The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Face Buffalo Saturday In Final Home Game
February 23 | Women's Basketball
Game 27
Akron (10-16, 3-11 MAC) vs. Buffalo (9-17, 4-10
MAC)
February 24, 2007 • 2:00 p.m. (EST)
Rhodes Arena- Akron, Ohio
Television: None
Radio: 1350 AM/www.GoZips.com. Bill Morgan has
the call.
Records: Akron is 10-16 on the season, 3-11 in
MAC play after a 77-75 win over Miami on Wednesday night. Buffalo
is 9-17, 4-10 MAC with a 61-47 win over Ohio on Wednesday.
Coaches:
Jodi Kest is in her first
season at Akron with a career record of 237-169. She picked up her
first win at Akron on Nov. 18 vs. Binghamton, and her first MAC win
on Feb. 3 vs. Eastern Michigan. Linda Hill-MacDonald is in her
second season at Buffalo with a record of 19-35.
Series: Buffalo leads the series, 15-7. The Bulls won the first meeting this season by a score of 64-58 on Jan. 13 in Buffalo.
Zips Celebrate Senior Night in Final Home Game vs.
Buffalo...
The Zips will honor
Jessie Crooks and
Mandy Holzer before
Saturday afternoon's game as the Zips play their final home contest
of the 2006-07 season vs. Buffalo.
About Akron...
It was a total team effort as four of five starters scored in
double figures as the Zips picked up their third MAC win of the
season with a 77-75 victory over Miami on Wednesday night.
Honored before the game for scoring her 1,000th career point,
senior
Jessie Crooks was
unstoppable with a career-high 28 points. Crooks finished 10-15
from the field, including 5-10 from three-point range. She also
added six rebounds in 36 minutes.
In addition to her 18 points, freshman
Sarah Tokodi tied her
career high with eight assists as the Zips recorded a season-high
20 assists in the game. Sophomore
Niki McCoy had 14 points
and tallied seven assists with just one turnover.
Showing the grit of a veteran team, the Zips came back from a
12-point second-half deficit to record their 10th win of the
season. It is the first time Akron has hit double digits in the win
column since the 1999-00 season.
The Zips are currently in a battle with Buffalo to determine the
No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in the MAC East for the 2007 Kraft MAC
Women's Basketball Tournament. If the season ended today, Akron
would be the No. 6 seed and would face NIU in the first round. The
Zips are currently one game behind Buffalo with two games
remaining.
Akron currently ranks 12th in the league in scoring offense (60.0
ppg) and are 11th in field goal percentage (.402). Defensively the
Zips rank sixth in scoring defense (67.3 ppg allowed) and sixth in
field goal percentage defense (.410).
For the year the Zips are averaging 35.0 rebounds per game. They
have recorded 300 assists for an average of 11.5 per game.
Individually, sophomore
Niki McCoy is 8th in the
MAC in scoring (15.7 ppg) and 14th in rebounding (6.6 rpg).
Freshman
Riana Miller is sixth in
the league in blocked shots with an average of 1.08 per game.
Freshman
Sarah Tokodi ranks 10th in
assists (3.96 per game) and is tied for 17th in scoring at 12.2
ppg.
About Buffalo...
Buffalo retained its one-game lead over Akron in the MAC East with
a 61-47 win over Ohio on Wednesday night.
Belinda Gibb and Jamie Schiebner had 15 points each for the Bulls
in the low-scoring affair. The two teams were tied at 16 at the
half, and both teams shot under 40 percent for the game.
In addition to her 15 points, Schiebner had 11 rebounds, while
Heather Turner also posted a double-double with 14 points and 10
boards. Turner leads the team in scoring at 12.2 points per game
and is also the club's top rebounder at 8.3 per game.
For the season, Buffalo ranks just ahead of Akron with a 60.2 ppg
scoring average, allowing 64.6 ppg by its opponents. One area where
the Bulls have strugged is at the free throw line where they are
hitting just 59 percent (279-468) of their shots.
Head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald is in her second season at Buffalo
and is a perfect 3-0 vs. the Zips. She is assisted by Evelyn
Thompson, Shannon Baugh and kelly Morrone.
Series Business...
- This is the 23rd meeting between the two schools with Buffalo
holding a 15-7 advantage.
- Buffalo won the first meeting this year by a score of 64-58 on
Jan. 13 in Buffalo, N.Y.
