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Rockets fall 102-101 to Akron in shootout with defending MAC Tournament champs

All five UT starters reach double digit scoring against Zips

Marcus Dodson, Sports Reporter

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The University of Toledo women’s basketball team came out on the wrong end of their latest shootout, a slugfest against the defending Mid-American Conference Champions.

The Rockets (9-6, 2-2 MAC) dropped a 102-101 decision to Akron Wednesday night at Savage Arena. Anita Brown, who notched 36 points and snagged nine rebounds, paced the Zips in the contest.

Brown was one of three Akron players to score 20 or more points against Toledo, as Sina King contributed 29 points and Hannah Plybon added 26 more.

But it wasn’t just the visitors doing all the scoring. All five of UT’s starters finished in double figures, led by senior Inma Zanoguera’s 28 points and 13 assists.

“It was great to see five kids in double figures,” said Toledo head coach Tricia Cullop. “You can’t really look at anyone and say they had a bad shooting night.”

The Rockets were lights out offensively, shooting 57 percent from beyond the arch and 50 percent from the field. Toledo failed, however, to stop Akron’s potent offense in the second half, allowing the Zips to shoot 50 percent from three-point land and 57.7 percent from the field.

“If we just get one more offensive rebound, we win the game,” Cullop said. “It comes down to such little details, but I can’t fault the effort.”

The Rockets started the game out by knocking down a quick pair of treys. Junior Brenae Harris was perfect from beyond the arch, going 4-for-4 and dropping 19 points in the first half.

Brown, however, matched Harris’ 19 first-half points, but with just under 15 minutes left until halftime the Rockets banked seven straight baskets in a span of just four minutes. The Zips were forced into a timeout, but UT already held a 28-14 advantage with 13:21 left on the clock.

Zanoguera contributed nine first-half assists and 10 points, while Monakana continued the success of recent weeks by adding 10 of her own points before halftime.

Akron trailed by double figures for the majority of the first half, but with four minutes left before intermission the Zips went on a 12-2 run and cut UT’s lead to 48-46.

Harris knocked down another trey to answer the run, but Brown ended the half with a pair of free throws to cut the Rockets advantage to 53-50 at the half.

Toledo came out of the locker room and went on a 7-0 run to begin the second half, forcing Akron head coach Jodi Kest to burn a timeout with 18:45 left on the clock and her squad down 60-50.

The Zips roared back with a 9-0 run in a span of just under two minutes. The Rockets, who had earlier found themselves with a 15-point lead, now were tied with Akron at 71-71 with just over ten minutes to play.

After drawing even again at 76-76, the Zips didn’t look back.

The visiting team used King late in the game to oppose her will in the paint. The senior shot 11-of-15 from the field and collected six rebounds, also finishing 6-of-7 from the charity strike.

Akron took the momentum in the game after a trey from King that gave the Zips a 92-85 advantage with three minutes left to play.

With under a minute left, Zanoguera sunk two treys to cut the deficit to one, but that would be the closest UT would get for the rest of the game.

“It’s disappointing on a night that we shot the ball very well that we couldn’t get crucial stops when we needed them,” Cullop said. “Our kids played their hearts out against a very potent offensive team.”

Toledo will look to rebound when they travel to Western Michigan on Saturday, January 17.

 

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Serving the University of Toledo community since 1919.
Rockets fall 102-101 to Akron in shootout with defending MAC Tournament champs