The University of Akron Athletics
Comeback Falls Short In 63-55 Loss at Ohio
January 21 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2006
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio -- - Jessie Crooks (Independence, Ohio/Independence) had a season-high tying 20 points, 15 of which came in the second half, but Akron was unable to overcome a 17-point halftime deficit in a 63-55 loss at Ohio Saturday afternoon.
The loss dropped Akron to 3-13 overall, 0-5 in Mid-American Conference play. Ohio improved to 6-10, 3-2 in the MAC.
Trailing 57-51 with just over a minute to play, Akron had two chances to cut Ohio's lead to four but turned the ball over on both possessions. The Zips' defense held, and Courtney Stewart (Amherstburg, Ontario/Wabash Valley CC) hit a jumper with 26 seconds remaining to bring Akron within four, but Simone Redd hit five of six free throws down the stretch to ice the victory for Ohio.
Redd led all scorers with 33 points. Niki McCoy (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) who was coming off back-to-back 25-point efforts, was held to 11 for the game. Stewart finished with 12 points to give Akron three players in double figures.
A run which saw Crooks outscore the entire Ohio squad 13-4, trimmed a 17-point Akron halftime deficit to just five at 46-41 with 7:52 to play.
Ohio answered with a three-point play from Redd, sparking an 8-2 run that gave the Bobcats an 11-point cushion with under four minutes remaining.
Akron tallied five turnovers and just two baskets in the first
five minutes of play as the Bobcats raced out to a 12-5 lead. The
Zips managed just two field goals from the 13-minute mark until
7:26, allowing Ohio to add to its lead at 24-14.
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In addition to its own offensive woes, Akron did not have an answer for Redd in the first half as she led the Bobcats with 15 of the team's 34 first-half points. The Zips only points in the final six minutes of the half came on a bucket from Krissy Marco (Middleton, Wis./Middleton) at 4:45, giving Akron a 17-point deficit at the break.
Crooks led Akron with five points at the half, as the Zips were just 6-of-22 from the field. Marco tallied four steals with just one turnover in the first 20 minutes of play. She finished the game with a career-high six steals.
The Zips are back at Rhodes Arena this Wednesday as they face the Northern Illinois Huskies at 7 p.m.
