The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Faces Pittsburgh Wednesday Night
November 28 | Women's Basketball
Game 5
Akron (1-4) vs. Pittsburgh (6-0)
November 29, 2006 • 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Rhodes Arena (Akron, Ohio)
Television: None
Radio: WARF 1350 AM/www.GoZips.com. Bill Morgan
has the call.
Zips Play Host to Pittsburgh Panthers ...
Game three of Akron's five-game homestand features the Zips vs.
Pittsburgh on Wednesday night at Rhodes Arena. This is the third
meeting between the two schools.
About Akron...
The Zips were once again within reach of victory but saw it
snatched away at the last minute with a 58-57 loss to Dayton on
Sunday. Akron led for most of the game but a three-point basket
from Dayton's Kathy Guin with seven seconds left put the Flyers up,
58-57 and the Zips were unable to get a shot off in the final
seconds for their second-straight one-point loss.
The Zips had four players in double figures, led by 14 points
each from Jessie Crooks and Niki McCoy. Riana Miller had a
season-best 10 points, along with three blocked shots. Guard Sarah
Tokodi scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game with 12
points, while also adding a season-best nine rebounds.
Akron continues to improve defensively, ranking fifth in the
MAC in scoring defense (65.0 ppg) and second in rebounding defense
(33.4).
On the season Akron is averaging 59.2 points per game and 32.4
rebounds per game. It is the youngsters leading the way offensively
with freshman Tokodi averaging a team-best 16.0 points per game,
followed by sophomore McCoy with 13.2 ppg. A senior, Crooks rounds
out the scoring at 10.4 ppg.
After an eight-rebound performance against the Flyers on
Sunday, McCoy continues to lead the Akron charge on the boards with
5.2 per game. Right behind her is Crooks with an average of 4.8 per
game.
About Pittsburgh...
The Pittsburgh Panthers bring a perfect 6-0 record into Rhodes
Arena on Wednesday night. Most recently the Panthers were 71-70
winners over Boise State at the Duck Invitational in Eugene
Ore.
Pitt also recorded a 59-51 win over Utah in Oregon and is 2-0
at home this season with wins over California (Pa.) and Mount Saint
Mary's.
Shavonte Zellous hit a three pointer at the buzzer to give the
Panthers the win and finished the game with 31 points and seven
rebounds. The sophomore guard was named the tournament MVP and
earned Big East Player of the Week honors on Monday. Zellous is
averaging a team-best 23.3 points per game.
Teammate Marcedes Walker has been the top rebounder at 7.0 per
game, as the Panthers are outrebounding opponents, 38.2-36.3. They
also hold a commanding advantage in scoring margin, 69.0-58.7
Head coach Agnus Berenato is in her fourth season at
Pittsburgh. She is assisted by Jeff Williams, Shea Ralph and
Caroline McCombs.
Series Business...
- This is the third meeting between the Zips and Panthers with
Pittsburgh holding a 2-0 lead in the series.
- Pittsburgh won last year's meeting by a 91-46 score in
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Last Time Out...
Akron had four players score in double figures, but it wasn't
enough as the Zips fell in heartbreaking fashion, 58-57, to the
Dayton Flyers on Sunday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Flyers trailed for the majority of the second half, but
knotted the game at 55-all with 38.7 seconds left in regulation
when Brittany Holterman deposited two of her game-high 19 points.
UA freshman Sarah Tokodi (Marietta, Ohio/Parkersburg Catholic HS)
responded with a pair of free throws with just 18 seconds remaining
to put the Zips back on top, but UD's Kathy Guin connected from
beyond the arc with just eight seconds left to give the Flyers the
win.
Dayton (4-3) took its first lead, 34-33, since the 16:47 mark
of the first half when Maria Rosche connected inside with 13:16
left in regulation, but Tokodi put the Zips back in front, 41-37,
with 10:37 to play when she dialed in on back-to-back triples.
UA (1-4) led by as many as eight points in the second half,
50-42, with 5:40 to play, but Dayton closed out the game on a 16-7
run, improving to 5-0 all-time vs. Akron.
"Our decision making wasn't the best at the end of the game,"
head coach Jodi Kest said. " However, we were able to get the ball
down inside, but were unable to convert. The kids were ready to win
the game and believed they could, we just need to teach them how to
win. This game shows we can compete on any given night."
Senior Jessie Crooks scored 10 of her 14 points in the second
half to help spur the UA offense. The Independence, Ohio
(Independence HS) native was 6-of-11 from the floor, including
2-of-6 from three-point land.
Sophomore Niki McCoy (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS) was two
rebounds short of recording her second double-double of the season,
ending with a 14 points to go along with eight rebounds.
The first half was played very closely, featuring four lead changes
and one tie, but Zips secured a 21-19 edge at the break. UA held a
9-8 advantage at the 12:14 mark and increased its lead to 16-10
with 5:17 left in the half. UD fought back and scored nine of the
final 14 points of the session to trail by just two points at the
intermission.
