Zips Fall in First Wagon Wheel Game

Friday, January 14

8 PM

University of Akron

9-5,2-2MAC

Kent State

8-8,3-3MAC

Akron

Kent St.

January 14 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Zips Fall in First Wagon Wheel Game
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Box Score PDF | Box Score

KENT, Ohio – The Akron Zips dropped a tough 67-55 decision to the Kent State Golden Flashes in a Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Wagon Wheel Challenge game at the M.A.C. Center on Friday. With the win, Kent State earned a half point to push its lead to 1.5-3.5 overall.

The Zips trailed by just three at the half, but Kent was able to pull away in the second half in a defensive battle that saw both rivals shoot below 47 percent. The Flashes earned a Mid-American Conference win by limiting Akron to 35.2-percent shooting from the floor.

Junior guard Xavier Castaneda (Chicago, Ill.) led the Zips with 21 points and five assists, including three of his team's four 3-point makes. Sophomore forward Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) also reached double figures with 13 points and snared a team-best seven rebounds.

With shots not falling from the field, Akron (9-5, 2-2 MAC) once again looked to get its offensive attack going at the foul line. Outscoring the Flashes 13-8 from the charity stripe kept the Zips close for much of the night before a 10-1 run than began with just over six minutes remaining and covered 3:56 on the clock expanded the hosts' lead to 15 (63-48).

Even then, Akron continued to battle and closed to within 12 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Bryan Trimble, Jr. (Kansas City, Mo.) with 1:32 remaining. It was a contest Kent (8-8, 3-3 MAC) led for much of the night, but the Zips used a strong start to capture a 17-13 edge at the 11:32 mark of the first half.

Despite a tough night shooting the ball, committing just 10 turnovers helped the Zips maximize their scoring chances. Ultimately, the first edition of the rivalry series for the season went to the Flashes, but Akron will have its chance at revenge in less than a month when Kent visits James A. Rhodes Arena for the return match on Feb. 12.

Redshirt junior guard Sincere Curry led Kent with 32 and redshirt senior guard Tervell Beck chipped in with 11 for the Flashes.

The next contest on the agenda for the Zips is a Jan. 18 home game against MAC rival Western Michigan. Tip-off time is slated for 6 p.m., with the contest set to air on ESPN3.