ZIPS Get Bid to NCAA, First Since ‘86
Akron, Ohio – The University of Akron Zips men’s basketball team earned their first ticket to the NCAA Tourney Saturday night when they beat Buffalo 65-53 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
It took Akron three tries to earn the automatic bid after losing to Kent State and Miami in the 2008 and 2007 MAC Championship games respectively. Akron played in the NIT in 2006 and 2008. On both occasions, the Zips won their first-round match-ups and lost in the second round.
Akron (23-21) is slotted as a 13th seed in the NCAA Tourney and will face #4 Gonzaga (26-5) Thursday at 7:25pm eastern at the the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon.
If Akron wins Thursday, they will advance to play the winner of the Illinois/Western Kentucky University game.
Zips Ambush Black Knights
West Point, NY – Akron forced 5 turnovers and put up 358 yards as the Zips beat the Army Black Knights 22-3.
QB Chris Jacquemain was 14 for 25 for 203 yards. Andre Jones lead the Zips with 5 receptions for 103 yards. Dennis Kennedy carried the ball 19 times for 71 yards. Andrew Johnson (10 carries for 53 yards) and Joe Tuzze (4 carreis for 23 yards) also helped the Zips’ offensive effort.
Akron had only one turnover and had 9 penalties for 60 yards.
Akron Opens Against Big Ten
Madison, Wisc. – The Akron Zips Football season officially begins today in Madison, Wisconsin at 1:00pm. It’s the beginning of what was hoped to be a much heralded football season as 2008 ushers out the final year for Akron’s football stadium. But the team’s lack of returning experience could make this a difficult year to watch for Zips fans.
Akron will open today at the Badgers’ Camp Randall Stadium (80,321). Wisconsin’s coach Bret Bielema puts his 21-5 record up against Akron coach JD Brookhart’s 22-26 record. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network and locally on 1350AM and 106.9FM radio. The Badgers are favored by 27.
Wisconsin has won 10 straight season openers. P.J. Hill (tailback) begins the year ninth on UW’s career rushing list with 2,814 yards. Whether tight end Travis Beckum (hamstring) and fullback Chris Pressley (broken thumb) play will be game-time decisions. Allan Evridge (quarterback) hasn’t started a game since 2005 due to his redshirt freshman season at Kansas State.
Akron is 1-16 all-time against Big Ten foes. Its lone victory came on Sept. 5, 1894, when it beat Ohio State 12-6 during the John Heisman coaching era. Quarterback Chris Jacquemain (Junior)threw for 1,623 yards and 11 TDs a season ago in a platoon situation. This year, Jacquemain is not expected to share starting duties. Senior kick returner Bryan Williams ranked second nationally last season in kick return average at 31.9 yards. One place Akron has some experience is the offensive line.
Meet The Team On Sunday
Akron, OH – The University of Akron Zips football team will host their annual Meet The Team celebration on Sunday, August 10 from 5-6 pm at Rhodes Arena. This free event follows a team practice and will give fans a chance to interact with the team and Coach JD Brookhart. The University will provide refreshments and season ticket holders will have the opportunity to pick up their tickets for the 2008 season. Any tickets not picked up on Sunday will be mailed on Monday.
Kent Stadium Vandalized
Kent, OH – The Cleveland Plain Dealer is reporting that vandals have defaced portions of the newly remodeled DIX Stadium near the Kent State University campus. “AK Rowdies” and “Go Zips” were spray-painted in an apparent attempt to possibly make it appear as if it was a U of Akron fan who did the damage. It is unknown at this time who is responsible for the vandalism.
Cedrick is Back!
Akron, OH – Cleveland.com is reporting that former Akron men’s basketball player Cedrick Middleton has been hired as the program’s graduate assistant coach.
“Cedrick was one of the hardest-working players we have had at Akron and who I have ever had the opportunity to coach,” fifth-year head coach Keith Dambrot said in a statement. “He had a great playing career and is a great person. He is one of the main reasons we were able to turn this program around and enjoy so much success over the last four seasons.”
Middleton played for the Zips from 2005 to 2008. His 130 games played, logging time in every contest, is the most by any player in program history.
He was honored as the Mid-American Conference’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2007 and finished ranked 29th on Akron’s all-time scoring list (1,120) and eighth in all-time steals (131). Middleton, a Chicago Heights, Ill., native, earned his bachelor’s degree in communication in May, and will pursue a master’s degree in sports science and coaching.
