Scott's deep 3-point bomb sends Akron past Toledo, 79-76 for 3rd straight MAC crown
· Yahoo Sports
CLEVELAND (AP) — Reserve Shammah Scott scored 12 points and his 25-foot, 3-point basket with six seconds left helped Akron to a 79-76 win over Toledo in the Mid-American Conference title game on Saturday.
Austin Parks' desperation 3-point attempt for Toledo bounced off the back of the rim and fell to the floor as time expired.
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Amani Lyles scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, Tavari Johnson scored 15 and Bowen Hardman 12 for Akron (29-5).
Leroy Blyden Jr. scored 21 points, Parks and reserve Kyle Vanderjagt scored 13 apiece and Sean Craig 10.
Toledo appeared poised to knock off the conference's second-best regular season team — after Miami, Ohio — by building a 42-30 halftime lead.
The Rockets built their lead on the strength of 53% (17 of 32) shooting including 53% (8 of 15) from 3-point range.
But Akron regrouped early in the second half and outscored Toledo 21-6 in a 7-minute span — which also included a 15-0 run — and turned a 48-36 deficit into a 57-54 lead with 10:17 remaining.
In earning the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament berth, the No. 2-seed Zips earned their third-straight tournament championship and fourth in its last five years.
It's the first time a MAC program has earned three-straight conference championships.
Toledo made its eighth MAC championship game with its lone win in 1980.
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