Akron Preview #2

Now the Falcon MBB team head to the JAR, which has been a chamber of horrors for the program.  BG has lost 16 of the last 18 in Akron.  Now, the good news is one of those two was the last one, as BG won by 12 last year.

In general, though...a place of very little success.  

Also, we are about as poor at home against the Zips.

BG battled Akron on January 20 at the Stroh and it was super ugly.  The Zips beat BG by 25 on their home floor. Plowden called it "embarrassing."  You can see the number below.  You combine that kind of shooting with hardly any turnovers and you're going to be really tough to beat.  They made 53% on 2FG and 52% on 3FG.  In fact, on a per-possession basis, it was a worse defensive game than the UB game when BG gave up 112.

Bryan Trimble came into the game making 3 of 23 from 3FG and then went off for 10 of 14 against BG.  Trimble did not play in their last game, and Coach Groce said he decided Trimble "needed a break from the team."  No idea if he will play tomorrow.

One note.  BG plays the fastest tempo in the MAC.  Akron plays the slowest.  In fact, only 10 teams play a slower possession rate than the "Zips" do. 

The Zips are struggling a little.  They have lost 3 of 4, including WMU and NIU, and the NIU game was at the JAR. They are 10-6 in the MAC and in 5th place.

Beyond Trimble's 33, Ali had 15 on 14 shots, Castenada had 14 on 10 and 6 assists, Tribble had 11 on 7 shots and  Freeman had 9 points and 10 rebounds in the first game.

For the year, Freeman is averaging a double-double and leads the MAC in rebounding and FG%. 

Plowden had 20 in the first game and Gordon had 12.

Going to be a tough one for BG, as it always is at the JAR.  BG has one win against the top 7 teams in the MAC this year.  If this season has any chance of not finishing up where it is heading, this would be an opportunity for BG to pick up a second one.