CENTRAL MICHIGAN 89, KENT STATE 81
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By EVAN MEYER
CLEVELAND- Top-seeded Buffalo advanced to the semi-finals of the 2019 Mid-American conference basketball tournament with a convincing 82-46 victory over the Akron Zips Thursday afternoon at Quicken Loans Arena.
UB (29-3) will face Central Michigan in the first semi-final game on Saturday as the Chippewas downed Kent State 89-81 in the afternoon session finale.
“Our defense today was the best we played all season.” UB head coach Nate Oats said.
Jeremy Harris led all scorers in the contest and was dominant at both ends. He finished 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and three blocked shots.
The senior notched 12 points in the first half, scoring UB’s first five points of the contest and going 5-of-7 in the opening 20 minutes.
Along with Harris, three other Bulls scored in double figures. Dontay Caruthers provided 12 points and six rebounds, while CJ Massinburg hqd 10 and nine boards. Nick Perklins added 11 an eight boards.
The Bulls used an 18-2 run through the middle part of the first half to seize complete control and cruised past UA for the third time this season and fifth consecutive game overall.
Akron (17-16) was led by sophomore Loren Cristen Jackson with 16 points. Junior Daniel Utomi added 12 with five boards and a steal.
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For the Akron Blue and Gold the game was a total reverse from their lopsided win Monday night over Miami as they struggled out of the gate and never really got on track offensively.
By EVAN MEYER
CLEVELAND -- The Central Michigan Chippewas used an 18-2 run midway through the second half to defeat Kent State 89-81 Thursday, sending CMU ahead to the semi-finals of the 2019 Mid-American Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Central Michigan (23-10), a No. 5 seed, notched its second MAC Tournament after beating Western Michigan 81-67 Monday and will now advance to face the top-seeded (and nation's No. 18) Buffalo Bulls on Friday night
“It was great to win a game like that.” Keno Davis of Thursday's victory. “We played extremely hard. They made their second half run, and we made the plays down the stretch.”
Senior Larry Austin scored 23 points, leading four CLU players in double figures. Fellow senior Shawn Roundtree had 20 points, going 5-of-7 from three point range -- all in the first half. Dallas Morgan came off the bench to score 16, connecting on four from beyond the arc, while senior Kevin McKay added 10 with 11 rebounds and two steals
Kent State (22-10) ended a two-game winning streakj after knocking off Miami and Akron to garner the tourney's fourth seed and a first round bye.
"Give Central Michigan credit. They played very well," Golden Flashes head coach Rob Senderoff said. “We picked a bad day to play not very well.”
KSU was led by Phillip Whittington, who had a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds -- his 10th double-double of the season. Senior Jaylin Walker added 19 with 11 rebounds, while classmaates Jaylin Avery (12) and Akein Frederick (10) also reached double figures.
UB and CMU played only once in the regular season (Ferbruary 9) with the Bulls picking up a 90-76 victory