Brooks Arrested After Firing On Officer
Akron, Ohio – A University of Akron basketball player was arrested Saturday night after opening fire on police, NewsChannel5 reported. Akron detectives said that Rydell Brooks, a sophomore at UA, was arrested after a routine traffic stop. They said Brooks, 20, fled from the vehicle and fired shots at the officers. The officers were not hit. After a short foot pursuit, Brooks was arrested. Police said he is being held in the Summit County Jail and is facing attempted murder and felonious assault charges. Brooks joined the Zips last year. He was a 2006 Buchtel High School graduate. He transferred to Akron from Niagara University to join the men’s basketball team. Brooks averaged 4.7 points in starting 30 of 35 games as a freshman in 2006-07 for the Purple Eagles, who he helped qualify for the NCAA tournament. He sat out the 2007-08 season for the Zips and is eligible to play the next three seasons. According to his Web site, Brooks was born Sept. 29, 1987, in Akron. He is the son of Rydell Brooks and Diane Bell and was raised by his paternal grandmother, Katherine Brooks. He has six siblings. Brooks is expected to be in court on Monday.
Zips Land Top Prospect
Akron, Ohio – Tom Gaffney of The Akron Beacon Journal reported that Zeke Marshall, one of the top center prospects in the country, has made an oral commitment to the University of Akron men’s basketball team.
Marshall is 6-foot-11 and from McKeesport, Pa. He is ranked as the 11th-best center and 61st overall junior, according to Scout.com.
Scout.com reported that he was choosing between the Zips, Pitt, Duquesne, Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Another Zip Is Off to the NFL
AKRON – (from GoZIPS.com) For the fourth consecutive year, a member of the University of Akron football team was drafted within the first four rounds as corner back Reggie Corner was picked in the fourth round by the Buffalo Bills.
Corner was the 114th pick overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, the fifth-highest Akron student-athlete to be selected, following Charlie Frye (67th pick in 2005), Jason Taylor (73rd pick in 1997), Dwight Smith (84th pick in 2001) and Andy Alleman (88th pick in 2007).
Since 2001, Akron has had six players picked. In addition to the names above, Jake Schifino was taken in the fifth round (151st pick overall) in the 2002 draft and Domenki Hixon was taken in the fourth round (130th pick overall) in the 2006 draft.
Corner, who started every game over his career and graduated from Akron in December of 2007, ended his career at Akron with 197 tackles (52 in 2007), 15 interceptions and 35 pass breakups. His 15 career picks ties current NFL defensive back Smith for second on the Akron all-time list. Also, Corner ranks eighth on the Mid-American Conference all-time list with his 15 career picks and ranks seventh on the MAC all-time list with his 225 career return yards off interceptions.
Corner earned first team All-MAC honors in 2007, as named by the league’s coaches, as well as first team All-MAC by Rivals.com and Phil Steele Magazine. He led the league and ranked fourth in the NCAA in interceptions (0.58 per game). He added 12 pass breakups to go along with his seven interceptions to tie teammate Davanzo Tate as the MAC leader in passes defended (1.58), which ranked sixth in the NCAA. His seven picks was the second-best total in the nation to date this season and is fourth on the Akron single-season list. Corner opened the season being named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception 74 yards for a TD in the win over Army. The following week at Ohio State, he had another pick and two pass breakups, one of which led to a John Mackey interception. His solid play continued at Indiana, where he had a career-high eight tackles. In Akron’s win over rival Kent State, Corner intercepted a pass and returned it 43 yards to the KSU two, setting up what proved to be Akron’s game-winning TD. He added two picks in the Temple contest and one each versus Miami and Central Michigan. Corner closed the season with six PBU over the final three games, including a career-high four versus the Chippewas of CMU. In addition to being All-MAC, Corner was named the Zips’ “Most Valuable Defensive Back” by the UA staff.
Zips Lose To UMASS, End Long Season
Amherst, MASS – The Akron Zips long season came to an end today in Amherst, Massachusetts as they lost to UMASS 68-63 in the National Invitation Tournament.
