Akron Basketball Roster: Who’s Who and What to Expect

Get to know the Akron basketball roster for the 2019-2020 Season See who’s who and what to expect from this year’s team.

2017-2018 Akron Basketball Roster

The Akron Zips men’s basketball team represents the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. The team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) East division. They are led by Head Coach John Groce and play their home games at Rhodes Arena.

The 2017–18 Akron Zips men’s Basketball team will represent the University of Akron during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men’s Basketball season The Zips, led by first-year head coach John Groce will play their home games at Rhodes Arena as members of the Mid-American Conference East Division.

Roster:

Coaching Staff:
Head Coach John Groce
assistant coaches Mike Duncan, Josh Dunne, Kellen Siebach
Director of Operations: Logan Wickey

Key Players to Watch

The Akron Zips men’s basketball team will look to improve on their 2017-2018 campaign in which they went 21-13 overall and 12-6 in conference play Here is a look at the key players who will be leading the way for the Zips this season.

Senior forward Deng Adel will be one of the leaders for the Zips this season. Adel is a versatile player who can score from anywhere on the court. He averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds per game last season and will be looked upon to provide a spark for the Zips offense again this season.

Junior guard Malcolm Duvivier will also be a key player for Akron this season. Duviver is a big guard whose biggest asset is his shooting ability. He struggled with his outside shot last season, but if he can improve in that area, he will be a dangerous offensive weapon for the Zips.

The final key player to watch for Akron this season is redshirt freshman guardChannel Banks. Banks is a talented young player who missed all of last season with a Knee Injury He has good size and athleticism and is expected to be a contributor on both ends of the court for the Zips this season.

Newcomers

The Akron Zips men’s Basketball team will feature several newcomers in the 2019-20 season Here’s a closer look at the new faces on the roster:

Freshman guard Duane Washington Jr. is one of the top recruits in the country and comes to Akron with high expectations. A consensus four-star recruit, Washington was ranked as the No. 58 player in the country by 247Sports and No. 68 by ESPN. He was also ranked as the No. 15 point guard in the nation by 247Sports and No. 18 by ESPN.

Joining Washington in the backcourt is freshman guard Loren Jackson, who comes to Akron from Pickerington, Ohio. Jackson was a three-star recruit according to both 247Sports and ESPN. He was ranked as the No. 13 player in Ohio by 247Sports and No. 14 by ESPN.

In the frontcourt, freshman center Kunwar constrict from India will look to make an impact. A three-star recruit according to 247Sports, Raju was ranked as the No. 31 center in the country and the No. 3 player in India by ESPN

Expectations

Every team has its own unique story heading into a season. The Akron Zips are no different. After an up-and-down 2018-19 campaign that saw the Zips finish 19-13 (12-6 MAC), Akron looks to take the next step forward in 2019-20. Here’s a quick look at the Zips’ roster heading into the new season:

1. Daniel Utomi – Senior, Guard
Utomi is the reigning MAC Player of the Year and will be counted on to carry the Zips once again this season. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 16.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game last season and will be looked upon to provide leadership for a relatively young Akron squad.

2. Lamar Stevens – Junior, Forward
Stevens is a versatile 6-foot-8 forward who averaged 14.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season while shooting an impressive 49 percent from the field. He’ll need to be even better this season as the Zips look to replace departed forward Keith Dambrot.

3. Tyler Cheese – Sophomore, Guard
Cheese was one of the MAC’s best freshman last season, averaging 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game while shooting 37 percent from three-point range The 6-foot-3 guard will be counted on to provide a scoring punch once again in 2019-20.

4 .Channel Banks – Senior, Guard
Banks is a steady veteran who tallied 8 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game while shooting 36 percent from three last season. The 6-foot-6 guard will provide valuable experience for an otherwise young Akron squad.
Expectations are always high for the defending MAC Player of the Year, but Utomi will have his work cut out for him if he wants to lead Akron back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017.”

Schedule

The Akron Men’s basketball team plays in the Mid-American Conference East division. Their schedule is as follows:

11/5 – vs. Bowling Green
11/9 – vs. Kent State
11/12 – at Buffalo
11/16 – vs. Miami (OH)
11/19 – at Ohio
11/23 – vs. Toledo
11/26 – at Northern Illinois
11/30 – vs. Central Michigan
12/3 – at Eastern Michigan
12/7 – vs. West Virginia

Record

The Akron Zips Men’s basketball team represents the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. The Zips compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). They are currently coached by John Groce and play their home games at James A. Rhodes Arena.

The Zips men’s Basketball Program has a history that dates back to 1902. The team has seen considerable success over the years, making it to the NCAA Tournament 12 times and playing in the NIT four times. The Zips have also won 21 MAC titles and 18 regular season titles.

