AKRON, Ohio – Akron made 18 three-point field goals as the Zips topped the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team, 94-55, on Friday night (March 6) at Rhodes Arena. Carlos Coronado (Coolidge, Ariz./Supreme Academy) scored a career-high 14 points for the Huskies, Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) also had 14 points. 

The Zips shot 59.6 percent (34-of-57) from the field in the contest, including 66.7 percent (18-of-27) from three-point range. 

Cobb scored a half-dozen in the opening three-plus minutes as Akron led, 8-6, in the early going. 

Still in front by a pair, Akron used a 9-2 burst to stretch its advantage to 19-10 with just under 13 minutes to play before halftime. 

The hosts still led by nine, 32-23, with seven minutes left before the intermission. Both teams were over 50 percent from the floor to start the contest, but Akron made six triples to just one for NIU. 

Akron then used a 7-2 burst to extend its lead to 39-25 with just over three minutes left in the opening stanza. 

The Zips scored the final eight points of the half as they took a 47-27 lead into the intermission. Amani Lyles led all scorers with 11 points for Akron as the hosts shot 61.3 percent (19-of-31) from the field in the first half, including 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from three. Cobb led NIU with eight points as the Huskies were just 1-of-12 (8.3 percent) from three-point range in the opening half. 

NIU (9-21, 4-14 MAC) scored first to open the second half before Akron netted the next 11 as the Zips took a 58-29 lead five minutes into the second half. 

Bowen Hardman led Akron with 20 points, Lyles finished with 17 while Sharron Young scored 12, Evan Mahaffey had 11 and Tavari Johnson chipped in 10 points for the Zips, who won their 31st consecutive home game. 

NIU finishes the 2025-26 season with a 9-21 record, 4-14 in league play. The Huskies will move to the Horizon League for the 2026-27 campaign. Akron heads to next week's MAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed behind undefeated Miami (Ohio).