'This is really cool': Akron men's basketball has made a 3-pointer in 762 straight games

An unusually long streak by the University of Akron men's basketball program connects Nate Schindewolf and David Falknor to Enrique Freeman and Ali Ali.

It also connects Andre Sims, Emmanuel Smith and Rashon Brown to Sammy Hunter, Mikal Dawson and Greg Tribble Jr.

Mid-American Conference Players of the Year Romeo Travis, Isaiah Johnson and Loren Cristian Jackson are part of the streak, too, along with Dru Joyce II, Zeke Marshall, Xavier Castaneda and many others.

The streak? The Zips have made at least one 3-pointer in each of their last 762 games.

Akron basketball's 3-point streak starts at Buffalo in 2001

The 23-year-old streak — women's college basketball 3-point machine Caitlin Clark is one year younger than it — dates back to Jan. 3, 2001. That's a year before LeBron James made his famous first appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a St. Vincent-St. Mary High School junior. Stephen Curry was two months shy of 13.

The Zips won 75-65 in overtime at Buffalo that day. A reported crowd of 713 at Alumni Arena witnessed the beginning of Akron's streak of making a 3-pointer in every game to the present.

"That is a crazy stat right there," Schindewolf said Thursday.

Falknor made 2 of 3 3-point attempts in the win, Schindewolf made 1 of 2 and Sims and Smith were each 1 of 4. Schindewolf scored 24 points, Bruce Weinkein contributed 14 points, Smith had 11 and Falknor had 10.

"I remember that game because it went into overtime and we didn't win often at Buffalo," Schindewolf said. "There was usually an insane snowstorm that we were driving through. It was never the most pleasant trip in the MAC, but I totally remember that game."

Dan Hipsher was in in his sixth season as Akron's coach.

Remember when Purdue played at Rhodes Arena? That's the last time Akron didn't make a 3-pointer

The last time Akron did not make a 3 in a game was on Dec. 27, 2000, in a 98-67 loss to Purdue at Rhodes Arena. The Zips shot 0 for 10 on 3-pointers. The Boilermakers, coached by legendary Gene Keady, beat No. 1 Arizona a month earlier, but otherwise were on their way to a 17-15 season and a loss in the third round of the NIT.

Seven days later, the Zips began their streak at Buffalo. Akron made a 3-pointer in Hipsher's final 106 games as coach. The Zips then made a 3 in all 444 games Keith Dambrot coached from 2004-17.

A 3-pointer Friday night at Rhodes Arena against Kent State would extend the streak to 763 games. Seventh-year Akron coach John Groce has been in charge for the last 212 games of the streak.

"I love math and the analytics side of sports today, so this is a cool stat," Schindewolf said. "That was my first reaction when I listened to your voicemail. I was, like, 'Wow, that is crazy to think about.' It just seems so long ago and how many different teams have played and obviously the three head coaches that it spans across their careers.

"There have been a lot of individuals who have put on Akron jerseys from 2001 to the present day. This is really cool. This makes you go back into that year and reminisce."

Akron has a 486-276 record during the streak and 105 different Zips players have made at least one 3-pointer during it.

UNLV holds the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a 3-pointer

As impressive as Akron's streak is, it's not close to the NCAA record. UNLV holds that distinction. Since the 3-point field goal was adopted by the NCAA in 1986-87, UNLV has converted at least one 3-pointer in all 1,218 games it has played since.

With Vanderbilt unable to make a 3 in a game during the 2019-20 season, UNLV and Princeton are the only schools who have made at least one 3-pointer in every game played since the shot was introduced.

"Wow, what an unbelievable stat," Schindewolf, 46, said of UNLV and Princeton's 3-point prowess.

Reggie McAdams has the most made 3s during Akron's 3-point streak

Reggie McAdams has made the most 3-pointers during the streak with 248 on 610 attempts. The 6-foot-6 McAdams played in 131 games from 2012-16.

"I wasn't aware that I was on top of the list, so that is pretty cool," McAdams, 30, said Thursday. "I guess I was a 3-point specialist back in the day when I played. Coach Dambrot did a good job of getting me a lot of looks and my teammates got me a lot of looks. I was always a 3-point guy coming out of high school and I guess I continued that into college."

