The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
7-7, 1-2MAC
Central Michigan
8-6, 2-1MAC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Michigan | 27 | 26 | 22 | 22 | 97 |
| Akron | 26 | 13 | 21 | 17 | 77 |
Akron Suffers 97-77 Setback To Central Michigan
January 09 | Women's Basketball
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AKRON, Ohio – Senior DiAndra Gibson (Ravenna, Ohio) poured in a career-high 21 points and senior Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio) dished out eight assists, but Mid-American Conference West Division opponent Central Michigan (8-6, 2-1 MAC) proved to be too much for Akron (7-7, 1-2 MAC) in a 97-77 loss Saturday afternoon, Jan. 9, at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Zips fell behind early in the second half and were unable to play catch-up in what proved to be a shootout between two of the highest-scoring teams in the league.
Gibson started the game scoring Akron's first 14 points giving the Zips an early lead. She finished the game going 5-for-9 from beyond the arc. Junior Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) followed that lead, posting 17 points and two assists.
Senior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio) also chipped in 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds, while junior Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) added nine points for the Zips.
Central Michigan placed two players in double figures offensively, led by a 35-point and 20-rebound performance from Tinara Moore, who was a perfect 16-for-16 from the field.
Akron was held to 40.0 percent shooting from the field for the game, against CMU's 58.8 percent shooting clip. The Chippewas outrebounded the Zips, 40-29, including 29-18 on the defensive glass, and outscored Akron in the paint, 53-26.
After leading 14-6 early in the first quarter, the Zips ended the period trailing by one, 27-26.
Central Michigan then parlayed a 12-2 run to begin the second quarter to extend its lead to 39-28, before Gibson ended the run with a three pointer at the 6:19 mark.
The two teams traded baskets over the final minutes of the half as the Zips went into the intermission down, 53-39.
Akron connected on 40.6 percent of its first-half shots, while the Chippewas shot 57.9 percent from the field.
A sluggish start out of the locker room dug a hole for the Zips that proved to be too deep to climb out of, as the Zips were unable to hold off Central Michigan's offensive weapons from every angle.
The Chippewas' lead grew to 20 points midway through the half, and Akron connected on just 13-of-33 attempts from the floor, coming up 4-for-11 from long range in the second half.
Akron returns to the court Wednesday, Jan. 13, when it travels to Bowling Green. Tip-off between the Zips and the Falcons is set for 7 p.m. at the Stroh Center.
