The University of Akron Athletics
Men's Hoops Wins At Ohio, 80-77, Earns No. 3 Seed
March 05 | Men's Basketball
ATHENS, Ohio – Jeremiah
Wood scored 19 points and made a crucial layup with 28 seconds
remaining to lead the University of Akron men's basketball team to
an 80-77 victory over Ohio on Tuesday at Convocation Center.
The victory, coupled with a Kent State win over Miami (Ohio) and a
Western Michigan loss to Central Michigan on Tuesday, makes the
Zips the No. 3 seed in the Mid-American Conference tournament.
Akron could still share the league's East Division title with Kent
State, with a win over the Golden Flashes on Sunday in the
regular-season finale at UA's Rhodes Arena.
Akron (21-8, 11-4 MAC) pulled ahead midway through the first half
and never trailed again, holding on in the closing minutes for its
second win over Ohio (18-11, 8-7) this season and first at The
Convo since 2005. It was also the Zips' fourth-straight road
victory this season.
Wood and Cedrick Middleton scored 19 points apiece for
Akron. Wood was 8-for-8 from the field and had five assists, while
Middleton was 6-of-12 from the floor, including making 5-of-9
3-pointers. The Zips shot 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the field in
the second half, when they led by as many as 11 points. UA shot
60.4 percent (29-of-48) from the floor for the game, and converted
10-of-23 3-pointers (43.5 percent).
The Bobcats cut it to 76-74 on Bubba Walther's two free throws with
52 seconds left. Wood's basket rebuilt the lead to four points with
28 seconds to go, and Ohio's Michael Allen missed a 3-point
attempt. Nick Dials then clinched it with a pair of free
throws with 8 seconds remaining.
Dials finished with 11 points and a game-high six assists, while
Chris McKnight pitched in 13 points on 5-of-5
shooting from the floor for UA.
Leon Williams led Ohio with a game-high 23 points, 17 of them in
the first half. Walther added 22 points and Jerome Tillman had 18
and a game-high nine rebounds.
The Bobcats had their 12-game home winning streak snapped despite a
33-17 advantage in rebounds and a huge advantage in free throws.
Ohio was 26-of-34 (76.5 percent) from the line, while Akron was
12-of-16 (75 percent). The Zips had 21 assists compared to nine
turnovers, while the Bobcats had 13 and 11, respectively.
Akron closes the regular season on Sunday at 6 p.m. EDT when Kent
State visits Rhodes Arena. The neighborhood rivalry game is already
sold out, but will be televised on FSN Ohio and Comcast Local.
