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Akron vs. Kent State basketball score | Zips top Flashes in MAC men's game
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- Akron vs. Kent State basketball score | Zips top Flashes in MAC men's game
The University of Akron men's basketball defeated rival Kent State 85-71 Friday night in a Mid-American Conference game at the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center.
Reigning MAC Tournament champion Akron is 16-5 overall and 9-0 in the MAC. Kent State is 13-8 overall and 4-5 in the MAC.
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Akron is 9-0 in the MAC for the first time under coach John Groce after last season's team started 7-0. The Zips were 8-0 in the MAC twice under former coach Keith Dambrot, starting the 2012-2013 season with a 13-0 league record and the 2016-2017 season with a 9-0 league mark.
Here is how the game unfolded through our live updates:
Akron tops Kent State in NCAA men's basketball game
Akron wins 85-71 over Kent State.
Akron finishes with six players in double figures: Nate Johnson (20 points), Tavari Johnson (15 points), Seth Wilson (11 points), James Okonkwo (11 points), Isaiah Gray (10 points) and Sharron Young (10 points).
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Jalen Sullinger finishes with 23 points for the Flashes and Anthony Morales had 10 points.
Akron extends lead over Kent State in second half of NCAA men's basketball game
Akron leads Kent State 82-61 with 3:21 remaining in the second half. Akron has six players in double figures: Nate Johnson has 20 points, Tavari Johnson is at 12 points, Seth Wilson and James Okonkwo each have 11 points and Isaiah Gray and Sharron Young have 10 points apiece.
Jalen Sullinger is at 21 points for the Flashes and Anthony Morales has 10 points.
Akron Zips guard Sharron Young celebrates after a first-half 3-pointer at Kent State, Jan. 31, 2025.
Akron maintains double-digit lead over Kent State in second half of NCAA men's basketball game
Nate Johnson is up to 20 points and Akron has a 72-57 lead over Kent State with 7:56 remaining in the second half. Isaiah Gray, Tavari Johnson and Sharron Young are at 10 points points for the Zips.
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Jalen Sullinger has 19 points for Kent State and Anthony Morales is at 10 points.
Akron's Nate Johnson looks for a second-half basket as Kent State's Cian Medley defends Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.
Nate Johnson and Akron maintain lead over Kent State in second half of NCAA men's basketball game
Nate Johnson makes two free throws to give Akron a 61-38 lead over Kent State with 14:12 remaining in the second half.
Kent State responds with a 10-0 run with Marquis Barnett making a layup, Jalen Sullinger converting a 3-pointer and a layup and Jamal Sumlin adding a 3-pounter. Akron is up 61-48 with 12:33 to go in the second half.
Nate Johnson counters KSU's run with a jumper and layup and Isaiah Gray drops in a layup. Akron leads 67-48.
Tavari Johnson passes around Giovanni Santiago to a teammate.
Akron increases lead over Kent State in second half of NCAA men's basketball game
Isaiah Gray swishes a 3-pointer and Akron leads Kent State 58-35 with 16:45 to go in the second half. Timeout KSU at 16:42.
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Akron opens the second half with a 10-4 run. Seth Wilson started the half with a 3-pointer, Gray made a layup and Tavari Johnson added a layup.
Nate Johnson and Sharron Young guide Akron to lead over Kent State at halftime of NCAA men's basketball game
Akron leads Kent State 48-31 at halftime. The Zips end the first half on a 12-4 run. James Okonkwo scored six points during the surge with a two-hand slam dunk and free throw and a layup and a free throw. Nate Johnson scored four points during the run and Sharron Young made two free throws.
Nate Johnson has 13 points and Sharron Young has 10 points at halftime for Akron. James Okonkwo and Shammah Scott each have six points. Tavari Johnson and Seth Wilson both have five points.
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Anthony Morales has 10 points and Jalen Sullinger has eight points for Kent State.
Kent State trims Akron lead in first half of NCAA men's basketball game
Kent State is on a 7-0 run as Akron leads 36-27 with 3:28 remaining in the first half. VonCameron Davis started the spurt wih a 3-pointer, Jalen Sullinger made a jumper and Anthony Morales contributed a steal and two-hand slam dunk.
Akron maintains lead over Kent State in first of half of NCAA men's basketball game
Akron leads Kent State 29-14 with 7:54 remaining in the first half. The Zips are once against shooting the 3-point shot very well at 5 of 10. Shammah Scott has two 3s and Seth Wilson, Sharron Young and Nate Johnson each have one 3.
