Revenge?

We haven't heard anything from Akron Coach Keith Dambrot this time around. But we suspect Tuesday's UALR-Akron game carries a little revenge factor for Dambrot and his Zips.

Akron Coach Keith Dambrot

UALR and Akron played in the 2007 College Basketball Experience Classic at United Spirit Arena in Lubbock, Texas. UALR held on in the final seconds to beat Akron 81-79.
But it was pregame talk that caused some controversy. During a pre-tournament press conference, Akron ISP Radio Network color analyst Scott Taylor asked Dambrot "about what it means to you and your program and face a team coached by Coach [Bob] Knight in a year where it's likely he could become, or will become, the all-time winningest coach?"
Since Akron had to beat UALR to get to the game against Texas Tech, Taylor really put Dambrot in a bad position. But Dambrot took the bait anyway.
"Well, I have a great deal of respect for the history of basketball. A lot of my family had played for years in the old days. Obviously, Coach Knight is arguably the greatest coach of all times. So, any time you can play in a field with Coach Knight and Texas Tech and be on the same court as him it’s a great honor. So we’re looking forward to it," Dambrot said.
UALR made sure it didn't happen.UALR nearly blew a five-point lead in the final minute but got a steal from Lorenzo Razz to keep Akron from getting a final shot attempt.


UALR vs. Akron
6:30 p.m. Central, Tuesday
Las Vegas, Nevada

 Akron entered the game as the preseason pick to win the Mid-American Conference and was a 10-point favorite over UALR in the Las Vegas Sportsbooks. Akron went on to finish 26-7 and lost on a buzzer-beater in the MAC Tournament. The loss to UALR was one which kept the Zips out of the NCAA Tournament.
That UALR team had some potential, but never could put it together (it also won at Minnesota and beat a good Western Kentucky team that year). A brutal nonconference travel schedule wore the Trojans down and they never could put it together on night-to-night basis.
Of course, that was years ago and both teams have much more to worry about at this point. Both UALR and Akron have been impressive at times and wildly inconsistent at others in the nonconference season.