Kent is 20-point winner over Toledo

The decisive win should help the Golden Flashes’ case toward an NCAA bid.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Scott scored 23 points and top-seeded Kent State padded an already impressive NCAA tournament resume with a 77-57 win over Toledo in the Mid-American Conference quarterfinals on Thursday night.

The Golden Flashes came in with 25 regular-season wins, a MAC title and an RPI in the top 30, but they were not guaranteed a spot in the 65-team NCAA field. The mid-major MAC hasn’t had two teams make it since 1999 when both Kent State and Miami of Ohio received bids.

But a decisive win over the Rockets should help the Golden Flashes’ cause regardless of what they do in today’s semifinals against the Miami-Ohio quarterfinal winner.

Rashad Woods scored 11 points and Al Fisher, the MAC’s player of the year, added 10 for Kent State, which opened a 16-point lead in the opening minutes of the second half and coasted. The Golden Flashes shot 57 percent from the field.

Jerrah Young scored 17 points and Tyron Kent 14 for Toledo.

Akron 81, Central Michigan 60

Jeremiah Wood scored 17 points and had nine rebounds to lead Akron.

Central Michigan, which hit 12-of-23 3-pointers in Wednesday’s 83-71 opening-round win over Northern Illinois, was hot from beyond the arc again to start the game.

The Chippewas’ first six field goals were 3-pointers, giving them an 18-13 lead, but Akron tightened up its defense. Central Michigan didn’t hit another 3-pointer and ended up 6-of-24.

After trailing by five midway through the first half, the Zips (22-9) took the lead for good, 29-27, on Wood’s tip-in at the 1:40 mark.

Akron led 34-29 at the half and quickly built on that margin. The lead reached double figures early in the second half and the Zips pulled away.

Nate Linhart added 16 points and Brett McKnight scored 12 for Akron.

W. Michigan 70, E. Michigan 61.

David Kool scored 24 points and second-seeded Western Michigan held on for the quarterfinal win.

Western Michigan (20-11) never trailed and led by 16 points in the first half. The Broncos were up 36-23 at halftime, but the Eagles got back in the game midway through the second half.

Trailing by 10, Eastern Michigan scored seven straight points to make it 41-38.

Two free throws by Jarred Axon tied it at 44 with 10:34 to play, but Western Michigan regained control. Kool scored 10 points, going 8-of-8 at the foul line, while Joe Reitz added seven points down the stretch. Reitz finished with 11 points and Shawntes Gary scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds.

The Broncos won the MAC West with a 12-4 league record.

Seventh-seeded Eastern Michigan (14-17) advanced to the quarterfinals with an 59-55 win over Ball State on Wednesday. Jesse Bunkley led the Eagles with 15 points. Axon added 14 and Carlos Medlock had 12.

Western Michigan had a big edge at the free throw line, making 29-of-37 while Eastern Michigan was 13-of-17. The Broncos also dominated in rebounding, 42-25, and made 18-of-46 shots from the field. The Eagles were 20-of-53 from the field.