The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Cal Poly
Slow second half hinders Women's Basketball in 84-74 loss to Cal Poly
November 29 | Women's Basketball
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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- The University of Akron women's basketball team started the night off strong but was unable to combat a slow start to the second half as the Zips fell to defending Big West Conference champion Cal Poly, 84-74, Friday night.
The result drops Akron to 3-3 on the season and moves Cal Poly to 3-4 overall.
Rachel Tecca and Hanna Luburgh combined for 52 of the Zips' points. Tecca led all scorers with 28 points, 20 of which came in the first half, to go with nine rebounds. Hanna Luburgh picked up her fourth double-double of the season, posting 24 points and 12 boards.
Carly Young and Anita Brown added eight points apiece for UA.
After shooting 57.1 percent from the field in the first half, Akron was held to a meager 28.9 percent showing in the second period. The Zips were also out-rebounded 53-35, which allowed Cal Poly to finish the night with 22 second-chance points.
Cal Poly placed four players in double figures offensively, led by Molly Schlemer's 23 points and 11 rebounds. Jonae Ervin also had a double-double for the Mustangs with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Akron maintained the early advantage as Tecca scored seven of the team's first nine points, including a triple from the top of the arc. The senior's 20 first half points came on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and a 3-for-3 performance at the free throw line.
The Mustangs trimmed the lead to one on a put-back from Maddison Allen, but the Zips would answer with six-straight points to claim their largest lead of seven at the 13:09 mark.
The lead bounced back and forth between the two teams five times in the last nine minutes of the first half, but ended up in the hands of Cal Poly after a Schlemer layup with 5:37 left in the period. A layup from Tecca would make it a one-point game again with under three minutes to play, but Cal Poly grew its lead to 49-44 by intermission.
UA came out of the locker room to fall victim to an 11-4 run over the first 7:23 that included six unanswered Cal Poly points out of the gate, as Akron missed the mark on its first 11 shots of the half. Tecca ended the Zips' drought with a short jumper in the paint with 15:41 on the clock, but Akron was unable to fully recover from its sluggish start.
Trailing by as many as 13 with nine minutes left in the contest, UA cut Cal Poly's lead to eight when Brown dished to Tecca for a layup at 3:48, but the Mustangs maintained separation in the final minutes to hold on for the victory.
The Zips continue tournament play on Saturday in a neutral contest against UC Davis. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET at Mott Gymnasium. UC Davis fell to San Francisco Friday night, 69-67.
