Central Michigan University
Akron
Chippewas Fall To Zips In OT, 76-69
1/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - The Central Michigan University Chippewas erased a 21-point deficit over a 14 and a half minute span to send Wednesday night's game against Akron to overtime, but the Zips pulled out a 76-69 win to remain undefeated in Mid-American Conference play at 5-0.
Giordan Watson hit a runner with 17 seconds left in regulation that tied it and Nick Dials' three-point attempt from the corner at the buzzer was off the mark sending game into an extra session.
Akron made 8-of-12 free throws and a pair of field goals in overtime as CMU managed just five points.
The Zips improve to 12-3 overall, 5-0 in the MAC, while CMU heads to Buffalo on Saturday with a 2-12 record and 0-6 MAC slate.
CMU trailed by 13 at the break and then by 21 with 14:46 remaining as Cedrick Middleton made a pair of free throws to make it 50-29.
Freshman Aaron Richie then sparked a CMU rally as the Chippewas went on spurts of 10-0, 10-1 and 9-1 to tie the game.
Back-to-back treys by Eddie Spencer and Richie cut the lead down to two with 2:52 left to play, but on the next possession Zip point guard Dru Joyce hit a deep trey with the shot clock running out.
Following a Drew Walker hook with 37 seconds left, the Chippewas called timeout to set up a press. Watson was able to steal a pass that deflected to Jon Yeazel who scooped and scored making it a one-point game with 32 seconds. CMU called another timeout and fouled Nate Linhart while pressing. The foul was costly because it was Sefton Barrett's fifth after he had notched 15 points and nine boards.
But, Linhart missed the first attempt before hitting the second giving Akron a two-point advantage. CMU then got the ball to Watson and he hit a leaner in the lane with 17 ticks left.
Akron advanced the ball to half court and called timeout to set up a potential game-winning play. The Chippewas had a strong defensive stand and the ball went out of bounds with two seconds left. The Zips inbounded under their own basket but Dials' trey attempt was off and Watson secured the rebound sending the game to overtime.
The two teams exchanged buckets at the start of overtime but Akron rattled off a 5-0 run to give itself some breathing room and it ended up making 8-of-12 free throw attempts in overtime to seal the win. Eddie Spencer had 14 points and eight rebounds and Watson finished with eight points and eight boards.
Akron's Romeo Travis scored a game-high 22 points while adding nine rebounds and three other Zips joined him in double figures.
CMU outrebounded Akron, 49-38, as the Chippewas hit the offensive glass for 19 boards. Niether team shot better than 40 percent as the Zips hit at a .367 clip to CMU's .385. Akron did hit nine treys to CMU's seven with Richie drained three of them for the Maroon and Gold.
NOTES:
- In addition to a career-high 16 points, Aaron Richie also grabbed a career-high six rebounds.
- The Chippewas are now 5-7 in overtime games under Jay Smith. It was CMU's first overtime game since the 2004 regular season finale against Ball State.
- Eddie Spencer's 14 points was a season high and one shy of his career high set against Bowling Green last season.
- Sefton Barrett tied a career high with three blocked shots.
