
Miami (4-0) closed the game shooting 59.3 percent from the floor (32-of-54) and 47.1 percent from long range (8-of-17). The Zips (2-1) shot 33.3 percent from the floor (20-of-60) and 38.9 percent from behind the arc (7-of-18).
Pat Forsythe and Jake Kretzer led the Zips with 11 points each and Noah Robotham pitched in 10 markers.
Sheldon McClellan led the Hurricanes with a game-high 17 points.
The Hurricanes grabbed a brief 11-9 lead, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Antino Jackson and Robotham put the Zips back on top, 15-11, heading into the under-12 media timeout (11:02).
A 10-2 run by Miami gave the Hurricanes a 22-17 lead with 7:40 to go in the half. However, the Zips responded to make it a one-point game in favor of Miami with 3:16 remaining in the half (29-28).
The Hurricanes opened up a five-point advantage just before the half and took a 35-30 lead into the locker room.
Forsythe and Robotham led the Zips in the first 20 minutes with eight points each. Akron closed the half shooting 38.2 percent from the floor (13-of-34) and 40.0 percent from long range (4-of-10).
The Hurricanes scored the first five points of the second half to open up a 40-30 lead, forcing the Zips to call their second timeout of the game with 17:43 to go.
Miami pushed its lead to 58-35 thanks to a 10-0 run before Kretzer hit 3-pointers from the corner on back-to-back possessions, cutting the Miami lead to 60-41 remaining.
Another Miami (8-0) run enabled the Hurricanes to stretch their lead and they went on to win, 79-51.
The Zips will conclude the 2014 Gildan Charleston Classic on Sunday, Nov. 23, when they face the loser of the Charlotte vs. South Carolina contest in the third-place game. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
(Courtesy of UA Athletics/MRO Edit)