COVID-19 has started to scramble the Mid-American Conference schedule.
Kent State, 0-2 in the conference after a disappointing first week of MAC play, was supposed to play Miami at the M.A.C. Center Wednesday.
Now KSU will play Akron at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the M.A.C.C. The Zips were originally supposed to play Ohio, but the Bobcats have had their third straight game postponed.
Kent State and Akron were originally supposed to play on Jan. 22. For now, that date is open for both teams. A MAC announcement said it will try to reschedule the the KSU-Miami game.
Last season Kent State had at least seven conference games postponed or rescheduled.
Kent State is 8-3 overall this season. Akron is 2-4 and 0-1 in league play. Its wins have come against Robert Morris (5-6) and Detroit Mercy (0-11). The Zips lost its MAC opener Saturday to Toledo 64-58. Toledo had won at Kent State Wednesday 69-60.
Like Kent State, Akron returned most of its players from last season. Junior forward Jordyn Dawson led the Zipsin scoring last season and does again, averaging 18.0 points and 6.7 rebounds a game.
Akron had its final two non-conference games of the season canceled. KSU’s Dec. 21 game against Florida State also was canceled. All of the postponements and cancelations have been because of COVID-19 protocols. Second-leading scorer is 6-2 freshman Reagan Bass, who averages 8.3.
Akron averages about 63 points a game on offense, which ranks 11th in the MAC, and 63 on defense, which ranks fourth. The Zips are 11th in rebounding margin at -4.4.
Kent State leads the league in rebounding with a +10.3 average. The Flashes have averaged only 55.5 points in its two MAC games after averaging 77.8 in an 8-1 non-conference season.