The University of Akron Athletics
Women Basketball Tripped Up at Dayton, 85-64
December 02 | Women's Basketball
Sophomore Riana Miller (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) posted
Akron's first double-double of the season with 15 points and 10
rebounds but it wasn't enough as the Zips were upended, 85-64, by
Dayton at the UD Arena Sunday afternoon. With the setback the UA
fell to 3-5 on the season while UD improved to 6-2.
Dayton center Nikki Oakland posted a double-double of her own with
a career-high 32 points and 10 boards in carrying the Flyers to
their sixth straight victory.
"Dayton did a good job of exploiting our low post defense and we
missed way too many easy baskets," said UA head coach Jodi
Kest. "I thought our energy level was where it needed to be but
you can't allow someone to score 32 points against you. We're going
to have to spend more time on our interior defense and find ways to
correct our mistakes."
Oakland scored the first 14 points of the game for UD as Dayton
surged out to a 20-13 advantage eight minutes into the contest.
Oakland, who finished the opening period with 20 points, benefited
from two quick fouls to each of Akron's top post players in Miller
and Lauren Stephenson (Reynoldsburg,
Ohio/Pickerington) just three minutes into the game.
UA closed the gap to three points, 20-17, following a pair of free
throws by Miller with 10:30 to play in the half. But the Flyers
scored the next 16 points of the game as the Zips were held
scoreless for nearly six minutes. Brittany Holterman hit a pair
from the charity stripe with 2:24 remaining to match Dayton's
largest lead of the half, 42-23.
An 8-2 run by UA, highlighted by a pair of three-pointers from Ashley
Veal (Wadsworth, Ohio/ Wadsworth), closed the gap to 13 points,
44-31, at the half and momentum continued to swing Akron's way
early on after the break. After a Flyers' bucket, Kara
Murphy (Hartville, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) hit a
three-pointer and Stevenson finished off a fast break to cut the
deficit to 10 points, 46-36, and force a time out by Dayton. But
the Flyers came right back with a 10-0 run and didn't falter the
rest of the way.
Sarah
Tokodi (Marietta, Ohio/Parkersburg Catholic) was one of four
Akron players in double-digits with 14 points, five assists and
three rebounds. Murphy finished with 13 points and seven rebounds
while Veal checked in with her most complete game of the year
adding 11 points, four rebounds and three assists.
The Zips will next play at St. Francis (Pa.) Wednesday at 7
p.m.
Zips Notebook: Miller is the first Akron player to
post a double-double since Jessica
Deville (Leetonia, Ohio/Leetonia) against Ohio on Feb. 28, 2007
... Veal came two points shy of matching a career high ... Akron
was out-rebounded (44-38) for the seventh time in eight games ...
Akron, which opens a five-game homestand next Sunday against
Houston, is 1-5 this year away from Rhodes Arena.
