Women's Basketball

RedHawks and Bobcats Improve to 4-0 in MAC Play

Saturday's Women's Basketball Results
Miami 79, Akron 56
UMass 74, Central Michigan 72
Toledo 59, Western Michigan 46
Kent State 78, Eastern Michigan 65
Ohio 71, Buffalo 59
Bowling Green 65, Northern Illinois 48
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments

Miami 79, Akron 56
Box Score

AKRON, Ohio – The Miami University women's basketball team used an 18-2 second quarter run and never looked back as they down the University of Akron 79-56 on Saturday afternoon. Amber Scalia led Miami (12-4, 4-0 MAC) in scoring as the RedHawks improved to 4-0 in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since 2011-12. Keiryn McGuff had 13 points for the Zips (3-13, 0-4 MAC).

Miami shot 55.8% from the field as ten different RedHawks scored in the contest. The RedHawks also forced 25 turnovers and allowed just 10 field goals over the final three quarters of play.

How it Happened:
  • Miami made three of their first four shots, but trailed 10-7 midway through the first quarter due to four turnovers prior to the first media timeout. The RedHawks responded with back-to-back triples from Ilse de Vries and Núria Jurjo and a three-point play from Macie Taylor put Miami up 16-12. The Zips used a 9-4 run over the final three minutes of the first quarter to lead 21-20.
  •  After Akron knocked in a free throw to claim a 22-20 advantage, Ashton Elley drilled a deep triple, de Vries scored five straight points and Scalia got free for a layup on the fast break to force an Akron timeout as Miami went up 30-22 midway through the second quarter. Miami's run extended to 14-0 after Clara Gonzalez Planella and Tamar Singer converted back-to-back layups late in the second. Miami went into the locker room up 38-23 at the half after not allowing a UA field goal the entire second quarter.
  •  Amber Tretter opened the second half with a layup and after Akron responded with a triple, Scalia matched it 12 seconds later to maintain the 17-point advantage. Miami led by 19 midway through the third after a three-pointer from Scalia on the fast break. Akron got no closer than 15 points in the third and a three-pointer from Tretter late in the quarter, spotted Miami a 60-42 advantage heading to the final stanza.
  •  Miami scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter and raced out to a 68-42 lead, forcing a Zips' timeout. Akron answered with five-straight points, but back-to-back layups from Mio Sakano and Tretter pushed Miami's advantage back to 25 points.
Game Notes:
  • Miami outscored the Zips 18-2 in the second quarter and did not allow a field goal (Akron was 0-of-10 from the field). The RedHawks also forced 10 turnovers during that span.
  •  The RedHawks forced 25 turnovers in the game and improved to 8-2 this year when forcing at least 20 turnovers in a contest.
  • Tamar Singer finished the contest with 10 assists, the fifth time this season she has posted double-digit assists.
  • Amber Scalia's 18 points was the second-best effort in her Miami career. She was a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line.

UMass 74, Central Michigan 72
Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. -- University of Massachusetts women's basketball (11-3, 3-1 MAC) defeated Central Michigan  (9-6, 3-2 MAC), 74-72, during a Saturday afternoon matchup at Mullins Center.  

Key shooting down the stretch by Yahmani McKayle kept the game out of reach for the Chippewas, as the Queens, N.Y. native scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone. She connected on a teardrop floater from the lane to essentially ice the game for the Minutewomen, putting UMass up two possessions, 72-67 with 21 seconds remaining.  

Other than McKayle's team-high 18 points and nine assists, Ayanna Franks added 16 points and five rebounds on an efficient 6-13 shooting from the field. Megan Olbrys and Allie Palmieri each chipped in 11 points, while Lilly Ferguson snagged 11 rebounds (eight offensive).  

As a unit, the Minutewomen grabbed 41 rebounds, 19 assists and four blocks.