- Akron's last win in the series came on Jan. 19, 2005 (71-63) at
Rhodes Arena.
Last Time These Two Teams Met...
Jessie Crooks
(Independence, Ohio/Independence) had a then-career-high 26 points,
and
Niki McCoy (Sylvania,
Ohio/Northview) chipped in 10, but the Zips dropped their
fourth-straight game, 64-58 at Buffalo on Jan. 13.
The loss put Akron at 7-9 overall, 0-4 in Mid-American Conference
play.
The Zips came to within four of Buffalo (6-10, 1-3 MAC) at 59-55
after a three from Crooks with 30 seconds to play, but the Bulls
converted five of six free throw attempts down the stretch for
their first MAC win of the season.
Crooks was 6-of-9 from three-point range for the game as the Zips
recorded a season-high nine three-point baskets.
With the Zips trailing 28-27 at the half, the game remained a
one-point affair in favor of the Bulls until
Sarah Tokodi's (Marietta,
Ohio/Parkersburg [W.Va.] Catholic) driving layup put Akron back in
the lead at 35-34 for the first time since midway through the first
half.
Neither team would led by more than two points over the first
eight minutes of the second half, but three-straight turnovers by
the Zips allowed Buffalo to take a 45-39 lead with 9:30 to
play.
Buffalo went more than three minutes without a field goal, but the
Zips were unable to capitalize and trailed 47-41 as the clock
ticked under seven minutes. Another Akron turnover led to a
fast-break layup from Jamie Schiebner, and Stephanie Bennett came
back with a three to give Buffalo its largest lead of the game at
52-41 with 5:14 remaining. The Zips finished with more than 20
turnovers for the fourth-consecutive game, giving up the ball 24
times.
"Again, it came down to turnovers for us," said head coach
Jodi Kest. "Turning the
ball over 24 times in this conference will not win games."
Both teams opened the game sluggish on the offensive end with the
Zips going out to an early 5-2 lead. With McCoy and Crooks both
hitting from long range, the Zips extended their lead to 14-6 with
12:12 to play. Crooks and McCoy were the only two Akron players to
score over the first 14 minutes of the contest.
The Zips' turnover woes continued as Buffalo took advantage of
Akron's poor ball handling to tie the game at 14-all with Jamie
Schiebner's basket at 8:47. That was part of a 10-0 run by the
Bulls as they took their first lead of the afternoon at 16-14.
Akron broke a six-minute scoring drought with a pair of baskets
from
Lauren Stephenson
(Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) to go back on top.
Crooks, who was 4-of-6 from three-point range in the first half,
hit her fourth three of the game with :30 to go as the Zips trailed
28-27 at the half. She had 16 points in the half, along with six
from McCoy. Akron shot 44 percent (10-23) for the half, including
6-of-9 from behind the arc.
Last Time Out...
Senior captain
Jessie Crooks
(Independence, Ohio/Independence) established a career high with 28
points as the Zips squeezed past the RedHawks, 77-75 Wednesday
night at Rhodes Arena.
The win puts Akron at 10-16 overall, 3-11 MAC and is just the
fifth win over Miami in 30 appearances between the two schools.
Miami falls to 12-15 overall, 6-8 MAC.
UA trailed 71-59 with 6:33 to play before starting a comeback that
cut the lead to 75-73 with 1:54 left in the game and tied the score
seconds later on a layup from
Sarah Tokodi (Marietta,
Ohio/Parkersburg[W.Va.] Catholic) layup. Crooks put the Zips on top
for good with 1:02 remaining and from then on, the Zips' defense
shut out Miami.
"This was a great comeback by our kids," said head coach
Jodi Kest. "We didn't do a
great job stopping their guards, but down the stretch when we
needed to make the stops, we did."
Three other Zips joined Crooks with double-figures on the night.
Tokodi deposited 18 points, while
Niki McCoy (Sylvania,
Ohio/Northview) had 14 points and
Riana Miller (Sylvania,
Ohio/Northview) contributed 10 of her own. Prior to the game,
Crooks was honored having scored her 1,000th career point at Kent
State last Saturday.
Miami came out in the second half attacking first, but the Zips
quickly answered with a Miller layup. At the 18:25 mark the score
was tied 40-40, but the RedHawks slowly developed a 67-57 lead with
7:59 remaining.
The Zips finished the game shooting nearly 50 percent from the
floor (24-49, .489), making 8 of 19 three-point tries. The RedHawks
shot 39 percent (24-61) and just 7-of-21 from behind the arc.
