The Akron Zips need one more victory to clinch the East division of the Mid American Conference. <\/p>\n
Friday March 2 Matchup<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Preview<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Akron<\/strong><\/p>\n They are probably the best team in the league this year but with two losses to second place Buffalo and a one game lead with one to play they can\u2019t afford a letdown as a first place tie will go to the Bulls.<\/p>\n They have a conference leading 13-4 MAC record but enter the contest on a two game losing streak. \u00a0They need to right the ship to give them the best chance in the MAC tourney beginning next week.<\/p>\n The Zips might be the only conference leading team in America that doesn\u2019t have a player in the top 25 scorers in the league.<\/p>\n They manage 72 points per game spread almost evenly amongst seven players that average more than 7 points per game. \u00a0They play well together with nobody playing even 30 minutes per game.<\/p>\n Come the tournament they might want to lean more on leading scorer center Zeke Marshall. \u00a0The 7 footer doesn\u2019t see eye to eye with many players in the league and can be a real difference maker.<\/p>\n Kent State<\/strong><\/p>\n There are three team in the MAC with 20 victories, Akron is one and Kent State is one of the others. \u00a0 [soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n The Golden Flashes are very good at home (13-2) and will be looking for some revenge against Akron for an earlier loss. \u00a0Kent State just snapped a three game losing streak and is looking to show the conference favourite that they could take the MAC tournament title away from them.<\/p>\n Last year when they met in the MAC tourney the Zips won by a point.<\/p>\n I am sure that still stings a little.<\/p>\n The Golden Flashes are also led by a big man – Justin Greene – although he is not as big as Marshall.<\/p>\n Greene is in the top 10 in the MAC in scoring an rebounds but he got into foul trouble against Akron last time and wasn\u2019t much of a factor. Guard Randall Holt scored 27 points in that one but he is a very inconsistent player.<\/p>\n In his last 10 games he has scored as many as 20 points but also as few as 6. \u00a0They will need good efforts from Greene, Holt and others to achieve victory.<\/p>\n
\nMemorial A&C Center \u00a0– Kent, OH
\n7:00PM<\/strong>
\nMoneyline:
\nSpread: \u00a0143
\nO\/U: \u00a0Kent St -3<\/p>\n