Getty Ohio will take on Akron Tuesday.
The Ohio University Bobcats (4-2) will take on the Akron Zips (2-1) at Rhodes Arena Tuesday.
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The game (2 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on regular TV anywhere, but you can watch Ohio vs Akron live on ESPN+ right here:
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Ohio vs Akron Preview
The Zips have seen six games canceled already due to COVID-19 complications, which has kept them from gaining much rhythm or momentum as a unit. Akron head coach John Groce isn’t making excuses, but he did note the difficulties of his team’s slower start last week. “I’m one of those guys that thinks you learn from both practice and games,” Groce said. “So those opportunities, they’re not there. They’re gone. They are what they are. There’s not a daggone thing we can do about it. We can only control what’s in front of us.”
Akron played Malone on Saturday, winning a 93-83 after falling behind in the first half. Senior point guard Loren Cristian Jackson led the way for Akron as he has all season, scoring a game-high 34 points while notching a double-double with his 10 assists.
“He’s a special kid, a special player,” Groce said about Jackson. “I think he’s one of the best players in the country, not just our league. And part of him being who he is are those intangible things. His experience level, his leadership, communication, his steadiness with his character are huge.”
Jackson and company will be facing a Bobcats squad that had won two straight before falling to Marshall, 81-67 on December 13. Forward Dwight Wilson led the way for Ohio, scoring 24 points and hauling in 12 boards. It was Wilson’s third straight double-double, but it wasn’t enough. The Bobcats shot just 40 percent from the floor, and they committed 17 turnovers.
“We didn’t deserve to (win),” Ohio coach Jeff Boals said after the loss. “The biggest thing was the turnovers. A lot of unforced turnovers that led to points for them.” Ohio is scoring 83.8 points a game, however, which is a positive for the team moving forward. They’ll be playing a Zips team that is also a formidable scoring unit, averaging 88 points a game.
While Akron may still be trying to find its footing this season, the Bobcats haven’t played in over a week, either, so they could very well hit the court with a bit of rust in this one.
“It’s a learning process, it’s a growth process,” Boals said. “We’ll have to continue to get better. Just learn from it.”