Zips Take Round One of Wagon Wheel Rivalry, 62-61

Wednesday, January 5

Kent, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

4-4,1-1MAC

Kent State

8-4,0-3MAC

Akron

Kent St.

Zips Take Round One of Wagon Wheel Rivalry, 62-61

January 05 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF)

KENT, Ohio- In a Wagon Wheel rivalry game marked by big runs on both sides, the Akron Zips scored a memorable 62-61 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes on Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center.

After Kent State rallied late to close within one point on a free throw with 31 seconds left, a defensive stand at the buzzer forced a missed jumper by Kent State guard Bridget Dunn, securing the win and half-point in the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge for the Zips.

It was a fittingly dramatic finish to a game where the lead changed hands just twice, but the momentum shifted back and forth throughout.

A 10-2 burst to open the final period saw five different Zips (4-4, 1-1 Mid-American Conference) make a shot, putting Akron ahead 52-44. That late push established a lead that held up for the remainder of the game as the Zips won their first MAC game of the season.

Senior forward Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W Va.) had a double-double, leading all scorers with 18 points and all players with 13 rebounds, along with three steals. Sophomore guard Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) was the only other Zip in double figures, tallying 16 points, while senior guard Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) and junior forward Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) each had eight.

Playing on the road thanks to a last-minute schedule change, the Zips snared a well-earned rivalry win by digging in defensively and keeping the Kent State offense in check. Akron forced 15 turnovers on the night, turning those miscues into 17 points, and limited the Golden Flashes to 34.4-percent shooting.

At the foul line, perfect 8-of-8 shooting gave Akron key points on a night when its shooting from the field wasn't quite on the mark stabilized the Zips at various points.

Despite early surges by both teams, the game remained close from the second quarter on. Akron claimed its largest lead at 15-6 late in the first quarter, while Kent State used a 17-4 run to open the second stanza and with it, build a 23-19 edge.

After the Flashes (8-4, 0-3 MAC) maintained a 30-27 lead at the half, the Zips surged back in the third quarter behind an 11-0 run coming out of the break. Dawson had five or her team's points during the run while the Akron defense forced four missed shots and a turnover.

The back-and-forth battle entered the final frame with the two teams tied at 42-all, setting the stage for the fourth-quarter drama.

Sophomore guard Casey Santoro led Kent State with 21 points, with junior guard Katie Shumate chipping in with 13 in defeat.

Following the big rivalry win, Akron returns home to take on Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 8. Tip time against the Falcons is at 2 p.m. and the contest can be seen on ESPN3 and heard on 99.7 FM Canton's New Country.