2015–16 Akron Zips men's basketball team

The 2015–16 Akron Zips men's basketball team represented the University of Akron during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Zips, led by 12th year head coach Keith Dambrot, played their home games at the James A. Rhodes Arena as members of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. Akron finished the season 26–9, 13–5 record in conference, winning the East Division title as well as the overall regular season MAC championship. The Zips advanced to the championship of the MAC tournament where they lost to Buffalo. As a regular season conference champion who failed to win their conference title, they received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost to Ohio State in the first round.

2015–16 Akron Zips men's basketball
South Point Holiday Hoops Classic champions
MAC East Division Champions
MAC Regular Season Champions
NIT, First round
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionEast Division
Record26–9 (13–5 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coachRick McFadden
Charles Thomas
Terry Weigand
Home arenaJames A. Rhodes Arena
Seasons
2015–16 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
East
Akron135 .722269 .743
Ohio117 .6112312 .657
Kent State108 .5561913 .594
Buffalo108 .5562015 .571
Miami (OH)612 .3331320 .394
Bowling Green513 .2781618 .471
West
Ball State108 .5562114 .600
Central Michigan108 .5561716 .515
Northern Illinois99 .5002113 .618
Eastern Michigan99 .5001815 .545
Toledo810 .4441715 .531
Western Michigan711 .3891319 .406
2016 MAC tournament winner

Previous season

The Zips finished the 2014–15 season with a 21–14 record, 9–9 in MAC play to finish in fourth place in the East Division. They advanced to the semifinals of the MAC tournament where they lost to Buffalo.

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Demetrius Treadwell1F6'7"236SeniorEuclid, OHGraduated
Nyles Evans3G5'11"160SeniorNorth Canton, OHGraduated
Deji Ibitayo4G6'4"200SeniorChicago, ILGraduated
B. J. Gladden5G/F6'6"214SophomoreCharlotte, NCTransferred to Eastern Florida State College

Incoming Transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Craig EubanksG6'4"190JuniorCleveland, OHJunior college transferred from Missouri State University–West Plains.

Recruiting class of 2015

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Josh Williams
SG
Akron, OHSt. Vincent-St. Mary High School6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg)Aug 7, 2013 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: 77
Peter Agba
PF
Greensboro, NCGreensboro Day School6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)N/ASep 22, 2014 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Emmanuel Olojakpoke
PF
Houston, TXCypress Springs High School6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)190 lb (86 kg) 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Daniel Utomi
PF
Houston, TXWestside High School6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)N/AApr 9, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2015 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.

Recruiting class of 2016

US college sports recruiting information for 2016 recruits
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Isaiah Williams
SF
Dayton, OHStivers School for the Arts6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)210 lb (95 kg)Mar 1, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Tavian Dunn-Martin
PG
Huntington, WVHuntington High School5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)155 lb (70 kg)Aug 4, 2015 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

2015–16 Akron Zips men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G0Jimond Ivey6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)195 lb (88 kg)SoGlenville HS/Ginn AcademyCleveland, OH
G1Josh Williams6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)FrSt. Vincent-St. Mary High School HSAkron, OH
F2Kwan Cheatham6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)235 lb (107 kg)JrWinton Woods HSCincinnati, OH
G/F3Daniel Utomi6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)215 lb (98 kg)FrWestside HSHouston, TX
G11Aaron Jackson6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)215 lb (98 kg)RS SoLincoln HSGahanna, OH
G14Noah Robotham6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)165 lb (75 kg)SoBishop GormanLas Vegas, NV
G/F15Jake Kretzer6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)216 lb (98 kg)SrWaverly HSBainbridge, OH
F21Reggie McAdams6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)208 lb (94 kg)SrElida HSElida, OH
F22Emmanuel Olojakpoke6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)205 lb (93 kg)FrCypress Springs HSHouston, TX
C23Isaiah Johnson6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)295 lb (134 kg)JrWalnut Hills HSCincinnati, OH
C34Pat Forsythe6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)245 lb (111 kg)RS SrBrunswick HS
West Virginia
Brunswick, OH
F42Peter Agba6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)210 lb (95 kg)FrGreensboro Day SchoolGreensboro, NC
G55Antino Jackson5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)160 lb (73 kg)SoCypress Springs HSHouston, TX
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

Source: [1]

