Akron (2-1) held a 37-32 halftime advantage but was outscored 41-23 in the second half. The Zips knocked . . .
Akron finished the game shooting 44.0 percent from the field (22-of-50), including a 30.0 percent performance from deep (6-of-20), while Dayton shot 51.9 percent from the floor (27-of-52) and 42.9 percent from long distance (9-of-21).
For the third straight game, sophomore Daniel Utomi led the Zips' scoring. He scored 19 points, connecting at 55.6 percent rate from the field (5-of-9) including a 57.1 percent showing from 3-point land. Utomi grabbed a second-best five rebounds and dished out three assists.
Also scoring in double figures was freshman Jaden Sayles. He posted a career-best 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor and a 4-of-7 effort from the charity stripe.
Junior Jimond Ivey added nine points and a team-high seven rebounds, while sophomore Emmanuel Olojakpoke used a perfect 4-of-4 shooting performance to collect eight points.
Dayton was led by Josh Cunningham, who notched a double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds. Jordan Davis followed with 14 points, while Darrell Davis and Kostas Antetokounmpo rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12 points each.
Akron opened the game with a 7-0 run as freshman Torrey Patton started the scoring with a 3-pointer from the corner. Olojakpoke followed with an offensive rebound and put back for Akron's second bucket of the game, and Utomi buried a midrange jumper near the top of the key.
Dayton answered with five points on a 3-pointer and a lay-in, but the Zips responded with a pair of free throws from Sayles. The Flyers tied the game with an old-fashioned 3-point play from Antetokounmpo, and a Cunningham layup, gave UD its first lead at the 13-minute mark, 11-9. Dayton extended the lead to four points, 13-9.
Graduate transfer Malcolm Duvivier ended the Flyers 8-0 run by splitting a pair of free throws, and Ivey struck from deep, but Dayton still led 15-13 with 11:32 remaining in the half.
Akron regained the lead as Ivey hit a fade-away from the foul line, 17-16, but UD responded with a basket. On the ensuing possession, Parrish knotted the game for a second time with a jumper from free throw line, making the score 19 apiece with 8:24 showing on the clock.
The Flyers broke the stalemate, but Utomi flipped the scoreboard back to Akron's favor with a 3-pointer from the wing. However, Dayton outscored the Zips 8-4 over the next three minutes for a 29-24 advantage at the 3:27 marker.
After the under-4 media timeout, Utomi cashed in on back-to-back 3-pointers which sparked a 13-point run by Akron. Sayles followed with seven straight points on three layups and a free throw to give Akron its largest lead of the night, 37-29. Dayton ended their scoring silence and the half with a triple as the Zips led 37-32 at halftime.
After the break, UD scored the first 13 points of the half to establish an eight-point, 45-37 lead by the first media break at 15:47.
At the 15:27 mark, the Zips' scoring drought ended with three free throws by Utomi after getting fouled while attempting a shot from deep. Duvivier followed with a midrange jumper off the glass, but UD responded with its fourth triple of the half, pushing the lead back to six points., 48-43.
Akron tried to weather the storm as Sayles split a two-shot foul and Ivey drove the lane for a layup. Another, field goal and 3-pointer pushed the Flyer lead to eight points and UD eventually extended the lead to double digits, 60-50 with 7:58 left to play in the game.
The Flyers continued to find the bottom of the net, increasing their lead to 70-54 as Cunningham scored 11-straight points for the Flyers. Akron outscored Dayton 6-3 in the final 3:29, but could not overcome the initial run to start the second session.
Akron will be back at James A. Rhodes Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. against UT Chattanooga.
(Courtesy of UA Athletics)