Nate Linhart scored 15 points and Brett McKnight came off the bench to add 14 to lead Akron past Ohio 60-51 on Thursday night. The Zips (19-11, 10-5 Mid-American Conference) overcame a poor-shooting first half (26.7 percent) to hit 52.4 percent of their shots in the second half to stretch a 23-21 lead at the break to as many as 11 points with 3 minutes left. Jerome Tillman had 17 points for Ohio (14-15, 7-8), which had 24 turnovers and was outrebounded 33-25. Holding on to a 30-28 lead after Justin Orr hit a jumper for the Bobcats at the 17:14 mark of the second half, the Zips surged. McKnight, who scored 10 of his points in the second half, hit a jumper before Darryl Roberts hit a 3-pointer - his only points of the game. After Orr hit another basket for Ohio, Jimmy Conyers hit a 3 to push the lead to 38-30 with 14:19 left.
