The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
8-714-12; MAC
Miami (Ohio)
3-129-17; MAC
Zips Register 65-62 Overtime Triumph at Miami
February 24 | Women's Basketball
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OXFORD, Ohio - The University of Akron withstood an off shooting night to secure a key Mid-American Conference women's basketball road triumph with come-from-behind 65-62 overtime victory past Miami University on Wednesday, Feb. 24.
The win was the third for the Zips in overtime this season and helped Akron improve its ledger to 14-12 overall and 8-7 in conference play. The RedHawks dropped their sixth-straight decision to fall to 9-17 on the year and 3-12 in league action.
Senior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio) led three Zips scoring in double figures with a 16-point, six-rebound performance. Joining her with double-digit scoring efforts was junior Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) and senior DiAndra Gibson (Ravenna, Ohio) with 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Kayla Brown directed Miami with a team-high 15 points, while tallying 10 points off the bench was Morgan Horvath.
Akron finished the affair shooting 33.9 percent from the field, including making six three pointers. The RedHawks connected from the floor at a 37.5-percent clip.
Miami outrebounded the Zips on the night, 43-38, including 29-23 on the defensive glass. Akron used its rebounds effectively outscoring the RedHawks in second-chance points, 17-7. Gibson and sophomore Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio) each corralled a team-high seven rebounds for the Zips, while senior Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio) distributed a game-high four assists.
The RedHawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the affair before a triple by Gibson and bucket from Brown evened the game at five.
After a Miami three pointer, the Zips scored four unanswered tallies to assume their only lead of the opening quarter, 9-8, at the 5:33 mark.
The RedHawks closed the opening stanza on a 10-4 run to take an 18-13 lead into the second quarter.
Akron opening the second period on a 6-0 run to retake the advantage, 19-18, after a lay-up by Barilla at the 6:22 mark.
Front that point forward the RedHawks outscored the Zips, 9-3, to hold a 27-22 lead at the halftime intermission.
Both teams struggled in the second quarter combining to shoot 5-of-22 from the field, including a 3-for-14 effort from Akron.
Brown led the Zips with six first-half points, while Brown recorded nine points for Miami.
Akron connected on 25.9 percent of its shots in the opening half, while the RedHawks attacked the net at a 37.5-percent clip.
The opening of the second half proved to be a back-and-forth affair with each side exchanging baskets with neither team making consecutive hoops over the course of the third quarter. The RedHawks led throughout the stanza and carried a 45-41 advantage in the final period.
The Zips parlayed a 9-0 fourth-quarter run, led by five points from Plybon, to erase a 49-45 deficit, and lead 54-49 with 3:14 remaining in the game.
Akron maintained the advantage until an off-balance three pointer from Leah Purvis with 14.2 seconds remaining in regulation squared the contest at 57.
The Zips chance at a game-winner from Brown fell short as the two teams moved into overtime tied at 57.
In the extra period, Akron went ahead for good, 62-59, on a triple from Plybon with 2:36 to play.
The Zips made their free throws down the stretch to hold off Miami for the victory.
Akron returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 27, facing rival Kent State in the Zips' regular season road finale at 2 p.m. in Kent, Ohio.
