Akron 65, Miami 47
Buffalo 53, Ball State 43
Eastern Michigan 64, Bowling Green 52
Northern Illinois 66, Kent State 49
Ohio 71, Central Michigan 51
Toledo 65, Western Michigan 46
Courtesy of home MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Akron 65, Miami 47
OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University women’s basketball team played Akron even throughout the first half, but a 17-0 run to begin the second half allowed the Zips to pull away and take a 65-47 victory on Saturday in Millett Hall. The RedHawks fall to 3-13 overall and 0-5 in the Mid-American Conference. Akron improves to 14-2 overall and 4-1 in the MAC.
Miami held the high-scoring Zips to 15 points under their 80 points per game scoring average, and played them to a 31-all tie at the half. The defense held strong again in the second half after Akron had its opening run, limiting the Zips to only 34 points. However, the RedHawks shot was cold the entire second half and they were able to finish with only 16 in the period.
Junior forward Jessica Rupright had a strong day for Miami finishing with a career-high 16 points. She was 7-for-11 from the field and also brought in two rebounds and two steals in only 14 minutes of action.
Rupright had a pair of layups and a three-point basket to lead the RedHawks to a 7-2 advantage to begin the contest. The pace quickened as a jumper from junior forward Hannah McCue and a three-pointer from freshman guard Baleigh Reid gave Miami a 12-6 lead. Despite a three-pointer from senior point guard Courtney Larson, Akron answered with a 10-3 run to take its first lead at 16-15 with 10:19 left in the half.
The Zips eventually pushed the advantage to five at 25-20 with 5:58 to go. Miami fought back as a pair of jumpers from freshman guard Kayla Brown pulled it to within three at 29-26. Larson found freshman guard Jazz Smith in the corner for a three-pointer that tied the score at 29. After Akron hit a bucket, a layup from freshman forward Molly McDonagh sent the game into the half with the score tied at 31.
Miami shot 37.5 percent (12-for-32) for the period and was led by Rupright with eight points.
Akron came out on fire in the second half, scoring six quick points and forcing an early RedHawk timeout. The break did not stop the Zips’ momentum as they eventually made it a 17-0 run taking a 48-31 lead with 13:18 remaining in the half.
Miami did not give up as Reid stopped the scoring drought with a jumper at the 12:58 mark. Rupright hit three straight layups as the ‘Hawks got as close as 11 at 53-42 with 8:32 to go. However, their shots stopped falling as Akron followed with a 9-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to put the game away. Brown would hit a three-pointer, while Rupright hit one last jumper, but the Zips held on for the 65-47 win.
In addition to Rupright’s 16 points, Brown had eight and Reid had seven. McCue had a team-high nine rebounds to go along with four points, three assists and one steal in 30 minutes of action. Miami outrebounded the Zips, 40-37. Akron was led by Anita Brown with 17 points and eight rebounds.
The RedHawks return to the road on Wednesday when they travel to Eastern Michigan for a 7 p.m. tip. Tim Bray has the call and it can be heard live on Miami All-Access for those who have a subscription.
Buffalo 53, Ball State 43
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo, State University of New York women's basketball team blanked MAC-leader Ball State, 53-43, Saturday afternoon at Alumni Arena. The Bulls (9-7, 2-3 MAC) held the Cardinals (8-8, 4-1 MAC) to a season-low 13-point output in the second half in the come-from-behind win.
"This is us, this is who we are," praised third-year head coach Felisha Legette-Jack. "We have faced diversity this season, but we've decided that we want to own our own power. Today we did that."
Kristen Sharkey posted her 19th career double-double, and fourth of the season, putting up 17 points and 13 boards en route to 1,000 points. Fittingly, the senior captain who ranks fourth in program history with a .773 free throw percentage, met the milestone at the line just 3:37 into the game. It gave the Bulls their largest lead of the first, 7-2.
UB, who snapped Ball State's four-game winning streak, trailed 30-28 at the half. The first frame featured six ties, while the lead flip-flopped thrice to open the second half. Sophomore Alexus Malone hit back-to-back threes to tip off UB's offensive output.
The Cardinals' final lead was a one-point edge, 39-38, at 9:20. They were held to just four free throws the rest of the game. BSU shot a cold 3-for-24 in the second stint. UB went on a 10-0 run, while Ball State was held scoreless over a seven-minute span. The Bulls outscored the Cardinals, 5-4, down the stretch securing the double-digit win.
UB held Ball State below 20 points in a half for the third time this season. Joining the Bulls in doing so are Butler (17) and Pittsburgh (19).
