The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
10-2
South Carolina State
5-10
Zips Win Seventh Straight, Johnson Has Career Night
December 30 | Men's Basketball
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AKRON, Ohio. – Behind a big night from junior Isaiah "Big Dog" Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) recording a new career-high in points and free throws, the University of Akron men's basketball team won its seventh straight game, 78-68, over South Carolina State University Wednesday night at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Akron Zips improve to 10-2 on the year and the S.C. State Bulldogs fall to 5-10. Akron's 10-2 start to the season is the best start to a season in the Zips' Keith Dambrot era.
Akron is now 3-0 against MEAC opponents, defeating Coppin State, Bethune-Cookman, and South Carolina State.
Four Zips recorded double-digit efforts behind Johnson's career-best 24 point, nine rebound performance, and a career-high 12 free throws made. Sophomore guard Antino Jackson (Houston, Texas) scored 11 points, grabbed five boards and recorded four assists. Junior forward Kwan Cheatham, Jr. (Cincinnati, Ohio) and sophomore guard Aaron Jackson (Gahanna, Ohio) each added 10 points apiece.
South Carolina State had four players in double figures. Darryl Plamer scored a team-high 20 points, followed by Eric Eaves (20), Gabriel McCray (16), and Ed Stephens (10).
Akron hit on 42.3 percent (22-of-52) from the floor in the contest and shot from distance at 34.8 percent clip (8-of-23). The Bulldogs shot at 48.3 percent clip in the tilt making 29-of-60 shots from the floor, and shot just 7.7 percent from the perimeter (1-of-13)
Baskets were exchanged in the first five minutes of the initial stanza of the contest. No team was able take advantage of a defensive stop and string together two scores in a row. At the 12:56 mark of the first half, the Zips led by a game-high four points, 17-13, following a three point play by Jackson.
The Zips began to find their offensive rhythm with ten minutes to play in the first half and increased its lead to seven behind a 10-3 run. Sophomore Noah Robotham (Las Vegas, Nevada) and senior Jake Kretzer (Bainbridge, Ohio) hit from deep and Johnson and freshman Jimond Ivy (Cleveland, Ohio) played small ball making a layup each.
Johnson took advantage of a defensive mismatch against a smaller sized forward and took over in the paint scoring three straight Akron points to push the Zips lead to 11, 42-31.
After a slow start offensively, Akron picked up the tempo and took a 46.4 percent clip mark into the locker room. South Carolina also shot well from the field posting a 46.7 shooting percentage but struggled from distance shooting 1-of-8 (12.5 percent).
The Zips used a small 5-0 run consisting of a Jackson three-pointer and a Cheatham lay-up to give Akron a 51-37 lead at the 16:11 mark, but midway through the second half the Zips and Bulldogs were just about even in second half points, 14-12, with Akron leading 57-45.
South Carolina State cut the Akron lead to nine points, the smallest deficit of the half, courtesy of a 7-2 run. The Bulldogs Palmer led the way with four points off a lay-up and a mid-range jumper.
Each team had small spurts of offensive dominance in the final ten minutes of the game. Akron used a 7-2 run to increase its lead to 16 points (74-58) at the 4:04 mark. South Carolina State answered right back with a 6-0 run to inch closer to the Zips. Eaves scored all six points for the Bulldogs during the run.Â
The Akron basketball team will be back in action at the James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio on Sat., Jan. 2, playing host to non-conference opponent Lipscomb at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can follow the action free via Live Stats and Webcast at GoZips.com or by Zips' radio broadcast on Akron-IMG Sports Network available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.Â
