DaytonDailyNews.com

OXFORD — When it really mattered, the Akron Zips couldn't do a thing against the defense of the Miami RedHawks.

The Zips were unable to make a basket in the final three minutes of regulation and in the final three minutes of overtime, and the RedHawks held on for a 64-62 victory Wednesday night in a thriller at Millett Hall.

Miami sophomore Michael Bramos drilled a 3-point basket with 2:23 remaining in overtime to give the RedHawks (14-12 overall, 9-4 Mid-American Conference) the lead for good.

"It felt good to finally hit a three in a key situation," said Bramos, who had been struggling with his outside shooting over the last three weeks.

"The key play was Bramos' three," Miami coach Charlie Coles said. "Anytime you get a three in a game like that, that late, that's big time."

Akron (20-6, 10-3 MAC) got off two shots in the closing seconds, a two-pointer by Nick Dials and a 3-pointer by Dru Joyce, but neither came close to the target.

"It's nerve-wracking (to be in that situation on defense), but when you want to win you don't think about it," said Miami senior forward Nathan Peavy.

Numbers game

• Tim Pollitz was one of four Miami players to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 17 points. Peavy added 14, Doug Penno scored 12 off the bench and Bramos had 11.

• Jeremiah Wood, Romeo Travis and Joyce all scored 15 points for Akron.

• The victory was Miami's second straight and ninth in its last 11 games.

• Miami won despite shooting only 1-for-5 from the field in overtime. That was better than Akron, which went 1-for-9 in the final five minutes, including 0-for-3 from the 3-point arc.

Tie at the top

The loss knocked Akron back into a two-way tie for the lead in the MAC East Division with Kent State, which won a squeaker over Buffalo on Wednesday.

"That was a tough one for us," Akron coach Keith Dambrot said. "We came back strong, but couldn't make some free throws or shots when it mattered.

"A tough loss," he repeated. "For some reason we've lost a lot of close games. We're 20 points from being undefeated. But that's part of basketball."

Back and forth

Miami led 32-22 at halftime and stretched the margin to 13 points early in the second half. But then Peavy was sent to the bench with his third foul, and while he was off the court Akron outscored Miami 14-4, and a 3-point basket by Nate Linhart gave the Zips a 50-48 lead with 6:05 left in the second half.

"They just got busy," Coles said of the Zips. "They just started playing and we couldn't match their energy at first."

A inside basket by Peavy put Miami on top 58-57 with 30 seconds to go. Joyce was fouled with 15.3 seconds on the clock and had a chance to put Akron back on top, but made only 1-of-2 from the line.

Looking ahead

Miami will play its regular-season home finale on Saturday at approximately 2:30 p.m. against Buffalo in the second half of a women's/men's doubleheader at Millett Hall. The starting time for Miami's game at Bowling Green on Sunday, March 4 has been moved to noon.