The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Youngstown State
Youngstown State sneaks by Women's Basketball, 80-71
December 20 | Women's Basketball
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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Akron posted a higher field goal percentage and collected more rebounds, but neither would be enough to overcome 22 turnovers in an 80-71 loss at Youngstown State Thursday night.
UA (8-4) saw YSU (8-3) convert its missteps into 23 points which would figure to be the difference maker, despite four Zips reaching double figures offensively. As a team, Akron shot .491 from the field, and won the battle on the boards 39-30.
Hanna Luburgh scored 12 of her team-high 18 points in the first half to pace the Zips, who also had help from Kacie Cassell's career-high tying 10 assists. Sina King recorded her seventh double-double of the year, putting up 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Rachel Tecca also chipped in 10 points and six boards. The redshirt junior has recorded double-digits in the points column in all 12 of Akron's game this season.
Neither team was able to claim an advantage in the early going, as the two teams played each other closely to produce four ties in the first 10 minutes.
The performance of Carly Young off the bench gave UA the spark it was searching for, pouring in 16 points, including 4-of-8 from long range, in 19 minutes of action.
Youngstown State began to string together consecutive scoring possessions, and eventually held Akron to three points in five minutes en route to capturing its largest lead of the first half at 12 with just under two minutes until the break. The Zips retaliated with six unanswered points off the hot hands of Luburgh and Young to cut the deficit to six.
Akron threatened in the opening minutes of the second period when Luburgh and Young teamed up again to make it a one-point game at the 15:16 mark. But the Penguins surged ahead on a 7-0 run to separate themselves by a margin that would grow to as large as 14.
Though the Zips continued to chip away, they proved to be their own worst enemy, coughing up costly turnovers and falling victim to defensive breakdowns that allowed Youngstown State to maintain the advantage for the remainder of the contest.
YSU was led by senior Brandi Brown with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and was joined by Shar'rae Davis with 17 points.
UA does not return to the court until after the new year, when the Zips travel to Chicago State (1-10) on Thursday, Jan. 3 for their last non-conference game of the season. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
