Castaneda Career Performance Leads Zips Comeback in 84-74 Win Over Ball State

Tuesday, January 11

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

9-4,2-1MAC

Ball State

7-8,2-2MAC

Ball St.

Akron

Castaneda Career Performance Leads Zips Comeback in 84-74 Win Over Ball State

January 11 | Men's Basketball

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Castaneda Career Performance Leads Zips Comeback in 84-74 Win Over Ball State
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AKRON, Ohio – A stunning second-half rally erased an eight-point deficit and catapulted the Akron Zips to an 84-74 Mid-American Conference win over Ball State on Tuesday evening at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Staring down a 43-35 deficit early in the second half, the Zips outscored the Cardinals 49-31 in the final 18 minutes of action to claim their second MAC win of the season.

Junior guard Xavier Castaneda (Chicago, Ill.) led all scorers with a career-high 29 points and stuffed the stat sheet with six assists, five rebounds and two steals. Sophomore forward Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) continued to amass double-doubles with his 14-point, 12-rebound effort while junior guard Bryan Trimble, Jr. (Kansas City, Mo.) and sophomore forward Mikal Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) scored in double figures with 19 and 10 points, respectively.

An 18-5 run midway through the second frame turned the game on its head, staking the Zips (9-4, 2-1 MAC) to a 53-48 lead. The run was keyed by Dawson with six points, while Freeman and Castaneda supported the run with five points each. The Akron defense amped up its intensity during the spurt, forcing Ball State into 2-of-8 shooting.

The Akron advantage grew to as many as 11 points late in the game, putting an exclamation point on the emphatic turnaround that unfolded in the second half. Sizzling shooting was the centerpiece of the victory as the Zips shot 53.4 percent for the game and assisted on 15 of their 31 field goals.

In the first half, Ball State started strong and the Akron offense found its footing after the Cardinals (7-8, 2-2 MAC) edged out to a 24-15 lead by the 6:09 mark, but the Zips eventually tied the game at 31-all before the Cardinals finished the half with a 36-33 advantage.

Ball State freshman center Payton Sparks led the Cardinals with 23 points and redshirt junior guard Miryne Thomas added 12 in the loss.

Up next for the Zips is a trip east for the first edition of the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel rivalry against Kent State on Jan. 14 the M.A.C. Center in Kent, Ohio. The nationally broadcasted game is scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.