Women's Basketball

Wednesday's Women's Basketball Results

Wednesday’s Women’s Basketball Results
Buffalo 76, Kent State 70
Miami 70, Akron 58
Central Michigan 74, Eastern Michigan 62
Ohio 74, Northern Illinois 70
Toledo 70, Ball State 66
Bowling Green 70, Western Michigan 63
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments 

Buffalo 76, Kent State 70
Box Score
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo women's basketball team (21-4, 10-3 MAC) outscored Kent State 24-13 in the fourth quarter to complete a second half comeback and defeat the Golden Flashes 76-70 in a pivotal late-season matchup at Alumni Arena on Wednesday night.

Fifth year guard Chellia Watson put on a show for the home crowd, tying a season-high with 28 points to go with nine rebounds. Sophomore Kirsten Lewis-Williams also scored in double figures with 17 points, including 7-of-9 shooting from the free throw line and Noelani Cornfield flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.

Kent State opened the game on an 8-2 run to take the lead at the first media timeout. Watson recorded UB's first field goal of the game at the 3:46 mark on a runner in the paint before knocking down a triple on the wing, and later, Cornfield flew up court and banked home a mid-range jumper to pull the Bulls within single digits at the end of the first.

Lewis-Williams scored the first four points of the second quarter and then later found Watson for a pair of jumpers as UB cut the lead to four, but the visitors answered with a 5-0 run to take a 28-19 lead at the media timeout. Cornfield got to the rim for a layup and Terah Harness followed with a triple on UB's next possession to cut the lead to four at the 3:47 mark. Sitota Gines gave the Bulls a spark with a corner three and then the Bulls ramped up the defense as Harness came up with a pair of steals and converted the ensuing fastbreak layup before Cornfield put her defender on skates and finished off glass at the buzzer to cap a 6-0 rum and cut the lead to 36-35 at the half.

Senior forward Jordyn Beaty powered up for a layup on UB's first possession of the third quarter and then scored inside again a couple possessions later before Lewis-Williams sliced to the basket for a layup plus the foul and then spun through the lane for an acrobatic layup off glass to pull UB within one, but Kent State then got to the charity stripe on three straight possessions to take a 52-46 lead at the media timeout. The visitors took a nine-point lead at the 3:42 mark but the Bulls answered as Watson found Harness for a fastbreak layup before curling off a screen and knocking down a midrange jumper of her own and then Cornfield got to the free throw line in the final seconds to pull UB within five at the end of the third.

Kent State took a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter before the Bulls began to chip away as Beaty, Watson and Lewis-Williams scored on three straight possessions and then Watson got a running jumper to drop to pull UB within two, but the Golden Flashes had an answer and maintained a 67-62 lead at the media timeout. Senior forward Ariana Seawell got deep position for a layup before Watson scored on three straight trips down the floor to give UB their first lead of the game, 70-67, with two minutes to go and Cornfield and Watson would seal the game from the charity stripe as they went 6-of-6 in the final 90 seconds to secure the victory.

Buffalo dominated inside, outscoring Kent State 46-24 in the paint, while also continuing to turn defense into offense as they forced 15 turnovers and scored 20 points off those miscues. The Bulls also excelled in transition, recording a season-high 35 fastbreak points.

Miami 70, Akron 58
Box Score
AKRON, Ohio – The Miami University women's basketball team outscored the Akron Zips 19-6 in the final eight minutes of the contest for a 70-58 road victory on Wednesday night. Maya Chandler (17), Enjulina Gonzalez (16), Amber Tretter (15) and Katey Richason (12) all scored in double figures for the RedHawks (16-8, 8-5 MAC) who won their fifth-straight contest. Shelbee Brown had 24 points for the Zips (9-17, 3-10 MAC).
 
How it Happened:
  • Miami opened the contest on a 6-2 run, but five-straight points from Akron gave the Zips their first lead of the contest, 8-7. Six points from Chandler and a layup from Richason spotted Miami a 15-10 lead, but an 11-2 Akron run to close the quarter gave the Zips a 21-17 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
  • A three-point play from Tretter knotted the contest at 23 apiece three minutes into the second quarter. Miami then went scoreless for the next five minutes (Akron only scored two) before Gonzalez's 18-foot jumper ended the drought to make it 25-25 with 90 seconds to play. Akron scored the next four before Richason knocked down a three pointer to make it a one-point game. Akron led 31-30 at the half.
  • Akron stretched their advantage, 36-32, early in the second half before the RedHawks went on a 12-3 run to claim a 44-39 lead midway through the third. After Akron's 6-2 run made it a one-point Miami lead, Chandler's first triple of the evening put Miami up four late in the third. The RedHawks led 49-47 entering the final stanza.
  • The Zips took an early 52-51 lead in the fourth, but a triple from Chandler and a three-point play from Tretter put Miami up 57-52 with six minutes to play. Akron scored on the ensuing possession, but Chandler once again knocked in a triple to extend the RedHawks' lead, 60-54 at the media timeout. Miami held the Zips to just four points (all free throws) in the final five minutes for the 12-point victory.

