The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio
Akron unable to overcome league-leading Ohio in 71-55 setback
February 21 | Women's Basketball
Follow Akron Women's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Follow Coach Kest on Twitter
FINAL STATS | FINALS STATS (PDF) | SEASON STATS (PDF) | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY
AKRON, Ohio - In a showdown between the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference's Eastern Division, it was Ohio (21-4, 12-2 MAC) who came into James A. Rhodes Arena and limited Akron (19-6, 9-5 MAC) to its lowest-point output of the season en route to a 71-55 triumph past the Zips on Saturday, Feb. 21.
Senior Sina King (Waterford, Ohio) led the way for Akron recording her team-leading 12th double-double of the season with a 16-point, 12-rebound performance.
Junior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio) contributed 14 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Zips, while freshman Kerri McMahan (Novi, Mich.) added nine points, and an assist.
The Zips struggled offensively from the floor shooting 37.3 percent (19-of-51) and only 22.2 percent from long range. Ohio finished the game shooting 39.1 (25-for-64) percent as a team and at a 26.9 percent (7-for-26) clip from beyond the arc.
Kiyanna Black scored a game-high 31 points to go with three rebounds and two steals to lead the Bobcats.
The Zips won the rebounding battle on the evening, 38-32, including 30-22 on the defensive glass. Akron was sparked by 12, six, and six rebounds from King, Brown and junior DiAndra Gibson (Ravenna, Ohio).
The Zips came out and applied defensive pressure on the Bobcats to start the contest and the execution was effective as Ohio missed its first four shots and turned the ball over twice in the initial three and half minutes of the game. Offensively, Akron opened the tilt with an early 6-2 lead with a pair of lay-ups from King and McMahan and a pair of free throws courtesy of Brown.
Ohio answered finding its own offensive rhythm en route to going on a 16-4 run to take a 21-11 lead at the 10:03 mark after Black converted a pair of free throws following an assessed technical foul on the Zips.
Akron cut the deficit to four points with 4:45 to play in the first half with the help of an 8-2 scoring run. Brown capped off the Zips' run by hitting a free throw.
The Zips were not able to record a field goal and committed three turnovers over the final three minutes of the half as they entered the intermission trailing 33-22. Over the same span, Ohio scored seven-straight points to take an 11-point lead at halftime.
The final 20 minutes started off with the Zips and Bobcats exchanging baskets. Ohio increased its lead to 12, 37-25, after a Quiera Lampkins' lay-up with 17:13 left to play.
Akron answered back with four-straight points of its own capped off when Plybon found King under the basket for two.
The Akron offense struggled early in the second half as the Zips scored only two points courtesy of a pair of free throws from King during a six-minute span. In those six minutes the Bobcats scored eight points to give them a 45-31 lead at the 11:45 mark.
Midway through the second half the Bobcats continued to extend their advantage as Ohio's lead didn't drop below 12 points over the final 10 minutes of the game.
Turnovers again plagued the Zips as Akron committed 23 turnovers in the setback.
The Zips return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 25, as the second installment of the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge takes place when the Zips travel to face Kent State. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
