Ali and Dawson Lead Zips to Win Over BGSU, Akron Punches Ticket for Cleveland

Tuesday, February 22

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

18-9,11-6MAC

Bowling Green

12-16,5-12MAC

Bowling Green

Akron

Ali and Dawson Lead Zips to Win Over BGSU, Akron Punches Ticket for Cleveland

February 22 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Ali and Dawson Lead Zips to Win Over BGSU, Akron Punches Ticket for Cleveland
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Box Score PDF | Box Score

AKRON, Ohio – It took time for the Akron Zips to fully seize control, but a second-half offensive surge powered them to an 82-68 win over visiting Bowling Green on Tuesday night at James A. Rhodes Arena. With the win, Akron clinched a spot in the 2022 MAC Tournament on Thursday-Saturday, March 10-12 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

The game was won both inside and outside, as the Zips (18-9, 11-6 Mid-American Conference) posted significant edges over the Falcons in 3-pointers and rebounding, draining 10 triples to Bowling Green's five and outrebounding the visitors 34-22.

Sophomore forwards Ali Ali (Kendallville, Ohio) and Mikal Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) led the way for Akron with 17 points and four players scored in double figures as, junior guard Xavier Castaneda (Chicago, Ill.) added 13 and sophomore forward Enrique Freeman (Cleveland, Ohio) posted his MAC-leading 15th double-double of the campaign with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Dawson's 17 points was a career high.

Despite Bowling Green (12-16, 5-12 MAC) keeping the game close for much of the night and trailing by just three (35-32) at the half, Akron was able to pull away in the second half behind a big effort from Dawson and Castaneda, who combined for 17 points after intermission.

The Akron offense as a whole was electric in the half, making 14 of its first 20 shots coming out of the locker room to turn a three-point halftime edge into a 16-point lead late in the game. Six of the Zips' 10 3-pointers came in the second stanza and they tallied an impressive 18-6 rebounding edge during the same span.

The win provides the Zips with a key win in the battle for positioning in the standings ahead of the upcoming MAC Tournament in Cleveland. It's the second straight victory for the blue and gold, setting the stage for the final three games of the regular season.

Junior guard Samari Curtis led Bowling Green with 21 points and senior forward Daeqwon Plowden added 14 in defeat.

Up next for the Zips is a rematch with Ohio, which began the night tied for first in the MAC. The action from the Convocation Center in Athens tips off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25 and the game can be seen on CBS Sports Network.