The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
11-14 (4-9MAC)
Ball State
17-9 (8-5MAC)
Second Half Surge Lifts Cardinals Over Zips, 90-77
February 13 | Men's Basketball
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AKRON, Ohio – Graduate transfer guard Malcolm Duvivier (Toronto, Ontario) had a career-high 26 points and the Akron Zips made 10 3-point attempts, but it wasn't enough to overcome visiting Ball State's size advantage in a 90-77 Mid-American Conference loss.
Duvivier made 6-of-12 long-range attempts for a 50 percent performance from deep, his sixth game with five or more makes from beyond the arc this season. Junior guard Jimond Ivey (Cleveland, Ohio) had 13 points and freshman guard Eric Parrish (Cypress, Texas) chipped in with 11 points for the Zips.
In the early going, the Zips (11-14, 4-9 MAC) used a formula that worked well in their previous game, a six-point win over Central Michigan, slowing the game down and scrapping on defense every possession. After allowing 111 points in an overtime loss to Ball State last month, Akron played lockdown defense for much of the opening half, helping off the ball and switching to keep the Cardinals from getting consistently good looks at the hoop.
Both teams were red-hot shooting the ball at the outset, with the Zips going 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) and the Cardinals (17-9, 8-5 MAC) shooting 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) in the game's first seven minutes. Akron's accurate marksmanship had a larger impact, as its 5-of-7 shooting from long range allowed the hosts to go from down 7-0 minutes into the game to a 24-14 lead at the second media timeout of the opening half.
After their 24-7 run early in the half, the Zips staged another rally just before halftime after Ball State pulled within three at 27-24. Points from four different players fueled the 8-0 run, which helped Akron go take a 35-24 lead. However, the Cardinals closed with a 17-5 run to take a one-point lead, 41-40, to the locker room at intermission.
Eventually, the Cardinals' decided interior edge with 6-foot-9 junior center Trey Moses and 6-foot-8 redshirt sophomore forward Tahjai Teague, wore on the Zips and the duo were able to both score and create open looks for their teammates.
Moses led the Cardinals with 22 points and had a double-double with 13 rebounds, while Teague also had a double-double with 21 points and 10 boards. One of the primary beneficiaries was redshirt junior guard Tayler Parsons, added 18 points as Teague and Moses each did damage on the interior.
An 8-0 run by the visitors late in the second half helped Ball State seize control of the game and with Duvivier, freshman center Mark Kostelac (Cleveland, Ohio), sophomore guard Daniel Utomi (Houston, Texas), and junior guard Lucas Smith (Omaha, Neb.) all in foul trouble, Akron was unable to stage a comeback.
Kostelac and Utomi fouled out in the second half, while Smith and Duvivier played with four fouls for most of the final 20 minutes.
Akron returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m., making the short drive east to take on arch-rival Kent State at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center. The Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge game can be seen on CBS Sports Network and heard on 1350-AM.
