Dustin Ford officially kicks off his regular-season home tenure as the University of Akron men’s basketball head coach this Monday, November 9, when the Zips face off against Muskingum. Ford already launched his era with a bang, snatching a 75-61 road win against Louisiana in their season opener on November 2.
A New Era and a Family Legacy
This isn’t just any home opener, folks. Ford takes the reins after serving as a longtime assistant to coach John Groce, who moved on to the College of Charleston program back on March 30. But get this: Ford’s late father, Gene Ford, was not only a standout player at Muskingum, but also later coached there. Gene Ford also had a legendary run at Cambridge High School, where both Dustin and his brother Geno played for their dad. Talk about coming full circle for this home debut, with the Zips’ 1-0 start going up against Muskingum’s 2-0 record.
The Zips are set to tip off against Muskingum at 7 p.m. at Rhodes Arena. We know the Zips’ season opener starting lineup: point guard Tahj Staveskie, guard Ty Pence, wing Evan Mahaffey, forward Colin White, and forward Halil “Chabi” Barre. For the Fighting Muskies, their most recent starting five included guard Owen Emig, guard Reed Coconis, guard Nathan Walker, forward Brett Devault, and forward Terrell Darden.
Championship Vibes and Unstoppable Home Court
Before the game even starts, Rhodes Arena is going to be absolutely buzzing. Akron is rolling out the red carpet to celebrate their 2025-26 Mid-American Conference Tournament title, complete with a ring presentation and a banner unveiling. Last season, the Zips did something unreal: they became the first MAC men’s team to three-peat as conference tourney champions! That’s not just big, that’s history-making.
And if a championship celebration wasn’t enough to get fired up, consider this: the Zips are riding a mind-blowing 31-game home winning streak. Thirty-one straight! Only Akron and Duke have been perfect at home for the last two seasons. Duke might have 34 consecutive wins at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the longest active streak in the country, but Akron is right there, owning their turf. Historically, the Zips crush home openers too, with an all-time record of 104-21, including an incredible 39-4 at Rhodes Arena. They have snagged 23 wins in their last 24 home openers. So yeah, Muskingum is walking into a tough situation.
This game promises to be an absolute spectacle, with championship pride, a legendary home streak, and a new coach’s emotionally charged home debut all colliding. It is going to be must-watch basketball, even if you have to tune into the local radio broadcast on WHLO (640-AM) with Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn on the call, since there is no streaming available. You can bet the atmosphere at Rhodes Arena will be electric.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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