The Zips seemed to struggle in the beginning. Akron was slow to adjust to the UMASS height in the paint and their tough 3-point shooting from the perimeter. The Zips were sloppy with turnovers and inaccurate with their outside shooting, but they still managed to battle back to within 3 points at the half.
It was a different game in the second half as Dambrot made adjustments in the locker room. About five minutes into the half, Akron took the lead for the first time since they were up 2-1. Then Jeremiah Wood turned on the afterburners. Wood was hitting shots from inside the key to outside the 3-point arc. With just over eleven minutes to go, Akron found themselves up by 9 points. UMASS seemed to fall victim to the same shooting bug that infected Akron a few times this season, especially against rival Kent State.
With six minutes to go, the shooting and turnover bug began to infect Akron. It seemed that neither team could get anything to fall. With 4:22 to go in the game, UMASS battled back to within 3 points. A turnover by Cedrick Middleton allowed UMASS to cut the lead to 1 and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
UMASS continued to press and play the tough defense that had them leading in much of the first half. Consequently, the Zips continued to make poor passing choices leading to turnovers.
With 3:14, UMASS took the lead at the free throw line 61-60. On the next trip down, Nick Dials was double-teamed and lost the ball, in the skirmish for the ball, Chris Lowe was tripped by Dials and Akron was charged with a controversial intentional foul giving UMASS two free throws and the possession.
Brett McKnight hit a 3-pointer with 2:10 to go to bring the Zips to within 2 points. After a stop at the UMASS end, Akron again turned over the ball and proceeded to call a timeout with 1:30 to go down 65-63.
With 54.7 to go in the game, Akron brought the ball into the forecourt. Brett McKnight missed a 3-point shot and UMASS called a timeout with 24.3 to and 23 on the shot clock. Akron, down by two, needed to foul to stop the clock. UMASS’s Gary Forbes was fouled and missed the first of two shots. Akron, down by three with 17.6 left, Akron inbounded the ball which eventually led to an unnecessary 3-point miss by Jeremiah Wood which sealed their fate. In the last half of the game, Akron was out shot 25-7.
The loss ends the Zips season, already the longest in school history with 35 games. Akron finished 24-11.
For Akron, Jeremiah Wood again led the team in scoring with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Cedrick Middleton had 14 points, while Nate Linhart and Nick Dials had 6 and 3 points respectively. Off the bench, Brett McKnight had 11 points while his brother Chris had 6 points.
Akron shot 43% from the field, 76% from the free-throw line and 41% from 3-point range.
Today was the last game for seniors Nick Dials, Jeremiah Wood and Nick Goddard (did not play).
Akron Upsets Florida State In First Round
Tallahassee, FL - Whenever Akron travels outside the MAC to play, they are greeted with the usual “Where is Akron?” or “What is a Zip?”. Tuesday night was no different as Akron opened NIT postseason play against the Florida State Seminoles. Whether the Seminoles and their fans received answers to their questions they won’t soon forget that the team that they taunted beat them in overtime 65-60. It is their first ever win over an ACC team and it was Florida State’s first lose in the first round of any postseason tournament. The loss was the first to a non-conference team this season for Florida State.
The win wasn’t pretty. Akron was up by as much as 12 points in the first half, but Florida State battled back to within one at the half as the Zips led 34-33.
The second half was even uglier. Akron couldn’t hit their free throws down the stretch. They went 4-4 in the first half but went 1-8 in the second half. The free throw woes continued for much of the overtime as Akron went 10-19 on the night, but Nick Dials did hit key shots from the charity stripe in the waning seconds of the extra period.
The night belonged to Nick Dials who is playing in his senior year with Akron. Dials only hit 2 baskets for most of regulation, but really turned it on in the last minute. In the overtime period he was unstoppable scoring 15 points, more points than the Seminoles did as a team in the extra frame. Dials had a team high 21 points with 4 assists and no turnovers.
Jeremiah Wood struggled a bit with 9 points, but he had 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Nate Linhart put in 12 points and a team high 8 rebounds while Chris McKnight added 10 points. Off the bench for Akron the only points came from Darryl Roberts with 8 points.
Akron shot 38% from the field, they were 11-28 from 3-point range 39% and they shot 10-19 free the throw line. Akron had 12 assists to only 10 turnovers.
Akron will next play second seed UMASS in Amhurst, mass on Saturday 12:00 noon. The game will be televised on ESPN. For all of your Zips game day information, visit the UofAZIPS.com Game Day page.
