Zips Upset Bowling Green on Senior Night, 91-67

Tuesday, March 5

Akron, OH

7:00 pm

University of Akron

16-14, 8-9MAC

Bowling Green

20-10, 12-5MAC

Bowling Green

Akron Zips

March 05 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

AKRON – In need of a win after a tough home defeat to Ohio over the weekend, the Akron Zips responded in resounding fashion, routing visiting Bowling Green Falcons 91-67 in their final home game of the regular season at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Behind a career night by sophomore guard Loren Cristian Jackson (Chicago, Ill.), Akron drained 14 3-pointers, shot a blistering 57.8 percent from the field and led by double digits for much of the game.

Jackson tallied a career-high 31 points to lead a three-headed scoring attack that saw a trio of Zips score 20-plus points, with junior forward Daniel Utomi (Houston, Texas) tallying 21 and junior guard Tyler Cheese (Albany, Ga.) adding 20. Jackson also added a career-high eight rebounds and senior guard Jimond Ivey (Cleveland, Ohio) turned in a trademark all-around game with 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals for the hosts.

The Zips (16-14, 8-9 Mid-American Conference) were able to bounce back from their worst game of the year just three days prior, coming out swinging against the Falcons with accurate shooting and a ball-hawking defense that saw junior Emmanuel Olojakpoke (Houston, Texas) block four shots in the first half alone. Olojakpoke finished with six blocked shots, matching a career-high, as Akron allowed Bowling Green to shoot just 32.4 percent from the field.

With Olojakpoke patrolling the paint and swatting Bowling Green shots with malice, the Zips limited the Falcons (20-10, 12-5 MAC) to 37 points and 36.8 percent shooting in the opening half. On the offensive end, Jackson was the straw that stirred the Akron offense, tallying 20 points and four rebounds before intermission.

He had plenty of support as Utomi (10 points), Cheese (eight) and Ivey (six) all scored often in the first 20 minutes. Akron's 44 points in the half were just five shy of their output for the entire game three days earlier against Ohio. The Zips dominated inside, outscoring the Falcons 42-26 on points in the paint to deal a lopsided defeat to a team that will be one of the top four seed in the upcoming MAC tournament.

Akron honored its lone senior Jimond Ivey before the game, and Ivey received a standing ovation as he left the court after a steal and breakaway dunk followed by a long range 3-pointer. He tallied the Zips' final five points, 91-67.

Sophomore guard Justin Turner led Bowling Green with 21 points and junior guard Michael Laster added 10 in the defeat.

With the win, the Zips bolstered their chances for a top-eight seed in the MAC tournament and a first-round home game.

The Zips make the short drive east on I-76 to face arch rival Kent State in their final regular-season game March 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the MAC Center in Kent. The game can be seen on CBS Sports Network and heard on 1350-AM.