"Scoring 77 points is a lot for us," Kest said. "I thought all of
the kids played well and I couldn't be more proud of their
effort."
Akron started the game out strong with a pair of free throws and a
three-pointer from the corner from Crooks, paving the way to a
17-10 lead. The RedHawks clawed back to regain the lead at the 3:55
for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.
For the last four minutes of the half, both teams traded buckets
as the midway score was 36-34 with the edge going to Miami. Miami's
leading was Amanda Jackson with 28 points - 11 coming in the first
half, while Ashley Hawkins contributed with 22 points from the
bench on the night.
The Zips went into the locker room having more than half their
points scored by Crooks. She led the team with 18 points and shot a
perfect 6-of-6 from the floor with four of those from long
range.
Both teams shot well in the first half with the RedHawks shooting
41 percent and the Zips bettering that, shooting 44 percent while
also going 5-of-9 as a team from behind the arc.
Career Night...
Several Zips put up career numbers in Akron's 77-75 win over Miami
on Feb. 21. Senior
Jessie Crooks set a new
mark with 28 points, going 10 of 15 from the field, including 5 of
10 from three-point range. Despite not being a point guard by
trade, freshman
Sarah Tokodi matched her
career mark with eight assists and the Zips tallied a season-best
20 assists as a team. Also matching her career high in assists was
sophomore
Niki McCoy. McCoy dished
the ball seven times, while turning it over just once.
Batting a Thousand...
Senior
Jessie Crooks reached a
basketball milestone on Feb. 17 at Kent State, recording her
1,000th career point. In 109 games played, Crooks has recorded
1,033 points, which ranks ninth on Akron's career list. She is just
the ninth player in school history to score 1,000 career
points.
Record Setting...
Willingness to drive to the basket has paid off for sophomore
Niki McCoy as she has
broken the school record for free throws and free throw attempts in
the season. Entering the game vs. Buffalo, McCoy has attempted 187
freebies, breaking the old mark of 160 set by Casey O'Connor in
1979-80. Her 152 made free throws tops the old mark of 108, also
set by O'Connor that same season. Her current average of .813 is
tied for first in the single-season annals.
Climbing the Charts...
With 408 points scored this season, sophomore
Niki McCoy currently ranks
tied for ninth on the Zips' single-season scoring charts. In 53
career games, McCoy has tallied 708 points.
Perfection...
Senior
Jessie Crooks was literally
unstoppable from the field in the first half of Akron's 77-75 win
over Miami on Feb. 21. Over the first 20 minutes, Crooks was 6 of 6
from the field, including 4-for-4 on three point attempts. The
story was no different at the free throw line where she made both
of her attempts and led Akron with 18 points at the break. She
finished the game with a career-best 28 points.
Two In-A-Row...
Entering this season, Akron had defeated Toledo just five times in
38 meetings since the two teams started playing each other in
1974-75. That number now stands at six after a 63-62 win over the
Rockets on Feb. 11. But even more impressive is the fact that Akron
has now won two straight against the Rockets.
The Zips got a very large monkey off their collective backs on
Feb. 8, 2006 with a 69-66 win at Toledo. The victory snapped a
30-game losing streak to the Rockets that dated back to the 1980-81
season. It also marked Akron's first win on the road in the series
since the 1975-76 season. Prior to the win at Toledo in 2006, Akron
had never defeated the Rockets in a Mid-American Conference
game.
Three In-A-Row...
With victories over Eastern Michigan (Feb. 3), Toledo (Feb. 11)
and Miami (Feb. 21), Akron has won three in-a-row at home. It is
the first time Akron has won three straight at home in league play
since the 1999-00 season when the Zips also recorded a three-game
home win streak.
Toeing the Line...
Niki McCoy has become a
fixture at the free throw line, ranking second in the MAC in free
throws made (152) and attempted (187). Her .813 free throw
percentage ranks fifth in the MAC.
Career Night...
Toledo-area native
Niki McCoy put on a show
for the visiting Rockets on Feb. 11, recording a career-high 28
points in the Zips' 63-62 win. McCoy was a blistering 10 of 13 from
the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point land and 6 of 7 from
the charity stripe. It was McCoy's three-point play with a layup
and a free throw that gave Akron a 61-60 lead with 49 seconds left
as Akron held on for the win.
Bench Play...
