The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
6-7,1-2MAC
Central Michigan
1-11,0-3MAC
Akron Secures 70-62 Victory Against Central Michigan on Fourth-Quarter Comeback
January 10 | Women's Basketball
BOXSCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY
AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron women's basketball team fought back from a 50-49 deficit after the third quarter to take down Central Michigan, 70-62, at James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday (Jan. 10).
The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by junior Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio), who secured her league-leading ninth double-double of the season with a 21-point and 13-rebound performance. Bass netted 15 of her points and eight rebounds in the second half, with nine of those tallies coming in the final period. Sophomore Lanae Riley (Akron, Ohio) added 17 points, a career-high eight rebounds and two blocks off of the bench, while redshirt senior Morgan Haney (Piqua, Ohio) chipped in with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals. Junior Kaia Woods (Tiffin, Ohio) contributed nine points to go along with matching career-best marks for assists (6) and steals (3).
Led by Bass' four offensive rebounds, Akron did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 16 boards that resulted in 12 second-chance points.
Akron forced 23 Central Michigan turnovers while committing 15 themselves in Wednesday's game. The Zips turned those takeaways into 20 points on the offensive end of the floor. Junior Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the way individually with a career-high four steals.
How It Happened
After falling behind 13-9, Akron went on a 5-0 run with 47 seconds left in the first quarter to take a 14-13 lead, a score that would hold for the rest of the period. Akron relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down two shots to account for six of its 14 points.
Central Michigan rallied to take a 27-25 lead before Akron went on a 7-0 run starting at the 2:16 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from Haney, to take a 32-27 lead. The Chippewas then came roaring back to take a 34-32 lead heading into halftime.
Following halftime, Akron kept the Chippewas from growing their lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a basket from senior Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario), to grab a 43-40 lead with 4:21 to go in the third. Central Michigan responded to seize a 50-49 lead entering the fourth quarter. Akron played well near the basket, scoring 12 of its 17 points in the paint.
Central Michigan kept widening its lead in the fourth, constructing a 62-57 advantage before Akron went on a 13-0 run sparked by five and four points, respectively, from Bass and Haney to seize a 70-62 lead with five seconds to go in the contest, a score which would hold for the rest of the game. Akron took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 12 of its 21 points in the paint.
Game Notes
» Bass notched an impressive double-double for the Zips with 21 points and 13 rebounds.
» The Zips rallied from a one-point 50-49 third quarter deficit to pick up the win.
» The Akron bench made an impact by adding 30 points to its scoring output.
» The Akron defense forced 23 turnovers.
» Akron cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 16 offensive boards in the game.
Up Next
Akron travels to Buffalo for a 2 p.m. matinee affair against the Bulls on Saturday (Jan. 13).
