The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
6-2
Detroit Mercy
3-5
Ivey Leads Zips Past Detroit Mercy 71-59, Groce Secures 200th Win
December 01 | Men's Basketball
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Post Game Press Conference and Highlights
AKRON, Ohio – Akron used a second-half surge led by senior guard Jimond Ivey (Cleveland, Ohio) to pull away in a close game and down visiting Detroit Mercy 71-59 at James A. Rhodes Arena Saturday night.
With the win, head coach John Groce secured his 200th career victory and 20th win at Akron as the Zips moved to 6-2 overall and Detroit Mercy fell to 3-5 this season.
Ivey played a stellar all-around game, leading the Zips with 25 points and adding a game-high 13 rebounds, five assists and a steal – It was Ivey's second double-double of the season. Junior forward Daniel Utomi (Houston, Texas) added 13 points and seven rebounds, while junior guard Channel Banks (Las Vegas, Nev.) had 10 points and six boards for the hosts. Guards Tyler Cheese (Jr., Albany, Ga.) and Loren Cristian Jackson (So., Chicago, Ill.) added eight points each.
A relentless defense kept the Titans mostly in check, although freshman guard Antonie Davis led all scorers with 27 points, despite needing 26 shots to do so. Detroit Mercy shot just 30.3 percent (20-of-66) for the game, including 9-of-35 (25.7 percent) from 3-point range.
The Zips were able to edge ahead early in the second half and built what was at that point their largest lead of the game, 34-29, on an alley-oop dunk by Ivey off a long-distance pass from Banks, but Detroit Mercy quickly climbed back into the game. It was a common trend in a contest with eight ties and eight lead changes as neither side could sustain momentum for long until the final few minutes.
Akron finally seized lasting control of the contest after the Titans took their last lead at 40-39. Ivey fueled a 14-2 run with nine points to push the Zips to a 53-42 edge, one they would never relinquish.
It was a game played at a slower pace for virtually the entire evening, as both teams elected to move the ball around in the half court in search of open 3-point looks. The first seven field goals of the game all came from beyond the arc and 30-of-50 points in the opening half were on triples.
Akron spread its deep-shooting wealth around, as four players made a three in the first 20 minutes. Detroit Mercy was a one-man attack much of the night as Davis had 13 of his team's 25 first-half points and the two sides went to the locker room deadlocked at 25-all.
Akron will be back in action on Wednesday, Dec. 5 against Purdue Fort Wayne at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. The Zips return to James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday, Dec. 15 against Marshall for a 2 p.m. tip.
