Balanced Scoring Lifts Akron to 95-61 Win in Season Opener

Sunday, November 29

Akron, Ohio

5:00 PM

University of Akron

1-0,0-0MAC

Bluefield State

0-1,0-0DII Independent

Bluefield St.

Akron

Balanced Scoring Lifts Akron to 95-61 Win in Season Opener

November 29 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Follow Akron Women's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Follow Coach Jackson on Twitter

BOXSCORE | POSTGAME COMMENTS | PHOTO GALLERY

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's basketball team opened its season with a resounding 95-61 home win over visiting Bluefield State (0-2) on Sunday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Senior F Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) led the Zips on the day, posting a 19-point and a team-best 12-rebound performance, while sophomore F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) added 16 and junior F Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) reaching double figures with 10-point effort. Dawson also contributed four steals and three assists.

Akron (1-0) finished the contest shooting nearly 45 percent (.447) from the field, while limiting the Big Blue to a 30.6-percent shooting effort. The Zips also won the battle of the boards, 53-45, including a 41-34 edge on the defensive glass.

Akron outscored Bluefield State in the paint, 44-22, while also registering an edge in fast-break points (18-2).

The Zips were directed by nine, seven, six and six points, respectively, off the bench from sophomore G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.), sophomore G Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio), redshirt freshman G Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio) and freshman G Kate Garry (Loveland, Ohio).

The Zips led for the entire contest, racing out to an early lead behind strong defensive pressure and red-hot shooting. Brewer had 10 in the first half alone and was joined in the scoring frenzy by Martindale, who had nine points before the break to propel Akron to a 57-27 halftime lead.

With 12 players seeing action and all 12 scoring, third-year head coach Melissa Jackson saw her squad turn in a balanced effort less than a week after its scheduled season opener against Ohio State was canceled. That balance gave Akron a 37-27 edge in bench points, with the Zips' second unit continuing to add to the team's lead throughout the evening.

Capitalizing on a decided size and speed advantage, Akron routinely battled its way through the Bluefield State defense for good looks at the basket and scored on second-chance hoops as they snared 12 offensive rebounds.

Undeterred by the delayed start of their season, the Zips shot a scorching 51.4 percent from the field in the opening half – including 57.1 percent from 3-point range - and racked up 31-first-quarter points to put the Big Blue on their heels early.

The onslaught continued in the second quarter as Tecca drained a 3-pointer and assisted on another to help fuel a 14-0 run for the hosts to open the period.

Thanks to a suffocating defensive effort, Akron was able to prevent the Big Blue from significantly cutting into its lead, as the visitors couldn't get any closer than 28 after intermission. The strong defensive effort limited Bluefield State to 30.6-percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers, helping Akron to a 21-4 margin in points off turnovers.

The Zips' dominance at the foul line helped power their offense as well, with the hosts shooting 18-of-25 from the charity stripe and outscoring Bluefield State 18-9 in that category.

Jia Coppola led Bluefield State with 10 points in defeat and Katrina Davis added nine for the Big Blue.

Akron will make a quick turnaround and return to the court after just one day off when it hosts Northern Kentucky on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m. The contest can be heard on 640 WHLO-AM.