In a one-point game, every play makes a difference and the Zips
bench played a large role in the 63-62 win over Toledo on Feb. 11.
Playing 31 minutes, senior
Jessie Crooks finished with
16 points, shooting 50 percent (6-12) overall, 66 percent (2-3)
from three-point range. Crooks hit a pair of free throws with 11
seconds remaining that proved to be the difference in the win. Also
coming in off the bench, freshman
Riana Miller contributed
nine points and a pair of rebounds. Overall, Akron's bench
accounted for 29 points compared to 12 for Toledo.
Seeing Double...
Niki McCoy recorded her
second-straight double double and her sixth of the season with 16
points and 10 rebounds at Central Michgan on Feb. 7. In
Mid-American Conference play she is averaging 16.7 points per game
(5th in MAC) and 6.6 rebounds per game (15th in MAC).
Slow Start, Strong Finish...
Central Michigan held freshman
Sarah Tokodi to zero points
in the first half of the game on Feb. 7. However, entering the game
with a 12.7 ppg scoring average, she would not be denied, going
6-of-7 from the field for 13 points in the second half. She also
finished with six rebounds and five assists.
Spotlight is On...
Sophomore
Niki McCoy put on a show
for a national TV audience, scoring a then-career-high 27 points in
the Zips win over Eastern Michigan on Feb 3. The game was broadcast
as part of the MAC Game of the Week package. In 38 minutes of
action, McCoy was 9-of-17 from the field and recorded her fifth
double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.
Niki McCoy Two-Time MAC
Player of the Week...
Niki McCoy was named the
Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, the
league office announced Monday, Feb. 5. It was the second player of
the week honor for McCoy this season.
The Zips picked up their first MAC win of the season on Feb. 3
with a 69-53 triumph over Eastern Michigan at Rhodes Arena. McCoy
led the way for Akron, finishing with a career-high 27 points and
10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.
McCoy had 11 points in the first half as the two teams entered the
break tied at 31, adding another 16 in the second half as the Zips
opened with a 16-6 run. She finished the game 9-of-17 from the
field (53 percent) and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe (.888). Her
10 rebounds was also a team high, going along with a blocked shot
and a steal in 38 minutes of action.
McCoy's first honor of the season came on Dec. 26. She had a
season-high 21 points in the Zips' 71-54 win over St. Francis on
Dec. 19. In the first half of play, McCoy accounted for 15 of
Akron's 27 points as the Zips took a 27-22 halftime lead. She
finished the game 8-for-8 from the free throw line and 6-of-15 from
the field while also adding four rebounds, two blocked shots, and
three steals in 39 minutes of play.
Solid Half...
After seeing her seven-game streak of a spot in the starting
lineup come to an end at Miami on Jan. 10, freshman
Riana Miller responded with
her best half of play to date, scoring 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting
from the field. Miller finished 7-of-11 on the night and was just
two points shy of tying her career high. She also added six
rebounds.
All-Around Effort...
Akron played one of its most complete game of the year in a 69-53
win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 3. The Zips shot 46 percent
(26-56) from the field and held the Eagles to just 35 percent
(21-60). Akron also won the rebounding battle, 38-32, and turned
the ball over just 13 times, well below its average. The victory
marked
Jodi Kest's first
Mid-American Conference win at Akron.
No Thanks...
Freshman
Riana Miller wasn't about
to let Ball State score over her in the first half on Jan. 23,
posting a career-high five blocked shots in the first 20 minutes.
For the season Miller has 28 blocks, ranking sixth in the MAC with
an average of 1.08 per game.
One-Woman Show...
University of Akron freshman
Sarah Tokodi took matters
into her own hands vs. Kent State on Jan. 6, matching her career
high with 26 points in the 79-47 loss. Tokodi was responsible for
Akron's first 14 points, with no other UA player getting on the
scoreboard until
Niki McCoy's free throw
shot at 8:56. Tokodi was unstoppable in the opening minutes, going
7-for-7 before her first miss with :20 to play.
Tokodi was 9-of-14 (.643) from the field while the rest of the
team went a combined 4-of-37 (.135).
On the Assist...
Freshman
Sarah Tokodi had a career
afternoon handing off the ball on Jan. 20 at Northern Illinois
where she finished with eight assists. She matched that mark in the
Zips' 77-75 win over Miami on Feb. 21. For the season, Tokodi had
dished off the ball a team-high 103 times, an average of 3.9 per
game.
Career Best...
