CLEVELAND \u2014 Beating a top quality opponent thrice in the identical season is a frightening process, but it surely’s precisely what the Akron Zips men’s basketball team<\/a> did Friday night time to advance previous the Toledo Rockets in the Mid-American Conference Tournament<\/a>.
Akron guard Nate Johnson scored a career-high 31 factors to guide top-seeded Akron<\/a> to a 100-90 conquer No. 4 Toledo in a semifinal at Rocket Enviornment. Johnson’s outburst got here after he produced simply three factors in Thursday’s 96-67 win over Bowling Green<\/a>. Toledo edged Ohio 90-85 in extra time to earn a showdown with Akron.
Akron will advance to face the winner of No. 2 Miami versus No. 3 Kent State within the MAC Match championship recreation at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Right here is how Akron<\/a> (27-6) versus Toledo (18-15) unfolded by way of our updates:<\/em><\/strong>
Along with Johnson scoring a game-high 31 factors, he compiled six assists, 5 rebounds, two blocked pictures and a steal. Guards Tavari Johnson (15 factors), Isaiah Grey (15 factors) and Shammah Scott (14 factors) and ahead Amani Lyles (12 factors, 9 rebounds) helped lead UA’s assault.
Guard Seth Hubbard got here off the bench and paced Toledo with 28 factors. Guard Sam Lewis and ahead Javan Simmons added 23 and 18 factors, respectively.
Akron led 93-81 with 3:15 left within the second half throughout a timeout.
Toledo guard Seth Hubbard made a leap shot and appeared to roll his ankle with 3:29 left within the second half. Hubbard had a team-high 26 factors at this juncture.
With Hubbard down on the ground throughout the ensuing possession, Akron guard Nate Johnson made a 3-pointer and reached a career-high 31 factors. Johnson’s shot gave Akron a 93-81 lead with 3:19 left.
Later, Hubbard returned to the motion.
The Zips led 79-70 throughout a media timeout with 7:03 left within the second half.
With 7:26 remaining, Akron guard Sharron Younger made a layup off an help from Nate Johnson after Zips ahead Amani Lyles blocked a shot on the opposite finish of the ground.
Since free throws stemming from a quick altercation (see extra beneath), Akron has outscored Toledo 9-5.
The Zips led 89-78 throughout a media timeout with 3:56 remaining.
Akron guard Nate Johnson tied a career-high 28 factors when he made two free throws with 5:51 remaining, extending UA’s result in 83-73.
Toledo guard Sam Lewis fouled out with 4:46 remaining, and Akron guard Tavari Johnson made each free throws, giving the Zips an 86-75 benefit. On the time, Lewis led Toledo with 23 factors.
After Toledo guard Seth Hubbard made a 3-pointer with 4:28 left, Akron guard Isaiah Grey instantly answered with a 3 of his personal with 4:16 remaining. After Hubbard and Grey traded these pictures, Akron led 89-78.
Toledo guard Seth Hubbard fouled Akron ahead James Okonkwo as Okonkwo posted up and tried to catch an entry cross close to the Zips’ basket. Okonkwo hit the ground exhausting.
Akron guard Tavari Johnson took exception to Hubbard’s foul and shoved Hubbard.
After a replay assessment, Hubbard acquired a flagrant one foul and Johnson acquired a technical foul. Okonkwo shot two free throws and made one. Hubbard shot two free throws and made each.
After the sequence, Akron led 70-65 with 11:02 left within the second half, and Toledo bought the ball.
Akron leads Toledo 69-61 with 11:55 remaining within the second half.
Akron has six group fouls and Toledo has 5 group fouls. There may be the potential for lots of free throws within the closing 12 minutes.
Nate Johnson leads Akron with 24 factors, 4 assists, two blocks, a rebound and a steal. Shammah Scott has 12 factors and Tavari Johnson is at 11 factors.
Seth Hubbard and Sam Lewis have 16 factors apiece for Toledo, Sonny Wilson is at 14 factors and Javan Simmons is at 12 factors.
Toledo’s Seth Hubbard limped to the bench with 14:07 remaining within the second half and Akron up 67-59. Hubbard and Sam Lewis every have 16 factors for the Rockets. Hubbard is the recent scorer with 12 factors within the second half.
Sonny Wilson makes a layup on Toledo’s subsequent possession and Akron leads 67-61. Timeout with 13:34 to go.
Hubbard return to the lineup after the timeout.
Wilson has 14 factors for Toledo and Javan Simmons is at 12 factors.
Nate Johnson leads Akron with 24 factors and 4 assists.
Akron leads Toledo 61-53 with 15:29 remaining within the second half.
Toledo’s Seth Hubbard scored the primary factors of the second half to trim Akron’s result in 52-47 with 18:31 remaining within the secod half.
Akron responded with Nate Johnson, who made a 3-pointer, a right-handed slam dunk and a jumper. The jumper with 15:38 on the clock gave the Zips the eight-point benefit.
