Tuesday’s Men’s Basketball Results
Akron 85, Toledo 78
Bowling Green 79, Buffalo 61
Central Michigan 82, Eastern Michigan 63
Miami 84, Northern Illinois 69
Ohio 86, Ball State 71
Western Michigan 94, Kent State 83
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Akron 85, Toledo 78
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio - For the second time this season the Zips overcame a double-digit first half deficit as the Blue and Gold defeated Toledo 85-78 at home Tuesday.
The Zips trailed the Rockets 42-30 at the half and used a 55 point second half to claim their fourth consecutive conference victory and eighth straight home victory. This also marks the second time the Zips have started league play 4-0 under head coach John Groce.
Akron (11-5, 4-0) had three players score in double figures, led by Nate Johnson, who had a career-high 28 points while adding nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. Amani Lyles added 16 points and two blocks from the bench and Shammah Scott chipped in with 12 points from the bench.
The Akron bench tailed 41 points, the 12th game this season where the bench has scored at leas 30 points and fifth with at least 40.
Akron did an excellent job taking care of the basketball, dishing out 21 assists while turning the ball over nine times. Individually, Tavari Johnson led the way for the Zips with nine assists.
Akron's defense held Toledo to only 37.5 percent shooting from the field, including 27.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Akron struggled out of the gate, falling behind 42-30 heading into halftime.
Akron narrowed its deficit to 48-41 before going on an 11-0 run, finished off by Nate Johnson's layup, to seize a 52-48 lead with 12:36 to go in the contest. The Zips kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 85-78 win. Akron took care of business in the paint, recording 30 of its 55 points in the lane.
The Zips stay at home as they host Ohio at James A. Rhodes Arena on Friday, January 17 for a nationally televised matchup.
Bowling Green 79, Buffalo 61
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball team got back in the win column Tuesday night (Jan. 14) with a 79-61 victory over the Buffalo Bulls. The Falcons were powered by the duo of Trey Thomas and Marcus Johnson offensively. Each made three three-pointers with Thomas scoring 22 and Johnson finishing with 21 in the win. The Falcons put together a strong second half charge, shooting 50-percent from the field as well as 50-percent from three, building on their halftime lead for the win. The Falcons are now back up to .500 in MAC play at 2-2.
Buffalo tallied the first two points of the game, but the Falcons answered with a 5-0 run. Jamai Felt sank one free throw followed by two at the line from Trey Thomas. Marcus Johnson hit a fadeaway to cap the run.
The Bulls hit a three, but Bowling Green responded with a triple from Johnson to take an 8-5 lead into the first media timeout.
Buffalo added two free throws after the timeout to draw within one. Derrick Butler answered with three free throws of his own. The next time down, Braelon Green found Johnson, threading the needle with a bounce pass, with Johnson hitting a hook shot.
The Bulls made a layup, but a second-chance effort from Felt matched the score with a 15-9 tally at the under-12 break.
Coming out of the break, Buffalo utilized a 6-0 run to tie the score up at 15-15. Thomas ended the run with a layup, sending him past the 1,000-career point mark for his collegiate career and granting the Falcons a 17-15 lead at the under-8 timeout.
The two teams began trading points at the line. UB hit two before Felt sank two of his own. An and-one opportunity for Buffalo pushed them in front, but Javontae Campbell went to the line and hit two for a 21-20 BGSU advantage. However, a layup swung the score back to Buffalo, 22-21, at the final media timeout of the first half.
Out of the break, Johnson continued the free throw barrage for the Falcons, adding two more to reclaim the lead. A three from Wilguens Jr. Exacte moved the BGSU lead to 26-22.
Three free throws pulled Buffalo back up to a 26-26 knot. Green pushed the Falcons ahead with a jumper that the Bulls matched. Johnson added two at the line for a 30-28 BGSU lead, prompting a Buffalo timeout for a final shot before the half.
The Falcons forced a turnover on the Buffalo possession with Green getting a layup to go on the other end before the buzzer for a 32-28 BGSU lead at the half.