Sophomore
Lauren Stephenson also set
a new career mark on Jan. 20 at Northern Illinois with eight
rebounds. She tied that on Feb. 7 at Central Michigan.
Passing the Boards...
Senior
Mandy Holzer tied her
career high with 10 rebounds vs. Ohio on Jan. 16. The Zips finished
the game with a 37-33 rebounding advantage. Holzer just narrowly
missed her first career double-double, finishing with seven
points.
What Happened?...
After five-straight games of nearly-perfect free throw shooting,
the Zips hit a stumbling block vs. Ball State on Jan. 23. In the
three games prior to the contest with the Cardinals, the Zips had
converted 56 of 65 attempts (86 percent). In the game vs. Ball
State, Akron hit just 13 of 20 attempts (65 percent). The only UA
player to hit all her attempts was
Riana Miller who was a
perfect 4-for-4.
Welcome Back, Crooks...
Coming off one of her worst performances in a blue and gold
uniform at Miami on Jan. 10 where she was 0-for-7 from the field
and finished with 0 points, senior forward
Jessie Crooks bounced back
three days later with a career afternoon. At Buffalo on Jan. 13,
Crooks had a then-career-high 26 points, going 8-of-15 from the
field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. From the three-point
arc, Crooks connected on 6 of 9 attempts. She also led the team
with seven rebounds.
She had her second-straight double-digit effort with 14 points vs.
Ohio on Jan. 16.
Hang On...
If looking for a reason for the Zips' 0-8 start in Mid-American
Conference play, one has to look no further than the turnover
column. In its first eight MAC games, the Zips gave away the ball
184 times, an average of 23.0 times per game. The 24 turnovers at
Buffalo on Jan. 13 resulted in 24 points. In contrast, Akron turned
16 Bulls miscues into just nine points. The Zips' season high of 29
turnovers came vs. Ball State (Jan. 23), resulting in 25 points for
the Cardinals. Against Ohio on Jan. 16, Akron gave up the ball 22
times which turned into 25 points for the Bobcats. The Zips cut
their turnover number to 17 at Northern Illinois on Jan. 20, but
those 17 miscues still resulted in 24 points for the Huskies.
Make It Four...
This is the fourth-straight season that Akron opened Mid-American
Conference play with four losses. In 2005-06, Akron did not pick up
its first MAC win until game 10 (at Toledo). In 2004-05, the first
win came in game five (vs. Buffalo). In 2003-04, it came in the
ninth MAC game of the season (vs. Northern Illinois). The Zips
matched that mark this season with their first conference victory
coming in game nine vs. Eastern Michigan (Feb. 3).
Back on Track...
After a dismal three games at the free throw line where the Zips
had just 34 makes on 60 attempts (.566), their shooting touch
seemed to return at Miami on Jan. 10. Against the RedHawks, Akron
went to the line 25 times, converting 22 (.880).
Niki McCoy took a
season-high 14 free throw shots, making 13.
Sarah Tokodi was 9-of-10.
For the season the Zips are 371-of-527 (.704) and rank seventh in
the league.
Snapped...
Akron's loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 3 snapped a six-game win
streak. It was the program's longest win streak since the 1995-96
season. The Zips are now 3-12 in MAC openers.
Good, Bad or Ugly?...
Depends on your point of view. Akron shot 46 percent (5-11) from
the three-point line in the first half of its 69-42 win over
Niagara on Dec. 29. The ugly part? Akron shot an identical 46
percent (5-11) from the free throw line in the half.
Single Digits...
The combination of Akron's defensive effort and a poor shooting
performance by Duquesne resulted in just nine first-half points for
the Dukes on Dec. 5 as the Zips took a 23-9 lead into the
lockerroom. It was six points more of the NCAA record of three
points allowed, set by Florida State in 2003.
Double Digits...
Akron's 17-point margin of victory in the win over St. Francis was
its largest since an 88-63 win over Bowling Green on Feb. 10, 2001
(+25). That is until the Zips came away with a 27-point win over
Niagara on Dec. 29 (69-42), making it the largest margin of victory
since a 39-point win over Canisius (80-41) on Feb. 20, 1988.
Akron's 16-point win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 3 was its
largest margin of victory in a MAC game since that Bowling Green
contest in 2001.
Defensive Effort...
