Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Akron and the win they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They have jumped out to a quick 28-20 lead against Ohio.
Akron entered the match having won six straight and they're just one half away from another. Will they make it seven, or will Ohio step up and spoil it? We'll know soon.
Who's Playing
Ohio Bobcats @ Akron Zips
Current Records: Ohio 9-9, Akron 14-4
How To Watch
- When: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: James A. Rhodes Arena -- Akron, Ohio
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $17.85
What to Know
Ohio has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. The Ohio Bobcats and the Akron Zips will face off in a Mid American battle at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday at James A. Rhodes Arena. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to post 12 more assists than your opponent, a fact Ohio proved on Saturday. They enjoyed a cozy 85-67 victory over the Eagles.
Meanwhile, Akron entered their tilt with Kent State with five consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with six. The Zips walked away with a 77-71 victory over the Golden Flashes on Friday. 77 seems to be a good number for Akron as the team scooped up a win with the same number of points in their previous game.
Akron relied on the efforts of Ali Ali, who scored 23 points, and Enrique Freeman, who scored 23 points along with eight rebounds and five blocks. Those 23 points set a new season-high mark for him.
The Bobcats pushed their record up to 9-9 with that victory, which was their third straight at home. As for the Zips, they are on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 11 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 14-4 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Ohio have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 36.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Akron struggles in that department as they've been averaging 36.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Ohio is hoping to beat the odds on Tuesday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. This will be their first time playing as the underdogs on the road this season.
Odds
Akron is a big 8-point favorite against Ohio, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Zips as a 7.5-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 145 points.
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Series History
Akron has won 6 out of their last 10 games against Ohio.
- Feb 10, 2023 - Ohio 90 vs. Akron 81
- Jan 28, 2023 - Akron 83 vs. Ohio 77
- Feb 25, 2022 - Akron 91 vs. Ohio 83
- Jan 04, 2022 - Ohio 69 vs. Akron 63
- Feb 23, 2021 - Ohio 90 vs. Akron 73
- Dec 22, 2020 - Akron 90 vs. Ohio 70
- Mar 03, 2020 - Akron 74 vs. Ohio 67
- Jan 25, 2020 - Akron 88 vs. Ohio 86
- Mar 02, 2019 - Ohio 73 vs. Akron 49
- Feb 02, 2019 - Akron 65 vs. Ohio 53