Akron 75, UNC Greensboro 53
GREENSBORO, N.C. ? Akron used a balanced attack with four players scoring in double figures to defeat UNC Greensboro, 75-53, in men’s basketball action Wednesday afternoon at Fleming Gym.
Anthony Hitchens and Nate Linhart each had 13 points to lead the Zips (8-4), who won for the third time in their last four outings. Steve McNees chipped in 12 points and Darryl Roberts added 10 points.
The loss was just the fourth for UNCG in its last 38 home non-conference games.
Junior forward Ben Stywall had his third double-double of the season and the sixth of his career to lead UNCG (1-9). The Charlotte, NC native finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Spartans, who were hampered by
22 turnovers, had just one player score in double figures for the fourth straight game.
The Zips came out on fire, knocking down four 3-pointers in the first 4:30 of the game to take an early 15-7 lead. A 14-5 spurt by the visitors took the lead to double-digits for the first time, 33-17, with six minutes left in the opening half.
The Spartans threatened to cut the margin to single-digits a couple of times in the closing minutes of the half. Mikko Koivisto hit a fadeaway at the buzzer for UNCG as Akron went to the locker room with a 40-29 lead at the break.
That began a 7-1 spurt carrying into the second half that quickly got the Spartans to within seven, 41-34, less than a minute into the second half.
Ben Stywall’s steal and dunk off the opening possession followed by Daniel Oliver’s three-pointers from the right side got UNCG as close as it had been since four minutes in.
Midway through the second half, though, the Zips scored eight straight to push a nine-point advantage to 17. Consecutive treys by McNees and Brett McKnight made it 55-38 with 12 minutes to play.
Koivisto was held without a three-pointer for the first time in 34 games.
He came into Wednesday’s contest with the third-longest active streak in the nation at 33 straight games dating back to early December 4, 2007 at Virginia Tech. He finished the game with four points, which was his lowest output since that Virginia Tech match-up. He wound up 0-for-6 from three-point range.
The Spartans lost their eighth straight, their longest losing streak since 2003-04. It was also their third consecutive home loss, which hadn’t happened since that same season.
The win was the 100th at Akron for Zips coach Keith Dambrot. In his fifth season at Akron, he is now 100-42 and has a 208-112 overall mark in his 11th season.
UNCG returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Princeton for a 12 noon contest that will be televised by ESPNU.
UNC Asheville 81, Western Carolina 78
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Reid Augst scored 18 and John Williams added 17 in North Carolina-Asheville's 81-78 win over Western Carolina on Wednesday.
Augst and Williams scored four points apiece during a pivotal Bulldogs' (4-8) run.
Western Carolina (5-4), which led by as many as 12 points with 3:34 to play in the first half, led 46-38 with 17:35 left in the game. The Bulldogs then went on a 10-2 run to tie the game at 48. After three lead changes, Williams hit a free throw with 6:47 left to give Asheville a 68-67 lead that the Catamounts would never overcome.
Sean Smith added 13 points and Eric Stubbs pitched in 12 for the Bulldogs, who shot 53.2 percent from the field (25 of 47).
Harouna Mutombo scored 19 and Brigham Waginger added 16 points for the Catamounts.