The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
9-7 (3-2MAC)
Buffalo
10-6 (2-3MAC)
Brown and Plybon Spark Akron to 69-61 Victory at Buffalo
January 16 | Women's Basketball
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BUFFALO, N.Y. - Senior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio) and junior Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) combined to score 49 points to spark Akron (9-7, 3-2 MAC) to a 69-61 road victory past Buffalo (10-6, 2-3 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 16.
Brown scored a game-high 26 points and added a team-best 10 rebounds to notch her team-leading fourth double double of the season, while Plybon tallied 23 points.
A 13-point, 11-rebound effort from Cassie Oursler directed the Bulls, while Joanna Smith and Stephanie Reid recorded 16 and 11 points, respectively.
With its win, Akron has won its first three Mid-American Conference road games for the initial time in program history.
The Zips finished the affair shooting 39 percent from the floor, while holding Buffalo to a 29.2-percent mark from the field in the game.
The Bulls outrebounded Akron, 46-43, including 17-10 on the offensive glass, and used that advantage to post a 23-10 margin in second-chance points.
Senior Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio) distributed a team-high four assists for the Zips.
The opening minutes of the game proved to be a back-and-forth affair with the Bulls owning a 9-7 lead at the first media timeout (5:00), despite seven points from Plybon.
The Zips earned their first lead of the game when redshirt freshman Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) connected on a triple from the top of the arc at the 2:06 mark to push Akron ahead, 12-10.
The Bulls struggled offensively in the initial stanza shooting just 20 percent from the field, including missing their final seven shots of the quarter over the last 6:07. The Zips were only slightly better connecting at a 33.3 percent clip, but held a 13-12 advantage after 10 minutes of action.
Buffalo scored in the first basket of the second quarter on a lay-up by Courtney Wilkins to regain the lead, 14-13. The Zips then applied stiff defensive pressure holding the Bulls without a point over the next 5:19 and Akron took advantage parlaying a 10-0 run fueled by seven points from Brown into a 23-14 lead at the 4:57 mark.
Buffalo cut the deficit to two 27-25, on a triple from Stephanie Reid with 13 seconds remaining in the half. Senior DiAndra Gibson (Ravenna, Ohio) had an answer at the other end for Akron draining a three pointer of her own to send the Zips into the intermission leading 30-25.
Akron shot nearly 36 percent (.355) from the floor in the initial 20 minutes of play, while limiting Buffalo to a 25.8-percent shooting mark.
Brown and Plybon led all scorers with 12 points apiece in the first half, while Smith netted a team-high eight points for the Bulls.
Buffalo again opened the scoring in the third quarter, before a 6-0 Akron run stretched the Zips' lead to 36-27, after a lay-up by Gibson at the 5:34 mark.
The Bulls cut the lead to 39-35, before Akron closed the stanza on a 10-1 run to enter the fourth quarter holding a 49-36 advantage.
The Zips led by as many as 14 points on four different occasions in the final period and made their free throws down the stretch to clinch a 69-61 victory.
Akron returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 20, as the Zips welcome Toledo to James A. Rhodes Arena for a 7 p.m. tilt.
