The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Men's Basketball Uses Big Second Half to Down Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 81-60
December 02 | Men's Basketball
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AKRON, Ohio – Kwan Cheatham, Jr., recorded his first-collegiate double-double to lead five players in double figures as the Akron Zips continued their home court success with an 81-60 win over the Arkansas-Pine Buff Golden Lions on Tuesday at James A. Rhodes Arena.
Cheatham led all Akron players with 17 points to go with 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Deji Ibitayo followed with 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Reggie McAdams, Nyles Evans and Pat Forsythe both helped out with 11 points each.
The Zips, trailing by three at the half, used a second-half surge to win their sixth-straight home game dating back to last year and third of the 2014 season.
Akron (5-2) closed the game shooting 45.5 percent from the floor (24-of-56) and 36.0 percent from long range (9-of-25). The Zips nearly doubled the Golden Lions in rebounds, 43-25.
Marcel Mosley and JoVaughn Love both scored 20 for the Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-6).
Akron and UAPB came out shooting to start the game as the Zips started off 3-of-4 from the field and the Golden Lions connected on 4-of-5, including two from behind the 3-point line.
Each team exchanged points back-and-forth throughout the first half. The largest lead of the half was four points by the Golden Lions two minutes into the game.
Akron took their first lead of the game (11-10) after a Forsythe offensive rebound and put-back lay-up after Noah Robotham missed his second free throw with 15:41 remaining in the half.
Akron had six early offensive rebounds that led to ten second-chance points. Cheatham had two offensive boards that were immediately put back up for a lay-up.
UAPB took advantage of the Zips mistakes and scored eight points off of eight Akron turnovers. The Golden Lions took the lead (24-23) with 6:52 to play and would not give it back the rest of the half (32-31).
The Golden Lions opened up the second half the same way as the first half with two three-pointers from Love and Mosley.
Akron answered quickly with six points in the paint by Forsythe and Cheatham.
After the Golden Lions increased their lead to five (42-37), the moment of the game switched in favor of Akron after the Zips went on a 12-0 scoring run and took the lead 49-42 (12:41).
The Zips would extend their scoring run to 23-0. The Golden Lions scored their first basket in over seven minutes with 9:36 left to play in the second half.
McAdams led the scoring run with 11 points after hitting three 3-pointers and a pair of free throws. Cheatham added five with a 3-pointer and a lay-up.
The Zips continued to shoot well for the rest of the half and at one point led by a game-high 23 points.
The Zips continue their four-game home stand on Thursday, Dec. 4, when they play host to Western Illinois. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. ET.
Zips Notebook: The Zips had five players in double figures for the first time since the Ohio game in Athens on January 12, 2014 ... walk-on redshirt freshman Ricardo Hill, Jr., scored his first-collegiate point ... after turning the ball over 11 times in the first half, the Zips committed just three turnovers in the final 20 minutes.