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordSite (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
11/05/2015*
7:00 pm
MaloneW 113–69 
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,088)
Akron, OH
Non-conference games
11/14/2015*
9:00 pm
vs. Cleveland State
Coaches vs. Cancer Tip-Off
W 65–53 1–0
MAC Center (5,471)
Kent, OH
11/16/2015*
7:00 pm
HiramW 100–30 2–0
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,638)
Akron, OH
11/18/2015*
8:00 pm, SECN
at Arkansas
NIT Season Tip-Off
W 88–80 3–0
Bud Walton Arena (14,041)
Fayetteville, AR
11/22/2015*
4:30 pm, FS1
at No. 11 Villanova
NIT Season Tip-Off
L 56–75 3–1
The Pavilion (6,500)
Villanova, PA
11/24/2015*
8:00 pm, ESPN3
at Green Bay
NIT Season Tip-Off
L 63–66 3–2
Resch Center (2,230)
Green Bay, WI
11/27/2015*
7:00 pm
Charleston Southern
NIT Season Tip-Off
W 82–58 4–2
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,469)
Akron, OH
12/02/2015*
8:00 pm
Coppin StateW 77–71 5–2
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,903)
Akron, OH
12/04/2015*
7:00 pm
at MarshallW 75–65 6–2
Cam Henderson Center (4,631)
Huntington, WV
12/12/2015*
7:00 pm
Bethune-CookmanW 81–60 7–2
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,828)
Akron, OH
12/21/2015*
3:00 pm
vs. UC Santa Barbara
South Point Holiday Hoops Classic
W 84–70 8–2
South Point Arena (250)
Enterprise, NV
12/23/2015*
3:00 pm
vs. Iona
South Point Holiday Hoops Classic
W 78–64 9–2
South Point Arena (225)
Enterprise, NV
12/30/2015*
7:00 pm
South Carolina StateW 78–68 10–2
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,741)
Akron, OH
01/02/2016*
7:00 pm
LipscombW 80–73 11–2
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,652)
Akron, OH
MAC regular season
01/05/2016
7:00 pm, ASN
at BuffaloW 75–71 12–2
(1–0)
Alumni Arena (2,226)
Amherst, NY
01/08/2016
7:00 pm, ESPNU
Western MichiganW 62–53 13–2
(2–0)
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,642)
Akron, OH
01/12/2016
7:00 pm
at Central MichiganL 81–92 13–3
(2–1)
McGuirk Arena (2,260)
Mount Pleasant, MI
01/15/2016
7:00 pm, CBSSN
at ToledoL 64–78 13–4
(2–2)
Savage Arena (5,130)
Toledo, OH
01/19/2016
7:00 pm
Eastern MichiganW 92–88 14–4
(3–2)
James A. Rhodes Arena (2,839)
Akron, OH
01/23/2016
7:00 pm
Miami (OH)W 75–46 15–4
(4–2)
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,686)
Akron, OH
01/26/2016
7:00 pm
Northern IllinoisW 76–66 16–4
(5–2)
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,205)
Akron, OH
01/30/2016
1:00 pm
at Ball StateW 73–64 17–6
(6–2)
John E. Worthen Arena (3,021)
Muncie, IN
02/02/2016
7:00 pm, TWCSC
at OhioW 80–68 18–4
(7–2)
Convocation Center (6,403)
Athens, OH
02/06/2016
Central MichiganW 92–87 19–4
(8–2)
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,829)
Akron, OH
02/09/2016
7:00 pm
at Bowling GreenW 83–68 20–4
(8–2)
Stroh Center (1,554)
Bowling Green, OH
02/13/2016
4:45 pm, ESPN3
at Northern IllinoisL 79–80 20–5
(9–3)
Convocation Center (3,457)
DeKalb, IL
02/16/2016
7:00 pm
BuffaloW 80–70 21–5
(10–3)
James A. Rhodes Arena (3,069)
Akron, OH
02/19/2016
6:00 pm, ESPNU
at Kent State
Wagon Wheel Challenge
L 76–85 21–6
(10–4)
MAC Center (6,327)
Kent, OH
02/23/2016
7:00 pm, ASN
at Miami (OH)L 64–77 21–7
(10–5)
Millett Hall (1,371)
Oxford, OH
02/25/2016
Bowling GreenW 78–54 22–7
(11–5)
James A. Rhodes Arena (4,284)
Akron, OH
03/01/2016
8:00 pm, ASN
OhioW 91–76 23–7
(12–5)
James A. Rhodes Arena (4,192)
Akron, OH
03/04/2016
7:00 pm, ESPN2
Kent StateW 74–60 24–7
(13–5)
James A. Rhodes Arena (5,301)
Akron, OH
MAC tournament
03/10/2016
12:00 pm, TWCSC/ESPN3
vs. Eastern Michigan
Quarterfinals
W 65–63 25–7
Quicken Loans Arena (2,217)
Cleveland, OH
03/11/2016
9:00 pm, TWCSC/ESPN3
vs. Bowling Green
Semifinals
W 80–66 26–7
Quicken Loans Arena (6,427)
Cleveland, OH
03/12/2016
7:30 pm, ESPN2
vs. Buffalo
Championship game
L 61–64 26–8
Quicken Loans Arena (6,719)
Cleveland, OH
NIT
03/15/2016*
7:00 pm, ESPN
(6) at (3) Ohio State
First round – Monmouth Bracket
L 63–72 OT26–9
Value City Arena (4,698)
Columbus, OH
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.

References