Zips Fall to Wake Forest in WNIT Opener

Thursday, March 17

Winston-Salem, NC

7:00 PM

University of Akron

17-12,13-7MAC

Wake Forest University

16-16,4-14ACC

Akron

Wake Forest

March 17 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

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BOXSCORE (PDF)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- The Akron Zips women's basketball team's 2021-22 campaign came to a close Thursday night with a 71-59 loss to Wake Forest in the opening round of the WNIT. The Zips finished the season with a 17-12 record.

Akron had three players score in double-figures with senior Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W Va.) leading the way with 20 points, eight rebounds, six steals, and four assists. Freshman Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) recorded her first double-double of the season with 19 pts, 13 rebounds, while junior Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) scored 12 points on 4-of-8 from beyond the arc.

Akron and Wake Forest simply couldn't shake one another all evening long, as the margins at the end of the first two quarters were no greater than two. The game saw 12 lead changes and seven ties, with the Zips holding the lead for over six minutes.

The two sides played a back-and-forth first half, with the Zips pulling within one (26-25) to close the first half on a layup by Dawson. The Demon Deacons then used a 23-point third quarter to expand their lead to eight and held on for the win in the closing stanza.

The Demon Deacons extended their lead to double digits in the final quarter, pushing their advantage to 58-44 with 7:43 remaining. The Zips answered with a 7-0 run that cut Wake Forest's lead to 58-51, but the Demon Deacons had an answer for every run the Zips had.

Turnovers were the biggest stumbling block in the defeat as 19 miscues allowed Wake Forest to hold the Akron offense in check and convert those turnovers into 20 points on the other end. Combined with 38.8-percent shooting, that was enough to propel the visitors to the win.