Akron Zips vs. Kent State Golden Flashes men's basketball | Live score updates
KENT — Round 1 of this season's Akron-Kent State men's basketball rivalry gets underway tonight. The Zips (13-4, 5-0) enter the night tied for first in the Mid-American Conference with a perfect league record. The Golden Flashes (9-8, 2-3) have been anything but perfect, but can jump-start their season with a home win over their rivals.
Return here throughout the night for live updates on the game.
Akron survives, Ali's free throws help clinch win
Ali Ali hit four free throws in the final 17 seconds to help Akron wrap up a 77-71 win and remain unbeaten in the Mid-American Conference.
Ali and Enrique Freeman finished with 23 points for apiece for the Zips. Giovanni Santiago led the Flashes with 16.
Akron has won six straight and is 14-4 on the season.
Hope for the Flashes
Jalen Sullinger's basket with 1:46 left cuts Akron's lead to 70-67.
Kent State trailed by 20 in the first half and sat on the brink of defeat in the second half. Now the Flashes have hope.
Foul worries for Akron
Akron's Ali Ali, Kaleb Thornton and Tavan Johnson each have four fouls. Kent State is already in the double bonus with over eight minutes left. The last thing the Zips need is for the Flashes to score with the clock stopped.
A Chris Payton Jr. dunk cut Akron's lead to 59-51. It's the closest the Flashes have been in a long time.
Zips answer Flashes run
Kent State was able to get within 10 early in the second half.
Mikel Dawson's 3-pointer and back-to-back Enrique Freeman layups helped Akron restore a 46-31 lead. Freeman's second basket was set up by his block at the defensive end.
Dawson's 3 broke an 0-for-5 drought from outside the arc to start the game.
Akron leads Kent State 36-22 at halftime
The Zips couldn't have asked for a better opening half on the road against the rival.
Ali Ali has 16 points and Enrique Freeman has 11 for Akron. Giovanni Santiago has 6 points for Kent State, which shot 26% from the field in the first half.
Chris Payton Jr. returns for Kent State
Akron is converting numerous second-chance opportunities in the paint. With that in mind, Kent State head coach Rob Senderoff has Chris Payton Jr. back in the game with two fouls.
The Zips have expanded their lead to 27-11.
Flashes gain some traction
It's always a game of runs, right?
A 7-2 Kent State run cuts Akron's lead to 19-11. The Flashes scored seven straight points before an Amani Lyles put back ended Kent State's run.
All Akron early on
What a start for Akron.
After Kent State's Mike Bekelja hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring, the Zips have gone on a 17-1 run. Ali Ali already has 11 points for Akron.
Foul trouble early for Kent State's Chris Payton Jr.
The last thing Kent State wanted to see was Chris Payton Jr. heading to the bench before the first media timeout. He picked up his second foul with 16:50 left in the first half on Ali Ali's 3-point attempt. Ali made all three free throws.
How to watch the Akron vs. Kent State basketball game on TV or livestream
ESPNU will televise the game, which starts at 7, while ESPN+ is livestreaming it.
Who are the Akron men's basketball team's expected starters vs. Kent State?
No., Name, Ht., Pos., Scoring avg.
2, Greg Tribble Jr., 6-3, sr., G, 9.8
11, Sammy Hunter, 6-9, sr., F, 10.2
22, Mikal Dawson, 6-5, sr., G-F, 6.6
24, Ali Ali, 6-8, sr., F, 15.8
25, Enrique Freeman, 6-7, sr., F, 18.4
Top reserves: Senior Kaleb Thornton, junior Shammah Scott, sophomores Tavari Johnson and Amani Lyles.
Who are the Kent State men's basketball team's expected starters vs. Akron?
No., Name, Ht., Pos., Scoring avg.
1, VonCameron Davis, 6-5, jr., F, 12.3
2, Reggie Bass, 6-3, so., G, 8.6
4, Chris Payton Jr., 6-7, sr., F, 14.6
11 Giovanni Santiago, 6-1, sr., G, 7.8
13, Jalen Sullinger, 5-10, jr., G, 14.7
Top reserves: Senior Tyem Freeman, junior Mike Bekelja, sophomore Magnus Entenmann and freshman Donovan Hunter.
When do Akron and Kent State play again?
The Zips host the Golden Flashes on Saturday, Feb. 24. The game time has yet to be determined for that matchup. The MAC Tournament in Cleveland, often the site of a third UA-KSU meeting each season, is March 14-16.
Does Akron's Enrique Freeman lead the nation in rebounding?
According to NCAA Division I stat leaders, through games played Wednesday, 6-foot-7 Akron senior forward Enrique Freeman leads the country in rebounds per game at 13.2. He's grabbed 224 rebounds in UA's 17 games. Freeman's 15 double-doubles also are tops in the country, though, he's tied with Vonterius Woolbright of Western Carolina. Freeman's .5895 shooting percentage from the field ranks him 33rd in the nation. Freeman's scoring average of 18.4 points per game, ties him for 68th in the nation. Freeman was named the MAC Player of the Week for the sixth time this season earlier in the week.
2024 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Here's a look at the MAC standings, entering playing Friday night:
SCHOOL | CONFERENCE | OVERALL | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akron | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 13 | 4 | 0.765 | Won 5 |
Toledo | 5 | 0 | 1.000 | 11 | 6 | 0.647 | Won 5 |
Bowling Green | 4 | 1 | 0.800 | 13 | 4 | 0.765 | Won 3 |
Western Mich. | 4 | 1 | 0.800 | 7 | 10 | 0.412 | Lost 1 |
Central Mich. | 3 | 2 | 0.600 | 8 | 9 | 0.471 | Lost 1 |
Kent St. | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | 9 | 8 | 0.529 | Won 1 |
Ohio | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | 8 | 9 | 0.471 | Won 1 |
Miami (OH) | 2 | 3 | 0.400 | 8 | 9 | 0.471 | Lost 1 |
Ball St. | 1 | 4 | 0.200 | 9 | 8 | 0.529 | Won 1 |
Eastern Mich. | 1 | 4 | 0.200 | 8 | 9 | 0.471 | Lost 3 |
Buffalo | 1 | 4 | 0.200 | 2 | 15 | 0.118 | Lost 4 |
N.Illinois | 0 | 5 | 0.000 | 6 | 11 | 0.353 | Lost 7 |
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Akron Zips basketball game score vs. Kent State live updates
