by Tavari Johnson scored 25 points to lead No. 2 seed Akron Zips to a 73-70 victory over the No. 7 seed Buffalo Bulls in the MAC men’s basketball tournament quarterfinals on Thursday.
Johnson shot 8-for-16 from the field and added three 3-pointers and six free throws to pace Akron. Amani Lyles recorded a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds, while Evan Mahaffey contributed 10 points and eight boards for the Zips.
Akron finished 27-of-59 (45.8%) from the field and controlled the glass with a 36-33 rebounding advantage, including 10 offensive rebounds that helped generate second-chance opportunities.
Buffalo was led by Ryan Sabol, who scored a game-high 24 points and made six 3-pointers on 6-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc. Angelo Brizze added 17 points, and Tim Oboh chipped in 10 points with 12 rebounds for the Bulls.
The Bulls shot 24-of-53 (45.3%) overall and hit 10 3-pointers, but struggled at the free-throw line, converting just 10 of 20 attempts.
Buffalo kept the game very tight throughout the second half and had chances in the closing minutes, but Akron’s defense held off the late push to secure a win.
With this victory, the Akron Zips will advance into the MAC tournament semifinals, while Buffalo’s season comes to an end after the narrow quarterfinal defeat.
