The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Siena
Akron improves to 6-0 with 90-74 victory over Siena
November 29 | Women's Basketball
Follow Akron Women's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Follow Coach Kest on Twitter
FINAL STATS | FINALS STATS (PDF)
DENVER, Colo. – Led by a 28-point, eight-rebound performance from junior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio), the Akron women's basketball team captured the championship of the Denver Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday with a 90-74 victory over Siena (3-1).
The Zips (6-0) extended their season-opening win streak to six straight with the triumph.
"It was a great win for our kids, Siena is a very good team," Akron head coach Jodi Kest commented. "They killed us on the offensive glass and that was my biggest worry all day. What we talked about was trying to play tempo as much as possible and I thought when we told the kids we were going to have to play more kids today just because of altitude and playing back-to-back and trying to push the ball up the court as much as possible they responded. It was a hard-fought win for us and I was really pleased with the team effort."
Brown finished one point of equaling her career high for the Zips, while senior Sina King (Waterford, Ohio) registered her team-leading fourth double-double of the season with a 23-point, 11-rebound effort. King also dished out five assists.
Garnering nine-, eight- and eight-point efforts for Akron was junior Katie Nunan (Fairmont, W. Va.), sophomore Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) and freshman Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.).
The Zips finished the game shooting 52.7 percent from the field, including 50 percent from beyond the arc, while limiting the Saints to a 36.9 percent shooting mark.
The Zips received 23 points off the bench.
Distributing a game-high seven assists for Akron was junior Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio).
The Saints jumped out to a 9-4 lead to begin the game before four-straight points from Nunan brought the Zips to within one, 9-8.
The two sides battled back and forth over the next few minutes before a jumper by Nunan evened the affair at 21 at the 9:28 mark.
Siena scored the next four points before baskets from Brown, King and a three-pointer from Hung with 7:45 left in the half capped a 7-0 run to give Akron its first lead in the affair, 28-25.
The Saints answered with four unanswered tallies before the Zips took over the lead for the good on a basket from sophomore Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) with 6:56 left in the half.
The Zips outscored the Saints 17-9 over the remainder of the period to take a 47-38 lead into the intermission.
Brown scored 17 points in the initial stanza on 6-of-10 shooting, while King chipped in 11 points. Posting six points off the bench was Nunan.
The Zips opened the second half on a 14-3 run to assume control of the game, fueled by a 9-0 scoring spurt.
Akron finished the second half shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from three-point range.
The Zips return to action hosting Morehead State on Friday. Game time at the James A. Rhodes Arena is set for 7 p.m.
