EMU Tripped Up By Akron, 69-53

Box score.

AKRON, Ohio – Behind a career-high 27 points from Nikki McCoy the University of Akron’s women’s basketball team was able to knock off Eastern Michigan University, 69-53, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional matchup Saturday night here at the James A. Rhodes Arena. The Zips outscored the Eagles 38-22 in the second half to cruise to the victory and snap EMU’s six-game winning streak over Akron dating back to Jan. 31, 2001.

With the victory Akron improves to 8-13 (1-8 MAC) while EMU drops to 11-9 (6-3 MAC). The setback also ends the Eagles streak without consecutive conference losses that dated back to the 2003-04.

In a battle of the MAC’s two leading candidates for the Freshmen of the Year award, EMU’s Alyssa Pittman and UA’s Sarah Tokodi, Tokodi came out ontop in the scoring category collecting 14 points while Pittman had 12. Senior Sarah VanMetre paced the attack for Eastern scoring 20 while Emily Hanley chipped in 11.

After a tie game at halftime the Zips came out firing, connecting on 54 percent of their shots (13-of-24) and 46.4 percent (26-of-56) for the game roll to the 16 point win. The Eagles managed just a 35 percent (21-of-60) clip for the game allowing the Zips to post 16 points off turnovers.

The game opened with both sides trying to find their rhythm as Akron held a 6-5 edge after four minutes of action. McCoy would continue to key the Zip attack scoring of the team’s 13 points, but stellar three-point shooting by VanMetre gave the Eagles the 18-13 edge with 11;51 showing on the clock.

A 5-0 run would knot the score at 18 but then the Eastern defense would hold Akron without a field goal for more than three minutes to take a 22-18 edge. However, the scoring drought would swing to the Eagles’ sideline as the Green and White would score just nine points over the final six minutes. Akron would post 13 points over that span to once again tie the score at 31-31 on a Tokidi layup as time expired to send the squads to the locker room.

For the period EMU shot 41.4 percent (12-of-29) while UA managed a 40.6 percent clip (13-of-32). Eastern connected on four treys and grabbed 19 caroms during the stanza but Akron was able to score 22 points off seven Eagle turnovers to make up for the difference.

The second half started much the same way the first half ended with each side exchanging scores but Akron would use a quick 5-0 run to take a 42-37 advantage and force to burn a timeout with 15:29 to go. The momentum continued to fall in the Zips favor as consecutive hoops by McCoy helped the edge grow to nine points, 48-39, with 12:29 showing on the clock.

A VanMetre layup pulled the Eagles back with seven and ended the nearly three minute scoreless streak, but that was promptly answered with a 6-1 Akron run to make it 54-42. A Pittman trey cut the margin back to single-digits, 54-45, however a Rina Miller layup once again immediately followed.

The Eagles had numerous scoring opportunities but tonight the shots would just not fall allowing the Zips to convert on the other end of the floor as Akron rolled to the 69-53 decision.

Eastern continues its road trip with a visit to Oxford, Ohio Wednesday night, Feb. 7, to tangle with the Miami University RedHawks. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. with television coverage available on the Ohio News Network (ONN) in the Cincinnati and Dayton area markets only.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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