Bowling Green opened the second half strong. Johnson started the second half with a hook shot. Campbell tallied a steal that turned into a Thomas jumper. The run continued with a Johnson three, prompting a Buffalo timeout with a 7-0 BGSU start to the half and an 11-0 run across the break.
Buffalo stopped the run out of the timeout with a layup. Buffalo added a three for a 5-0 burst, but another Johnson triple ended the run with a 42-33 BGSU lead at the media timeout.
Thomas stretched the Bowling Green lead with a layup out of the timeout. Buffalo hit a three, but Butler answered with one from the corner to match. A Bull free throw made it a 47-37 tally.
The three-point shots continued for the Falcons with Thomas knocking one down from deep and then another in transition for a 53-37 advantage. Buffalo tacked on two free throws.
For the second time in the game, Butler drew a foul on a three-point attempt, converting two of the three. Buffalo made a layup for a 55-41 score at the under-12 break.
Coming out of the timeout, Thomas got a runner to fall, breaking up two Buffalo free throws for a 57-43 tally.
Exacte drew a foul on a made layup, producing an old-fashioned three-point play before a Buffalo bucket. Thomas hit another three for the Falcons, but the Bulls answered with a three of their own. Felt added a layup for the Falcons, pushing the score to 65-48 at the under-8 media break.
Butler made a free throw after the timeout, but Buffalo knocked down a three to chip away at the lead. Thomas pulled up for a jumper near the elbow to keep the back-and-forth going. A dunk for Buffalo answered and then a free throw for Butler.
Johnson went to the line for the Orange and Brown, making two at the stripe to push him above 20 points, joining Thomas in the accomplishment. The two points pushed the score to 71-53 at the final media timeout of regulation.
Buffalo added a dunk followed by two Butler free throws. The Bulls then hit a three with Green then going to the line, making one. The next time down it was Butler that was sent to the line, making two for a 76-58 score.
Green added another BGSU free throw, but Buffalo answered with a triple. Felt cleaned the glass for the Falcons, slamming home a second-chance attempt off a rebound, leading to the 79-61 BGSU victory.
The Falcons will remain at home for their next contest, hosting Eastern Michigan on Saturday (Jan. 18) with a 2 p.m. tip. The game will be Alumni Day and the Bill Frack Game for Bowling Green.
Central Michigan 82, Eastern Michigan 63
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Ugnius Jarusevicius scored a career-high 23 points, Anthony Pritchard scored a season-high 22 points, and Jakobi Heady added 18 points as Central Michigan turned 17 Eastern Michigan turnovers into 21 points as the Chippewas closed out an 82-63 men's basketball victory Tuesday night at McGuirk Arena.
The win was CMU's first MAC victory on the season as the Chippewas improve to 1-3 in the MAC and 7-9 overall. Eastern Michigan drops to 1-3 in the MAC and 7-9 overall. Next up for Central Michigan, the Chippewas travel to Northern Illinois for a Saturday, Jan. 18 game at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
Jarusevicius hit 6-14 field goals and made a career-high 11-15 free throws in scoring his 23 points. Pritchard converted 9-17 field goals, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out three assists. Heady, who was playing with a No. 32 jersey to honor his late sister Shannise who played basketball at Eastern Michigan and died in a tragic car crash, hit 6-10 field goals and 5-5 free throws for his 18 points.
It was Jarusevicius who Eastern Michigan struggled to contain in the post. He was fouled nine times.
Early in the second half, Central Michigan used a 13-0 run to push its lead to a commanding 51-36 with 14:06 to play. The Chippewas scored on three straight offensive rebound baskets to take a 45-36 lead with 16:18 to play. Pritchard started it with a tipin after getting fouled, Jarusevicius grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a layup, then Jarusevicius scored on a tipin. Then the Chippewas added a Jakobi Heady layup, a steal led to a Pritchard layup, then Heady grabbed an offensive rebound and converted jumper. Jarusevicius added a free throw for the 51-36 lead.