Akron To Play Florida St. In NIT
Akron, OH – The Akron Zips will play Florida State Tuesday at 9:00pm in the National Invitation Tournament. The game will be played in Tallahassee, Florida on the campus of Florida State.
This is Akron’s second selection to the NIT in three years. It was expected that Akron would have been in the NIT last year, but they were snubbed by the tournament committee and did not see post-season play. Akron is a 6 seeded team in their respective bracket while Florida State is a 3 seed.
For all of your Game Day information, visit the UofAZIPS.com Game Day page.
The Shots Didn’t Fall But The Zips Did
Cleveland, OH – Redemption is sweet when you get it. But it makes you bitter when you want it so bad and can’t have it. That is what Akron fans are feeling as the Zips fell to Kent State Saturday night in the MAC Championship game 74-55 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. A win for the Zips would have ranted them an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Now Akron will be in a familiar position as they were last year waiting for a miracle invitation to the Tournament or hoping not to be snubbed a second year in a row by the NIT.
Akron led for much of the first 10 minutes of the game, but KSU went on a 8-0 run with 7:00 to go in the half until Jeremiah Wood hit a free-throw with 4:32 to go in the half. Then Akron would continue to go cold as they went rest of the half without a point. KSU led at the half 33-20. Akron was getting great looks, but the ball would just not fall through the hoop.
Jeremiah Wood was a handful for Kent to answer for part of the first half, but KSU coach Jim Christian’s strategy seemed to be to put Wood at the line. Jeremiah is not a very good free throw shooter at 58%. He went 2-7 from the line in the first half. Every time Wood would get close to scoring, the Flashes would foul him to put him at the line.
The Zips came out of the locker room continuing where they left off. There shot selection was decent for most of the second half, but the ball just would not fall. KSU enjoyed leads of as much as 17 in the second half, but Akron began to gain some momentum when they narrowed the score within 10 with 8:13 to go. It proved to be short-lived as Darryl Roberts was charged with an intentional foul after he turned the ball over. Kent hit both free throws and then hit a 3-point play on the ensuing possession.
For the rest of the game, Akron was able to force stops, but they struggled to convert the play on the other end of the court.With 3:44 to go, Akron found themselves down 63-48. For the remainder of the game, Akron could not find their shot. They also struggled at the free throw line, a place that had become friendly to the Zips this season.
Jeremiah Wood led the Zips in scoring with 13 point, but he struggled mightily at the line shooting 5-14. Nick Dials and Nate Linhart had 9 points each while Chris McKnight put in 8 points. Cedrick Middleton didn’t have a very good night shooting going 1-7 from the floor for 4 points. Off the bench Darryl Roberts had 9 points.
Akron shot a 31% from the floor, 54 % from the free-throw line and 23% from 3-point range. The Zips were out rebounded 27-36.
So now it is a waiting game for Akron. The tournament selections will take place Sunday at 5:00pm for the NCAA and at 8:00 pm for the NIT. Stay with UofAZIPS.com for tournament updates on Sunday.
A Chance At Redemption For The Fans Too
Cleveland, OH – For Akron Zips fans, this season began with a chip on our shoulders. Fans were still numb from the controversial game-winning shot by Miami(OH) that sent Akron packing. They lost a chance at an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and were subsequently snubbed by the NIT for postseason play.
Now, the only thing standing between Akron and its first division one conference Championship is the Kent State Golden Flashes. Akron has already faced Kent twice this season, both times losing. Both games were hard fought and close at the finish. Needless to say, Saturday night’s match-up should be an exciting game. Because of both school’s proximity to Cleveland, Quicken Loans Arena should be packed to the rafters and loud.
Coach Keith Dambrot is all business as he prepares his Zips for the big game. Dambrot was to be interviewed with Tony Rizzo and Kendal Lewis of Fox SportsNet during halftime of the Kent-Miami game. They were unable to find coach Dambrot because he was presumably scouting Kent and Miami and then taking his team back to the hotel for a meal and rest.
The most important thing is that Akron will get a chance at redemption Saturday night. They shouldn’t take that chance lightly. And they won’t.
