The University of Akron Athletics
Women's Hoops Downs Slippery Rock, 58-55
November 06 | Women's Basketball
Sophomore forward
Niki McCoy (Sylvania,
Ohio/Northview) scored a game-high 16 points, including a pair of
free throws with under five seconds to go, leading Akron to a 58-55
victory over Slippery Rock Monday evening in a women's basketball
exhibition game at Rhodes Arena.
After Slippery Rock, which led by as many as nine in the first
half, tied the game at 47-all with 6:22 to go on a jumper by Amanda
Chojnacki, the Zips scored six-straight points over the next two
minutes to seemingly take control.
But SRU would not go away as Amanda Nero nailed a 3-pointer at
4:37 to close the gap to 53-50. Both teams then went cold, missing
seven-straight shots from the floor over the next three
minutes.
Chojnacki, who scored all eight of her points in the second half,
put back on her own missed shot to close deficit to 53-52 with 1:23
left.
Slippery Rock had a chance to tie the game at 54-all, but
Mandy Holzer (Jordan, Minn.
/Jordan) blocked Nero's layup attempt, was fouled with 37.6 seconds
left and hit one of two free throws.
Lauren Stephenson
(Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Pickerington) also made one of two from the
line with 19.7 left for a 56-62 lead.
Chere' Marshall hit a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining, but
McCoy was fouled and sank both free throws. Slippery Rock had a
chance to tie at the buzzer, but Marshall's running three from the
top of the key clanged off the backboard and first-year head coach
Jodi Kest had a victory in
her Zips debut.
"We came back and I'm proud of the effort in the second half,"
Kest said. "We have a lot to work on, but that's why we play
exhibition games. We have to take better care of the ball."
Akron had 18 turnovers, but did force Slippery Rock into 19
miscues. The Zips shot the ball poorly in the game, especially from
long range, connecting on just 2 of 16 (13 percent) 3-point field
goals. They shot 40 percent from the field in the game.
Slippery Rock led 29-23 at the break after hitting 53 percent from
the floor in the first 20 minutes.
Jessica Schake's jumper with 16:28 left in the game gave SRU a
33-27 lead, but the Zips scored 16 of the next 21 points to take a
43-36 advantage with 11:22 on the clock.
McCoy had seven points in the run, including a 3-pointer at 12:59
which gave Akron a 37-35 lead, its first since late in the first
half.
Holzer was the only other Zips player in double figures with 11
points. She also had five rebounds and two blocks, both in the
final minute of play.
Jessie Crooks
(Independence, Ohio/Independence) only had six points, but
collected a game-high seven rebounds as Akron held a 34-29 edge on
the glass.
Schake led SRU with 14 points and chipped in three steals.
Chojnacki had a team-high six rebounds.
The Zips open the regular season Friday on the road against Saint
Louis. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (CST).