Breaking Down The Action  
  • Following a rejection from Chinenye Odenigbo on the defensive end, Olbrys netted the first points for the Minutewomen, backing down her opponent inside and finishing with her right to make the game 2-0 with 9:47 left in the first.  
  • Franks hit a pull up jumper from the left free throw line extended, putting UMass up 6-3 with 6:09 to go in the first.  
  • Franks found the bottom of the net from the right wing, putting Massachusetts up 16-7 with 1:12 left in the first quarter.  
  • Franks hit her second consecutive triple to push the Minutewomen's lead to double figures, 19-7, as well as put her at 10 points on the afternoon with 9:40 remaining in the half.
  • Aiyanna Perkins turned strong defense into instant offense, picking off a pass and hitting Odenigbo in the paint for the easy layup, giving the Minutewomen a 25-8 lead with 7:18 remaining in the half.
  • McKayle hit a cutting Perkins on a fast break, with Perkins connecting on a left-handed layup keeping the Minutewomen ahead, 27-13, with 5:11 to go.  
  • After hitting a jumper of her own, Perkins flipped a chest pass to Jess Ross on the left wing, who hit nothing but net from behind the arc, putting UMass up 35-17 with 0:44 left in the half.
  • Olbrys backed her way into a layup to open the second half scoring, giving the Minutewomen a 37-19 lead 22 seconds into the third.
  • Perkins connected with Ferguson who nailed a baseline jumper keeping the Minutewomen ahead, 42-29, with over five minutes left in the third.
  • Ferguson connected again from the same spot for her second consecutive bucket, making the contest 46-35 with 3:17 to play in the third.
  • Odenigbo finished at the basket and sent back her second opponent shot of the night to get Palmieri open on the break, giving UMass a 48-39 lead with 1:53 remaining in the third.
  • McKayle converted at the free throw line to keep Massachusetts on top, 52-49 with 8:50 left in the game.  
  • Palmieri found Odenigbo underneath for an easy finish, making the UMass lead five, 54-49, with 8:17 remaining in the contest.  
  • McKayle hit a deep triple from the top of the key to keep the game at two possesions for the Minutewomen, 60-56, then later swung to a wide-open Franks who netted her third triple of the night, putting UMass ahead 67-58 with 4:29 to go.
  • McKayle converted three of four free throws to keep the lead with the Minutewomen, clinging to a 70-61 lead with a minute to play.
  • The Chippewas went on a 6-0 run over 40 seconds of game time to pull within three, 70-67, with 44 seconds to play.
  • McKayle flashed through the lane and hit a floater with 21 seconds to go, later connecting on two free throws to ice the game for the Minutewomen, securing a 74-72 victory.  

By the Numbers  
5: How many triples the Minutewomen netted.  
8: Lilly Ferguson's offenisive rebound total.  
18: Yahmani McKayle's team-leading point total.  
19: The Minutewomen dished out 19 assists.
41: How many boards the Minutewomen nabbed.  

Toledo 59, Western Michigan 46
Box Score

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo women's basketball returned to the win column behind strong defensive and rebounding efforts in a 59-46 victory over Western Michigan in front of a crowd of 4,229 at Savage Arena on Saturday.

The Rockets (7-7, 2-2 MAC) took a 29-22 halftime lead after out-scoring the Broncos (5-9, 2-2 MAC), 19-10 in the second quarter. Toledo built on the lead in the third and fourth quarters, going up double-digits by the end of the third and leading by as much as 17 in the fourth quarter.

The sophomore trio of Evalyse Cole, Miriam Diala and Faith Fedd-Robinson combined for 35 of Toledo's 59 points and shot a combined 16-of-29 (.552) from the field. Toledo kept turnovers and fouls low, committing just 14 miscues and 12 fouls. The Rockets dominated the glass to out-rebound the Broncos, 42-25.

Quoting Head Coach Ginny Boggess
"Great to back here in front of our home crowd, especially for a cause like Justice for Sierah. I was thrilled to see how everyone showed up and showed out. From start to finish, we did a really good job executing defensively. Only four turnovers in the first half, but got a little loose with the ball in the second. Credit to Western Michigan, they had a great defensive plan. I'm proud of our rebounding effort, and we need to continue that consistency on both ends of the floor."

Rocket Leaders
  • Faith Fedd-Robinson – 14 points, 6-of-10 FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
  • Miriam Diala – 11 points, 5-of-8 FG, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block
  • Evalyse Cole – 10 points, 5-of-11 FG, 6 rebounds 3 blocks, 1 steal
How It Happened
  • Faith Fedd-Robinson scored the game's first five points before an 8-0 run by the Broncos gave them an 8-5 lead. WMU led after a quarter, 12-10.
  • Toledo scored the first six points of the second quarter, taking a 16-12 lead at the 6:46 mark. Up 21-18, Toledo then went on an 8-2 run over 2:53 to build up a 29-22 margin at halftime.
  • An Evalyse Cole layup and a Kendall Carruthers three put the Rockets up 34-22 with 7:14 left in the third and forced a Western Michigan timeout. After the Broncos cut the lead to seven with 1:36 left, Patricia Anumgba and Ella Weaver each connected to give the Rockets a 46-35 edge at the end of the third.
  • The Rockets continued to build the lead to begin the fourth with a 6-0 run in the first 2:40 for a 52-35 lead. The Broncos would never close within single digits the rest of the way.
  • Game Notes
  • Toledo's +17 rebounding margin was a season-best. The Rockets have now out-rebounded 11 of their last 12 opponents.
  • The Rockets also set their season high in offensive rebounds for the third-straight game, grabbing 17 on the offensive glass today.
  • Toledo has now won its last 10 home MAC contests dating back to last season.
  • Evalyse Cole's three blocks were a career high in rejections. She has seven blocks in her last four games.
  • Faith Fedd-Robinson now has scored in double figures in 10 games this season.
  • Saturday's attendance of 4,229 was the largest crowd at Savage Arena this season. The game was played for Justice for Sierah, with the Rockets wearing special purple-themed jerseys.
Kent State 78, Eastern Michigan 65
Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. — Kent State led wire-to-wire on Saturday afternoon and beat host Eastern Michigan, 78-65, for the first Mid-American Conference win of the campaign.

