Amherst, MA -- (Sports Network) - Ricky Harris tallied 20 points and the Massachusetts Minutemen defeated the Akron Zips, 68-63, in second-round action of the NIT at the Mullins Center.

Harris went 4-of-10 from long distance and recorded three steals for UMass (23-10), which will move into the quarterfinals next week against Syracuse. Chris Lowe added 17 points and five assists, and Gary Forbes had 11 points and nine rebounds in the winning effort.

Jeremiah Wood led Akron (24-11) and all scorers with a career-high 25 points and six boards. Cedrick Middleton logged 14 points and a pair of steals, while Brett McKnight chipped in 11 points in the losing cause.

The Minutemen controlled the first half with a 48.1 percent shooting effort from the field, but the Zips ended the period on a 15-7 run and trailed just 34-31 at the break.

UMass went cold from the field in the first part of the second half and Akron took advantage of that and built a 58-46 lead. The Minutemen, however, responded with a 19-2 run, as they came from behind for the five- point victory.

The Minutemen, who last advanced past the second round of the NIT in 1991, scored 26 points courtesy of 16 turnovers by Akron.