Despite frigid start, Akron blasts Rockets

Kent State and Bowling Green also won MAC contests.

AKRON — Steve McNees scored 16 points and Nate Linhart had 13 points and nine rebounds as Akron made up a 14-point first half deficit to rally past Toledo Thursday night, 68-52.

The Zips (15-5, 5-2 Mid-American) used a 12-3 run to close to within five at halftime. Akron went ahead 42-40 on a Quade Milum 3-pointer with 14:06 left and didn’t trail from there.

With the score 56-49 with 7:31 remaining, McNees (Shenango High) hit a 3-pointer, kicking off a 10-0 run that put the Zips ahead by 17 and the game out of reach.

Akron outscored Toledo (6-13, 3-4) 40-19 in the second half as the Rockets could only shoot 5 of 20 from the field and 2 of 7 from behind the 3-point line during the period.

Darryl Roberts scored 12 points and Milum added nine for the Zips. Anthony Byrd scored 12 points and Jerrah Young had 11 for Toledo.

Kent St. 77, E. Michigan 67

YPSILANTI, Mich. — Mike McKee scored 19 points and Al Fisher added 13 to power Kent State over Eastern Michigan.

Chris Singletary also had 12 points for the Golden Flashes (17-4, 6-1 Mid-American). Kent State has won 12 straight games Eastern Michigan, dating to the 1998-99 season.

Carlos Medlock scored 17 points and Tyler Jones and Jarred Axon had 10 apiece for the Eagles (7-12, 3-4). Eastern Michigan has lost three of its last four games.

After trailing by as many as 19 points midway through the second half, Eastern Michigan used a 16-2 run to cut the deficit to 55-50 with 8:01 left. Kent State responded by scoring seven of the next nine points to go ahead by 10. The Eagles were unable to get closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Kent State hit 52.9 percent of its shots, including 10 3-pointers.

Bowling Green 63, Ball St. 53

MUNCIE, Ind. — Brian Moten scored 19 points, Darryl Clements scored 13 and Nate Miller had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Falcons (10-9, 5-2 MAC).

Bowling Green made 4 of 6 3-pointers in the first half and led 31-20 at the break. The Falcons shot 56.1 percent (23-of-41) from the field for the game.

Melvin Goins led Ball State with 18 points. Anthony Newell had 14 and Peyton Stovall had 10 points and 10 rebounds.