Akron wins MAC in OT thriller

CLEVELAND — Steve McNees blocked Carlton Guyton’s last-second 3-point attempt, giving Akron a 66-65 win against Kent State in overtime on Saturday night in the Mid-American Conference championship and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

McNees, whose outside shooting in the first half kept the Zips in the game, got his right hand on Guyton’s shot as the final horn sounded. It was Akron’s 15th block, and it gave the Zips (23-12) their second MAC title in three years.

Brett McKnight scored 15 points and it was his two free throws with 12.8 seconds left that put the Zips ahead 66-65 and set up another wild finish to the MAC’s finale.

Guyton scored 14 and Justin Greene, the league’s player of the year, had 14 before fouling out for the Golden Flashes (23-11).