Another 6-0 CMU run gave CMU a 58-46 lead with 10:45 to play. Later, a 7-0 run pushed CMU's lead to 63-46 on a VanderJagt 3-pointer at the 9:50 mark. With the shot clock winding down, Pritchard banked in a 3-pointer for a 17-point lead (68-51) with 7:27 to play.
The Chippewas contained EMU's Da'Sean Nelson, who finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Nelson came into the game averaging 22.7 points per game in EMU's three league games so far. Christian Henry added 14 points and Jalen Terry finished with 13.
In the first half, CMU forced EMU into 13 turnovers and finished with eight steals in building a 39-33 halftime lead.
Trailing 14-10, Central Michigan went on a 12-0 run to take a commanding 22-14 lead in the first half. Shaedon Simpson started the run with a 3-pointer, Bryan Ndjonga added a free throw, Kyler VanderJagt scored on a layup for CMU's first lead, Pritchard stole the ball and drove in for a layup, Jakobi Heady scored a layup and converted a 3-point play, and Jarusevicius added a free throw. EMU finally scored at the 7:50 mark on a Christian Henry jumper.
Two Jarusevicius free throws gave the Chippewas their largest first half lead, 31-22, with 5:07 to go in the first half.
But the Eagles chipped away at the lead and used a 6-0 run to cut it all the way down to one point, 34-33, with 1:23 left in the half. But Simpson registered a steal, and Pritchard drove to the basket and converted a layup, CMU forced another turnover and Damarion Bonds nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 39-33 lead.
Quentin Heady started his first career game at power forward. CMU also started Jakobi Heady, Pritchard, Jarusevicius, and Vasko.
The Heady brothers, playing in front of their mother and a large group of family members from Illinois, honored their sister with the victory.
The Chippewas are back at it again on Saturday at Northern Illinois.
Miami 84, Northern Illinois 69
Box Score
DEKALB, Ill. – The Miami University men's basketball team outlasted Northern Illinois 84-69 Tuesday evening to secure its sixth consecutive win. Brant Byers led the RedHawks with 17 points, while four other RedHawks scored in double figures. Miami rises to 12-4 (4-0 MAC) on the season, and the Huskies fall to 4-12 (0-4 MAC).
Miami opened the game trailing 7-2 before Antwone Woolfolk scored on three different trips down the floor to come within striking distance at 11-10. Byers entered the game with 14:15 to play and immediately scored a pair of triples to push the RedHawks ahead 16-11. Byers did not stop there, as he went on to knock down two more threes to help Miami hold on to a 26-20 lead.
Evan Ipsaro held off the Huskies with a shot from behind the arc and added a couple of free throws to make it 31-27. After Northern Illinois reclaimed the advantage at 34-31, Reece Potter found Eian Elmer from deep to even the score at 34 apiece. With the first half coming to an end, Mekhi Cooper sunk a three and then stole the ball for a transition layup to force a Northern Illinois timeout at 41-34. A tough layup from Jackson Kotecki, numerous free throws and an Elmer layup gave the RedHawks a 48-42 halftime lead.
The Huskies opened the second half by coming within one at 56-55. A Cooper three and Suder jump shot kept Miami ahead 62-55. Layups from Woolfolk and Elmer, along with Byers fifth three of the game, gave Miami its first double-digit lead at 69-57.
With the score at 71-57, Suder scored the next six points, and Kam Craft added a three to separate from the Huskies 80-67. Ipsaro and Suder closed the game with shots from the free-throw line to secure an 84-69 win.
The RedHawks continue conference play on the road by traveling to Kent State Saturday, Jan. 18 at 3 p.m.
Ohio 86, Ball State 71
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio — After an explosive second half, the Ohio men's basketball team defeated Ball State in The Convocation Center, 86-71, Tuesday night (January 14).
The Bobcats (10-6, 4-0 Mid-American Conference) had a cold start in the first half, but once senior guard AJ Clayton (Roseville, Ohio) made a free throw, they were rolling. They went on a 10-0 run to take a five-point lead. The Cardinals (8-8, 2-2 MAC) quickly tied the game after that, but the Bobcats didn't let them stay close for long.
