West Virginia Vs. Akron: Mountaineers Improve To 4-1 With 21-Point Win Over Zips

Just two weeks after losing to Kent State, the West Virginia Mountaineers rode the hot hand of Jabarie Hinds to a 21-point win over Akron. The Zips, led by Keith Dambrot, were expected to compete with that same Kent State team for the MAC regular season crown and had already scored a win over Mississippi State. But Hinds would lead a Mountaineer flurry at the end of the first half that extended their lead from six to 23 points and essentially put the game away. Hinds would score 12 of his game-high 19 points after the under four timeout in the first half, pacing the impressive rally.

The Mountaineers, along with Hinds, came back down to earth in the second half, with the Zips outscoring WVU by two over the course of the final twenty minutes. West Virginia shot just 20 percent from long-distance, but their defense in the paint and ability to force turnovers kept Akron at a distance. Kevin Jones added a steady 18 points inside, but it was that spurt at the end of the first half, almost singlehandedly created by Hinds, which was the difference on Monday night.

The Mountaineers improved to 4-1 and and now travel to Starkville on Saturday to face a Mississippi State team that lost at home to this same Akron squad to open the season.

West Virginia Vs. Akron Score Update: Mountaineers Jump Out To 23 Point Halftime Lead

In one of the more impressive halves they have played this season, the West Virginia Mountaineers raced out to a 43-20 halftime lead over the Akron Zips on Monday night. The Mountaineers were led by Jabarie Hinds, who went off for an unlikely 15 points in the first half. Hinds was on fire in the first half, hitting 6 of 7 shots from the floor to help WVU get a double digit margin after the under four timeout. He singlehandedly led the run, scoring 12 of his 15 points in the final four minutes to help extend the Mountaineers' lead from 6 to 23 points. He hit from downtown, in the lane, and at the free throw line.

Led by Keith Dambrot, the Zips are a game mid-major opponent, so Coach Huggins has to pleased with a 23 point lead after twenty minutes. A big key for WVU was pressure on the Zips big men down low, as they forced 10 Akron turnovers in just the first half. Meanwhile, the Mountaineers limited their turnover total to just three, rounding out an impressive first half at WVU Coliseum.

West Virginia Vs. Akron: Mountaineers Look To Extend Winning Streak To Three Games

The West Virginia Mountaineers (3-1) welcome the Akron Zips (3-2) to WVU Coliseum on Monday night.