Ball State (7-8, 1-2 MAC) closed the gap to one point in the second half, but a backbreaking 3-pointer by senior guard Alex Abreu with 1:04 remaining pushed Akron (12-4, 3-0 MAC) to a 71-64 win on Wednesday.
The two teams traded leads throughout the first half until a 12-0 run by the Zips gave them a 34-28 lead at the break.
For much of the game, junior forward Majok Majok and senior guard Jauwan Scaife carried the load offensively for the Cardinals.
Majok scored a career-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting and Scaife added 17 as the two players combined for 43 of the team’s 64 total points.
Ball State’s big-man added 13 rebounds to record his second consecutive double-double.
With 10:48 left in the second half, Ball State cut the lead to one point, 47-46.
That’s when Abreu took over and scored all 11 of his points to close out the game. He was a perfect 5-of-5 from the line and added seven assists.
Akron’s Nick Harney and Zeke Marshall also finished in double figures with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
Junior forward Chris Bond was the only other Cardinal in double figures with 10 points.
Ball State’s bench managed only four points in a combined 51 minutes.
The team returns to action against Central Michigan on Saturday.
