Akron Women's Basketball Ices Games Late To Defeat Morgan State 52-45, Goes 2-0 In Puerto Rico Classic

Saturday, December 21

Puerto Rico

Noon (11 AM Eastern Time)

University of Akron

7-4

Morgan State

4-9

Morgan State

Akron

Akron Women's Basketball Ices Games Late To Defeat Morgan State 52-45, Goes 2-0 In Puerto Rico Classic

December 21 | Women's Basketball

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– The Akron women's basketball team closed out the 2019 Puerto Rico Classic with a 52-45 win over Morgan State after locking down on defense in the fourth quarter and knocking down seven key free throws in the final minutes of the contest on Saturday afternoon inside el Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez.

The Zips took care of business and went 2-0 on the weekend defeating Denver (88-72) and Morgan State. Akron now stands 7-4 heading into 2020 the Mid-American Conference schedule and has won three straight contests.

In a game dominated by defense from both sides, Akron shot 34.8-percent from the floor while the Zips defense limited Morgan State to 31.3-percent (19-for-61). Akron took off in the second quarter that played a key role in the Zips victory scoring a game-high 17 points and only allowing eight points for the Bears. The Zips were clutch from the free-throw line on the day connecting on 15-of-20 attempts.

Akron forced 11 turnovers, recorded seven steals, scored 12 points on fastbreaks, and notched five points off Morgan State turnovers.

Senior forward Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) continued to be a problem for the opposing defense scoring a team-high 13 points for the Zips and pulled in three rebounds. Dating back to the contest against North Carolina A&T, Reinoehl has scored 61 points, recorded 14 rebounds, and five assists. Senior guard Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) had an efficient day for the Zips scoring 10 points, going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, recorded four steals, and two assists. Senior Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and junior Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.) chipped in seven points each and a combined 12 rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Reinoehl was all business in the first quarter and scored the Zips first five points after Morgan State scored the first bucket of the game. Following the Bear's second field goal, Shayna Harmon went on to score four straight points and in the blink of an eye, UA held an 11-4 advantage.

The Bears stormed back in the closing minutes of the quarter to square the game up at 13-13 at the quarter break.

Akron and Morgan State went cold in the first three minutes of the second quarter. The first points of the period came at the 7:14 mark when Edmonds knocked down a pair of free throws. The Zips first field goal followed shortly when freshman Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) splashed a three from the right-wing at the 6:29 mark.

Seven minutes into the second, the Zips held a 10-6 advantage. In the final three minutes, Akron made a push and claimed its largest lead of the half, +9 (30-21) following a 7-2 run courtesy of four different Zips.

Just as the Zips did on day one, UA struggled in the third quarter which allowed the Bears to scrap their way back into the contest. As Morgan State when on an 8-3 run, UA turned the ball four times and the Zips were held without a field goal for seven and a half minutes until sophomore Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio) sunk a jumper from the elbow.

The Zips did manage a small 6-2 run in the closing minutes of the period to extend its lead back to +6 (39-33) that ended with a buzzer-beating lay-up from freshman forward Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio).

Akron went back-and-forth with the Bears in the opening five minutes of the fourth with MSU slightly edging the Zips, 7-6, to cut its deficit back to five points (45-40).

Both the Zips and Bears went cold for a two-minute span that included the two sides going a combined 0-for-4 and a pair of turnovers.

Following a three-pointer by Morgan State at the 3:28 mark, the Zips iced the game six free throws while the Bears connected on just one field goal in the final minutes.

As the calendar year flips, so does the Akron women's basketball schedules as the Zips focus on Mid-American Conference play in 2020. After the holiday season, the Zips open MAC play on Saturday, Jan. 4, at James A. Rhodes Arena. Akron hosts Central Michigan in the league opener at 2 p.m.