 AKRON 75, BALL STATE 60 UA MAKING A MOVE?
Akron (15-10, 6-5 MAC) has won four of their last five games, and thanks to losses by Buffalo (to Eastern Michigan), and Bowling Green (at Central Michigan), got right back into the Eastern Division battle, which resumes Tuesday night.
“We’re getting a little bit more consistently good than bad.” Zips head coach Keith Dambrot said after the game. “We have a chance to make the greatest comeback of all time (here at UA). We just need to keep playing well.”
In 2008-09 UA opened MAC play at 1-3 and then went on a seven-game streak while winning eight of nine to get into the race. Akron then won four heart-pounding games in the FirstEnergy MAC Tournament, defeating Buffalo in the championship game to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1986.
Senior guard Steve McNees led the balanced scoring attack Saturday with 16 points and four assists. Junior forward Nikola Cvetinovic added 13 and eight rebounds, while senior forward Brett McKnight came off the bench to score 12.
BRINGING SOMETHING DIFFERENT
When asked about Cvetinvoic’s play, McNees said “Nik is very emotional. When he is playing like that, he brings something that is different that no one else can bring.”
“I thought Nik played really well.” Dambrot added. “He turned the game around for us defensively. He kept Jones from receiving (the basketball) - made him work to get the ball and get into position.”
Ball State (14-10, 6-5 MAC) suffered its fifth loss in the last six games. The defeat, coupled with Western Michigan’s victory over Ohio, moved the Broncos into first place in the Western Division.
Junior forward Jarrod Jones led all scorers with 19 points and eight boards as BSU fell to Akron for the seventh consecutive time in the series.
Both teams started strong, with BSU gaining its only lead of the game, 5-4, on a three-pointer from the left arc by sophomore guard Jauwan Scaife. When McNees connected on a three from the top of the key, UA would hold the lead for the rest of the game.
The Zips’ largest lead of the first half was 10 points on three occasions, the last being 31-21 at the 1:59 mark on two free throws from sophomore guard Quincy Diggs. The Cards closed to within six at 31-25 thanks to two free throws from freshman forward Chris Bond and a put-back layup by Jones.
UA scored the last two points of the half when McNees’ shot was rebounded by senior forward Mike Bardo. His put-back shot left his hand just before the clock expired and went through the hoop. The officials reviewed the play and awarded UA the basket, sending them into halftime with a 33-25 lead.
CARDINALS REGROUP
At the start of the second half, Ball State came out energized. Akron did not, and it showed. The Cards used a 10-4 run to close to within two 37-35 with 16:21 remaining on a layup by Jones. The key man in the run for BSU was freshman forward Matt Kaminiecki who scored five consecutive points on a layup down the baseline and a conventional three-point play.
The Zips called a time out, and after a few choice words from Dambrot, went on a 14-0 run to take control of the game. The run started when freshman guard Alex Abreu came up with a steal and a layup and ended four minutes later with a layup by Cvetinovic to give UA a 16-point lead at 51-35.
“During the time out, Coach said we needed to play hard, I fortunately got the steal and basket that got us on that run.” Abreu said.
It was the second consecutive game that UA used a decisive run to take control of a game. In their win Wednesday night over Western Michigan, it was an 11-2 spurt midway in the first half that fueled the Zips to an 83-71 victory.
From that point on, UA’s lead would never fall below double-digits. In fact, the Zips largest margin was 17 points on two occasions - the last at 74-58 on two Brett McKnight free throws with 24.7 seconds remaining, before winning by 15.
FOUL TROUBLE
A key factor in the game was that Akron pulled away to victory despite sophomore center Zeke Marshall’s foul trouble. He amassed two quick fouls in the first half and sat down at the 9:10 mark in favor of Bardo.who tied a season high six rebounds and a steal, along with his basket at the end of the half.
Marshall came off the bench to start the second half and picked up his third foul during the 14-0 run. He drew his fourth with 8:42 remaining and failed to score a point for the first time this season. He took just one shot from the floor in 12 minutes of action, but again contributed defensively as he had four rebounds and three blocked shots.
UA finished cross-divisional play with a 4-2 mark and gets back into action Tuesday night when the Zips travel to Bowling Green to take on the Falcons. BSU ended play against the Eastern Division with a 1-5 record and also get back into the fray on Tuesday when Toledo visits Worthen Arena
UPON FURTHER REVIEW
KEY MOMENT: After Ball State closed the margin to 37-35 with 16:21 remaining on a Jarrod Jones layup, Akron went on a 14-0 run that proved decisive.
STAR OF THE GAME: NIKOLA CVETINOVIC-AKRON. The junior forward from Serbia led the Zips with 16 points and had eight rebounds. It marked the sixth consecutive game that Cvetinovic led the Zips in rebounding and 16th time overall this season. He also guarded Jones for a majority of the game
KEY STATS OF THE GAME: 1) Akron turned the ball over just eight times in the game. 2) Ball State was outscored 42-35 in the second half despite hitting 57.1% from the field in the second half (12-for-21). 3) Ball State’s Malik Perry was held to just one point
NOTES: The game was the 30th lifetime meeting, with the series deadlocked at 15-15. Akron has won the last seven meetings… The win improved the Zips home record to 10-2, marking the seventh consecutive season and eighth in the last nine they have won 10 or more games at home…UA head coach Keith Dambrot is 7-5 lifetime against Ball State (7-0 at Akron) and 4-0 against current head coach Billy Taylor…Jarrod Jones-BSU has scored 34 points the last two games after having just 17 the previous two…Zeke Marshall-AKR had three blocked shots in the game setting the school’s sophomore record for blocks in a season with 60.
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