Akron Zips Defeat Kent State Golden Flashes in MAC Tournament Semifinal

Akron advances to the MAC Tournament championship game after a hard-fought victory over rival Kent State.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 8:26pm

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The Akron Zips defeated the Kent State Golden Flashes 84-79 in the semifinal of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament. Akron, the top seed in the tournament, came into the game on an eight-game winning streak and proved to be too much for the fourth-seeded Golden Flashes. The Zips were led by standout performances from Tavari Johnson and Amani Lyles, while Kent State's Delrecco Gillespie and Morgan Safford kept the game close throughout.

Why it matters

This victory keeps Akron's hopes alive for a third straight MAC Tournament championship appearance. The Zips have dominated the rivalry with Kent State in recent years, winning seven straight meetings. However, the Golden Flashes showed they can hang with the top team in the conference, making this a hard-fought and competitive semifinal matchup.

The details

Akron's balanced scoring attack and stifling defense proved to be the difference. The Zips shot 55% from the field and 50% from three-point range, dished out 20 assists, and forced 14 Kent State turnovers. Tavari Johnson led Akron with 25 points, while Amani Lyles added a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds. For Kent State, Delrecco Gillespie recorded another double-double with 27 points and 8 rebounds, and Morgan Safford chipped in 24 points.

  • Akron and Kent State met twice during the regular season, with Akron sweeping the series 69-52 and 92-70.
  • Akron advanced to the semifinal with a 73-70 win over Buffalo in the quarterfinal round.
  • Kent State reached the semifinal after an 86-75 victory over Ohio in the quarterfinal.

The players

Tavari Johnson

Akron's leading scorer at 20.3 points per game, he had 25 points in the semifinal victory.

Amani Lyles

Akron's interior anchor, he recorded a double-double with 12 points and 16 rebounds.

Delrecco Gillespie

Kent State's star player, he led the team with 27 points and 8 rebounds.

Morgan Safford

Kent State's second-leading scorer, he contributed 24 points in the losing effort.

Cian Medley

Kent State's veteran point guard, he dished out 202 assists on the season.

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What they’re saying

“We knew this was going to be a tough game against a rival, but our guys stepped up and made the plays we needed to advance.”

— Keith Dambrot, Akron Head Coach

“Our guys battled hard, but Akron was just a little too much for us tonight. We'll regroup and get ready for next season.”

— Rob Senderoff, Kent State Head Coach

What’s next

Akron will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup in the MAC Tournament championship game on Sunday, March 15th.

The takeaway

Akron's depth, balanced scoring, and tournament-tested experience proved to be the difference in this rivalry matchup. While Kent State showed it can compete with the top teams in the conference, the Zips' ability to win in multiple ways - from perimeter shooting to crashing the glass - was the key factor in their semifinal victory.