Central Michigan University Athletics
Travis and Zips Too Much For Chippewas, 78-71
2/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio – Buoyed by a season-high 59 percent field goal percentage, the Central Michigan University men’s basketball team hung with Mid-American Conference-leading Akron on Wednesday night in Rhodes Arena.
However, MAC Player of the Year candidate Romeo Travis was too much for the Chippewas to handle as the Zips posted a 78-71 win, their ninth straight victory.
Travis had a game-high 23 points and six rebounds, with five of the boards coming on the offensive glass
“He is a man, a physical specimen,” coach Ernie Zeigler said. “He’s the MAC Player of the Year in my book. He’s the best player on the best team right now. He knows he’s tough and he has a swagger about him. Tonight he took over the game and willed his team to the win.”
Akron (18-4, 9-1 MAC) led the entire game but CMU (8-14, 3-7 MAC) was close throughout. The Chippewas trailed by six at the break, 37-31, and four times in the second half CMU cut the lead down to two. However, the last three times Travis responded by stopping Chippewa runs with a bucket.
The last time CMU had it within two was with 13:39 left to play after Giordan Watson hit a jumper to make it 47-45. Akron went on a quick 5-0 forcing CMU to call timeout and after that the Zips would gradually build the lead up to as many as 17 with 2:45 left. The Chippewas didn’t quit fighting and managed to cut it down to nine with 25 seconds left.
“A lot of positives came out of this game tonight,” Zeigler said. “We are getting mature and are battling. Our offense is getting better and we handled Akron’s pressure and penetrated the gaps well. They pummeled us on the boards and we have to get stronger physically.”
The big difference in the game was on the glass where Akron crashed the boards for 14 offensive rebounds compared to just five for CMU. Akron won the overall battle of the boards, 28-25.
Watson led CMU with 19 points and four assists. Jordan Bitzer added 17 points and two assists on 7-for-8 shooting.
Sefton Barrett had 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
In addition to Travis, two other Zips players hit double figures. Nick Dials had 13 and Jeremiah Wood 12.
CMU finishes its stretch of games against the East Division when it travels to Buffalo (10-13, 2-8 Mid-American) on Saturday, Feb. 10. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES:
• Akron entered the game with a league-best .396 defensive field goal percentage. CMU’s shot a season-best .587 from the floor which was also the highest mark against the Zips this season.
• Akron has now won 27 of its last 28 home games.
• John Tiemeyer earned his first career start and he responded with four points and three rebounds.
• Eleven of the 14 active players on the roster have started at least one game this season and CMU has used 14 different starting lineups in the 22 games.
• Sefton Barrett recorded his 90th career blocked shot in the game, moving him into a tie for sixth on CMU’s career chart with Charles Macon.
• Giordan Watson moved into 19th on CMU’s career scoring list with his 1,077th point. Ahead next in 18th in CMU Hall of Famer Ben Poquette with 1,095.
• CMU had 15 turnovers in the game. The Chippewas have committed 15 or fewer turnovers in three of the last four games.
• Akron has now won 18 straight home games against MAC foes.