For Akron fans, they too will get another chance at redemption. The Zips were able to get more than 10,000 fans to travel to Detroit the day after Christmas in 2005 for the Motor City Bowl. Akron, now’s your chance to show your spirit. Many of you live less than an hour from Cleveland, much closer than Detroit. Why not postpone your plans for Saturday night and head to Quicken Loans Arena? If you don’t, you may not get a third chance.
Akron Earns Another Chance For A Title
Cleveland, OH - The Zips are one huge step closer to another chance at a MAC Championship title as they took care of the Western Michigan Broncos 78-62 in the MAC Tournament Semi-Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Zips started out strong. Their first two baskets were 3-pointers from Cedrick Middleton and Nate Linhart. Akron had an quick 10-2 lead. The Zips enjoyed a lead most of the first half. At times the lead was as much as 11 points.
Akron’s first-half shooting was very strong especially from the perimeter. The Zips shot 16-28 (57%) from the floor in the first half and were 5-9 from three-point range. Brett McKnight led the Zips in the first half with 12 points while Cedrick Middleton had 11. Akron led the Broncos 37-24 at halftime.
The Zips came out of the locker room strong and did let up. They allowed WMU to get within 8 points with just over two minutes left to go, but crucial free throws unlikely hit by Brett McKnight helped seal the Bronco’s fate.f
Akron for the second night was precise from the floor and tough on defense. They shot 61% in the second half and only allowed a total of 10 turnovers.
Jeremiah Wood again had a strong performance dropping in 12 points, with 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. Chris McKnight led Akron in scoring with 16 points while Nate Linhart accounted for 7 points and 3 rebounds. Cedrick Middleton had 13 points and Brett McKnight put up 11 points and 4 rebounds. Nick Dials may have only scored 5 points, but he was a huge factor in the Zips win commanding the floor adding 5 assists and only 2 turnovers.
Akron shot 59% from the floor, 47% from 3-point range and 60% from the free-throw line. They out rebounded Western Michigan 28-25 and had 14 assists to 10 turnovers.
Akron improved to 23-9 on the season and will return to the MAC Championship game Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio at 7:00pm. For all of your Zips Game Day information, visit the UofAZIPS.com Game Day page.
Zips Handle CMU For Tourney Win
Cleveland, Ohio – Some people wondered how the University of Akron Men’s Basketball team would respond after a heartbreaking loss to close out the regular season against rival Kent State. Akron had three days to prepare for their opponent in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. They faced Central Michigan who defeated the Zips in an upset win earlier in the year. Thursday Akron got revenge as they handled the Chippewas 81-60 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
For much of the first half, CMU and Akron traded shots with Central on top most of the time, but in the waning minutes of the half Akron began to pull away. Their precise shooting, stifling defense and low turnovers (a total of eight) proved to be too much for CMU.
The key in the win was Jerimah Wood. Leading the Zips with 17 points and 9 rebounds, the Chippewas could not solve him. When the double teamed him, Wood easily found ways to dish off a pass to the open man. With 10 minutes left to go in the game, coach Keith Dambrot was able to rest Jeremiah and his twice surgically repaired knee for Friday night’s game against Western Michigan.
Nate Linhart added 16 points and 6 rebounds and Nick Dials landed 5 points, and 6 assists. Off the bench Brett McKnight put in 12 points and Darryl Roberts added 8 points.
Akron, the number three seed, will next face second-seeded Western Michigan Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena. Tip-off is set for 7 pm. For all of your Zips game day information, visit the UofAZIPS.com Game Day page.
MAC East Title Slips By Zips
Akron, OH – Zips fans have to be sick and tired of desperation 3-pointers at the buzzer. Remembering back to last year’s MAC Championship game, fans remember all too well how Miami’s Doug Peno’s prayer-of-a-shot killed Akron’s hopes at a Championship title. Sunday night at the JAR, wasn’t any easier to watch. This time the bullet was delivered by Kent State’s Al Fisher with 2.0 seconds on the clock as the Kent State Golden Flashes defeated the Akron Zips 61-58 to clinch the MAC East title.
The final score would not be an accurate measure of how well the Zips played. From the start, Akron was cold in shooting and lethargic on defense. Nothing was going right for the Zips. One could argue that Akron played poorly for 35 minutes and didn’t pull it together until the last 5 minutes. The score was 55-44 with 1:54 to go in the game, but Fisher’s shot was the killer.
