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MAC Basketball Season Preview: Akron Zips

By Matt Sussman Updated

An extensive if not comprehensive look at all 12 Mid-American Conference college basketball teams. The opening game is November 10, so we better get started.

Last year: 24-10 (12-4), 2nd MAC East; lost to OHIO in MAC tournament; lost to Green Bay in CBI first round

This year: Picked 3rd in MAC East; 4 of 24 picked them to win the division; 2 of 24 pick them to win MAC tournament

Coach: Keith Dambrot (y'know, LeBron's high school coach) is entering his 7th season with Akron. His record: 139-62.

First Game: November 12, vs. Millikin University (Division III school)

Can a kangaroo dribble a basketball? Maybe, with its feet, for a little while. It could also keep the ball in its pouch, but would obviously be called for traveling if the referee sees him do it.

Akron Zips Basketball Roster

# Pos. DOB W H College
Alex Abreu 11 G - 175 5-9 freshman
Mike Bardo 54 C - 240 6-10 senior
Nikola Cvetinovic 13 F - 230 6-8 junior
Quincy Diggs 22 F - 195 6-6 sophomore
Josh Egner 33 F - 200 6-7 freshman
Dakotah Euton 45 F - 230 6-8 freshman
Chauncey Gilliam - F - 235 6-5 junior
Michael Green 32 F - 200 6-6 freshman
Zeke Marshall 44 C - 218 7-0 sophomore
Brett McClanahan 5 G - 185 6-4 junior
Brett McKnight 23 F - 245 6-6 senior
Steve McNees 4 G - 170 6-2 senior
C.J. Oldham 42 F - 185 6-5 freshman
Kyle Petersen 2 G - 180 6-4 junior
Darryl Roberts 12 G - 165 6-0 senior
Brian Walsh - G - 195 6-4 sophomore

Departures

Tim Carroll — graduated
Jimmy Conyers — graduated
Chris McKnight — graduated
Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens — transferred
Ronnie Steward — transferred
Alex Sullivan — transferred
Steve Swiech — transferred

Transfers (sitting out this year)

Brian Walsh (Xavier)
Chauncey Gilliam (UMBC)

(Quincy Diggs transferred from New Orleans, which dropped its Division I status, so he can play this year)

Returning Award-Winners

Brett McKnight (All-MAC Honorable Mention)
Zeke Marshall (All-MAC Freshman Team)

Big Nonconference Games

December 12 @ Temple
December 15 @ Minnesota
December 23 @ Miami of Florida

A Paragraph of Thought on Akron Basketball

Well, Akron's always good. They shoulda won the whole MAC last year, but OHIO happened. They lost a bunch of important players but this is one of those resilient teams who keeps finding usable players from all over. Cvetinovic is from Serbia, they recruited Abreu from Puerto Rico, and then there's the three transfers. Sure, people are higher on the Bobcats and Golden Flashes, and some might even prefer their MAC East favorites RedHawk style — for SPICE! — but Akron's going to be in there. They always are. But when you lose a guy named Humpty, it breaks your heart. Digital Underground references will be down 83 percent as a result of it.

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