Mid-American Conference

Rachel Tecca took Akron women's basketball to unprecedented heights last week, setting numerous school records and averaging a double-double en route to leading the Zips to back-to-back victories. Tecca set the program's single-game scoring record with 43 points on the road at Eastern Michigan, playing just 27 minutes. She blew past the previous record of 38 points, set by Sue Davis on Dec. 28, 1976. The point total marks the highest offensive output by a MAC player this season, and the first 40-point game by a MAC player since Miami's Courtney Osborn scored 48 in 2012. The senior's scoring frenzy came on 60.9 percent shooting from the field (14-of-23) and a perfect 14-of-14 showing at the free throw line, another school record. With her first field goal of the second half at the 19:23 mark, Tecca became the first 2,000-point scorer in Akron women's basketball history, and the fifth active player in Division I to score more than 2,000 career points. Tecca also pulled down a career-high 22 rebounds, reaching double-double status by halftime. The last time an Akron player posted more than 20 rebounds in a game was Cheryl Bowles on Nov. 30, 1999 when she had 21 against Youngstown State. Tecca's 43 points and 22 boards also broke EMU's Convocation Center records for single-game scoring and rebounding totals. The senior is now 28 rebounds shy of becoming just the second player in MAC history to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career (Caroline Mast, Ohio, 1983-86).

 

Sophomore Miracle Woods had double-doubles and scored 30-plus points in each of Western Michigan's two games this week. She averaged 33.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg and 2.0 bpg, shooting a stellar 60.6 (20-for-33) from the floor and 84.4 percent (27-for-32) from the free throw line. Wednesday against Miami, Woods scored a game-high 31 points while hauling in 12 rebounds and recording three blocks. She was nearly perfect from the free throw line, making her first 15 attempts before missing a 16th. Her free throw total ranks as the third most made in WMU single game history and ties for the most free throw's made by a MAC player this season. On Saturday against league-leading Central Michigan, Woods accounted for nearly one-third of WMU's points and rebounds. She poured in a career-high 36 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked a shot. The 36 points was five shy of the school record and the most produced by a Bronco since Carrie Moore scored 36 against Akron in 2007. Western Michigan has gotten off to its best MAC start since 2003-04 and is tied fro second in the MAC West standings.

 

 

Fontaine averaged 23.5 points per game last week during Mid-American Conference action while shooting 54 percent (15-28) from the field.  She led the Cardinals in scoring in both of their contests this week.  Against Toledo, Fontaine led all players with a 17-point performance.   She scored a career-high 30 points at home Sunday against Buffalo.  In the second half alone, Fontaine scored 17 of her 30 points off of 7-of-11 shooting from the field. She also led the Cardinals defensively with eight rebounds.

 

Bowling Green senior forward Alexis Rogers led the Falcons in scoring and rebounding as BGSU went 2-0 on the week.  Rogers averaged 15.0 points and 9.5 boards in wins over Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois.  Rogers had a game-high 24 points and added seven rebounds in a 71-57 win over EMU Thursday. In the process, she became just the 26th player in BGSU history – and the 10th fastest – to reach the 1,000-point mark as a Falcon.  She pulled down a game-best 12 rebounds in Sunday’s 57-44 win over Northern Illinois. Rogers shot 44.4% from the field, going 8-of-18, and she was a perfect 13-for-13 at the free-throw line.  On the season, Rogers is averaging a team-leading 13.6 points, along with 8.3 rebounds.  She is shooting 52.9% from the floor, leading the Falcons and ranking second in the MAC in that category.  In MAC games only, she has 15.4 points and 9.4 boards per game.  The Falcons are 16-3 overall and 6-1 in the MAC heading into a Thursday (Jan. 30) game at Ohio.

 

Kristen Sharkey averaged 37.5 minutes, 25 points and 9.5 rebounds in a pair of road wins for the Bulls over the weekend. It started Thursday night, when she has 14 points and nine rebounds against Northern Illinois, also adding a pair of blocks. She then had one of the best games in program history to cap the weekend Sunday, scoring a career-high 36 points in the team's win at Ball State. Playing in all 40 minutes, she would hit 11-17 field goals and 13-14 free throws to score the third most points in a single game in Buffalo women's basketball history. For the week, she would shoot a combined 17-31 from the floor and 15-16 at the charity stripe.

 

Central Michigan junior Crystal Bradford led the Chippewas to a pair of blowout victories on the road last week, averaging 22.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.5 assists per game, as the Maroon and Gold remained unbeaten in conference play. Bradford recorded her 27th and 28th career 20-plus games and shot 54.1 percent from the floor during the week. She recorded her league-best 12th double-double of the season on Saturday afternoon, scoring 23 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, helping CMU tie a program record with 68 first-half points versus the Broncos. The junior also continued her defensive prowess as of late, recording five steals versus Kent State and four more versus Western Michigan, giving her at least five steals in each of her last four games.

 

Freshman Cha Sweeney had a another strong offense week, averaging 21.5 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals a contest. For the week, she was 17-of-42 from the floor, including going 66.7 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Versus Akron, Sweeney equaled her career-high with 25 points in 10-of-25 shooting to go along with four assists and three steals. A game earlier, Sweeney has 18 points in her return to northwest Ohio.

 

Dunlap set a new career-high Wednesday night against Central Michigan, netting 22 points.  It was the second consecutive home game she set a personal best in scoring.  The senior is averaging a team-high 11.3 points per game in conference play this year.

 

Jillian Spurlock had a breakout week, averaging 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. She set a new career high with 22 points in an overtime loss at Western Michigan on Wednesday. She was 6-for-11 from the field and 2-for-2 from behind the arc. She also finished a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line and had three assists and two steals in 33 minutes of action. Making her first career start in the win against Kent State on Saturday, Spurlock finished just shy of a double-double, totaling 13 points and a career-high nine rebounds. She also had four assists and a steal in 31 minutes of action.

 

Junior Natecia Augusta paced the Huskies in scoring at Bowling Green with 12 points with her most aggressive shooting of the season, taking 12 shots in the game in 30 minutes. Defensively, Augusta was part of strong Huskie post presence that held BGSU's Alexis Rogers to only six points. At Buffalo, Augusta scored eight points, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line. For the week, Augusta was 8-of-9 from the charity stripe.

 

Lampkins averaged 11.5 points and 6.0 rebounds during Ohio University women's basketball's fourth week of Mid-American Conference play. The freshman guard 13 points in Ohio's 80-56 loss at the University of Akron last Thursday (Jan. 23), then followed the performance up by tallying 10 points in a 64-62 setback against the University of Toledo on Sunday (Jan. 26). Lampkins has reached double figures nine times this season -- including seven of the last nine contests and three straight. Through seven MAC games, she is averaging 15.0 points per game, which ranks 13th in the league. The Bobcats (8-10, 3-4 MAC) return to the floor on Thursday (Jan. 30) when they host MAC East Division leader Bowling Green State University at the Convocation Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

 

Senior Andola Dortch averaged a team-high 16.0 points, a squad-best 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 38.5 minutes in two games last week, helping the Rockets win consecutive league contests for the first time this season. Dortch opened the week with 15 points, a team-tying best four dimes, three boards, two thefts and one rejection in 37 minutes vs. Ball State on Thursday. Three days later against Ohio, Dortch contributed 17 points, a game-high nine dimes, five caroms and two steals while playing all 40 minutes. She scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half against the Bobcats to help the Rockets overcome a 17-point halftime deficit. The two-time reigning MAC Player of the Year has now scored in double figures 11 times in 2013-14, third-highest total on the squad.