Malone matched Sharkey with 13 rebounds and senior Christa Baccas added 12 as UB dominated the boards, 58-42. It was Baccas' fourth straight 10-rebound game. Junior Mackenzie Loesing, who was honored pregame for becoming the fifth junior in program history to score 1,000 points, tallied 10 on the day. Malone added eight. Senior Ayana Bradley made a career-high four steals in just 17 minutes on the hardwood. She added four points and five boards. Baccas chipped in a trio of steals.
"Ball State is an unbelievably special team coached by a great coach – but it wasn't about them today. It was about our team, our journey, our power that we decided we were going to own," concluded Legette-Jack.
Ball State's Nathalie Fontaine had a game-high 15 boards to go with 10 points. Jill Morrison tallied eight points and a game-high three assists. Ball State committed 18 turnovers, five of which were charges drawn by the Bulls.
The teams were a combined 28-of-119 from the floor with the Bulls shooting .242 percent and the Cardinals .226 percent, season-low performances for both squads.
The Cardinals continue to lead the series, 12-9, though today's win was UB's fifth in the last seven meetings. Ball State ended the Bulls' 2013-14 season in the third round of the MAC Tournament with a 74-60 margin.
The Bulls hit the road again for a 7 pm game Wednesday, Jan. 21 at Toledo.
Eastern Michigan 64, Bowling Green 52
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team snapped a 13-game losing skid against Bowling Green University dating back to the 2004-05 campaign, downing the Falcons 64-52 at the Convocation Center Saturday, Jan. 17.
The Eagles (8-7, 1-3 MAC) earned their first Mid-American Conference victory of the season behind 40 points from the EMU bench, while three players tabbed double-digit scoring for the Green and White despite shooting just 38.1 percent from the floor. Eastern was led by Cha Sweeney (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers), who scored 15 points, including going 3-for-4 from three point range, as well as doling out six assists. Sophomore Janay Morton (Osseo, Minn.-Osseo) and senior Brianna Puni (St. Charles, Mo.-Incarnate Word (Illinois State)) each added 10 points for the Eagles, while junior Shannise Heady (Hazel Crest, Ill.-Hillcrest (Seton Hall)) notched a career day with five steals.
Eastern outrebounded the Falcons 39-29 and forced BGSU into 21 turnovers compared to eight from the Eagles. The eight turnovers tied a season-low as EMU committed just eight miscues against Madonna, Dec. 9. The Green and White also held the advantage in second-chance points with 16 as well as scoring six points off of fastbreak opportunities.
Bowling Green saw three players notch double-digit scoring with Deborah Hoekstra tallying a team-best 14 points and 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Miriam Justinger and Rachel Myers were the final Falcons with 12 and 10 points, respectively. BGSU shot 40 percent from the floor (16-of-40) and 40.7 percent from beyond the arc, making 11 three-pointers on the afternoon.
Neither team could get an edge on the other with the two opponents exchanging baskets throughout the first 10 minutes of the contest. A free throw from Heady knotted the score at 19-19 with 10:34 remaining in the first half. The score remained deadlocked for the next 2:36 before Jamaica Bucknor (Brooklyn, N.Y.-Weaver (ASA College)) dropped an easy jumper from the top of the key and Kabria Walker (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) made a jumper off the block, following an EMU backcourt steal, to give Eastern the four-point lead.
The Green and White continued to force the Falcons into unwanted shots, while the BGSU drought entered an eighth minute. Myers made both of her shots from the charity stripe to notched the Falcons' first points since the 12-minute mark, but the Eagles responded on their next trip down the floor with a jumper in the paint from Puni to maintain a six-point advantage.
Despite the Falcons notching the final points of the half with a three from Justinger, the Eagles were able to take a 32-28 advantage into the locker room at halftime. Eastern shot 38.2 percent from the floor, 13-for-34, Morton knocked down a team-best seven points. Sasha Dailey (Toledo, Ohio-Rogers) and Sweeney added five points to the EMU scoring effort to go along with four rebounds and four points from Puni. The Eastern defense forced BGSU into 16 turnovers in the first 20 minutes of action, while the Eagles swiped 12 balls out of the hands of the Falcons. The Eagles committed just six turnovers in the first half and outrebounded Bowling Green, 17-15. Furthermore, the Green and White bench outscored the BGSU bench 17-2 in the first 20 minutes of play.
The Falcons shot 52.9 percent from the floor in the first half of action, while Justinger went three-for-three with two three-pointers. Myers added seven points for the Falcons, sinking four shots from the charity stripe and one three-point shot, while Hoekstra grabbed a team-best four boards.