Dunks from junior forward Aidan Hadaway (Lafayette, Ga.) and redshirt sophomore guard AJ Brown (Orlando, Fla.) highlighted Ohio's reclamation of the lead. After that, Ohio went on a 7-0 run as Ball State fell into a scoring drought that lasted more than four minutes.
Tuesday was the second-straight game Ohio held a lead the majority of the time.
Ohio closed out the first half with a 10-point lead and a buzzer-beater by Brown.
Hadaway ended up leading the Bobcats in scoring alongside junior forward Jackson Paveletzke (Kimberly, Wis.). The two had 15 points each, with 13 of Paveletzke's coming in the second half. They also both lead the Bobcats in rebounds with five each. Paveletzke's five assists made him was the lone leader – his sixth game in the past seven with five or more.
The Cardinals couldn't quite crack the Bobcats' lead through the second half, with the Bobcats leading by 14 points with four minutes off the clock. Even while they were in a scoring drought – which graduate student Vic Searls (Hilliard, Ohio) broke on a dunk — the Bobcats maintained a healthy advantage.
Part of that was the defense's prowess. The Bobcats kept the ball in their hands all second half, with the help of three steals by graduate student guard Shereef Mitchell (Omaha, Neb.). Hadaway, Clayton, Searls and freshman guard Elijah Elliott (Orlando, Fla.) also had steals in the second half.
The Bobcats reached their peak in the final minutes of the second half, eclipsing a 17-point lead multiple times.
Ohio finished the game 34-for-62 from the field (54.8%), marking the fifth time in the last six games it notched a 50% or above. It also had a decent day from the line at 10-for-16.
Ohio will be back in action on Friday night at Akron. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and the game can be viewed on CBS Sports Network.
Western Michigan 94, Kent State 83
Box Score
KENT, Ohio – The Western Michigan men's basketball team had five players score in double-figures on the way to a 94-83 win at Kent State on Tuesday evening. The victory marked WMU's first road win over the Golden Flashes since 2014.
Western Michigan (4-12, 1-3 MAC) netted a season-high 94 points with a balanced attack which saw five players score in double-figures and seven tally at least seven points. Markhi Strickland led the way with 18 points, JaVaughn Hannah went 8-for-9 from the floor to tie his season high with 17, Chansey Willis Jr. notched 16, Donovan Williams went 7-for-7 at the foul line on the way to 15 points and Brandon Muntu added 10. Willis also tied his season high with seven assists.
WMU held a healthy rebounding advantage, 37-28, for the evening, which included 14 offensive rebounds. As it was with the team's scoring, rebounding was a team effort as well, with five Broncos contributing at least five boards. Max Burton and Seryee Lewis paced the Brown and Gold with seven apiece, Williams snagged six, and the duo of Hannah and Owen Lobsinger each grabbed five.
Both offenses got going early, with WMU grabbing an 11-7 edge less than four minutes into the contest. With the Broncos on top 17-14, Kent State (11-5, 2-2) put together a 7-1 stretch to move ahead, 21-18. Trailing 26-23, the Broncos used an 18-4 surge to regain the lead, 41-30. Western Michigan's advantage grew as large as 12, 46-34, in the opening stanza, but KSU tallied the final six points of the period to get to within 46-40 at the break. The 46 points marked the most in the first half this season for the Brown and Gold.
Western Michigan remained in front until the Golden Flashes worked their way back level at 60-60 with just over 12 minutes remaining. Even again at 71-71, the Broncos embarked on a 15-2 run to push their lead back into double-digits, 86-73, with four minutes to play. At one point during the surge, the Brown and Gold held Kent State without a point for nearly four minutes. KSU got the margin down to five with 90 seconds to go, but the hosts got no closer as WMU sealed the victory at the charity stripe.
The Broncos connected on 51.7 percent (30-of-58) of their field goals for the evening, while Kent State hit 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the field. WMU set new season highs in free throws made (30) and attempted (41).
Western Michigan returns to University Arena on Saturday as it hosts Buffalo at 1 pm. For tickets to any WMU men's basketball home game, visit
wmubroncos.com/tickets.