They were out-shot and out-hustled much of the first half. Coach Keith Dambrot could not seem to get his team going as they went to the locker room at half time down 32-15.
Keith Dambrot stated that the Zips need to learn from what went wrong and make changes in the upcoming MAC Tournament. “If we learn from this, six days from now things could go a lot different”.
For Akron, Nick Dials had 5 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds including a huge 3-pointer late in the game. Jeremiah Wood put in 23 points, 21 in the second half, including a long 3-pointer to tie the game at 58. Wood is 2-3 on 3-pointers this season. He also grabbed 7 rebounds. Brent McKnight 11 points, 5 rounds while Cedrick Middleton scored 7 points and had 2 rebounds.
Akron shot a dismal 32% from the field. Even worse they went 3-23 from 3-point range. They were 74% from the foul line. 5The Attendance was 5,607 (sell out).
Akron finishes the regular season 21-9, 11-5 while Kent lands at 25-6, 13-3. Akron earned a bye in the first round of the MAC Tournament. Their next game will be in round two on Thursday at 2:30PM at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. For all of your Zips game day information, visit the UofAZIPS.com Game Day page.
The Cedrick Express Helps Lift The Zips Over OU
Oxford, Ohio – Cedric Middleton’s timing is so timely that NASA could use him to help shoot down their next errant satelite. Tuesday night, Middleton and the Zips battled Ohio University on the road, a game with a lot on the line. Middleton’s 19-points helped lift the Zips over the Bobcats 80-77 giving them a chance to play for a tie atop the MAC East this Sunday against Kent State.
Middleton started the year struggling. Last season he averaged over 14 points a game, but early in the season this year there were games where he didn’t score or only scored one basket. Tonight, Middleton lead the Zips in scoring. In his last five games, Cedrick has lead the Zips in scoring averaging 17.6 points per game which includes a career high 20 points vs. Buffalo.
Coach Keith Dambrot realizes how crucial Cedrick’s timing is helping the Zips win big in their last 4 games. “Middleton continues to shine and make big plays. I’m excited for him.”
The Zips were very efficient from the field in the win over the Bobcats shooting 60%. They were able to make big plays at crunch time including Nick Dials’ 4-4 from the free throw line with under a minute to go. “Every play we ran at crunch time worked” coach Dambrot added.
Jeremiah Wood was 8-8 from the field for 19-points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 turnover. It was Wood’s 3rd straight double figure scoring game since returning from knee surgery two weeks ago. Chris McKnight and 13-points while Nate Linhart added 8 points with 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Nick Dials put in 11 points on 6 assists with 1 steal.
The Zips were 44% from 3-point range and went 12=16 from the foul line. Akron was significantly out rebounded 17-33 but the had 21 assists to only 9 turnovers.
With the win, Akron improves to 21-8, 11-4 while Ohio drops to 18-11, 8-7. The win also clinched the 3rd seed in the MAC Tournament. Akron has already earned a bye in the first round.
Akron’s final regular season match-up is this Sunday against division rival Kent State at the JAR. The sold out game time is set for 6:00PM. An Akron win will give them a tie for the Division lead with the Golden Flashes. Kent is coming off of a major upset loss to Bowling Green which knocked them out of the Top 25 rankings. For all of your Zips Game Day information visit the UofAZIP.com Game Day page.
Zips Earn Tough Road Win Over Miami
OXFORD, Ohio (via ESPN/AP) — During difficult times, winning teams will call on different players to step up to shoulder the load. The Akron Zips are no different. After losing Jeremiah Wood, one of their leading rebounders and scorers, someone needed to fill the gap. Not many would have figured Cedrick Middleton into the mix. Middleton has struggled all season with his shooting, but lately he’s shown signs of stepping out of the funk he fell into. Tuesday night was Cedrick’s turning point as he helped lift the Zips over the Miami Redhawks 56-52.
The last minute of regulation provided plenty of excitement including a put-back dunk by Quade Milum and a pair of game-clinching free-throws by Cedrick Middleton.
The dunk by Milum, who had six points, came with 36 seconds remaining. The free throws with one second remaining by Middleton, who led the Zips with 18 points, iced the victory. Chris McKnight contributed 10 for Akron (19-7, 9-4), while Nick Dials had eight. The Zips shot 46.5 percent for the game, including 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point line during the second half. Tim Pollitzled the RedHawks (13-12, 7-6) with 18 points, while Kenny Hayes added 13 — his 12th straight game in double figures.Akron broke an eight-game home winning streak for Miami.
