The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
St. Francis (Pa.)
Late game surge not enough for Women's Basketball in 74-73 loss at St. Francis (Pa.)
November 18 | Women's Basketball
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LORETTO, Pa. – Hanna Luburgh exploded for a career-high 30 points but Akron was unable to complete its comeback down the stretch in a 74-73 loss at St. Francis (Pa.) Sunday.
Down by one point with eight seconds remaining and the ball, Akron was caught with no timeouts and failed to find a good look at a last second shot.
Kacie Cassell dished out a career-high 10 assists and Sina King finished the day with her second double-double of the season, putting up 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Held to just two points in the first period due to foul trouble, Rachel Tecca came back with 12 in the second half for 14 overall.
The first half started off in a scoreless drought, with neither team finding its shot for over two minutes into the game. Luburgh finally broke the lid off the basket with an easy layup off an assist from King at 17:35.
Akron (3-1, 0-0) would struggle to find its rhythm for the next several minutes, trailing by as many as nine points with the score at 19-10 in SFU's favor. Luburgh caught fire at the 10:00 mark, hitting back-to-back jumpers to key a 10-0 Akron run, putting the Zips ahead 20-19.
UA built a five point lead with just over three minutes to play in the first half, going ahead 30-25 on a three ball from Luburgh, but the Red Flash answered, making up the difference in less than a minute to tie the score at 30.
A free throw from SFU's dark horse Rebecca Keegan (11 points) and a 3-pointer from its leader Alli Williams (22 points) gave the Red Flash a four point cushion heading into the break.
Trailing at halftime for the first time this season, the Zips overcame a 16-point deficit that stood with 6:35 on the clock. Akron scored another 10 unanswered points to cut SFU's lead in half at 67-59. That run came on the heels of a Luburgh floater off an in-bounds lob pass from Cassell to beat the shot clock and give Akron some momentum.
A 3-pointer from Luburgh with 1:14 left made it a one-point game with SFU leading 72-71. Akron forced a turnover and King was fouled on the ensuing possession, hitting both of her free throws to give the Zips their own one-point lead.
St. Francis (3-0, 0-0) countered with a backside layup to reclaim the advantage that would stand for the last 30 seconds of the game. SFU has now taken the last two meetings with Akron by a combined two points.
Akron stays on the road next week, traveling to Providence on Saturday, Nov. 24 for a 2 p.m. contest, followed by a game at Saint Peter's at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 26.
