“The University of Akron’s men’s basketball team was outscored 50-34 by Kent State University in the second half Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center, squandering a 10-point halftime lead before falling, 75-69 UA’s loss is the first in the last five contests between the two Mid-American Conference East Division foes.”
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The University of Akron’s men’s basketball team was outscored 50-34 by Kent State University in the second half Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center, squandering a 10-point halftime lead before falling, 75-69

UA’s loss is the first in the last five contests between the two Mid-American Conference East Division foes. UA (14-4) and KSU (15-4) are tied atop the MAC East standings at 4-1.

The Golden Flashes outscored the Zips 34-12 in the paint and converted 21-27 free throws in the second half.

Dambrot said after the game that the Zips’ first half was misleading and that he did not like the flow of the game.

I didn’t think we played well in the first half, Dambrot said. I think that was fool’s gold. I thought the first half was garbage.

The first half was not good for us.

Dambrot said the team’s reliance on hitting jump shots and its inability to get Wood involved in the offense in the post was the difference in the second half.

You shoot jumpers you’re gonna get beat, he said. Tonight, they beat us up inside. Our perimeter people kind of got frazzled and didn’t get it inside.

The key, really, is that their guards got in us. We did not reciprocate in get in them as hard as they got on us in the second half.

The Zips shot 37.9 percent (11-29) in the second half from the field, compared to 52.2 percent (12-23) before the intermission.

The Golden Flashes were led by Mike Scott and Chris Singletary, who both scored 18 points. Forward Haminn Quaintance tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.

The Zips were paced by senior guard Nick Dial’s 22 points. Jeremiah Wood added 14 points and five rebounds.

Dials said that KSU played with more intensity in the second half and forced the Zips out of their offense.

They made plays and we didn’t, Dials said. They did it by playing harder than us. I think in the first half we matched their intensity and got off to a lead, but when we didn’t do that in the second half, they got on that big run. You can’t win games like that, especially here at Kent.

They got in our shorts and made us do things we didn’t want to do. As a young team, we didn’t execute our plays in the second half.

UA turned the ball over 23 times compared to KSU’s 19.

Akron’s Quade Milum and Kent State’s Haminn Quaintance were assessed technical fouls in the game’s final seconds.

The Zips begin competition against MAC West teams when they travel to Central Michigan University Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised by Fox Sports Ohio.

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