Senior Dionna Gray scored eight points in the first four minutes to give the Golden Flashes (6-10, 1-4 MAC) an early eight point lead. The advantage reached 14 before the Eagles made three of their next four shots to get within 25-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Aided by a turnover-free period, EMU was able to get within one late in the second period. Graduate student Bianca Juzzo grabbed a key rebound of a missed free throw and freshman Caitlyn Holmes converted three-point play on the extra possession to make it 44-40 at halftime.

Kent State held its host to just a single made field goal during the third, and Juzzo and Holmes combined for an 11-3 run over the final five minutes to make it 64-50 entering the final period.

The defense limited EMU to two baskets in the first seven minutes of the fourth as the lead reached as many as 16.

Junior Mya Babbitt scored a game-high 17 points to go with five rebounds and five assists. Gray stuffed the stats sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, six assists and career-high five steals.

The Flashes totaled 38 bench points, the most against a Division I opponent in a non-Senior Day contest since Jan. 9, 2021 at Ball State. Juzzo led the reserves with 11 points and Holmes totaled a career-high 10. Sophomore Emory Klatt and freshman Anna Campanelli added nine and eight points, respectively.

Ohio 71, Buffalo 59
Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Ohio women's basketball team (10-4, 4-0 MAC) defeated Buffalo (2-13, 0-4 MAC) 71-59 and earned its fifth-straight win on Saturday, Jan. 10.
 
Ohio shot 47.4 percent from the field, 25.0 percent from the arc and 68.4 percent from the line. The Bobcats finished with 29 rebounds, 18 assists, 10 steals and two blocks.
 
Four Bobcats finished with double-figure points including team leaders, junior Bailey Tabeling (Seymour, Ind.) and sophomore Danni Scully (Park Ridge, Ill.). Tabeling and Scully both scored 14 points each, a career high for Scully, and shot 6-for-9 from the field. Tabeling also led the team in assists and steals. The junior finished with four steals and a career-high seven assists.
 
Redshirt sophomore Bella Ranallo (Lake Forest, Ill.) and junior Antonicia Moultrie (Nassau, Bahamas) also scored in double figures. Both players finished with 11 points each. Moultrie shot 5-for-5 from the field and 1-for-1 from the line. Ranallo shot 3-for-6 from the field and 5-for-6 from the line.
 
Redshirt sophomore Monica Williams (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the team in rebounding with a total of six boards.
 
The Bobcats dominated the first quarter. After a couple missed shots, Ohio found its groove on offense. A three pointer by Tabeling got Ohio on the board with 8:44 left on the clock.  Halfway through the first period, Ohio led Buffalo 6-2. Ohio's defense played a big part in limiting Buffalo's scoring and producing offensive opportunities. The Bobcats finished with three steals and forced six Buffalo turnovers. Ohio led Buffalo 16-4 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The second quarter was more competitive than the first with Ohio only outscoring Buffalo 17-16. At 8:08 left on the clock, the Bobcats led the Bulls 22-8. A layup by Moultrie gave Ohio a 26-12 lead with 5:53 to go The Bobcats held a 33-19 lead over the Bulls with just under two minutes to play. Heading into the locker room, Ohio led Buffalo 33-20.
 
Ohio struggled in the third quarter as Buffalo looked to close in on the Bobcats' lead. With 5:38 left on the clock, Buffalo had cut Ohio's lead to 38-33. The combined efforts of Ranallo, Moultrie and Tabeling helped Ohio get back on track in the final four minutes of the third quarter. After three quarters of play, Ohio led Buffalo 51-38.
 
Ohio's fourth quarter was highlighted by an impressive performance with Scully in the paint. Scully scored 12 of her 14 points in the final quarter in addition to recording three rebounds and drawing three fouls. Despite their efforts, the Bulls were unable to catch up to the Bobcats. Ohio went on to win the game, 71-59.
 
Bowling Green 65, Northern Illinois 48
Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. – The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team went on the road and picked up a double-digit win on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 10). The Falcons topped Northern Illinois University, 65-48, in Mid-American Conference action at the Convocation Center.

Senior Kendal Moxey had a game-high 15 points for the Falcons (9-6, 2-2 MAC), going a perfect 7-for-7 from the field to pace five players in double digits. Moxey also led the team and tied for game honors with eight rebounds.

Sophomore Lauren Gerken had 11 points and six boards, while three Falcons – senior Kaia Woods, junior Paige Kohler and sophomore Johnea Donahue – scored 10 points apiece. Woods was a perfect 2-for-2 from three-point range.

Kohler and Donahue combined for 10 assists and 12 steals. Each player had four rebounds and five dimes, while Donahue had eight steals, including seven in the second half, and Kohler had four.

The Falcons limited the Huskies (3-12, 1-3 MAC) to just 15 points during the middle two quarters, forcing 13 turnovers during that time. NIU scored just 32 points over the game's final 30 minutes.

NIU led by six points late in the first period before the Falcons battled back. BG used a 9-0 run late in the second quarter to take the lead, then extended a three-point margin to a double-digit lead after three periods.

After the Huskies battled back to within five points early in the fourth quarter, a Kohler three sparked a quick 7-0 run and allowed the Orange and Brown to regain control. BGSU led by as many as 21 points before winning by 17.