The defending Mid-American Conference basketball champion University of Akron has released its 2011-2012 basketball schedule.

A highlight will be Akron hosting last year's Final Four participant Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) at James A. Rhodes Arena December 29th. Before that the Zips will travel to West Virginia to take on the Mountaineers, and former Akron coach Bob Huggins on November 28th.

The Zips open the season at home with an exhibition match-up with John Carroll on Nov. 3 before opening the regular season on the road on Nov. 9 for their first game of the 2K Sports Classic. The game’s opponent and location will be announced at a later time.

News release from the University of Akron

A visit from 2011 Final Four participant VCU and an appearance in the 2011 2K Sports Classic Benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer highlight the 2011-12 schedule for The University of Akron men’s basketball team, eighth-year head coach Keith Dambrot announced on Wednesday.

The slate includes 11 teams with 19-plus wins and 11 teams that played in the postseason in 2011, highlighted by the first team to appear at James A. Rhodes Arena in the season following its Final Four run.

“We have a very competitive schedule with some tough games both on the road and at home,” Dambrot said. “West Virginia will be in the top-20 while teams like VCU, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Cleveland State and Detroit are favorites in their respective conferences.”

The Zips open the season at home with an exhibition match-up with John Carroll on Nov. 3 before opening the regular season on the road on Nov. 9 for their first game of the 2K Sports Classic. The game’s opponent and location will be announced at a later time.

Akron returns home on Nov. 12 to face Hiram College for the first time since the 1986-87 season before hitting the road once more to continue the 2K Sports Classic on Nov. 18-20. Those opponents also will be announced at a later date.

The squad closes out the month of November with a home contest against Detroit on Nov. 26 and a visit to Morgantown, W.Va., to face former Zips’ head coach Bob Huggins (1984-89) and West Virginia on Nov. 28. Akron defeated Detroit 77-69 last year in Detroit (Dec. 1, 2010).

The month of December sees the Zips play host to five teams following trips to Middle Tennessee (Dec. 4) and Cleveland State (Dec. 10). Akron will face Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 15), Florida A&M (Dec. 17), Youngstown State (Dec. 19) and North Carolina A&T (Dec. 21) at Rhodes Arena before taking a break for the holiday.

Akron closes out 2011 with a visit from former assistant coach Shaka Smart (2003-06) and VCU on Dec. 29. In addition to being the first Final Four program from the previous season to visit the JAR, the Rams will be the first to visit a Mid-American Conference program since the 1997-98 season (Kentucky at Ohio).

The new year will have Akron on the road in Huntington, W.Va., for a battle with former MAC foe Marshall on Jan. 1. The Zips’ final non-conference tilt will come in February when they hit the road for their ninth ESPNU BracketBusters contest. An opponent for that game will be announced in January.

The Zips open conference play with two road games – at Miami (Ohio) on Jan. 7 and at Bowling Green on Jan. 11 – before returning home to face off against Ohio on Jan. 14. The trip to Bowling Green will be the first visit to the Stroh Center for the Zips. Akron closes out its first swing through the MAC East with a road game at Buffalo (Jan. 18) and a home meeting with rival Kent State (Jan. 21).

The MAC West portion of the schedule will have Akron on the road to face Ball State (Jan. 24) and Central Michigan (Jan. 28) before home dates with Toledo (Feb. 1) and Eastern Michigan (Jan. 4). The Zips will close out cross-divisional play at Western Michigan on Feb. 8 and at home against Northern Illinois on Feb. 11.

Akron will enter the homestretch with return visits from Miami (Ohio) (Feb. 15) and Bowling Green (Feb. 22) before traveling to Ohio on Feb. 25. The squad closes out conference play with Senior Day against Buffalo on Feb. 29 and the season finale at Kent State on either March 2 or 3.

The MAC Tournament will take place March 7-10, 2012, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, with opening round games at campus sites on March 5. This season, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds will earn a bye into the semifinals while the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds earn a bye into the quarterfinals.

The Zips enter the 2011-12 season following their second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons after knocking off neighborhood rival Kent State 66-65 in overtime in the MAC title game on March 12. UA fell to Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to finish the season with a 23-13 record.

Akron has posted six-straight 20-win seasons, just one of 20 Division I programs to accomplish the feat during that stretch, and has advanced to five-straight conference title games – the third-longest active streak in the nation (Gonzaga 14, Butler 6). The Zips have advanced to the postseason in four-straight and five of the last six seasons, participating in the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 2011, the National Invitation Tournament in 2006 and 2008, and the CBI in 2010.

2011-12 University of Akron Men’s Basketball Schedule                   

Thurs., Nov. 3 – John Carroll (Exhibition)
Wed., Nov. 9 – at 2K Sports Classic
Sat., Nov. 12 – Hiram
Fri., Nov. 18-20 – at 2K Sports Classic
Sat., Nov. 26 – Detroit
Mon., Nov. 28 – at West Virginia
Sun., Dec. 4 – at Middle Tennessee
Sat., Dec. 10 – at Cleveland State
Thurs., Dec. 15 – Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Sat., Dec. 17 – Florida A&M
Mon., Dec. 19 – Youngstown State
Wed., Dec. 21 – North Carolina A&T
Thurs., Dec. 29 – VCU
Sun., Jan. 1 – at Marshall
Sat., Jan. 7 – at Miami (Ohio)*
Wed., Jan. 11 – at Bowling Green*
Sat., Jan. 14 – Ohio*
Wed., Jan. 18 – at Buffalo*
Sat., Jan. 21 – Kent State*
Tues., Jan. 24 – at Ball State*
Sat., Jan. 28 – at Central Michigan*
Wed., Feb. 1 – Toledo*
Sat., Feb. 4 – Eastern Michigan
Wed., Feb. 8 – at Western Michigan*
Sat., Feb. 11 – Northern Illinois*
Wed., Feb. 15 – Miami (Ohio)*
Sat., Feb. 18 – at ESPNU BracketBusters
Wed., Feb. 22 – Bowling Green*
Sat., Feb. 25 – at Ohio*
Wed., Feb. 29 – Buffalo*
Fri./Sat., March 2-3 – at Kent State*
Mon., March 5 – MAC Tournament Opening Round, Campus Sites
March 7-10 – MAC Tournament, Quicken Loans Arena