Ohio University fifth-year coach Jeff Boals knows all about men's basketball in the Mid-American Conference as a player and a coach.
Boals has played and coached in NCAA Tournament games, and he said he respects what the University of Akron has going under seventh-year coach John Groce.
"They are the cream of the crop right now," Boals said Tuesday night after Akron defeated Ohio 67-58 at Rhodes Arena. "Obviously, Enrique Freeman is the best player in the league. They have got good complementary guys around him. I thought we did a really good job tonight on their three primary guys, but those secondary guys stepped up and hit some big shots.
"... They are the barometer right now. We get them in our place again [Feb. 27] and hopefully we will see them in the conference tournament [in March]. For us, it has been an up-and-down year. We have had injuries and we have lost eight of our games by 34 points [combined]. We are really close."
Freeman posted his 16th double-double this season with 19 points, 14 rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes to lead the Zips (15-4, 7-0) past the Bobcats (9-10, 3-4) in a bruising game.
Freeman made 4 of 10 shots from the field and 11 of 14 free throws on what he described as "a physical night."
"Going into every game, we know we are going to get the opponent's best shot," Freeman said. "We are not looking at the record going into a game. We are trying to go 1-0 every day. ... Any night, you see so many upsets in college basketball. Any night, anybody can win, so you gotta bring it every night."
Freeman was named a MAC Player of the Week on Monday for the seventh time this season after his performances last week in wins over Western Michigan (20 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks) and Kent State (23 points, eight rebounds, five blocks).
"It is always challenging, and [Kent State coach] Rob Senderoff and I talk about this all the time, coming off of the Kent game [on Friday night]," Groce said. "Just the emotion that you play with, the energy that is required in that game and the physicality of the game. I thought our guys, for the most part, responded in their preparation over the last couple of days."
Groce didn't like Akron's 14 turnovers, and admitted the Zips "found a way to win ugly."
"Good teams have to be able to do that," Groce said. "We found a way. I want them to enjoy this."
Akron forced 13 turnovers and held Ohio well below its season average of 79 points.
"We talked about this being defensive week," Groce said. "Last year, we didn't guard them in either game very well statistically [and split]. Tonight, we were much better. ... We take pride in guarding."
Groce also liked Akron's balanced scoring after Freeman as senior Greg Tribble Jr. and junior Shammah Scott scored 10 points apiece, senior Sammy Hunter contributed nine points, senior Ali Ali had eight points and senior Kaleb Thornton added five points.
"They are trying to hunt and find what is the best shot for our team on each possession," Groce said. "... They enjoy playing with each other and you can tell. They attack and play to win."
Tribble also had two blocks and two assists in 24 minutes against Ohio in his return to the lineup after missing the 77-71 win over Kent State with an illness.
"He plays to win," Groce said of Tribble. "He is a winner. ... He is a self-made player. He works really hard."
Tribble displayed his hustle and grit on two plays in particular — a block on which he flew into the crowd and then when he took a shot to his lower body as he assisted on a 3-pointer by Hunter as time expired to end the first half.
"I would say I am about at 70%," Tribble said. "At the beginning of the game, I really set it off with all them turnovers. I had five turnovers. It felt like the game was moving a little too quick for me at the moment. I just gotta get my legs back underneath me and then I will fine. I was just happy to be there. Obviously, missing the Kent game, I was back at home with my phone and going crazy [watching the game on TV]. I was probably sweating more than them at the crib."
Tribble said with a laugh he was "trying to be like Riq one time" with the blocks.
Scott's stat line also included five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 28 minutes.
"He just keeps getting better," Groce said of Scott. "I don't think he is scared of the moment, which is what I love about him."
Akron's win over Ohio was the 100th together for Groce, Tribble, Freeman and Mikal Dawson during the last five seasons.
"What they have done for our program over five years, it is amazing," Groce said. "I just try to cherish everyday with them."
Senior Shereef Mitchell paced Ohio with 14 points and seven rebounds. Senior Jaylin Hunter scored 11 points, junior AJ Clayton had 10 points and senior Miles Brown added nine points.
"Anybody in the league can beat us on a given night if we don't come to play," Groce said. "They know that. They have lived it. They know better. ... This is the first time since these guys have been here they were picked to win everything [in the MAC]. It is the reality.
"So, we are going to embrace that, and we gotta compete. We gotta understand when we show up to play, we got a bull's-eye on our back."
Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron men's basketball stays perfect in the Mid-American Conference
