Four Zips Score In Double-Figures, But Akron Runs Into Top MAC Team Central Michigan In 95-86 Defeat

Saturday, January 20

Akron, Ohio

2 PM

University of Akron

6-12 (0-7MAC)

Central Michigan University

15-3 (7-0MAC)

CMU

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Four Zips Score In Double-Figures, But Akron Runs Into Top MAC Team Central Michigan In 95-86 Defeat

January 20 | Women's Basketball

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AKRON, Ohio – Four players scored in double-figures and the Zips played a complete, all-around contest, but the Akron women's basketball team ran into the top team in the Mid-American Conference falling to Central Michigan, 95-86, Saturday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.

A hungry Akron team played until the final whistle with the Chippewas. After trailing by a game-high 16 points with 6:17 to play, the Zips continued to fight in the final six minutes cutting the deficit to five, 83-78, with 2:58 to play, but CMU would ultimately pull away for the win

Four Akron players scored in double-digits led by sophomore Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) with 21 points, four assists and a steal, followed by sophomore Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) recording her third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.) found a rhythm from long range shooting 4-of-6 from three-point land en route to 14 points, while sophomore Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) added 12 points and five rebounds.

As a unit, the Zips shot 47.7-percent from the field, their second-best percentage in a game on the season, and shot 40-percent from beyond the arc. Central Michigan shot a game-high 52.5-percent from the field and 41.2-percent from distance. For the Chippewas, Tinara Moore scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double.

The contest began with the Zips taking a small 4-3 lead before Central Michigan would not miss from long distance. In three straight possessions, the Chippewas nailed three triples to go out in front, 12-4, and force Akron to take a timeout.

From that point on, the game went back-and-forth with CMU claiming a slight 17-16 advantage in the final six minutes of the first quarter and a 29-20 lead after the first ten minutes of play.

The Chippewas made seven three-pointers in the first period, totaling 21 of their 29 first-quarter points and seven of their nine made field goals.

Akron used a balanced scoring attack in the first quarter with seven of the eight players who checked into the game scoring at least one point to combine for the Zips 20 points.

The determined Zips quickly got back into the contest going on an 11-4 run in the opening five minutes of the second quarter. The offensive spurt cut the CMU lead down to two, 33-31, after leading by as many as 13 in the first quarter.

Akron strung together seven straight points during the run which was started by senior Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.) hitting nothing but net from distance and was highlighted by Reinoehl grabbing back-to-back offensive rebounds, before finishing with a layup.

After CMU increased its lead back to plus-six (37-31), five straight points from a three-pointer from Clay and a lay-in by Reinoehl made the contest a one-point game, 37-36. However, the Chippewas hit two triples in the final 15 seconds including one from halfcourt with time expiring taking a 47-38 lead into halftime.

Central Michigan came out of the break picking up where they left off in the second quarter. CMU led by just seven points at the 9:36 mark of the period after the first basket by the Zips, but never trailed by more than 10 points in the final eight minutes of the period.

The Chippewas held a 70-55 lead with 1:51 to play in the third quarter, but five points from Clay helped the Zips cut the deficit down to 11 points (71-60) heading into the final period of play.

After the short run by Akron to end the third quarter, CMU again started off the fourth quarter in a groove to bring its lead back up to plus-16 (81-65).

Akron was down, but not out digging back into the game with a 13-2 run in a three-minute span (6:17-2:54) and trailed by just five points, 83-78. In the scoring run, Reinoehl and Vari each scored four points, while Edmonds added three on an aggressive three-point play, and Hung with a layup for two points.

Despite the Zips run, Central Michigan never trailed by more than six points in the final 2:19 to secure the victory.

Akron continues its homestand at James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 24, when a cross-divisional opponent, Western Michigan, comes to town for a showdown with the Zips at 7 p.m.