The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Drop Home-Opener To Cleveland State, 62-59
November 25 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2005
Box Score
Akron, Ohio - The University of Akron women's basketball team (0-3) opened its 2005-06 home schedule dropping a 62-59 decision to the Cleveland State University Vikings (2-1) on Friday night at the James A. Rhodes Arena.
Akron jumped out to a 14-point advantage in the first half behind the shooting of junior Jessie Crooks (Independence, Ohio/Independence) and senior Courtney Stewart (Amherstburg, Ontario/St. Thomas of Villanova/Wabash Valley C.C.). With the Zips establishing a quick 11-3 lead, Akron pushed the lead to a game-high 14-points behind a 9-1 run in which Stewart and Crooks buried three-straight shots from beyond the arc.
However, over the final ten minutes before the half, the Vikings slowly cut into the Zips advantage, finishing the first 20-minutes on a 23-9 run to send the teams to break tied at 29-29.
Crooks, who had only seven total points in the teams first two contests this season, led the Zips at half-time with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including two three-pointers.
Out of the break, the two team's battled through the first ten minutes of the second half with the Zips building a 47-41 lead behind a quick 8-1 spurt.
The Zips continued to hold their advantage until a three-point play by Chenara Wilson tied the game at 51-51 with just under seven minutes remaining in the contest. Over the next six minutes the two teams exchanged buckets and small leads, but found themselves tied at 57-57 with 1:00 left in the game.
The Zips missed a chance to take a one-point lead as Ashley Veal
(Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) missed her second free-throw. The
Vikings responded with a jumper from the top of the key by
Dominique Butler to take a 59-57 lead with 29.6 seconds left. Out
of an Akron timeout, the Zips could not convert on a three-point
attempt by Crooks. Cleveland State rebounded the missed attempt and
forced UA to put them on the line. Omega Harrington missed the
first attempt, but stretched the advantage to three-points with
10.3 seconds left.
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The Zips moved the ball quickly from end to end as Niki McCoy (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) drove to the hoop and cut the lead to one-point. However, this time Harrington hit both free-throws after she was fouled on the inbounds, forcing the Zips into a difficult three-point attempt that fell way short.
Crooks finished the game with a team-high 17 points, while McCoy joined her in double-figures with 12 points. Mandy Holzer (Jordan, Minn./Jordan) led the Zips with a game-high eight rebounds. As a team, the Zips shot 35 percent from the field (18-51) and committed 23 turnovers, leading to 28 points for CSU.
Cleveland State was paced by Harrington and Wilson, who had 19 and 15 points respectively. The Vikings shot 39 percent (21-54), but only committed 13 turnovers
The Zips women's basketball team will return to action on Thursday, December 1 when they host Montana State in Rhodes Arena at 7:00 p.m (EST).
