The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
9-5, 1-0
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Western Michigan
6-8, 0-1
Akron Starts #MACtion with a 56-48 Win Over Western Michigan
January 05 | Men's Basketball
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Postgame Press Conference
AKRON, Ohio – On a day when neither side could find its offensive flow, the Akron Zips used grit and grind to claim a 56-48 win over visiting Western Michigan in each team's Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.
Senior guard Jimond Ivey (Cleveland, Ohio) submitted an all-around standout effort to propel his team to a win in the Zips first game of the new year. Ivey scored 18 points - including 12 after halftime - and filled out the stat sheet with eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and a block. He had plenty of help from redshirt sophomore guard Loren Cristian Jackson (Chicago, Ill.), who had 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three assists despite a cold-shooting afternoon.
It was the Akron defense that carried the day, consistently stifling the Broncos (6-8, 0-1 MAC) and holding the visitors to 30.6 percent (19-of-62) shooting on the day and a mere 24 points in each half. The 48 points were a season low for Western Michigan, whose previous low came in a 78-52 loss to Cincinnati in mid-November.
Still, the Broncos were able to ride their own solid defense and good shooting from senior center Seth Dugan to a halftime lead as they sought to open MAC play with a road win.
Akron (9-5, 1-0 MAC) sprinted out of the locker room after the half, turning a one-point deficit into a four-point lead thanks to a 3-pointer, then a steal and breakaway two-handed dunk by Ivey. After making only two 3-pointers in the first half, the Zips drained two in the first four minutes of the second half as Jackson followed Ivey's triple with one of his own to help get the Akron offense on track.
The game unfolded as a defense-first affair from the outset, with the two teams trading blocked shots and rotating well on defense to deny good looks at the hoop. Combined, the Zips and Broncos made just 18 first-half field goals and shot a mere 4-of-29 (13.7 percent) from beyond the arc as points were at a premium prior to intermission. Akron blocked four shots during the half and Western Michigan had three of its own, with junior center Deng Riak (Melbourne, Australia) turning back two shots for the Zips.
Only one player on either team made 50 percent of his shots in the opening 20 minutes and the Zips held a 27-23 rebounding edge during the half as the 5-foot-8 Jackson had a team-best five first-half caroms for Akron. Riak led Akron with 10 rebounds and finished with a game-high three blocked shots on the afternoon.
Akron also used eight second-chance points to keep the game close despite shooting 2-of-13 from 3-point range before the half and with 11 offensive rebounds, gave itself more chances to score in a low-scoring game. The Broncos headed to the locker room with a 24-23 lead, but neither side was able to build a lead bigger than five points prior to the half.
Senior forward Josh Davis led Western Michigan with 14 points before fouling out of the game late in the second half. Sophomore guard Michael Flowers also added 14 for the Broncos in defeat.
Akron returns to the court on Jan. 8 when the Zips travel to Mount Pleasant to face Central Michigan in their first MAC road game of the campaign. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. and the game can be seen on ESPN3.
