Second-Half Rally Lifts Buffalo Past Akron, 85-77, in MAC Opener

Sunday, December 13

Buffalo, N.Y.

2:00 PM

University of Akron

3-1,0-1MAC

Buffalo

3-2,1-0MAC

Akron

Buffalo

Second-Half Rally Lifts Buffalo Past Akron, 85-77, in MAC Opener

December 13 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

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Photo courtesy of Paul Hokanson/UB Athletics

BOXSCORE

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A second-half rally proved too much for the University of Akron women's basketball team to overcome as Buffalo (3-2, 1-0 MAC) opened Mid-American Conference play for both teams with an 85-77 victory over the Zips (3-1, 0-1 MAC) on Sunday, Dec. 13 at Alumni Arena.

In a battle of a pair of ranked teams in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll, the No. 14 Bulls shot nearly 49 percent (.485) percent in the second half to erase a double-digit deficit and hand 23rd-rated Akron its first loss of the season.

"Today was a tough loss on the road as we let Buffalo dictate the second half, both offensively and defensively," Akron head coach Melissa Jackson commented. "It's early in the season, and although this one stings, we need to learn a lot from it. This group will continue to grow and get better."

The Zips finished the contest shooting 43.5 percent from the field connecting on 30-of-69 attempts, including making nine three pointers. Buffalo capped the afternoon going 28-of-65 from the floor for a 43.1 percent shooting mark. The Bulls were 24-of-36 at the charity stripe, while Akron went to the line only 15 times on the afternoon.

Buffalo was able to capitalize on a 49-37 rebounding edge, including a 15-9 margin on the offensive glass, which the Bulls turned into a 20-7 difference in second-chance points.

Senior F Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) led three Zips scoring in double figures with a 22-point and eight-rebound performance. Joining her with double-figure outings were sophomores F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) and G Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio). Brewer netted a career-high 20 points, while Neitzel narrowly missed her first career double-double with a career-best 10-point and nine-rebound game.

Dyaisha Fair scored 25 of her game-high 28 points in the second half for the Bulls en route to posting a triple double with a 28-point, 12-rebound and 10-assist effort. Joining her with double-figure scoring games with 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively, was Adebola Adeyeye, Elea Gaba and Hanna Hall.

Adding nine and eight points, respectively, for Akron was junior F Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) and redshirt freshman Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio).

Both sides struggled to find their offensive rhythms in the opening stanza in a quarter that featured four lead changes and three ties. The two teams combined to shoot 36.3 percent (12-for-33) in the first 10 minutes and entered the second period all squared at 14.

The Zips came alive in the second quarter shooting nearly 53 percent (.526) from the field, including connecting on a trio of three pointers.

In just over a two-minute span, Akron went on a 10-1 run keyed by eight points from Tecca, including back-to-back three pointers, to snap a 23-all tie and assume a 33-24 edge with 3:05 left before halftime.

The two sides exchanged baskets down the stretch, including a triple from Colleen Neitzel, to enter the halftime breaking maintaining a 38-29 lead.

The Zips shot 44.4 percent from the field in the opening half, including connecting on four three pointers. Brewer paced Akron with nine first-half points, while Dawson, Molly Neitzel and Tecca added eight points each. The Bulls were led by seven tallies from Gaba.

Buffalo was limited to a 36.7 percent shooting mark and only one triple in the first 20 minutes of action. The Zips posted a 24-18 edge in points in the paint.

The Bulls cut Akron's advantage to seven, 47-40, on a layup by Fair at the 4:51 mark of the third quarter, before the Zips went on a 10-2 run over the next 1:48 to assume their largest lead of the game, 57-42, with 3:03 left in the period. Fueling the scoring surge was three pointers from freshman Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) and Dawson.

The Bulls responded with a run of their own outscoring the Zips 17-3, before Colleen Neitzel hit a jumper as time expired in the third quarter, to give Akron a 62-59 edge entering the final period.

Dawson and Stewart opened the fourth quarter drilling three pointers to extend the Zips' lead to 68-61 with 8:43 left in regulation.

The Bulls regained the lead 71-70 with 6:28 remaining in the game, before the two sides exchanged the next six baskets with Buffalo going ahead to stay on a layup by Gaba at the 2:50 mark.

The Bulls finished the quarter going 9-for-18 overall from the field, including a 9-0 run to close the contest to secure the victory.

Akron's next scheduled contest is slated for Sunday, Dec. 20 as the Zips will open the home portion of its MAC slate hosting Ball State at James A. Rhodes Arena. The 2 p.m. contest against the Cardinals can be heard on 640 WHLO-AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.