The bad news is that Yale had 18 turnovers.
The good news is that Yale outrebounded the Akron Zips, 47-25, in the first round of the Sun Bowl Invitational en route to a convincing 74-58 win at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas Friday. Yale (6-5) will face the winner of the UTEP-Jackson State game Saturday night for the tournament championship.
“Great team rebounding effort tonight,” Yale coach James Jones said.
It was a game of runs, and Yale’s 20-5 run mid-way through the second half proved to be the difference.
The Bulldogs opened up an 11-0 lead on a junior forward Casey Simmons jumper, but the Zips answered with 10 straight points.
Akron (6-4) took the lead at 16-15 on a senior guard Shammah Scott trey.
Yale led 27-25 at the half despite shooting only 1-for-10 from three-point range. The Bulldogs held a 29-13 first-half rebounding edge.
Yale went up 47-30 on a free throw by junior forward Nick Townsend.
Akron closed to within 52-48 on a junior guard Tavari Johnson trey.
Yale then went on a 13-2 run to grab a commanding 65-50 lead.
The Zips would get no closer than 13 points at 70-57.
Yale had five players in double figures, led by double-doubles from Townsend (18 and 11) and Simmons (17 and 13).
Sophomore guard Trevor Mullin, starting in place of injured senior guard John Poulakidas had 11. Poulakidas, Yale’s leading scorer, missed his second straight game with a foot injury.
Johnson led Akron with with 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting.
Senior guard Isaiah Gray, formerly of Cornell, delivered six points for the Zips.