Winners of nine of their last ten games straight-up, the Zips share first place in the MAC with Toledo. It's no surprise, as Akron was picked as the conference's preseason favorite in November. That isn't to say it's been a smooth ride to the top. The Zips started the 2023-24 season 4-0 but lost their next three games to Utah State, Drake, and UNLV. They're a well-balanced team, with seven players averaging 5.9 points or more, but senior forward Enrique Freeman (18.4 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 58.9 FG%) is the engine that makes them go.

Kent State has struggled to sustain momentum this season, especially lately. The Golden Flashes have dropped five of their last seven games straight-up but stopped the bleeding on Tuesday at Northern Illinois. Although just 2-3 in MAC play, they can join the conference title chase with wins in their next two games versus Akron (5-0) and Ohio (4-1).

The Zips are a top-100 team on both ends of the court, and while these teams are plenty familiar with each other, I have my doubts the Golden Flashes can keep the game close enough to win. Akron is solid from beyond the arc and will let it rain against a Kent State defense that ranks 319th in opponent three-point percentage. The Golden Flashes are soft inside, too, as their opponents attempt over 40 percent of their shots at the rim and shoot 56.2 percent. The home team is also foul-prone, which the Zips will make the most of.