Central Michigan 74, Eastern Michigan 62
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Central Michigan Women's Basketball took out Eastern Michigan, 74-62, in a rebound victory in Mid-American Conference play, vaulting back into seventh in the league standings.

Ayanna-Sarai Darrington (Lexington, Ky. / Frederick Douglass) recorded her third 20-point game in her last four outings to lead the way in scoring and rebounding (8)—shared with Jess Lawson (Las Vegas, Nev. / Legacy).

Darrington, the MAC leader in field goal percentage—near 59 percent on the season—and offensive rebounding—well-over three per game—shot 10-for-16 from the floor and aided CMU to an 18-5 advantage in second chance points with six offensive rebounds. She compiled her line in 18 minutes on the floor as she battled early foul trouble before the bench was unloaded late.

The Chippewas finished the contest with a 46-36 edge in the lane, a 34-20 margin through the first three quarters. Of 30 field goals made, 23 were collected in the paint.

The Chippewas opened the contest on a 10-0 run then, after some back-and-forth out of the first media break, they repeated the effort to end the first quarter.

Darrington and fellow rookie Madi Morson (Canton, Mich. / Salem) each tallied eight in the opening quarter. Morson would finish with 16 on 6-for-12 shooting in a turnover-free 25 minutes.

CMU was up 15, 32-17, midway through the second quarter thanks to one of three long-range makes from Lisa Tesson (Montreal, Quebec / Royal Crown). Tesson and Jayda Mosley (Cincinnati, Ohio / Purcell Marian) combined for the Chippewas' five in eight attempts.

The Eagles had drawn back within 10 points early in the third quarter.

The Chippewas responded with a 12-2 run to double the advantage, 50-30. Their largest lead, 56-33, came late in the third quarter to allow the rotation to deepen. Nine different players collected at least 14 minutes.

Ohio 74, Northern Illinois 70
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio women's basketball team (5-19, 3-10 MAC) picked up an exciting 74-70 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies (12-13, 5-8 MAC) in the Convocation Center on Wednesday night. 

Ohio shot 49.1% from the field, 26.1%  from beyond the arc and went 16-of-20 from the line. Northern Illinois shot 38.5% from the field, 33.3% from deep and went 10-of-12 from the line. Northern Illinois outrebounded Ohio 38-31, but Ohio forced 11 turnovers and scored 12 points off them. 

Overall, Ohio was led by senior guard Kenndi Watkins (Ballwin, Mo.) with 23 points, one block, five rebounds and two steals. Sophomore guard Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) added 16 points and three rebounds. Graduate student guard Anyssa Jones added 12 points, four rebounds and one steal. Sophomore guard Asiah Baxter (Indianapolis, Ind.) added an additional eight points, two assists and four rebounds. 

From the tip, Watkins scored the first basket of the game. However, when the Huskies regained possession, they would go on an 8-0 run to quickly gain a lead and force the Bobcats to call an early timeout. Out of the timeout, Jones sank a layup assisted by Baxter. Back-to-back three-point jumpers from Tabeling and Baxter helped close the score gap against the Huskies to two points. Both teams traded baskets to stay within two points, with the Huskies holding the lead for the remaining three minutes of the quarter.
 
The Huskies opened the second quarter by scoring off a turnover, but Tabeling responded with a three-point jumper for the Bobcats to not fall too far behind. Shots behind the arc from Baxter and Tabeling set the Bobcats ahead by four and earned their first lead since the first quarter. Ohio played quickly on offense, sinking five shots in a row to stay ahead of Northern Illinois. Going into the first media timeout of the quarter, Ohio had a four-point lead. Out of the timeout Watkins stole the ball to drive in for a layup, but drew a foul and earned a three-point play. The Bobcats kept their momentum on defense until the end of the quarter, leading at the half 45-39.
 
Ohio began the second half with possession and Baxter had a driving layup. Watkins would not be far behind with a basket behind the arc to further Ohio's lead to 11. The ball moved quickly up and down the court, but the Huskies made come back making five out of the last seven baskets to get behind the Bobcats by three points. Both teams traded baskets, but the Huskies sank an additional shot to tie the score 56-56 with three minutes remaining in the quarter. Northern Illinois had a layup on a fast break to ahead by two, but both teams played aggressively on defense to keep each other off the board for two minutes of play. With two seconds on the shot clock, Watkins drove in a layup to tie 58-58 going into the fourth quarter.
 