Steve McNees is second for most 3s during Akron's 3-point streak

Steve McNees ranks second during the streak for 3-pointers, hitting 221 in 638 attempts. McNees played in 141 games from 2007-11.

"This speaks a lot to the history of Akron basketball," McNees, 36, said Wednesday. "I think recently, Akron basketball is getting the respect that we have earned. This type of streak shows to the growth, especially over the last 20-plus years.

"... The farther back you go, the more impressive something like this is. Today, there are so many 3s being shot, comparatively speaking, but it wasn't always that way."

Schindewolf, McAdams and McNees said they keep tabs on the current Akron team, which is tied for the lead in the Mid-American Conference.

Who else has made more than 200 3-pointers during Akron's 3-point streak?

• Loren Cristian Jackson, 216 of 610, 87 games, 2018-21

• Jake Kretzer, 213 of 571, 129 games, 2012-16

• Daniel Utomi, 207 of 530, 97 games, 2015-19

• Nick Dials, 202 of 520, 101 games, 2005-08

"Jake Kretzer was my teammate throughout all those years," McAdams said. "I am still close friends with him."

Who has made 150 or more 3-pointers during Akron's 3-point streak?

• Dru Joyce III, 199 of 512, 123 games, 2003-07

• Xavier Castaneda, 185 of 483, 65 games, 2021-23

• Kwan Cheatham Jr., 175 of 498, 127 games, 2013-17

• Antino Jackson, 174 of 491, 106 games, 2014-17

• Cedrick Middleton, 172 of 438, 130 games, 2004-08

• Brett McClanahan, 161 of 465, 126 games, 2008-12

• Darryl Roberts, 150 of 374, 133 games, 2007-11

"I played with Jake, Daniel, Kwan and Antino," McAdams said. "We must have shot a lot of 3s, whether that was good or bad. A lot of those came while we overlapped. I guess I tried to set the bar. All those guys probably would know me for my quick shot. I would be the one that would try to catch it and not bring the ball down at all. I would shoot from wherever I caught the ball, even if I caught it up high. They always said I had the quickest release."

Who else has made more than 100 3-pointers during Akron's 3-point streak?

• Noah Robotham, 144 of 375, 2014-17

• Jimond Ivey, 139 of 457, 2015-19

• Bryan Trimble Jr., 135 of 366, 2020-22

• Nate Linhart, 132 of 361, 2005-09

• Alex Abreu, 128 of 319, 2010-13

• Josh Williams, 127 of 329, 2015-17

• Channel Banks, 117 of 305, 2018-20

• David Falknor, 109 of 225 during streak (193 of 440 career, 1998-02)

• Mikal Dawson, 109 of 344, 2019-present

• Rick McFadden, 107 of 255, 2002-05

• Derrick Tarver 101 of 313, 2002-04

Who is closing in on 100 made 3s during Akron's 3-point streak?

Current Akron players Sammy Hunter (97 of 280) and Ali Ali (96 of 269) are primed to join the above list this season. Hunter has played in just 58 games at UA since 2022 after transferring from Ole Miss. Ali has played in 106 games at UA from 2019-22 and this season after one season at Butler.

Other odds and ends of Akron's 3-point streak

Three former Zips stars were just shy of making making 100 3s in their careers — Quincy Diggs (99 of 275 , 2010-14), Brett McKnight (96 of 293, 2007-11) and Darryl Peterson II (94 of 272, 2001-06).

Akron also has had players make a high number of 3s in a short timeframe.

TWO SEASONS, LOTS OF 3S

• Anthony "Humpty" Hitchens made 88 of 281 from 2008-10

• Brian Walsh made 86 of 217 from 2011-13

• Tyler Cheese made 73 of 226 from 2018-20

• Nyles Evans made 70 of 215 from 2013-2015

• Adam "Bubba" Walther made 68 of 182 from 2004-06

ONE-YEAR WONDERS

• Malcolm Duvivier made 87 of 233 in 2017-18

• Trendon Hankerson made 75 of 195 in 2022-23

• Xeyrius Williams made 66 of 221 in 2019-20

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron men's basketball extends streak of games with a made 3-pointer