The 2017-2018 Akron Zips men’s basketball team finished the season with a record of 21-13 overall and 11-7 in conference play The team made it to the MAC tournament semifinals before losing to eventual champion Buffalo.

NCAA Tournament

The 2017-2018 Akron Zips mens basketball team is poised to make a run in the NCAA tournament The Zips play an exciting brand of basketball, and their team is full of talented players. Here is a look at the Akron Zips roster, and what to expect from each player in the NCAA tournament

Starting Lineup

G – Babylon Marshall
Babylon Marshall is a junior guard for the Akron Zips. He is a very talented scorer, and is one of the best three-point shooters in the country. He will be a crucial part of the Zips offense in the NCAA tournament

G – Ethan Wright
Ethan Wright is a freshman guard for the Akron Zips. He is a very good scorer, and can also dish out assists. He will be a key player off the bench for the Zips in the NCAA Tournament

F – Deng Adel
Deng Adel is a junior forward for the Akron Zips. He is a very good defender, and can also score points on offense. He will be an important player for the Zips in the NCAA Tournament

F – Ikenna Smart
Ikenna Smart is a sophomore forward for the Akron Zips. He is very athletic, and can score points on offense and block shots on defense. He will be an important player for the Zips in the NCAA tournament

C – Isaiah Johnson
Isaiah Johnson is a senior center for the Akron Zips. He is a very good rebounder and shot blocker, and can also score points on offense. He will be an important player for the Zips in the NCAA tournament

MAC Tournament

The MAC Tournament is the premier event of the Mid-American Conference’s college basketball season The tournament determines the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

The tournament consists of a 12-team bracket, with the top four seeds receiving a bye to the quarterfinal round. The first two rounds are played at campus sites, with the higher seed serving as host. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals are played at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Akron is one of the twelve teams in the MAC Tournament this year. Here is a look at their roster and what to expect from them in the tournament:

Players to Watch:

Gerald ends (G) – The senior guard is averaging 16 points and four assists per game this season. He is a solid shooter from both inside and outside the arc, and is capable of taking over a game on offense. He will be key for Akron if they want to make a run in the tournament.

Jalen Ross (G) – The junior guard has been one of the best players in the conference this season, averaging 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game. He is an explosive scorer who can get hot from downtown at any time. Ross will be vital to Akron’s chances in the MAC Tournament.

Daniel Utomi (F) – The sophomore forward has been one of Akron’s most consistent players this season, averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field. He will need to continue his strong play if Akron wants to make a run in the tournament.

Post-Season

The Post-Season is finally here for the Akron Zips Basketball team and fans couldn’t be more excited! The Zips have had an impressive regular season amassing a record of 23-6. They will look to continue their success in the Post-Season as they take on the Kent State Golden Flashes in the first round of the Mid-American conference tournament The game is set for Friday, March 8th at 6:30 pm EST and will be televised on ESPNU.

We’ll take a look at the Zips roster and give a brief overview of each player, as well as what to expect from them in the Post-Season.

Akron Basketball Roster
SENIORS
Antwon Lillard – Guard
Lillard is the Zips’ leading scorer, averaging 17.4 points per game He is also averaging 3 assist and 3 rebounds per game. Lillard is a dynamic player that can score from anywhere on the court. He will be looked to lead the Zips in the Post-Season as they look to make a run at the MAC title.

Reggie McAdams – Guard McAdams is second on the team in scoring, averaging 16 points per game He is also averaging 2 assists and 5 rebounds per contest. McAdams is a very good shooter, especially from beyond the three point line He will need to be knocking down shots in order for the Zips to be successful in the Post-Season.

Jimmy Hall – Forward Hall rounds out the trio of seniors that will be leading Akron in the Post-Season. He is averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds per game while also shooting over 50% from the field. Hall is a very good athlete that uses his athleticism to his advantage on both ends of the court. Look for him to make some big plays in key moments during the post-season games.

JUNIORS Daniel Utomi – Forward Utomi has been a key player for Akron this season, coming off the bench and providing a spark on both ends ofthe court. He is averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds per contest while shooting over 40% from beyondthe three point line. Utomi has shown he can knock down Big Shots when called upon and willneed to provide some timely scoring if Akron wants to make a deep run in postseason play. Darrian Ringo – Guard Ringo has started every game for Akron this season and has been one of their most reliableplayers throughout the course ofthe year.. He is averaging 8 points, 5 assists, and 3rebounds while shooting nearly 40% from three point range.. Ringo doesn’t always geta lotof attention but he always seemstodeliverwhen it mattersmost.. Lookfor himto continue his steady play duringthe postseason games..

Conclusion

The Akron Basketball Team has a lot of new and upcoming talent that fans can be excited about. With players like Center Polite, who averaged a double-double last year, and point guard Chambers, who dished out 7 assists per game, the team is looking to make a deep run in the tournament this year. Keep an eye out for these young men as they look to take the country by storm.