CLEVELAND – Ohio scored only 17 points in the second half, going nearly 10 minutes without a field goal, and connected on just 1 of 20 3-pointers in the game as Akron pulled away for a 65-46 victory Saturday night in the Mid-American Conference Tournament title game at Quicken Loans Arena.

For the third time this season, the Bobcats held a first-half lead, only to have the Zips take the momentum in the second half, and for the first time in three title games between the schools in the last four years, Akron came out on top.

“It’s real disappointing,” said Ohio forward Reggie Keely, who scored 10 of his 19 points in the game’s first six minutes. “We came out here to win a championship and we didn’t get the job done. We came to cement a legacy and we couldn’t get it done.”

No player other than Keely scored in double-digits for the Bobcats (24-9). D.J. Cooper missed all eight shots from the field, scored only three points and had six assists with five turnovers.

Akron’s Demetrius Treadwell was named the tournament MVP, finishing with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the championship game. Chauncey Gilliam matched him with 13 points, Nick Harney scored 11 points and Zeke Marshall just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine boards for the Zips (26-6).

Ohio led by as many as nine points in the first half and held a 29-26 halftime advantage but could not buy a basket after the break. The Bobcats went 5 of 27 (18.5 percent) from the field in the second half and were 3 of 24 before making a pair of late baskets.

“The second half, we played hard. We just couldn’t make a shot,” Ohio coach Jim Christian said. “… Then we let one end of the floor affect the other.

“We missed probably seven layups on top of the basket and we probably missed six open 3s and sometimes that’s what happens. There’s no way to explain it.”

The Bobcats’ shooting woes actually began in the final seven minutes of the first half after a T.J. Hall basket gave Ohio a nine-point edge. To that point, the Bobcats were 11 of 17, but eight of their next nine shots were misses before Hall drove the lane for a basket to end the first half. Even with that score, Ohio’s lead was down to only three.

“We’ve done it before,” Christian said. “When the ball doesn’t go in, we react to it not very good. We did fight. We played hard, but we let that affect us on the defensive end of the floor.”

Despite Ohio’s offensive struggles, Akron did not take the lead until a Treadwell basket with 15:27 remaining made it 35-33. Gilliam followed with a 3-pointer on the next possession, and a minute later, Carmelo Betancourt got a layup to put the Zips up seven.

Hall scored inside to cut Ohio’s deficit to 42-37 with 11:31 remaining, and after a stop, the Bobcats had a chance to get closer, but Hall missed on the front end of a one-and-one.

The defense came through for Ohio two more possession in a row, but the offense came away empty time after time. The Bobcats missed 11 straight field goal attempts.

“When the ball doesn’t go in the basket, if affects you in all aspects,” Akron coach Dambrot said. “No one is strong-minded enough that it doesn’t affect you when you go 1-for-20 on 3-point shots.”

The end result was the Zips pulling away. Leading by six with less than eight minutes to go, Treadwell scored after an offensive rebound to begin an 18-3 run. Gilliam hit a jumper that gave Akron its biggest lead, 63-42, with two minutes remaining.

Cooper said it was his worst game since Ohio’s Sweet 16 loss to North Carolina, but he said he was not affected by Akron’s defensive strategy that included him being guarded up top by Marshall, Treadwell, Harney and Jake Kretzer, all 6-7 or taller.

“It was just one of those games,” Cooper said. “It was definitely unacceptable. I can’t do nothing about it. It is what it is. I apologize to my teammates.”

With point guard Alex Abreu suspended, the Zips were forced to start Bentancourt at point guard and used Harney as his backup, often giving them an even bigger lineup than usual. The versatility of Akron’s big men made the strategy workable, Dambrot said.

“What most people can’t afford to do is switch out on Cooper and guard himwith their big guy and still be able to guard Keely on the inside,” he said.

Cooper took only one shot in the first half, but the Bobcats found a sound offensive strategy in getting the ball to Keely, who gave them a 12-8 lead on his 10th point with 14:21 remaining.

Offutt, who came up a point shy of his second straight double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, had Ohio’s only 3-pointer at the 10:36 mark to make it 19-12. A minute later, Keely, who had 14 of his points before halftime, made two free throws to make it a nine-point game.

Akron was playing in its seventh straight MAC championship game and came away with its third title in the last five years. The other two NCAA Tournament teams were knocked out in the first round.

“The first one was great, but to do what we did under the circumstances, you can’t even compare it,” Dambrot said. “It’s just a total team effort from our players.”

For Ohio, it will be on to an alternative postseason tournament. It could be the National Invitation Tournament or something else.

“The NCAA tournament was definitely the goal, but it’s a blessing to be out here playing ball, especially for the seniors,” Cooper said. “I’m going to cherish wherever we’re playing, and if it’s the NIT, we want to get to Madison Square Garden (for the final rounds).”

NCAA Tournament selections are announced Sunday evening, and shortly after, the NIT releases its draw.