The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
28-5,17-1MAC
Kent State
24-9,14-4MAC
Zips Down Rival Kent State,75-68; Advance to Third Straight MAC Championship
March 13 | Men's Basketball
CLEVELAND, Ohio --Â Shammah Scott hit a dagger 3-pointer with 1:50 left in the game to put Akron ahead 68-61, and the Zips secured a 75-68 win against the Kent State Golden Flashes at Rocket Arena Friday.
Akron will battle Toledo in the MAC Championship on March 14. It will be the third consecutive appearance for the Zips in the MAC Championship.
With the win, Akron has defeated rival Kent State in eight consecutive games.
The Zips (28-5) had three players score in double figures, led by Tavari Johnson, who had 18 points and two steals. Scott added 18 points from the bench and Evan Mahaffey chipped in as well with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
Led by Amani Lyles' three offensive rebounds, Akron did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in 11 second chance points.
The Akron defense held Kent State shooters to just 29.4 percent from the field, including 25.9 percent from three-point range. The Zips also kept Morgan Safford to 3-of-12 shooting and seven points in the game.
How It Happened
After falling behind 11-8, Akron went on a 7-0 run with 13:37 left in the first half to take a 15-11 lead. The Zips then added 10 points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 42-28 advantage. Akron got a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 15 of its 42 total points.
Akron kept its lead intact before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Lyles' layup, to grow the lead to 64-55 with 6:25 to go in the contest. The Golden Flashes narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Zips still cruised the rest of the way for the 75-68 win. Akron got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for nine of its 33 total points.
Game Notes
» Akron found success from beyond the arc, knocking down eight treys in the game.» The Zips held the Golden Flashes to only 29.4 percent shooting from the field.
» Akron never trailed in the second half on its way to victory.
» The Akron bench came alive by scoring 24 points to its scoring output.
» The Zips were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying six blocks as a team.
» Akron cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 10 offensive boards in the game.
» Tavari Johnson and Shammah Scott led the Zips with a game-high 18 points each.
» Akron got a team-high nine rebounds from Amani Lyles.
What's Next?
Akron will battle Toledo for a shot at becoming the first team to win three consecutive MAC Tournament Titles on Saturday, March 14.
