Three Zips In Double Figures Leads Akron To 69-61 Win At Buffalo

Wednesday, February 19

Buffalo, N.Y.

7 PM

University of Akron

12-12,5-8MAC

Buffalo

13-11,4-9MAC

Akron

Buffalo

Three Zips In Double Figures Leads Akron To 69-61 Win At Buffalo

February 19 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

BUFFALO, N.Y.– In a game that went down to the wire, the Akron women's basketball team picked up its second straight Mid-American Conference road win as the Zips took down Buffalo, 69-63, inside Alumni Arena behind the strength of two double-doubles by senior Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) and junior Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.) on Wednesday night.

At the 1:55 mark of the third quarter, Akron called a timeout after a 7-1 run by Buffalo erased the Zips lead and gave the Bulls a 46-42 advantage. Immediatley following the timeout, the Zips came out with high intensity scoring seven straight points off a three by Reinoehl and two layups from senior Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) as UA regained the lead, 49-46, heading into the final 10 minutes of play.

The Zips did not lay off the intensity as Akron outscored Buffalo, 20-17 in fourth, scored 20 points in the fourth quarter for the 11^thtime this season, and iced the game with six free throws down the stretch of the contest to down the Bulls, 69-63.

Akron ended the contest shooting 23-for-54 from the floor (42.6-percent), an impressive 18-for-24 (75-percent) from the free throw line, and knocked down five three-pointers. The Zips assisted on 17 of its 23 made baskets, which tied for third-most in a single-game this season. UA scored 26 points in the paint, 14 off fast breaks, 10 off turnovers, and 10 second-chance points.

The Zips went toe-to-toe with one of the top rebounding teams in the MAC, Buffalo, pulling down 44 boards, including 10 offensive caroms. Two UA players in Reinoehl and Dawson grabbed double-figure rebounds combing 25 on the night.

Individually, three Zips scored in double figures as Reinoehl, Dawson, and Harmon scored 51 of the Zips 69 points. Reinoehl scored a game-high 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting and an efficient 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Harmon was key for the Zips with nine of her 14 points coming in the second half. Dawson flirted with a triple-double notching 13 points, 12 rebounds, and a career-high eight assists. Senior Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) fell on point shy of double digits pitching in nine points, seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal.

On the defensive side of the ball, Akron forced 13 turnovers and swiped seven steals. UA limited the Bulls to shooting just 30.7-percent from the floor and 16-percent from long distance. Individually, the Zips held the second leading scorer in the MAC, Dyaisha Fair, in check with just 14 points, which is seven points below her season average.

A hot start to the first quarter combined with lockdown defense in the second quarter handed the Zips a 32-28 lead at the halftime break.

The Zips opened the contest on fire going 3-for-3 from the floor that included a triple in the corner by Harmon and back-to-back layins from Edmonds and Reinohl that gave Akron a 7-0 lead and forced Buffalo to take an early timeout.

UB would strike back in the final five minutes of the quarter going on an 11-4 run and claimed a one-point advantage (16-15) at the first quarter break. A large part of the Bulls success came courtesy of the offensive glass as UB recorded eight offensive boards that led to second-chance points.

After struggling to find the bottom of the basket throughout the run of play until the 5:01 mark of the second quarter, the Zips ripped off a 13-8 run in the closing 3:21 of the first half. While shooting just 26.7-percent from the floor in the period, Akron was clutch at the charity stripe knocking down 8 free ones in 10 attempts.

Reinoehl paced the first-half efforts for UA nearly posting a double-double in the initial 20 minutes scoring 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Dawson set a career-high in assists in the first half alone notching five of her eight total helpers.

In the third quarter, Dawson scored the Zips first seven points and added two more dimes to her assist total (7).

Buffalo's Theresa Onwuka took over offensively for the Bulls in the third helping UB on a 9-3 lead and claimed Buffalo's first lead since the 4:51 mark of the second quarter.

From the 1:55 mark of the third quarter until the final whistle, Akron outscored Buffalo, 27-17, to secure the road victory and the first win in Buffalo since 2016.

The Akron women's basketball team closes week eight of Mid-American Conference play inside James A. Rhodes Arena for game one of an Akron basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 22. The Zips play host to the Ohio Bobcats at 1 p.m. for UA's cancer awareness game and 'Akron For Nakon' game. All proceeds raised throughout the day will be donated to the Nakon Foundation.