COLUMBUS — Jaquan Lyle and Marc Loving both had 18 points with career-high rebounds and Ohio State dominated in overtime for a 72-63 win over Akron in a first-round game of the NIT on Tuesday night.
Kam Williams also had 18 points for the Buckeyes (21-13), who outscored the Zips 10-1 in the extra sessions. Lyle had 14 rebounds and Loving 13 to give Ohio State a 57-42 advantage on the boards.
The Buckeyes play the North Florida-Florida winner.
Akron (26-9), looking to set a school record for wins, got 16 points and 12 rebounds from Isaiah Johnson, but he was just 6 of 16 from the foul line. Elida graduate Reggie McAdams had 12 points and 11 boards also for the Zips.
The game featured 23 lead changes and 10 ties but the Zips missed all seven of their field-goal attempts in overtime and went 1 of 6 from the foul line.
Ohio State made 21 of 23 free throws while Akron was 8 of 20.
Akron, which shoots 39 percent behind the arc, put up 42 3-pointers, one shy of the school record but only made nine (21 percent).
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