Akron's defense played a huge role in its 69-42 win over Niagara
on Dec. 29. Entering the game the Purple Eagles were averaging more
than 65 points per game. The Zips limited them to just 18 points in
the first half on 6-of-28 shooting. The 42 total points was the
second-fewest scored by Niagara on the season (41 vs.
Duquesne).
Fantastic Frosh...
Freshman guard
Sarah Tokodi has made an
immediate impact in her first season at Akron. The converted
shooting guard is playing the point for the Zips, averaging 12.2
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. She matched that mark in the win over Youngstown State
on Dec. 16, while also adding a season best six steals.
That number was again broken with a new season high of eight
assists at Northern Illinois on Jan. 20, where she also added 17
points. She recorded eight assists again in a win over Miami on
Feb. 21.
It was her basket with :02 remaining that gave Akron a 61-59 win
at Cleveland State on Dec. 10.
In the 69-42 win over Niagara on Dec. 29 she exploded for 26
points on 11-of-15 shooting. Tokodi had 15 of her 26 points in the
first half where she was 6-of-7 from the field. She also had six
assists while pulling down four rebounds.
She made a statement in the MAC by matching her career mark with
26 points vs. Kent State on Jan. 6. Tokodi was responsible for 17
of Akron's 24 first-half points, including the first 14 of the
game. She finished 9-of-14 from the field. She followed that with a
20-point performance at Miami on Jan. 10.
Tokodi was named to the all-tournament team at the FAU Tip-Off
Classic after averaging 17.0 ppg over the two games.
MAC Leaders...
Freshman guard
Sarah Tokodi currently
ranks tied for first among Mid-American Conference freshmen in
scoring at 12.2 ppg. She is tied for 17th overall.
New Highs...
Akron set new season marks for assists (20) in the win over Miami
on Feb. 21. Against Buffalo on Jan. 13 the Zips set a new
single-game season mark with nine three-point baskets. That ranks
tied for 10th on Akron's all-time single-game list. A season high
of nine blocked shots was accomplished at Central Michigan on Feb.
7.
And New Lows...
The Zips turned the ball over a season-high 29 times in a 71-49
loss to Ball State on Jan. 23. The Cardinals turned the 29 miscues
into 25 points.
Thanks, Santa...
The month of December was very kind to Akron as the Zips were a
perfect 6-0 during the holiday season.
Glad to See January End...
On the flip side, the Zips were not sad to see the month of
January come to an end as they were 0-8.
A Good February?...
Akron is 3-3 so far in the month of February.
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 a team-high 15.7 points per game (8th
in the MAC), including her fourth career double-double with 14
points and 10 rebounds in an 55-44 win over Binghamton (Nov. 18).
With her second double-double of the season vs. Duquesne (Dec. 5),
McCoy tied her career mark with 12 rebounds to go along with 17
points.
Her third double-double of the year and sixth career mark came at
Miami on Jan. 10 when she had 24 points and matched her career high
with 12 rebounds.
She doubled up for the fourth time in 2006-07 vs. Ball State on
Jan. 23 with a team-best 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Her fifth double-double of the year came in Akron's 69-53 win over
Eastern Michigan. Against the Eagles McCoy had 27 points, along
with 10 rebounds. She added another double one game later with 16
points and 10 boards at Central Michigan on Feb. 7.
McCoy was key to Akron's 66-58 win at Youngstown State on Dec. 16,
scoring 16 of her 20 points in the second half, while also
finishing with nine rebounds. She topped that mark one game later
with 21 points in the victory over St. Francis on Dec. 19, 15 of
those coming in the first half.
At Northern Illinois on Jan. 20, McCoy led Akron with 21 points,
19 of which came in the second half in a valiant comeback attempt
by the Zips that just fell short in an 81-70 loss.
McCoy has scored in double figures in 18 of the last 21 games,
including a career-high 28 in a 63-62 win over Toledo on Feb.
11.
She holds the team's top rebounding spot with an average of 6.6
per game, including 10 in the win over Niagara on Dec. 29. She is
also averaging a team-high 35.0 minutes per game.
Third Time's a Charm...
Akron has given its fans their money's worth this year with four
of its games decided by one point. Akron was finally on the winning
end of one of those games vs. Lehigh on Dec. 3 as they held off a
late Mountain Hawks rally for a 62-61 win. The Zips also held on
for a 63-62 win over Toledo on Feb.11. In 26 games this year, Akron
has had 13 games decided by 11 points or fewer and is 6-7 in those
games.
It's Miller Time...
