Akron Runs Out Of Time As Zips Fall 79-71 To Western Michigan

Saturday, January 25

Kalamazoo, Mich.

2 PM

University of Akron

9-9,2-5MAC

Western Michigan

11-7,4-3MAC

Akron

Western Mich.

Akron Runs Out Of Time As Zips Fall 79-71 To Western Michigan

January 25 | Women's Basketball

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KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Back on the road in Mid-American Conference action in Kalamazoo, Mich., the Akron women's basketball team ran out of time in its fourth-quarter comeback effort despite scoring 28 points in the final 10 minutes and four Zips scoring in double-figures as UA fell 79-71 to Western Michigan inside Read Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

It was a back-and-forth battle between the two sides as the Zips and Broncos traded shot for shot in the final stanza shooting a combined 23-for-33 with each team knocking down three triples. However, WMU went 8-for-12 from the free-throw line while Akron went just 1-for-5 which helped lift the Broncos to the victory.

The four-headed attack of junior Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.), senior Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.), senior Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.), and senior Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) scored 56 of UA's 71 points. Dawson recorded a team-high 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. Edmonds scored 15 points for the second time in as many games, matched her career-high six rebounds, and dished out a team-high four assists. Reinoehl notched double-digits in the point column for the fifth straight game as the Zips leading scorer chipped in 13 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Harmon rounded out the Zips in double figures scoring 11 points, hit two three-pointers, and grabbed six rebounds.

On the day, Akron shot 44.6-percent from the floor and went 15-for-25 from the free-throw line. The Zips edged the Broncos in points in the paint, 38-to-32, improving the Zips season point total in the paint to 578.

The Zips offense took some time to get moving against the Broncos shooting 0-for-3 and committing six turnovers in the first minutes of the contest allowing Western Michigan to claim an early 9-1 advantage.

Down the stretch of the first period, Akron dusted off the rust to cut its deficit down to five points, 16-11, at the break. UA ended the stanza shooting 4-for-7, limited its turnovers, and recorded three WMU takeaways.

From that point on, the Zips locked in on both ends of the court. Offensively, UA outscored WMU 22-12, shot 57.1-percent from the floor, went on a 16-4 run that included nine straight points (8:10-5:00) and seven straight points (4:34-3:10), and led by as many as 10 points twice in the period.

On the defensive side of the ball, UA limited WMU to just 4-for-14 shooting and forced four turnovers that transitioned into five Akron points.

Western Michigan regained control in the third quarter and claimed a 46-43 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Akron offense cooled off out of the halftime break shooting just 1-12 from the floor and did not record its first field goal until the final minute of the quarter. The Zips were able to hang around with the Broncos as UA connected on seven free throws and played stout defense down the stretch of the period.

Akron continues its tour against Mid-American Conference East divisional opponents as the Zips head to Athens, Ohio for a midweek contest against Ohio University. UA and the Bobcats are scheduled to go head-to-head on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.