Akron Hands Chippewas 77-64 Loss

Tuesday, March 3

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

7:00 PM

Central Michigan University

10-20,6-11MAC

Akron

25-5,16-1MAC

Akron

Central Mich.

Nathan Claerbaut Named to MAC All-Defensive Team

Wednesday, March 11

Chippewas Fall to Ball State in Regular Season Finale 85-69

Friday, March 06

Video Feature: Detroit Native Tamario Adley Finds a Home With the Chippewas

Thursday, March 05

Chippewas Close Regular Season at Ball State Friday at 7 p.m.; Need Win and Buffalo Loss to Advance to MAC Tournament

Thursday, March 05

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Ball State

L, 69-85

Mar 6 (Fri)

7:00 PM

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Team Stats

CMU

FG%

.476

.431

3FG%

.333

.435

FT%

.545

.667

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Jaxson Whitaker

/ Men's Basketball

Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

3/3/2026 10:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Logan McIntire’s 15 points and Tamario Adley’s 14 points and career-high nine rebounds lead the Chippewas; one regular season game remains at Ball State on Friday night.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Tavari Johnson scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the second half and Akron took control of the game with a 12-0 run midway through the second half as it claimed a 77-64 men's basketball win over Central Michigan Tuesday evening at McGuirk Arena. The loss ended a four-game home win streak for Central Michigan.

The loss drops Central Michigan (10-20 overall, 6-11 MAC) into a ninth-place tie with Ball State (11-19, 6-11 MAC), a half-game behind eighth-place Massachusetts (7-11 MAC), and one full game behind seventh-place Buffalo (7-10 MAC). The top 8 teams advance to the MAC Tournament, March 12-14, in Cleveland.

Central Michigan plays its final regular season game at Ball State on Friday, March 6. Massachusetts concluded regular season play earlier this evening, while Buffalo is at Toledo.

Johnson, the MAC's leading scorer while averaging over 20 points per game, was held to just two points in the first half. He scored eight of Akron's 12 points in a 12-0 run that gave the Zips a commanding 61-49 lead with 7:11 to play. Johnson broke a 49-49 tie with a 3-pointer followed by an Evan Mahaffey free throw. Johnson hit another 3-pointer and then a jumper, Amani Lyles made a free throw, and Sharron Young converted a steal and layup for a 61-49 lead. From that point on, CMU could get no closer than nine points.

Trailing by six points at halftime, Central Michigan rallied back to tie the game at 49-49 when Jaxson Whitaker nailed a 3-pointer and a Nick Mullen dunk. That was when Johnson hit his 3-pointer.

Akron outrebounded Central Michigan 41-25 and finished with 12 steals. Akron hit 11-33 3-pointers, while Central Michigan converted 10-23.

"We more than hung in there, it was tied with 11 minutes left," Central Michigan head coach Andy Bronkema said. "They did what they've done, many times, they went on a run. We were down nine before we could even blink. We took some quick shots that weren't in our favor. It was the balance of us being disciplined within our game plan even when we're tired. We missed a few shots, had too many turnovers. I thought our guys played extremely hard. Akron is good and we couldn't defend the home court today."

"A lot of credit goes to Akron; they're a good team with a lot of experience. I loved our effort; there's teachable moments in this game. We're moving forward. We've attacked every game this year with the same desire to win. That's all you can do. They've come together, they're united."

The Chippewas were led by Logan McIntire's 15 points (5-10 3FGM), Tamario Adley's 14 points and a career-high nine rebounds, and Whitaker's 12 points (4-7 3FGM). Nathan Claerbaut also added 12 points.

Johnson hit 7-15 field goals and 3-8 3-pointers for Akron. He was supported by a nine-point, 16-rebound effort by Mahaffey, a 15-point night by Bowen Hardman (5-10 3FGM) and double-double from Lyles with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Young pitched in 11 points.

Central Michigan went up 9-2 in the game's first four minutes on a 3-pointer by McIntire, but Akron quickly battled back with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 9-9 on a 3-pointer by Bowen Hardman.

From then on, it was a back and forth contest with both teams hitting from 3-point range. The two teams combined for 11 first half 3-pointers as Akron's Hardman finished the half with four, Young two, and CMU's Whitaker with three and McIntire with two.

Akron used a 7-0 run to go up 39-33 at halftime. A Lyles free throw, followed by a Shammah Scott layup. Evan Mahaffey layup, and Tavari Johnson layup gave the Zips a 39-31 lead, but CMU's Nathan Claerbaut answered with a layup off a Keenan Garner assist at the buzzer. Claerbaut's bucket ended a 4:41 CMU scoring drought.

The Zips outscored CMU 38-31 and shot 50 percent (14-28) in the second half.

—CMU—