CLEVELAND — It's only fitting that this year's Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament will once again see the renewal of Northeast Ohio's greatest college rivalry.
Kent State and Akron are set to face off Friday night in Cleveland after both teams comfortably won their quarterfinal matchups on Thursday. The Golden Flashes handled Northern Illinois 76-57, while the Zips pounded Buffalo 101-77.
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Malique Jacobs had 19 points and also contributed three steals for KSU (26-6). Cli'Ron Hornbeak scored 16 points and added nine rebounds, and Sincere Carry added 13 points. The second-seeded Flashes fell behind 2-0 after the game's first bucket but then never trailed again.
In the following contest, Xavier Castaneda had 31 points and Enrique Freeman added 19 to pace 3-seed UA (22-10). In particular, Castaneda scored 14 in the first half and made five 3-pointers — three in a span of 2:23 — in the second to help the Zips pull away, with his long-range shot with 9:06 left putting them up by 30.
Akron and Kent State split their two regular-season matchups, with the Golden Flashes winning 89-84 in overtime last week at home. The Zips have taken six of their nine MAC Tournament meetings, including last season's championship game by a score of 75-55. That game was clouded by controversy, as three KSU players (including Jacobs) were suspended for the first half after posting an obscene video on social media.
Top-seeded Toledo (26-6) will face 5-seed Ohio (19-13) in the other semifinal, with the winners meeting in Saturday's title game for the MAC's automatic NCAA bid. The back-to-back session tips off at 5 p.m. from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Prior to today's action, Kent State's Jacobs was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year as well as a second-team All-MAC selection. Point guard Sincere Carry made the first team along with Akron's Castaneda and Freeman, and KSU's Jalen Sullinger also earned Sixth Man of the Year honors.
The Golden Flashes women's team will also be competing, with a semifinal battle against top seed Toledo set for 10 a.m.