Akron Sweeps Season Series Against Kent State

Friday, February 5

Kent, OH

7 PM

University of Akron

11-4,9-3MAC

Kent State

10-5,7-4MAC

Akron

Kent St.

February 05 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

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Postgame Press Conference

KENT, Ohio – For the first time since 2012, the Akron Zips earned a season series sweep against crosstown rivals Kent State, defeating the Golden Flashes 72-61 at the M.A.C Center on ESPNU Friday night.

With the sweep, Akron picked up a full point for the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge as the Zips lead 2-1.

Junior Bryan Trimble, Jr. (Kansas City, Mo.) buried seven 3-point field goals en route to a game-high 26-point performance. It was Trimble's third game this season with seven triples, all of them shooting over 50-percent from deep. On this night, he shot 70-percent from beyond the 3-point arc (7-of-10) and 8-of-11 from all areas of the court. He added a perfect 3-of-3 effort from the free throw line.

Senior Loren Cristian Jackson (Chicago, Ill.) followed with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Jackson dished out six of those helpers in the first half as Akron built a convincing 20-point, 38-18 advantage.

Jackson started the scoring at the 18-minute mark and Trimble, Jr. knocked down his first of seven 3-point field goals as the Zips led from the opening tap. Akron never trailed in the game and ended the first half on a 21-5 run.

The Zips first half defense was intense and Kent State did not score it first field goal until the 15:45 mark and the second at 11:22. By the midway point of the first half, Akron held Kent State to just four points, 12-4

The Zips built a double-digit lead with the inside presence of senior Camron Reece (Oakland, Calif.) and shooting from beyond the 3-point arc from Trimble, and sophomores Ali Ali (Kendallville, Ind.) and Mikal Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.). Reece collected all six of his points in the paint by the 8:43 mark, while Trimble cashed in with three triples. Ali and Dawson added a pair of trifectas, and the Zips led 23-11.

Akron continued to attack the Flashes as Trimble struck from deep two more times, finishing the first half 5-of-7 from long distance. Junior Michael Wynn (Albany, N.Y.) and Jackson kept the long-range attack going as Akron shot 52.9 percent from deep in the first half on 9-of-17 shooting.

Akron limited Kent State to shooting under 20-percent, just 6-of-31 from the floor (.194) and 1-of-11 (.091) from 3-point range. Akron caused seven Golden Flashes turnovers with five steals and sophomore Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) collected eight rebounds and four blocked shots – Freeman finished the game with 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and four points.

At halftime Akron led 38-18, and the Zips kept the lead above 18 points for most of the half until Kent State unleashed a 15-3 run and eventually cut the deficit to five points, 66-61, with 1:50 remaining in the game. Jackson scored the final six points for the Zips 72-61 victory.

Kent State had four players score in double figures as Danny Pippen notched his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Malique Jacobs added 12 points while Tervell Beck and Giovanni Santiago had 10 points each in defeat.

The Zips will be back on national television on Tuesday, Feb. 9 as CBS Sports Network will broadcast the Zips versus Ohio Bobcats in Athens, Ohio. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.