Much like the first half, the Eagles and the Falcons exchanged baskets to start the half before back-to-back threes from BGSU allowed Bowling Green to take its first lead since the opening half. However, the lead was short-lived as EMU scored on its next two possessions to take a 41-39 advantage with 11:43 remaining.
Eastern increased its lead to seven, 52-45, when Heady swiped her fifth steal of the contest and Sweeney converted on the fastbreak layup at the opposite end of the court with 4:12 left to play. Following a timeout called by BGSU Head Coach Jennifer Roos, Hoeskstra dropped a corner three to cut the EMU lead to four.
Back-to-back makes inside the paint allowed the Eagles to take an eight-point lead, while two free throws from Sweeney gave the Green and White its largest lead of the contest. EMU was clutch from the charity stripe in the final minutes, going 5-for-6 six before Sweeney knocked down one final three to give Eastern the 64-52 victory and its first conference win of the 2014-15 season.
The Eagles will close out their three-game homestand Wednesday, Jan. 21, when they take on Miami University in a cross-divisional conference contest. Tip off from the Convocation Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Northern Illinois 66, Kent State 49
DeKALB — From start to finish Saturday afternoon, the NIU women’s basketball team (6-8, 2-2 MAC) played with intensity on offense and defense as it held Kent State (3-13, 1-4 MAC) to under 50-points to defeat the Golden Flashes, 66-49. It was the fourth-straight win for NIU in the series as three Huskies scored in double figures with Ally Lehman pacing the Huskies with 19. NIU is now 4-1 at home this season.
Along with her 19 points, Lehman also added six rebounds and six assists to compliment her zero turnover night. Amanda Corral (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) finished with 13 points while Jenna Thorp (Hinckley, Ill./Hinckley-Big Rock) scored 11 and grabbed eight boards. Kent State is now the third NIU opponent this season to be held below 50 points in a game, joining Missouri and SIU Edwardsville.
“It was a great team effort, we played great team defense and we stuck to our game plan, especially with what we wanted defensively,” said Head Coach Kathi Bennett. “Our guards attacked, going into the paint and kicking out back out, before finding that extra pass to take an open shot so I think our dribble penetration from our guards started things off for us tonight.
“We really did a good job of collapsing down in the middle defensively when Kent State tried to attack. We threw whatever we could at them, be it a claw or the kitchen sink, to create turnovers down there and it was great team defense,” Bennett added.
NIU played a complete first half as it executed on both offense and defense, shooting .419 from the field (13-for-31) and causing 10 Kent State turnovers. The Huskies started the game on an 11-4 run as Lehman and Corral each had four points. NIU recorded 11 assists on their 13 field goals in the period and finished with 17.
Of the eight Huskies who appeared in the opening stanza, seven Huskies scored with Lehman pacing at 10 points. NIU’s biggest lead of the first half, seven points, occurred twice as the Huskies first led at the 12:28 mark, 16-9, and again at halftime, 32-25.
Northern Illinois University opened the second half on a 10-2 run to take a 44-27 lead with 15:46 left in regulation. That same offensive tenacity carried through the entire period as the Huskies would go on to build a 21-point lead with one minute left in the game.
The Huskies attacked the rim and forced the Golden Flashes to foul in the final half. NIU went 14-for-16 (.875) at the free throw line in the second period and 17-for-21 (.810) at the end of regulation.
CiCi Shannon was Kent State’s biggest weapon as she scored 13 points and pulled down 16 rebounds with four blocks to her credit.
The Huskies balanced scoring, 32 in the first half and 34 in the second, marked the third time this season NIU scored more than 30 points in both halves. NIU also added five three-point field goals in the game, the second-straight game the Huskies have done so.
NIU also posted a +13 turnover margin as it caused 19 Kent State takeaways to its six in the game. Capitalizing on those chances, NIU outscored KSU off of turnovers, 15-6. Today’s Huskie win was the fourth-straight for the program against Kent State and the third straight-game in the series NIU held the Golden Flashes to under 50 points in game.
The Huskies will return to action Wednesday night on the road as it heads to Athens, Ohio for a showdown with Ohio. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. Central.
Ohio 71, Central Michigan 51
Athens, Ohio- Riding a 21-point performance from Kiyanna Black, Ohio women’s basketball handed Central Michigan its first loss of the Mid-American Conference season, defeating the Chippewas 71-51 at the Convocation Center.
