The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Robert Morris
Women's Basketball Loses Back-and-Forth Battle at Robert Morris, 85-78
December 21 | Women's Basketball
MOON TWP., Pa. – The University of Akron women's basketball team lost a back-and-forth struggle, 85-78, at Robert Morris Wednesday morning.
Junior Taylor Ruper led Akron (5-7) with 21 points - on 7-of-16 shooting from behind the arc. Jasmine Mushington added 15 points and Carly Young tallied 13 points and six rebounds. Natasha Williams dished out seven assists. Artemis Spanou led RMU with a game-high 24 points. Briannica Tye recorded 22 points and five assists for the Colonials
Akron shot 39.1-percent (27-of-69) in the game and 40-percent (12-of-30) from distance. RMU was 45.6-percent (26-of-57) from the field and made 28-of-32 free throw attempts.
RMU (8-3) jumped out to a 6-0 lead as Akron struggled from the field in the early going. King put the Zips on the board with a bucket four minutes in to make the score 6-2. UA would then start to heat up, making four of its next six shots, and cutting the lead to 12-9 at the under 12-minute media timeout. Carly Young's three from the top of the key tied the game at 12-12 with 10:01 on the clock.
The Colonials reclaimed the lead with a 6-0 spurt, before the Zips battled right back with 6-0 spurt of their own. A Luburgh put-back started the rally, and Ruper and Cassell tied the game, 20-20, with back-to-back transition threes. Ruper's third longball of the half gave UA its first lead of the game, 26-25, with 2:50 to go in the period. RMU would then take a 30-29 lead into the intermission.
Ruper led Akron with nine first half points on 3-of-7 shooting from behind the arc. Akron went 6-of-16 (.375) from distance, with the UA bench outscoring RMU's substitutes, 11-2, in the half.
Ruper remained hot from deep after the break, with her second three in the period's first four minutes giving Akron a 39-37 lead. After trading baskets, Carly Young's second trey of the game regained the UA edge, 45-43 with 14:13 to go in the game.
Robert Morris regained the lead, 50-47, on a Catherine Matthews trey from the right corner. Spanou scored the next four points for RMU to stretch the lead to 54-47. A pair of Britta Emberg free throws then stretched the RMU lead to 60-52 with just under six minutes to play. The lead would remain about five until another Young three cut the deficit to three 76-73 with just over a minute to play. The Colonials were able to hang on from there, knocking down 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute.
Akron will be off from competition for a week, returning to James A. Rhodes Arena on Dec. 28 against Providence. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.
Zips Notebook: Akron's 12 made 3-pointers was a season-high and one off the team single-game record. The Zips made nine threes in the win over Loyola on Nov. 25 ... Taylor Ruper's sevem treys were one off the single game record, set by Ruper last season against Ball St. (2-12-11) ... The home team has won the last four meetings in the series. Overall, Akron is 13-8 all time against RMU.