Nate Johnson has 24 factors for Akron
Amani Lyles has the opposite two factors within the second half for Akron.
Akron leads Toledo 52-41 at halftime. The Zips haven’t trailed by way of their first three halves of MAC match motion.
Akron’s Nate Johnson has 17 factors and is 5-of-6 from the sphere and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. His career-high is 28 factors in opposition to Toledo in an Akron 85-78 victory on Jan. 14.
Nate Johnson blocked a Bryce Ford 3-point try earlier than the halftime buzzer sounded.
Shammah Scott has 12 factors and Tavari Johnson is at 11 factors.
Sam Lewis leads Toledo with 14 factors and Javan Simmons has 12 factors.
The Zips are 17-of-26 from the sphere (65.4%), together with 5-of-7 from past the 3-point arc, and 13-of-14 from the free throw line.
The Rockets are 14-of-29 from the sphere (48.3%), together with 3-of-10 from 3-point vary, and 10-of-12 from the free throw line.
Akron has a 13-10 edge in rebounds and a 16-4 benefit in factors by reserves. Akron’s largest lead was 13 factors after Tavari Johnson made a jumper to make it 52-39 with 1:04 to go.
Akron leads Toledo to 43-32 with 3:37 remaining within the first half.
Akron’s Nate Johnson has 13 factors and is 4-of-5 from the sphere and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Tavari Johnson and Shammah Scott are each at 9 factors.
Sam Lewis leads Toledo with 11 factors and Javan Simmons has 10 factors.
Akron has a 12-7 edge in rebounds and is 10-of-10 from the free throwl line.
Akron compiles an 8-0 run to increase its lead over Toledo to 41-30 with 5:30 remaining within the first half.
Isaiah Grey began the run with a area objective, Nate Johnson made 4 free throws and Shammah Scott stole a cross and made a layup off of a cross from Nate Johnson to offer the Zips the 11-point lead.
Akron leads Toledo 33-27 with 7:52 remaining within the first half.
The Zips are 12-of-17 from the sphere (70.6%), together with 5-of-6 from past the 3-point arc.
The Rockets are 11-of-18 from the sphere (61.1%), together with 2-of-4 from 3-point vary.
Nate Johnson and Tavari Johnson have 9 factors apiece for Akron. They’re a mixed 8-of-11 from the sphere.
Javan Simmons has 10 factors for Toledo and is 5-of-5 from the sphere. He had a slam dunk with 8:27 to go within the first half to trim Akron’s result in six factors. Sam Lewis is at eight factors for the Rockets.
Throughout a media timeout with 10:35 remaining within the first half, Akron led Toledo 29-23. The Zips have led by as many as 10 factors and have but to path.
Guard Nate Johnson leads UA with 9 factors at this stage. He’s 4-of-4 capturing from the sphere (1 of 1 on 3-pointers).
Zips guard Tavari Johnson has seven factors, capturing 3-of-4 from the ground (1 of 1 on 3-pointers).
Guard Sam Lewis leads Toledo with eight factors.
Akron led 14-4 throughout the recreation’s first media timeout with 15:56 left within the first half.
The Zips made their first three 3-pointers and began the sport 4-of-5 capturing from 3-point vary.
Nate Johnson, the MAC Participant of the Yr, scored 5 factors within the first 4 minutes of the sport after producing simply three factors Thursday in opposition to Bowling Inexperienced.
Nate Johnson, guards Seth Wilson, Isaiah Grey and Tavari Johnson mixed to account for UA’s first 4 profitable 3-pointers. A blocked shot by Nate Johnson led to Tavari Johnson’s 3-pointer in transition with 16:21 left within the first half. The shot gave the Zips a 10-point lead.
Right here is a few pregame info:<\/em><\/strong>
Akron<\/a> trails its all-time sequence in opposition to Toledo 42-32, however the Zips<\/a> are coming off a regular-season sweep of the Rockets.
Within the MAC Match, Akron is 2-1 in opposition to Toledo. The Rockets had been the No. 1 seed in every of the previous 4 MAC tourneys however did not win any of them. In 2022, Akron eradicated Toledo with a 70-62 semifinal triumph.
Each of the MAC Match semifinals Friday, together with Akron’s in opposition to Toledo, may be watched on CBS Sports activities Community. The Zips recreation will likely be broadcast on native radio through WHLO (640-AM).
The\u00a0Zips<\/a>\u00a0set a program document for many regular-season wins (25).\u00a0Akron<\/a>\u00a0had beforehand received 24 video games in two different common seasons (2006-07 and 2019-20). The Zips received 14 consecutive video games at one level en path to successful the MAC by three video games over second-place Miami.
Akron entered Friday with a document of 39-21 in MAC Match video games. The Zips have received 5 MAC tourney championships (2009, 2011, 2013, 2022 and 2024).<\/p>\n