The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
12-3 (2-0)
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Western Michigan
4-10(0-2)
Zips Keep Streak Alive at Rhodes Arena with 66-59 Win Over Western Michigan
January 06 | Men's Basketball
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Akron, Ohio - Seniors Isaiah Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Kwan Cheatham, Jr. (Cincinnati, Ohio) led Akron to a 66-59 victory over the Western Michigan en route to extending the nation's third longest winning streak to 25 games at James A. Rhodes Arena.
With the win, Akron improved to 12-3 and 2-0 in Mid-American Conference play, while Western Michigan falls to 4-10 and 0-2 in league play.
Johnson notched his third double-double of the season and second in three games, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Cheatham followed with 14 points and buried the go-ahead shot from long distance followed by two free throws. Junior guard Jimond Ivey (Cleveland, Ohio) also finished with double digits in scoring with 13 points.
Thomas Wilder led the Broncos offense with 17 points, and Tucker Haymond had 13 points and seven rebounds.
For the game, Akron shot 25-of-56 (44.6 percent) from the field, but only hit 7-of-29 (24.1 percent) from beyond the arc. Western Michigan finished the game shooting 24-of-57 (42.1 percent) from the floor with a 6-of-16 (37.5 percent) showing from downtown.
In a game that showcased 11 tied scores and 10 lead changes, Western Michigan controlled the scoreboard for the majority of the game. WMU led for nearly 19 minutes, while Akron held leads for a total of 14 minutes and the game was tied for a seven-minute span.
With 5:08 remaining in the game, Akron captured a one-point advantage, 55-54, on a layup by Johnson. Junior guard Noah Robotham (Las Vegas, Nev.) followed with a 3-pointer to push the lead to four points, but WMU battled back to tie the game, 58-58, at the 1:28 mark.
On the ensuing possession, Cheatham received the ball from Robotham on the left wing behind the 3-point arc. Cheatham's defender stumbled, creating an open look, and the senior knocked down the long distance shot for a three-point lead with 1:10 remaining in the game, 61-58.
Western Michigan's attempt to tie the game bounced off the rim, and Cheatham was there to recover the rebound. He was immediately fouled, and buried both free throws. Johnson followed with two made free throws to create even more separation with 28 seconds showing on the clock, 65-58. Both teams added a free throw before time expired.
The opening four minutes set the tone for the game, a tough back-and-forth battle. In the first half, Ivey started the scoring, but back-to-back scores by the Broncos gave WMU its first lead, 4-2. Akron recaptured the lead with three consecutive scores, two layups by Ivey and one from Robotham, 8-4. The two teams continued to trade blows as both teams only managed to establish a small advantages throughout the initial stanza as a 3-pointer by Antino Jackson (Houston, Texas) gave the Zips their largest lead at 11-7, and both teams led by three points on multiple occasions.
As the first half was winding down, WMU's Reggie Jones used a layup to create a three point advantage, 32-29 with under a minute to play. After a Bronco miscue with 12 seconds showing on the clock, the Zips rushed the ball up the floor and Jackson found Cheatham on the sideline behind the 3-point arc. Cheatham received the pass and launched a shot from downtown while falling out of bounds with no time left on the clock. The shot touched nothing but the bottom of the net as the Zips tied the game, 32-32, at halftime.
After the break, the Broncos established the early lead and held it for the first ten minutes. WMU pushed the lead to as many as six points twice during that span, but it wasn't enough to hold off the Zips. After WMU's Seth Dugan pushed the lead to six for the second time, 48-42, Akron freshman Emmanuel Olojakpoke (Houston, Texas) responded with a dunk, which began to shift the game's momentum. Akron followed with three consecutive layups, and Ivey capped the 11-0 run with a 3-pointer from the corner for a 53-48 Zips' lead with 10:14 remaining in the game.
During the final 10 minutes, the Broncos only managed to regain a one-point lead, 54-53, which was quickly erased by Johnson's layup at 5:08.
The Akron basketball team will continue Mid-American Conference play on the road, traveling to Central Michigan and Miami next week. The Zips are scheduled to play the Chippewas at McGuirk Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. followed by a midday showdown with the RedHawks on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3:30 p.m. at Millett Hall. Fans can follow the action on GoZips.com via live stats or by Zips' radio broadcast on Akron-IMG Sports Network available at SportsRadio1350.com, iHeart Radio, and TuneIn.com/Akron Zips.
