The Akron Zips men's basketball team will fete its seniors and try to set a team record for consecutive home wins against Northern Illinois on Friday.
The University of Akron men's basketball team can set a program record when it hosts Northern Illinois University in its final regular season and home game of the season at 6 p.m. Friday, March 6.
Akron (25-5, 16-1) has clinched the No. 2 seed in next week's Mid-American Conference Tournament, and only trails Miami (30-0, 17-0) in the MAC standings.
NIU (9-20, 4-13) will be playing its final men's basketball game in the MAC, with the school set to join the Mountain West Conference for football and the Horizon League for the majority of the other sports it offers. NIU has submitted a request to the MAC for its wrestling and gymnastics programs to remain in the league as affiliate members.
The game will be televised by CBS Sports Network, and it can be heard on local radio via Fox Sports 1350-AM.
Here are other things to know about Akron.
Akron men's basketball brings 30-game home win streak into Friday
Akron will attempt to win its 31st consecutive game at Rhodes Arena, which would break the program record at the venue previously set from 2015-2017. It also would tie Duke and Miami for the longest active streak in NCAA Division I men's basketball.
John Groce has a 193-93 record as Akron's coach since being hired in 2017. Akron has compiled a 162-59 overall record since the start of the 2019-20 season and a 99-28 MAC record in that same span. Akron is 120-15 at home under Groce.
Akron men's basketball set to honor five seniors
Akron will honor its five seniors — Bowen Hardman, Tavari Johnson, Amani Lyles, Evan Mahaffey and Shammah Scott — before tipoff.
Johnson, Lyles and Scott have helped Akron win the past two MAC Tournament championships, one MAC regular season title and make two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Hardman was on last year's Zips team that won MAC regular season and tournament championships and played in the NCAA Tournament.
This is Mahaffey's first year at Akron.
Akron brings six-game win streak into Friday
Akron is seeking it's seventh win in a row and 16th win in its last 17 games.
The Zips topped host Central Michigan 77-64 on March 3 in Mount Pleasant with four players scoring in double figures.
Johnson finished with 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. Hardman made 5 of 10 shots from beyond the 3-point arc for 15 points in 21 minutes. Lyles had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals and sophomore Sharron Young totaled 11 points and five steals. Mahaffey grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against CMU and also had nine points, four assists and two steals.
UA outrebounded CMU 41-25.
Akron Beacon Journal sports writer Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: What to know about Akron's last men's basketball home game in 2025-26
Category: General Sports
