Junior Bryan Trimble, Jr. buried seven 3-point field goals en route to a game-high 26-point performance. It was Trimble's third game this season with . . .
Senior Loren Cristian Jackson followed with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Jackson dished out six of those helpers in the first half as Akron built a convincing 20-point, 38-18 advantage.
Jackson started the scoring at the 18-minute mark and Trimble, Jr. knocked down his first of seven 3-point field goals as the Zips led from the opening tap. Akron never trailed in the game and ended the first half on a 21-5 run.
The Zips first half defense was intense and Kent State did not score it first field goal until the 15:45 mark and the second at 11:22. By the midway point of the first half, Akron held Kent State to just four points, 12-4
The Zips built a double-digit lead with the inside presence of senior Camron Reece and shooting from beyond the 3-point arc from Trimble, and sophomores Ali Ali and Mikal Dawson. Reece collected all six of his points in the paint by the 8:43 mark, while Trimble cashed in with three triples. Ali and Dawson added a pair of trifectas, and the Zips led 23-11.
Akron continued to attack the Flashes as Trimble struck from deep two more times, finishing the first half 5-of-7 from long distance. Junior Michael Wynn and Jackson kept the long-range attack going as Akron shot 52.9 percent from deep in the first half on 9-of-17 shooting.
Akron limited Kent State to shooting under 20-percent, just 6-of-31 from the floor (.194) and 1-of-11 (.091) from 3-point range. The Zips also forced seven Golden Flashes turnovers, with five steals.
Sophomore Enrique Freeman collected eight rebounds and four blocked shots – Freeman finished the game with 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and four points.
At halftime Akron led 38-18, and the Zips kept the lead above 18 points for most of the second stanza until Kent State unleashed a 15-3 run and eventually cut the deficit to five points, 66-61, with 1:50 remaining in the game. Jackson scored the final six points for the Zips 72-61 victory.
Kent State had four players score in double figures as Danny Pippen notched his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Malique Jacobs added 12 points while Tervell Beck and Giovanni Santiago had 10 points each in defeat.