Sunday's MAC Men's Basketball Results

ATHENS, Ohio - Sophomore Nick Kellogg scored a game and season-high 17 points to lead the Ohio University men's basketball team (23-6; 10-4 MAC) past Akron 85-61 Sunday night at the Convocation Center.

The Bobcats' win over the Zips handed Ohio its 16th win at home - a school record - and its fourth straight overall. Ohio has won also won eight of its last 10 games. Ohio's 85 points and 56.6 percent shooting from the field were the highest marks Akron has given up all season.

Ohio's last two victories at home over Akron have come by a combined 49 points (25 - 2011; 24 - 2012). The Bobcats never trailed in tonight's contest.

Kellogg (Westerville, Ohio) was one of four players that finished in double figures. Junior Reggie Keely (University Heights, Ohio), junior Walter Offutt (Indianapolis, Ind.) and junior D.J. Cooper (Chicago, Ill.) finished with 14, 14 and 11 points, respectively. Ohio improved to 11-1 when four players finish in double figures.

Cooper also added 10 assists to pick up his fourth double-double this season and 17 of his career.

Ohio opened up the game with 19-8 lead at the 10:49 mark of the first half. The Bobcats outshot the Zips 50.0-27.3 percent from the field during that stretch. Keely and Offutt both had six points during the run.

Freshman Stevie Taylor's (Gahanna, Ohio) 3-pointer in front of the Akron bench pushed Ohio's lead over 15 points for the first time on the night. Taylor's 3-pointer gave Ohio a 36-20 lead with 5:31 to go until the break. Over the final five minutes of the first half Ohio went on to outscore Akron 10-7 to take a 46-27 lead into the locker room.

Kellogg led all first half scorers with 10 points, connecting 3-of-5 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers. Cooper also chipped in offensively as he totaled with a game-high six assists over the first 20 minutes.

As a team, Ohio owned a 48.4-37.0 shooting advantage. The Cats also forced the Zips into 12 turnovers, while limiting themselves to just four miscues.

In the second half, Ohio continued to stay in the clear of Akron as its lead never dipped below 17 points. Over the final 13:30, Ohio's lead never fell under 20 points.

Ohio returns to action on Wednesday as it heads to Kent State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen on STO.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Derek Jackson's 19 points led a balanced offensive attack while Central Michigan's defense was able to hold off Northern Illinois, 74-64, in Mid-American Conference West Division action Sunday afternoon.

Jackson hit a trio of three-pointers during a 20-3 run when the Chippewas (9-19, 4-10 MAC) pulled ahead for a 16-point lead with 6:09 left in the first half, and the defense did the rest maintaining a double-digit lead for a majority of the remainder of the game.

"I was extremely pleased with how we played defensively," head coach Ernie Zeigler said. "We got back to executing and carrying out our game plan. Austin McBroom had a heck of a game with his pressure on the ball."

The run spanned just over eight minutes as Central held the Huskies (3-24, 2-12 MAC) to just one field goal during the stretch that resulted in a 33-17 advantage. The Huskies got back on track with back-to-back threes that sparked an 8-0 run, then banked in another three at the halftime buzzer to go into the locker room down nine, 39-30.

In the second half, the Huskies shot just 10-of-30 as the Chippewas held their first opponent under 40 percent shooting since doing so in the season's first six games.

“Our ball pressure was really good," said Zeigler. "The first time we played them they were just knocking down shots and we were trying to keep them out of the lane. If we (keep teams under 40 percent shooting) we feel we give ourselves a good chance, and we out-rebounded them which was one of their strengths coming in. It was just a very good team effort defensively.”

The Chippewas led by as many as 15, 52-37 with 13:05 to go, before having to fend off two Northern Illinois threats. The Huskies came within seven at the 4:00 mark and within six, 64-58, two minutes later. After a pair of free throws by Andre Coimbra pushed the lead back to eight, Auston Barnes grabbed an offensive rebound on the next possession and kicked it out to Jackson for his fourth three-pointer of the game, giving Central an 11-point cushion with 1:19 left.

Jackson shot 5-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-8 from long range, and hit five of his 10 free throws, contributing to the team's season-best 40 attempts at the line. He led four players in double figures as McBroom and Trey Zeigler both scored 14 points and Coimbra added 10. Zeigler grabbed a team-best seven rebounds and Barnes pitched in a career-high six as the Chippewas had a 40-34 edge on the boards.