Freshman Riana Miller (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS) gave the
Zips a big lift off of the bench in the first half, flustering the
Dayton offensive attack with a career-best three blocks. She also
concluded the afternoon with a career-high 10 points on 3-of-7
shooting and a 4-of-7 performance at the line.
Tokodi surpassed her career high with seven first-half
rebounds, finishing a career-best nine on the day to go along with
12 points.
Fantastic Frosh...
Freshman guard Sarah Tokodi has made an immediate impact in her
first five games at Akron. The converted shooting guard is
averaging a team-best 16.0 points per game, including 24 points at
Florida Atlantic on Nov. 17. She had 15 points in her first career
start at Saint Louis on Nov. 10. In Akron's home opener on Nov. 22
vs. Valparaiso, Tokodi led the team with 19 points, along with four
assists.
Against Dayton, Tokodi matched her career best with seven
rebounds in the first half and went on to set a new mark with nine
for the game. She also topped her old assist season high with six
against the Flyers.
Tokodi was named to the All-Tournament team at the FAU Tip-Off
Classic after averaging 17.0 ppg over the two games.
Super Soph...
Sophomore Niki McCoy has picked up right where she left off
after a MAC All-Freshman team season in 2005-06. McCoy is averaging
13.2 points per game, including her fourth career double-double
with 14 points and 10 rebounds in an 55-44 win over Binghamton
(Nov. 18). With eight rebounds vs. Dayton, McCoy took over the top
spot on the team with a 5.2 per-game average.
It's Miller Time...
Freshman forward Riana Miller was a force on the inside for
Akron in the game against Dayton (Nov. 26), posting a season-best
three blocks to go along with 10 points. Miller also added three
rebounds and a steal to her tally, all in the span of 18 minutes
played.
Start to Finish...
There was very little time to rest for sophomores Lauren
Stephenson and Niki McCoy in the season opener at Saint Louis on
Nov. 10 as both played a team-high 37 minutes. Stephenson was 3 of
6 from the field, along with two rebounds. McCoy tossed in 14
points but was just 5 of 16 from the floor and 4 of 7 from the free
throw line.
Stephenson played a career-high 40 minutes in the 50-49 loss to
Valparaiso (Nov. 22) and is averaging 34.2 minutes per game. McCoy
is tops in that category with an average of 35.8 minutes per game
on the hardwood.
Sarah Tokodi was also credited with 40 minutes on the court vs.
Dayton (Nov. 26) and is averaging 32.2 minutes per game.
Bring It In...
The Zips efforts from behind the three-point line didn't quite
work out as planned at Saint Louis on Nov. 10 as Akron was just 1
of 10 from behind the arc. Jessie Crooks had the most attempts but
was unsuccessful on all three tries. Allison Schoff was the lone
player to connect, going 1-for-2. Last year the Zips shot 30
percent (128-422) from long range.
Akron still struggled from the arc in game two at FAU (4-11, 36
percent) but its fortunes changed in a 55-44 win over Binghamton as
it connected on five of eight attempts (.625). The Zips made good
on just one of seven attempts (.143) vs. Valparaiso (Nov. 22) and
are 16 of 49 (.327) on the season.
Close Calls...
The Zips have found themselves on the wrong end of a pair of
one-point losses in their last two games. A 50-49 loss to
Valparaiso on Nov. 22 was followed by a 58-57 loss to Dayton on
Nov. 26. Akron has been a part of several close games with 12 games
last season decided by 10 or fewer points. Akron went 4-8 in those
games. This year Akron is 0-2 in games decided by 10 or fewer
points.
Did You Know?...
- The Zips win in game three this year is its earliest victory
since a season-opening 58-51 win at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Nov.
17, 2000.
- Freshman guard Sarah Tokodi has scored in double figures in all
five games this season.
- The Zips have won the rebounding battle twice this season
(Valparaiso, Binghamton).
- Akron has not won a game at home since Dec. 22, 2005, a string of
10-straight home losses
- Both of Akron's victories in Mid-American Conference play last
season came on the road (at Toledo, at Miami).
- Jessie Crooks had a string of 11-straight double-digit scoring
games from January 7 through Feb. 11 She hit double figures in 15
of 16 MAC regular-season games.
- Niki McCoy scored 20 or more points four times last season.
Crooks also scored 20 or more points four times last season.
- McCoy has four career double doubles.
- Jessica Deville recorded her first career double-double vs. Ohio
on Feb. 28 with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
- The win at Toledo on Feb. 8 snapped a 30-game losing streak to
the Rockets. It was also the first time Akron had beaten the
Rockets on the road since Jan. 31, 1976.
- Akron was held under 50 points eight times in 2005-06, including
a three-game stretch vs. Central Michigan (Feb. 11), Bowling Green
(Feb. 15) and Kent State (Feb. 18) at home.
