# 2008–09 Akron Zips men's basketball team

The 2008–09 Akron Zips men's basketball team represented the University of Akron in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Zips, led by head coach Keith Dambrot, played their home games at Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio, as members of the Mid-American Conference. The Zips won the 2009 MAC tournament to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the 13th seed in the South region. Akron lost its first-round game in the tournament to Gonzaga, 77–64.

## Roster

Source

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site city, state |
| Exhibition ||||||
| November 6, 2008* 7:00 pm | | Walsh | W 83–81 | | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| Regular season ||||||
| November 15, 2008* 7:00 pm | | Canisius | W 56–46 | 1–0 | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| November 18, 2008* 7:00 pm | | Winthrop | W 72–58 | 2–0 | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| November 21, 2008* 7:00 pm | | at No. 6 Pittsburgh Legends Classic | L 67–86 | 2–1 | Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA |
| November 25, 2008* 7:00 pm | | Urbana Legends Classic | W 77–68 | 3–1 | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| November 29, 2008* 7:00 pm | | vs. Eastern Kentucky Legends Classic | L 57–69 | 3–2 | Rothman Center Hackensack, NJ |
| November 30, 2008* 7:00 pm | | at Fairleigh Dickinson Legends Classic | W 85–41 | 4–2 | Rothman Center Hackensack, NJ |
| December 3, 2008* 7:00 pm | | at Niagara | W 63–59 | 5–2 | Gallagher Center Lewiston, NY |
| December 6, 2008* 7:00 pm | | Dayton | L 50–54 | 5–3 | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| December 13, 2008* 7:00 pm | | North Carolina A&T | W 78–61 | 6–3 | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| December 17, 2008* 7:30 pm | | at VCU | L 69–73 | 6–4 | Siegel Center Richmond, VA |
| December 28, 2008* 7:00 pm | | St. Francis Brooklyn | W 77–70 | 7–4 | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| December 31, 2008* 2:00 pm | | at UNC Greensboro | W 75–53 | 8–4 | Fleming Gymnasium Greensboro, NC |
| January 3, 2009* 2:00 pm | | at Rhode Island | L 50–79 | 8–5 | Ryan Center Kingston, RI |
| January 10, 2009 4:00 pm | | at Miami (OH) | L 51–64 | 8–6 (0–1) | Millett Hall Oxford, OH |
| January 13, 2009 7:00 pm | | Buffalo | L 61–63 | 8–7 (0–2) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| January 17, 2009 4:30 pm | | at Bowling Green | W 62–52 | 9–7 (1–2) | Anderson Arena Bowling Green, OH |
| January 20, 2009 7:00 pm | | at Ohio | L 65–70 | 9–8 (1–3) | Convocation Center Athens, OH |
| January 24, 2009 7:00 pm | | Kent State | W 68–54 | 10–8 (2–3) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| January 26, 2009* 7:00 pm | | at Youngstown State | W 67–53 | 11–8 | Beeghly Center Youngstown, OH |
| January 28, 2009 7:00 pm | | at Toledo | W 70–61 | 12–8 (3–3) | Savage Arena Toledo, OH |
| January 31, 2009 7:00 pm | | Central Michigan | W 64–43 | 13–8 (4–3) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| February 3, 2009 7:00 pm | | at Eastern Michigan | W 78–41 | 14–8 (5–3) | Convocation Center Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 8, 2009 2:00 pm | | Western Michigan | W 87–63 | 15–8 (6–3) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| February 11, 2009 7:00 pm | | Ball State | W 63–55 | 16–8 (7–3) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| February 15, 2009 8:00 pm | | at Northern Illinois | L 79–83 | 16–9 (7–4) | Convocation Center DeKalb, IL |
| February 18, 2009 7:00 pm | | Miami (OH) | W 53–44 | 17–9 (8–4) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| February 21, 2009* | | at Valparaiso ESPN BracketBusters | L 66–74 | 17–10 | Athletics–Recreation Center Valparaiso, IN |
| February 26, 2009 7:00 pm | | at Buffalo | W 62–57 | 18–10 (9–4) | Alumni Arena Buffalo, NY |
| March 1, 2009 2:00 pm | | Bowling Green | L 46–50 | 18–11 (9–5) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| March 5, 2009 7:00 pm | | Ohio | W 65–58 | 19–11 (10–5) | Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| March 8, 2009 2:00 pm | | at Kent State | L 63–67 | 19–12 (10–6) | MAC Center Kent, OH |
| MAC tournament ||||||
| March 10, 2009 | (5) | vs. (12) Toledo MAC First Round | W 93–92 $^{OT}$ | 20–12 | Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH |
| March 12, 2009 9:30 pm | (5) | vs. (4) Miami (OH) MAC Quarterfinals | W 73–63 | 21–12 | Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH |
| March 13, 2009 9:30 pm | (5) | vs. (1) Bowling Green MAC Semifinals | W 63–55 | 22–12 | Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH |
| March 14, 2009 1:00 pm | (5) | vs. (3) Buffalo MAC Championship | W 65–53 | 23–12 | Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH |
| NCAA tournament ||||||
| March 19, 2009 4:25 pm | (13 S) | vs. (4 S) Gonzaga NCAA First Round | L 64–77 | 23–13 | Rose Garden Portland, OR |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. ||||||
Source