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Akron's largest lead was 27-9 following a Nate Johnson 3-pointer with 9:59 on the clock. The Zips led 29-11 after a Amani Lyles slam dunk.
Akron Zips head coach John Groce has a word with Akron Zips guard Bowen Hardman (15) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
Akron extends lead over Kent State in first of half of NCAA men's basketball game
Akron leads Kent State 22-7 with 11:03 to go in the first half. The Zips are on an 13-2 run with two 3-pointers from senior Shammah Scott, a jumper and 3-pointer from freshman Sharron Young and a layup from redshirt junior Nate Johnson.
Akron leads Kent State in first of half of NCAA men's basketball game
Akron leads Kent State 9-5 with 15:42 to go in the first half. The Zips scored the first six points with Seth Wilson making a 2-point shot and a 3-point shot and Isaiah Gray making 1 of 2 free throws.
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Tavari Johnson made a layup and free throw to give Akron a 9-2 lead with 17:21 to go in the first half. Cian Medley has a layup and Anthony Morales swished a 3-pointer for Kent State.
James Okonkwo has two blocks and Amani Lyles has one block for Akron.
Here is some pregame information:
Akron basketball projected starters
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5-11 junior Tavari Johnson
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6-3 redshirt junior Nate Johnson
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6-3 senior Isaiah Gray
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6-2 senior Seth Wilson
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6-8 senior James Okonkwo
Kent State basketball projected starters
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5-11 sophomore Cian Medley
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5-10 senior Jalen Sullinger
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6-8 graduate senior Anthony Morales
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6-5 redshirt senior VonCameron Davis
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6-8 junior Delrecco Gillespie
Who are the statistical leaders for the University of Akron Zips men's basketball team?
Junior guard Nate Johnson leads Akron in scoring at 13.4 points per game and junior guard Tavari Johnson is second on the team in points at 12.6 a game. Tavari Johnson also averages 4.2 assists, and Nate Johnson is at 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game.
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Zips senior guard Isaiah Gray (10.6 points) and senior guard Shammah Scott (8.5 points) rank third and fourth, respectively, in scoring for the Zips. Freshman guard Sharron Young is fifth (8.1 points) and senior forward James Okonkwo is sixth (7.3 points). Okonkwo leads Akron with 7.6 rebounds per game.
Bowen Hardman, Amani Lyles and Seth Wilson average 7.0, 6.9 and 5.3 points, respectively.
Who are the statistical leaders for the Kent State University Golden Flashes men's basketball team?
Redshirt senior VonCameron Davis leads Kent in scoring at 15.9 points per game and senior guard Jalen Sullinger is second on the team at 12.2 per game.
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Cli'ron Hornbeak is averaging 8.6 points and 6.4 rebounds, Marquis Barnett is averaging 6.9 points and Cian Medley is averging 6.6 points and 4.2 assists. Delrecco Gillespie is averaging 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds
Akron Zips coach John Groce talks with Seth Wilson during a game against Toledo on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Akron.
Who are the coaches for the University of Akron and Kent State University men's basketball teams?
Akron coach John Groce has a 335-218 overall and a 153-86 MAC record at Akron.
Kent coach Rob Senderoff is 277-171 overall as Golden Flashes coach.
Kent State coach Rob Senderoff works the sideline during the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on March 14, 2024, in Cleveland.
What is the history between the University of Akron and Kent State University in men's basketball?
Akron leads 83-82 in its all-time series with Kent State. John Groce is 10-7 as Akron's coach against Kent State and 14-12 overall as he previously was the head coach at Ohio.
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Kent State is 55-27 at home against Akron.
Akron is 46-25 at home against Kent State and the Zips are 10-3 on a neutral court against the Flashes.
Akron defeated Kent State three times last season — 77-71 in a regular-season game in Kent , 83-70 in a regular-season game in Akron and 62-61 in the MAC Tournament championship game in Cleveland .
Akron guard Nate Johnson looks to make a move against Northern Kentucky guard Trey Robinson, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.
Zips and Flashes broadcast information. How can I watch on TV, listen on radio or stream the Akron vs. Kent State game?
The Akron-Kent State game can be watched on CBS Sports Network with Fran Charles and Mike O'Donnell on the call. Fans can listen to the Akron Sports Radio Network on WHLO 640 AM with Dave Skoczen and Joe Dunn on the call. Live stats are also available on GoZips.com/coverage.
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Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron men's basketball score vs. Kent State live updates, highlights
