an average effective field goal percentage of 49.8%. Akron is a solid 8-4 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, Akron attempts 30.0 three pointers and Kent State attempts 17.0. Both teams have winning records when they have 20 or more three point attempts. The Akron Zips sit at 22-7 and the Kent State Golden Flashes are 6-3.
Akron ranks 49th in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.31. Kent State is ranked lower at 214th with an A/TO of .99.
Akron, the 95th-ranked team in rebounding, register an average of 37.7 rebounds per game. Kent State does worse, ranked 105th with 37.5.
The Akron Zips make an average of 5.3 steals per game. When the Kent State Golden Flashes allow 5 or more steals, they are a winning 10-6.
