AKRON, Ohio | After a week off following their last contest, Alabama State returns to action Wednesday on the road in non-conference action against Akron, with tip set for 7 pm (est).

Alabama State (2-3) hit the court last Wednesday against 20th-ranked Iowa 105-78, their first game against a ranked opponent this season. In that contest, Fausto Pichardo recorded his first double-double of the season, and the second of his career, with 12 points and 13 rebounds. The senior was one of four players to record double figures for the Hornets, with Reginald Gee leading the way with 18.

The Hornets will be playing their second consecutive road game, and are in search of their first road win of the season in four tries. The game marks the second of seven consecutive non-conference games on the road for Alabama State to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule, and will be the only trip to the state of Ohio for the Hornets this season.

Alabama State looks to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since opening the season with losses to Iowa State and South Dakota State, before reeling off consecutive wins at home in mid-November.

Gee leads the Hornets at 16.4 points per game through five games, and is closing in on 1,000 career points as he sits at 819 career points through two-plus years of his career. The junior is shooting 9.1 (26-of-53) percent from the floor and 52.2 (12-of-23) percent from beyond the arc on the season. He is also shooting 75 (18-of-24) percent from the free throw line.

Meanwhile, Jacoby Ross is averaging 15.0 points per game for the Hornets, while also averaging three assists per game. The sophomore is shooting 42.4 (25-of-59) percent from the floor and 43.2 (16-of-37) percent from beyond the arc, and is perfect from the line in nine opportunities through five games. Ross connected on his 400th career point last week, and currently sits at 416 career points.

Three different players are averaging six-plus rebounds through five games for the Hornets including Branden Johnson (8.0), Pichardo (6.3) and AJ Farrar (6.0).

Akron (4-2) is led by Daniel Utomi at 15.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while Loren Jackson sits at 14.5 points per game for the Zips who are perfect in two games at home this season.

The game can be heard on the Hornet Sports Network, and can also be seen on ESPN3.

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