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Zips zap Valpo to complete 5-0 home stand |
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AKRON, OH. - Jimmy Conyers tallied a game-high and career-high 22 points, while Brett McKnight added 17 Sunday as Akron breezed by Valparaiso 77-57.
It was the ninth win in 10 games for the Zips (9-3), who concluded a perfect five-game home stand with a victory over the Crusaders. (5-8).
Akron, which never trailed in the contest, led by as many as 28 points and finished with a double-digit win for the fifth straight game. It was also UA’s fourth 20-plus point victory during the home stand.
“We are getting better offensively,” head coach Keith Dambrot said. “We have started to share the ball better and our assist-to-turnover ratio is improving every game.”
Steve McNees, was a good example Sunday. He had five assists (one shy of his career best) and did not commit a turnover in 27 minutes of play. Akron recorded 18 assists as a team, marking the fifth-straight game the Zips have dished out at least 16 assists.
Dambrot was also generally pleased with his squad’s defense.
“We felt Valparaiso was a very good offensive team, so for two-thirds of the game, we were able to guard them very well. We got up into them and made them make mistakes,” Dambrot said. “We were also able to get their big guy (forward Cameron Witt) to foul out of the game early (and) we did a good job of guarding their shooters.”
He continued, “Our program is built on good, solid defense. I told our guys after the game that there is no reason we should ever give up 70 points a game, because of the depth and talent on this team. We just need to continue to play hard.”
Brandon Wood, who paced the Crusaders with 18 points, hit a trey at 13:28 to put Valparaiso two-back at 11-9. The Zips, however, pulled away and owned a 36-23 halftime lead after McKnight scored on a layup with four seconds remaining. Akron had a 22-8 advantage in points in the paint during the first 20 minutes of play.
The Zips, who outrebounded Valparaiso 33-22 overall, continued to do damage in close during the second half. Akron had had a 10-0 advantage in second chance points after intermission.
A layup by Conyers and three-pointer by Ronnie Steward pushed the hosts’ lead to 28 points (68-40) with 8:30 remaining.
“The two biggest things that have happened with Jimmy (Conyers) are the play of the defense and the emergence of Brett McKnight being able to score down low in the paint,” Drambot said. “Because of these two things, Jimmy has been given more open looks, and he is taking advantage of them."
Conyers made 10 of 13 from the field, while the Zips as a team converted 31 of 56 (55.5 percent). The Crusaders made 18 of 40 shots from the field (45.0 percent).
NOTES:
- Akron outrebounded its opponent for the seventh straight game and 10th time this season.
- The Zips only home loss thus far was Nov. 15 (80-77) to Austin Peay.
- During their current five-game win skein, the Zips are averaging 50.3 percent from the floor and 75.8 ponts per game. |
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