AKRON, Ohio (Interstat) — Tavari Johnson orchestrated a dominant offensive performance, recording a double-double with 22 points and 10 assists, to lead the Akron Zips to an 82-69 victory over the Central Michigan Chippewas in a Mid-American Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at James A. Rhodes Arena.

The Zips, improving to 10-4 overall, seized control with a blistering first-half shooting display and never relinquished their grip, handing the struggling Chippewas their eighth consecutive defeat, dropping them to 4-12.

The most critical stretch of the game came early, as Akron established a commanding lead that Central Michigan could never seriously threaten. After a competitive opening few minutes, the Zips unleashed a decisive 20-4 run midway through the first half, transforming a narrow 10-8 edge into a 30-12 advantage. The surge was fueled by efficient ball movement and stifling defense. Shammah Scott, who finished with 19 points, nailed a pair of three-pointers during the run, while Evan Mahaffey contributed with active play on both ends. Central Michigan, plagued by turnovers and cold shooting, went scoreless for over four minutes during the Zips’ onslaught.

Akron’s offensive efficiency was the story of the night. The Zips shot a scorching 56.9% from the field, including 10 of 25 from three-point range, and posted an offensive rating of 118.4 points per 100 possessions. They assisted on 12 of their 33 made field goals and capitalized on 17 Central Michigan turnovers, converting them into 19 points.

Johnson was the catalyst, consistently breaking down the Chippewa defense to create opportunities for himself and others. His backcourt partner, Scott, provided crucial scoring punch, while Mahaffey added 10 points and four assists. Amani Lyles controlled the interior with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, helping Akron to a 10-5 advantage in offensive rebounds.

Central Michigan, which shot just 44.7% from the floor, was led by Tamario Adley’s 20 points and Phat Phat Brooks’ 17. The Chippewas stayed within striking distance largely due to a 22-of-27 performance from the free-throw line and a gritty effort from 7-foot center Nathan Claerbaut, who had 11 points and three blocks.

Despite outscoring Akron 39-39 in the second half, the Chippewas could never cut the deficit to single digits. Every time Central Michigan showed a sign of life, Johnson and the Zips had an answer, usually a well-executed basket to stem the momentum. Akron’s lead never dipped below 13 points in the final period.

The victory keeps Akron near the top of the MAC standings as they head into a road contest at Bowling Green on Saturday. Central Michigan, still searching for its first conference win, returns home to host Kent State on Saturday, aiming to snap its lengthy skid.

A crowd of 1,623 at the JAR watched the Zips outperform pregame expectations as a 22-point favorite, though the combined score of 151 fell well under the over/under line of 164.5. The result aligned with statistical models that heavily favored Akron, which entered with a 96.5% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system.