GAME NOTES: Two of the top teams in the Mid-American Conference's East Division clash tonight, as the Akron Zips come calling on the Kent State Golden Flashes. Akron has won four straight and nine of its last 10 games overall, and is fresh off an 80-44 rout of Bowling Green on Sunday for its fourth MAC victory in as many tries this season. The Zips, who extended their home winning streak to 20 games with the triumph, currently sit atop the East Division while the Flashes sit a game behind. A victory tonight would give UA its second five-game win streak of the season. Kent State is a perfect 10-0 at home this season but is coming off a 71-59 loss at Ohio University on Saturday. The Golden Flashes will try to give coach Jim Christian his 125th career win tonight. KSU has won 19 of its last 20 home games, with the lone loss coming against the Zips on March 4, 2007. Kent State owns a narrow 62-60 edge in the all-time series with Akron, but the Zips have won the last four meetings, including a three-game sweep of the Flashes last season.

Quade Milum, who averages just 8.6 ppg this season, scored a career-high 22 points to lead Akron to its recent blowout win over Bowling Green. Jeremiah Wood is a candidate for MAC Player of the Year, and he currently leads the Zips in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg), and is second in assists (2.5 apg). A 55.9 percent shooter, Wood scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds and dished out three assists in Sunday's easy win. Nick Dials, Akron's second- leading scorer on the season (12.3 ppg) as well as its top playmaker (4.2 apg), handed out a career-best nine helpers against just two turnovers versus the Falcons. Cedrick Middleton, the reigning MAC Sixth Man of the Year, rounds out the unit's double-digit scorers coming into this contest with his 10.2 ppg. He is first in steals with 25 and is a near 40 percent shooter from three-point range.

Haminn Quaintance notched his fourth double-double in the last five games for Kent State, but it wasn't enough to propel the Golden Flashes past Ohio University over the weekend. Al Fisher scored 15 points, dished out six assists and pulled down five boards against the Bobcats, but a 37.3 percent shooting effort and a dismal 5-of-17 showing from three-point land and 16 turnovers doomed the Flashes. Mike Scott is the team's current scoring leader at 13.8 ppg, with Fisher coming in a close second at 11.8 ppg, and Quaintance checking in with 10.7 ppg. The team is averaging just under 70 ppg, but the Flashes are a perfect 14-0 this season when shooting better than 40 percent from the field. In the four games when they have failed to reach that mark, they have lost each time.

This should be a highly entertaining game between two teams who enjoy getting after each other. While Kent State is the home team and has done exceptionally well at the M.A.C. Center recently, Akron gets the nod.