Northern Illinois began the final ten minutes of play sinking a basket, but junior forward Cassidy Lafler (Dublin, Ohio) responded the very next play with a driving layup to keep the score tied. Ohio gained a four-point lead after Tabeling and freshman guard Gigi Bower (Powell, Ohio) both went 2-for-2 at the free throw line. Tabeling kept the offensive momentum for Ohio by snagging a steal and scoring a driving basket under the rim. Both teams traded baskets once again, keeping the score within one point. Going into the final media timeout of the game, Ohio led 70-69. Ohio pressed on defense out of the timeout to keep Northern Illinois off the board, forcing them to call another timeout. With 12 seconds on the clock, Tabeling drew a foul and went 2-for-2 at the stripe to keep Ohio ahead, but Northern Illinois would call another timeout. With four seconds left on the clock, Ohio used its final timeout to keep possession of the ball. Out of the timeout, Tabeling would draw a foul and go 2-for-2 at the stripe, securing the 74-70 win over Northern Illinois.

Toledo 70, Ball State 66
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio – Powered by 23 points and eight rebounds from Sammi Mikonowicz, the Toledo women's basketball team gave MAC leader Ball State its first conference loss of the season in a thrilling 70-66 victory at Savage Arena Wednesday night.
 
The Rockets (19-5, 10-3 MAC) battled back-and-forth in the first half, before taking as much as a nine-point lead in the third quarter. Toledo then re-took the lead in the fourth and held it the rest of the way, stopping a potential tying possession from the Cardinals (20-6, 12-1 MAC) in the final minute, avenging a 77-63 loss at Ball State on Jan. 20.
 
Toledo extended its season-long winning streak to seven games and improved to 11-1 at home with the victory.
  
Top Rocket Performers
Sammi Mikonowicz – 23 PTS, 8 REB, 3 STL, 7-of-14 FG, 8-of-9 FT
Second-most points of Mikonowicz' career (27 at Navy, Nov. 30, 2024)
Kendall Carruthers – 12 PTS, 6 AST, 3 REB, 3 STL
Nan Garcia – 9 REB, 7 PTS, 5-of-6 FT

Top Ball State Performer
Alex Richard – 33 PTS, 15-of-23 FG, 6 REB

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Ball State took a 9-2 lead at the first-quarter media timeout.
  • The Rockets closed the gap and traded leads back-and-forth at the end of the quarter, with Ball State leading 15-14 after the first. Toledo scored on its last four offensive possessions of the period.
  • No team led by more than four in the second quarter, with the Cardinals carrying a 30-28 lead into halftime. Sammi Mikonowicz had nine points in the second frame.
  • With the game tied 34-34 in the third, the Rockets went on a 9-0 run over 2:10 for a 43-34 lead at the 4:46 mark. Evalyse Cole's corner three capped the run and marked Toledo's biggest lead of the game.
  • Ball State then scored 14 of the quarter's final 19 points to tie things up at 48-48.
  • A Jessica Cook layup and a Kendall Carruthers three quickly put Toledo up 53-48 to start the fourth quarter.
  • The Rockets held the lead and pushed the advantage to as much as eight at 64-56 on Carruthers' free throws with 1:35 left.
  • From there, Ball State scored five-straight points and had a possession to potentially tie the game, but Khera Goss' steal with 26.2 seconds left denied the opportunity. Toledo made its final six free throws to seal the game down the stretch.
Bowling Green 70, Western Michigan 63
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team got off to a red-hot start Wednesday evening (Feb. 19), and the Falcons held off a late comeback bid by Western Michigan University. It all added up to a 70-63 BGSU win at University Arena.

The Falcons (14-11, 7-6 Mid-American Conference) burst out to a 26-10 lead after one quarter of action, and after Western crept back within five points in the second period, BG ended the half on an 8-2 run to restore the double-digit margin.

BGSU led by double figures for all of the third period and half of the fourth, before an 8-0 run by the Broncos (10-14, 6-7 MAC) cut BGSU's lead to just five points with 3:37 remaining. But, Western got no closer, as the Falcons made a number of key defensive stops and maintained the lead at the free-throw line.

Amy Velasco had 15 points to lead a balanced BG scoring attack, with Johnea Donahue adding 13, Paige Kohler 12 and Lexi Fleming 11. Fleming had a team-high seven rebounds as BG enjoyed a 36-28 advantage on the boards, and the fifth-year Falcon also had five assist and three steals.

Velasco dished out five assists as well, while Donahue was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field while adding six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.

Erika Porter had six points, five rebounds and two assists, leading all players with a plus/minus rating of +15. Taya Ellis had five points and five boards, and went 3-of-4 at the free-throw line in the final minute of play to help seal the road win.

Hannah Spitzley had 17 points for the Broncos, while Marina Asensio had 13 points and seven assists.