OHIO STARTERS: #2 Mariah Byard, #4 Kiyanna Black, #5 Quiera Lampkins, #10 Lexie Baldwin, #14 Kat Yelle
CENTRAL MICHIGAN STARTERS: #1 Da’Jourie Turner, #12 Kerby Tamm, #10 Cassandra Breen, #23 Crystal Bradford, #32 Jas’Mine Bracey
How It Happened:
- The Bobcats got off to a blistering start, opening the game on a 14-1 run and holding Central Michigan without a field goal on its first seven possessions.
- Central Michigan’s Crystal Bradford, the Mid-American Conference’s leading scorer, was held to six points in the first stanza. She finished the game with eight points for the Chippewas.
- Kiyanna Black scored a game-high 14 points in the first half, sinking four three-point shots.
- Black would finish with 21 points for the game, leading all scorers.
- Ohio shot 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from behind the arc in the first half.
- The Bobcats continued to have success from behind the arc in the second half, hitting 4-of-10 (40 percent) of their perimeter shots in the final 20 minutes.
- Ohio shot 11-of-28 (39.3 percent) from three for the game.
- Mariah Byard scored 12 points, with four baskets coming from the perimeter.
- Jasmine Witherspoon led the Bobcats with eight rebounds.
- Lorreal Jones was the high scorer for the Chippewas with 11.
- The Bobcats outrebounded Central Michigan by a 41-38 margin.
- Quiera Lampkins scored nine points while notching a game-high six assists.
- Ohio held the lead for the entire contest.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Ohio reached the 13 win mark for the first time since 2011-12.
- The win improved the Bobcats’ record to 4-1 in the MAC, keeping them in a first place tie with Akron for the top spot in the East Division.
- Black reached a double digit point total for the 14th time this season and the 45th time in her Ohio career.
- Lampkins recorded a career-high six assists.
- Central Michigan’s 51 points was its second lowest total of the season.
- Ohio has scored at least 60 points in 14 of its 16 games this season.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach Bob Boldon:
- “It’s a good win because it’s today’s win. In four days, we’ve got to do it again.”
- “I think (the players) are growing a little bit. I think they have higher standards than we once had, have a little better understanding of the game. So there are a lot of positives.”
Sophomore guard Kiyanna Black:
- “I think it was a big win for our team, but it’s not the MAC Championship. So yeah, it’s nice, but I would like to do it again and again and again.”
Senior guard Mariah Byard:
- “It’s just been really great this year. The past three years have kind of been a struggle. It’s just really nice to be able to go out there and have fun.”
COMING UP
- The Bobcats remain in the friendly confines of the Convocation Center for their next matchup, facing off against the Northern Illinois Huskies on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.
Toledo 65, Western Michigan
KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Visiting Mid-American Conference West division rival Toledo handed Western Michigan women’s basketball its first home loss of the season defeating the Broncos Saturday, 65-46.
The Broncos had a seven-game unbeaten streak going on its home floor, winning its first six contests in 2014-15 and also defeating Miami in a home MAC Tournament game at the end of last season.
Neither team could get much going offensively in the first half and Toledo held a slight 23-20 at halftime. Junior forward Miracle Woods had nine points for the Broncos at the half, while Jessica Jessing had six. UT's Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott had 10 of her team’s 23 points.
Western Michigan’s struggle to put points on the board continued into the second half as Toledo started to find its groove. Western Michigan scored just six points over the first 11 minutes of the second half and with 9:11 remaining the Rockets had built a 20-point lead, 46-26.
The Broncos started to knock down shots, cutting the deficit to 13, with 7:14 left to play, but it was too little too late.
Woods finished with her first double-double of the season (11th career) with 17 points and 10 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. Jessing and Michelle O’Brien were the team’s next highest scorers with eight points each. O’Brien added six rebounds.
Toledo had three players in double figures, led by Bravo-Harriott who shot 9-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-6 from behind the arc for a game-high 23 points. Sophie Reecher had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and Inma Zanoguera contributed 10 points and eight assists.
The Broncos had 19 turnovers in the game, while Toledo committed 14. Western Michigan shot 29.3 percent from the floor and Toledo connected on over 43 percent.
With the loss, WMU slips to 10-6 on the season and 3-2 in the MAC. Toledo improved to 10-6 and 3-2.
Western Michigan returns to University Arena to host Bowling Green (8-8, 1-3 MAC) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Kent State Saturday, Jan. 24 for a 7 p.m. tip. BGSU dropped its Saturday contest as well, falling at Eastern Michigan, 64-52.