Akron returns to Rhodes Arena this Saturday to battle Virginia Commonwealth in the ESPN Bracketbuster. Game time is set fo 11:00am. Visit the UofAZIPS.com Game Day page for more information.
Wood Could Return On Saturday
Akron, Oh – Coach Ketih Dambrot stated on the MAC Men’s basketball coaches weekly teleconference that Senior Forward Jeremiah Wood has a good chance to be back on the court for Saturday’s ESPN Bracketbuster match-up against VCU. Dambrot stated that if it were a “life or death situation”, Wood could be ready to play tomorrow night against Miami (OH).
Wood’s injury limited his playing time in the loss at Western Michigan on February 6th. He left early in the second half and did not return. Surgery was performed on Saturday, February 9th to repair a torn lateral meniscus. During his sophomore year, Jeremiah suffered a torn ACL on the same knee and missed the rest of the season and the next due to rehab. It was presumed that Wood would be out for the remainder of the season, but his hard work has led to a much faster than normal recovery.
Zippy Wins Mascot of the Year
It is a happy new year for University of Akron fans as our mascot Zippy was voted Mascot of the Year in the Capital One Mascot of the Year Challenge. The winner of the Challenge was announced during the Capital One Bowl game on January 1st, 2008. Zippy made it to the Championship round by going undefeated during the entire contest which began in September. No other school’s mascot can claim a perfect record.
Zippy became the first mascot to earn a playoff spot the Capital One Mascot of the Year Challenge. She did so by posting a victory over Cosmo from Brigham Young University. Her perfect record earned her a bye in the first round of the playoff. She then went on to defeat Otto from Syracuse University to earn a chance at the title. She then defeated Goldy Gopher from the University of Minnesota to take the championship crown. The University of Akron will receive a $5,000 donation from Capital One for winning the contest.
Zippy To Battle For Championship Title
It is down to the the Finals for the Capital One Mascot of the Year Challenge. Zippy, the University of Akron mascot, made it to the Championship round by going undefeated during the entire contest. No other school’s mascot can claim a perfect record. The winner of the Challenge will be announced during the Capital One Bowl game on January 1st, 2008. The winning University will receive a $5,000 donation from Capital One.
Zippy became the first mascot to earn a playoff spot the Capital One Mascot of the Year Challenge. She did so by posting a victory over Cosmo from Brigham Young University. Her perfect record earned her a bye in the first round of the playoff. She then went on to defeat Otto from Syracuse University to earn a chance at the title. Vote now and vote often at www.capitalonebowl.com.
Zips’ Arthur, Corner, Williams & Sewell Get Nod
Already honored as All-Mid-American Conference by the league’s coaches, Jabari Arthur, Reggie Corner, Bryan Williams and Almondo Sewell – members of the University of Akron football team – have each picked up additional postseason honors. Arthur (WR), Corner (CB) and Williams (KR) were named to the All-MAC team, as named by Rivals.com, while Sewell (DL) was named honorable mention Freshman All-American by both Scout.com and The Sporting News.
Vote For Zippy In The Playoffs
The playoffs are underway Capital One Bowl Mascot of the Year contest. Zippy, the University of Akron mascot, is the only mascot to boast an undefeated record since the competition began in September. After earning a first round bye, Zippy is facing Otto from Syracuse University. There are only four mascots left in this online event.
With a victory this week, Zippy, will battle the winner between Hairy Dawg (University of Georgia) and Goldy Gopher (University of Minnesota) for a chance at the championship. The mascot of the year will be announced during halftime of the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2008.
Zippy is one of only 12 mascots nationally who were selected to the sixth-annual Capital One All-America team, earning her the opportunity to compete for the title. Vote now and vote often at www.capitalonebowl.com.
Zips Drop Season Fanale to the Chips
The Zips Football season ended on a down note as they dropped their last game for the 2007 season 35-32. Central Michigan played to role of spoiler to the Zips on senior day and on a national ESPN U telecast. The Chippewas finish the regular season with a 7-5, 6-1 record and a MAC West Conference Championship. The Zips finish with a 4-8 overall record and 3-5 in the MAC.