Freshman forward
Riana Miller was a force on
the inside for Akron in the game against Dayton (Nov. 26), posting
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.
Against the physical, athletic Pittsburgh Panthers, Miller gave 22
solid minutes off the bench with 13 points. Miller was 5 of 7 from
the free throw line and also had four rebounds, an assist, a
blocked shot and two steals.
Proving she isn't a one-hit wonder, Miller had 14 points and seven
rebounds in the win over Lehigh (Dec. 3). Coming in off the bench,
Miller was 5-of-9 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 at the
charity stripe. She also added one block and leads the team with
26. That performance earned her a start against Duquesne (Dec. 5),
where she finished with eight points and six rebounds.
In the win over Youngstown State, Miller was a season-best 5-of-6
from the field for 10 points. She set a new season high with 16
points in the victory over St. Francis (Dec. 19), going 4-of-6 from
the field and 8-of-11 from the charity stripe.
At Miami on Jan. 10, Miller was unstoppable with 14 points,
hitting on 7-of-9 shot attempts. She has 12 first-half points on 5
of 9 shooting at Bowling Green on Feb. 14.
At Kent State on Feb. 17, Miller again showed her skills with 10
first-half points, hitting on 80 percent (4 of 5) of her shots.
Miller currently ranks sixth in the MAC in blocked shots with an
average of 1.08 per game.
They're Free? We'll Take Them...
After struggling at the charity stripe early in the season, Akron
found the right time to regain its shooting touch, going 20-of-22
against Lehigh in a 62-61 win on Dec. 3. Prior to the game vs. the
Mountain Hawks, the Zips were hitting the freebies at a .656
(84-128) clip. That number jumped to .693 (104-150) after the game
vs. the Mountain Hawks.
Akron went to the line a season-high 32 times in the win over St.
Francis (Dec. 19), converting 28 for an 87.5 percent average.
Hang On To The Ball...
The Zips lucked out in the win over Lehigh (Dec. 3), managing to
overcome a 21-turnover performance. Ball handling is an area that
has been emphasized by the coaching staff and it has shown so far
this season. Seven games into last season, the Zips had accumulated
145 turnovers. That number dropped to 117 in the first seven games
of 2006-07, including a season-low of 10 in the win over
Binghamton.
Did You Know?...
- Akron had its first six-game win streak since the 1995-96 season
(Dec. 3-Dec. 29).
- Akron has a three-game MAC home win streak for the first time
since the 1999-00 season.
- The Zips have reached double digits in the win column for the
first time since the 1999-00 season (11-17.
- The Zips have surpassed their 2005-06 season win total with 10
victories in 26 games so far this season.
- Akron set new seasons highs for field goal percentage (.522) and
steals (12) at Youngstown State.
- Akron is 3-1 in games tied at the half.
- Akron had a season-high nine blocked shots at Central Michigan on
Feb. 7, including a career mark of four by
Niki McCoy.
-
Niki McCoy has been Akron's
leading scorer in 16 of the last 22 games.
- McCoy has made 76 of her last 89 free throws dating back to the
Miami game on Jan. 10.
- Akron had seven nonconference victories, its most since the
1986-87 season (seven).
- Akron is 2-1 in its last three visits to Cleveland State.
- Akron's win over Duquesne was its first in three meetings.
- Akron did not have a three-point basket in the win over Duquesne
on Dec. 3, snapping a string of 125-straight games with a three.
The last time the Zips did not make a long-range bucket was on Feb.
6, 2002 vs. Central Michigan (0-4).
- 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 16 of 26 games this season.
- The Zips' 47 rebounds vs. Duquesne was a season high.
- Akron is 7-6 when winning the rebounding battle.
- The win over Lehigh on Dec. 3 snapped an 11-game home losing
streak.
- Akron has had at least two players score in double figures in 22
of 26 games this year.
-
Niki McCoy has nine career
double doubles; three in her freshman season and six so far this
year.
- Akron has been held under 50 points five times this year after
failing to meet the mark eight times in 2005-06.
- Both of Akron's victories in Mid-American Conference play last
season came on the road (at Toledo, at Miami).
- All three of Akron's MAC wins this season have come at home.
Close Calls...
The Zips found themselves on the wrong end of a pair of one-point
losses this year. A 50-49 loss to Valparaiso on Nov. 22 was
followed by a 58-57 loss to Dayton on Nov. 26. This year Akron is
5-4 in games decided by 10 or fewer points.
