Akron Earns 85-76 Overtime Triumph Past Coppin State

Thursday, December 29

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

9-2,0-0MAC

Coppin State

3-11,0-0MEAC

OT 1

Coppin St.

Akron

Akron Earns 85-76 Overtime Triumph Past Coppin State

December 29 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

BOXSCORE (PDF)

AKRON, Ohio - A slow start didn't keep the Akron women's basketball team from closing out 2022 in style as the Zips (9-2) rallied past the visiting Coppin State (3-11), 85-76, in overtime in their final non-conference contest of the year.

Sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) led all scorers with a career-best 30-point and nine-rebound performance, while senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) added a season-high 21 points. Senior G Dominique Camp (Dayton, Ohio) and redshirt junior G Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) contributed double-figure scoring efforts with 15 and 12 points, respectively, in the win. Additionally, Camp added seven assists and three steals to help spark the Zips on both ends of the court.

Akron finished the affair shooting 40.3 percent from the field, while Coppin State connected on 43.5 percent of it attempts. The Zips won the battle of the boards outrebounding the Eagles, 43-41.

Consecutive putback baskets by Bass in the final three minutes of overtime were the tipping point for Akron, building a one-point lead to five, 78-73, with 1:44 remaining in the extra period. Two technical fouls on Coppin State with 38.6 seconds remaining allowed the Zips to close out the game at the foul line.

It was a hard-fought triumph for the Zips in a game that saw 18 ties and 16 lead changes. The contest was also Akron's first overtime win of the campaign.

The Zips weathered early hot shooting by the visiting Eagles, who entered shooting just 34 percent from the field this season. After falling behind by nine early in the second quarter, Akron tied the game at 34 midway through the period and rode a scoring burst by Neitzel (11 points in the quarter) and Ferrell (nine) to maintain a 45-42 halftime edge.

A 9-2 run to close the quarter gave the Zips momentum heading into the second half. Pinpoint passing fueled the surge and Akron assisted on 14 of its 17 made baskets in the opening half. That trend continued throughout the game, with 21 assists on 29 made field goals for the Zips.

Combined with a 21-6 scoring edge at the foul line and 19 forced turnovers by its defense, that proved to be enough to propel Akron to the win.

Sophomore F Jewel Watkins led Coppin State with 20 points and redshirt sophomore G Hope Evans chipped in with 19 points in the loss.

The win closes out a strong effort in the non-conference portion of the schedule for Akron and when the Zips return to the court, they'll open Mid-American Conference play against the Ohio Bobcats at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 4. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.