AKRON, Ohio (AP) -Steve McNees scored 15 points and Jimmy Conyers had his seventh double-double of the season as the Zips cruised to a 77-67 win over Buffalo on Wednesday night.

The Zips (21-8, 11-3 Mid-American Conference) jumped out to a 24-4 lead with 9:45 left in the first half, took a 39-23 lead into halftime and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the game.

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Akron remains in a tie for first with Kent State atop the MAC East Division, earning a bye in the MAC tournament with two conference games left.

Conyers had 11 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high five assists while Brett McKnight scored 14 points, Chris McKnight added 12 and Nikola Cvetinovic chipped in 11.

Buffalo (16-10, 8-6) shot only 28.1 percent (9-for-32), but finished at 34.4 percent (22-for-64). Rodney Pierce led the Bulls with 19 points, all in the second half, and Calvin Betts had 15 points and 14 rebounds.