Akron Opens Home Slate with 95-65 Win Over Hiram

box score

AKRON, Ohio – Alex Abreu led five Akron players in double-figure points as the Zips topped visiting Hiram 95-65 on Saturday night in their homeopener at Rhodes Arena as part of the 2K Sports Classic.

Abreu had 15 points and shot 5-for-8 from the field, including making 4-of-6 3-pointers, to go along with a game-high six assists and six rebounds, all off the defensive glass.

Pacing the sophomore point guard in double figures was Nikola Cvetinovic and Brian Walsh, with 14 each, Nick Harney, with 13, and Quincy Diggs, with 10.

Akron (2-0) built a 57-35 halftime lead and continued to control the tempo in the second half, pushing its lead as high as 32 points (85-53) with 4:40 to play.

The Terriers, who will use this game as an exhibition and not have it count in their overall record, opened an early 5-2 lead (18:16) and later tied the game at 7-7 with 17:20 to go in the first half, before the Zips used a 33-11 run over 8:10 on the clock to take a 40-18 lead and gain control.

From there, Akron kept the pressure on, not allowing the Terriers to come within 15 points (2:07) the rest of the half, setting up the Zips sizable cushion at the intermission.
Akron held a 47-31 edge in rebounding and shot 49.3 percent (35-of-71) from the floor and 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the line for the game.

Hiram shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from the charity stripe.

The Zips will hit the road for two games when they travel to Valparaiso, Ind., to wrap up the 2K Sports Classic. Akron will face Valparaiso on Friday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. ET and will close the weekend against Duquesne on Saturday, Nov. 19, also at 6 p.m. ET.

Zips Notebook: Sophomore guard Brian Walsh recorded a career-high 14 points, bettering his previous high of nine points at Mississippi State (Nov. 9) … for the second-consecutive game, sophomore guard Alex Abreu set a new career-high for rebounds, grabbing six boards … Akron has now won 41-of-44 games in the series with Hiram (41-3), including 39-straight … tonight's contest served as an exhibition game for Hiram.