The University of Akron men’s basketball team endured an early test Wednesday in Fayetteville, Ark., taking on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
The Zips took an eight-point halftime lead and maintained it under duress the rest of the game to win by that same eight-point margin, 88-80.
Antino Jackson led UA with 23 points and seven assists. Reggie McAdams followed with 18 points, and big men Pat Forsythe (nine) and Isaiah Johnson (seven) combined for 16 rebounds.
UA shot 51 percent from the floor, including 46 percent on 3-pointers, while holding the Razorbacks to 38 percent shooting.
UA played without freshman guard Josh Williams and sophomore forward Jimond Ivey, and lost Forsythe to foul trouble with 18:03 left in the second half. Forsythe picked up two fouls in 15 seconds, forcing coach Keith Dambrot to bring him to the bench.
The Zips built their lead to 11 before the Razorbacks — who came into the game 4-0 against Mid-American Conference teams — began cutting into it.
The Zips led 49-39 when Arkansas got consecutive 3-pointers from Dusty Hannah and Anthlon Bell in an 8-0 run that made it 49-47.
Sophomore Antino Jackson ended the Zips’ nearly four-minute scoring drought with six quick points on a continuation play and a 3-pointer. That started a 19-9 tear over the next 5:39 as the Zips built a 68-57 lead. They stretched it to 14 (73-59) before the Razorbacks scored 10 consecutive points to make it 75-71 with 4:03 left.
But clutch shooting by Kwan Cheatham Jr., who scored five consecutive points, and another continuation play by Jackson, helped the Zips hold on.
George M. Thomas can be reached at gmthomas@thebeaconjournal.com.