Akron Zips (23-5, 14-1 MAC) at Kent State Golden Flashes (21-7, 12-3 MAC)

Kent, Ohio; Friday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Akron visits Kent State after Tavari Johnson scored 23 points in Akron’s 99-85 win over the Buffalo Bulls.

The Golden Flashes have gone 13-2 at home. Kent State is the MAC leader with 36.7 rebounds per game led by Delrecco Gillespie averaging 11.6.

The Zips are 14-1 in conference play. Akron leads the MAC with 18.9 assists. Johnson paces the Zips with 5.2.

Kent State makes 45.6% of its shots from the field this season, which is 3.3 percentage points higher than Akron has allowed to its opponents (42.3%). Akron averages 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.8 more made shots on average than the 9.0 per game Kent State gives up.

The teams play for the second time in conference play this season. Akron won the last matchup 69-52 on Jan. 30. Johnson scored 16 points to help lead the Zips to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Gillespie is averaging 18.7 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks for the Golden Flashes. Morgan Safford is averaging 14.1 points over the last 10 games.

Shammah Scott is shooting 42.1% from beyond the arc with 2.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Zips, while averaging 12.6 points. Johnson is averaging 20.9 points and 4.4 assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Flashes: 7-3, averaging 77.2 points, 38.0 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.7 points per game.

Zips: 9-1, averaging 82.9 points, 35.4 rebounds, 16.4 assists, 5.9 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.9 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.