AMHERST, Mass., March 22 (UPI) -- Ricky Harris scored 20 points Saturday and led Massachusetts to a 68-63 victory over Akron in a second-round NIT contest in Amherst, Mass.
After UMass trailed 58-46 with 8:30 left, a game-ending 22-5 outburst, led by Harris and Chris Lowe, secured its 23rd victory this season with 10 losses.
Harris sank four of 10 three-pointers and added three steals.
Lowe scored 17 points with five assists, and Gary Forbes added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Minutemen, who play at Syracuse in a third-round contest Tuesday.
They scored 26 points after 16 Akron turnovers to advance past the NIT's second round for the first time since 1991.
Akron was led by Jeremiah Wood's career-high 25 points and six rebounds.
Cedrick Middleton scored 14 and Brett McKnight had 11 points and three rebounds for the Zips, who finished their season with a 24-11 record.
