12-8, 5-4
Akron
12-8, 6-3
Bulls Drop Shootout at Akron
2/2/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
AKRON, OH – In a much-anticipated rematch of the 2013 Mid-American Conference tournament quarterfinal round, the Akron Zips (12-8, 6-3 MAC) won in a shootout over the Bulls (12-8, 5-4 MAC), 101-92. Kristen Sharkey and Mackenzie Loesing each scored 30 points to lead the team in scoring, marking the first time in the Division I era that two players went for 30 in a single game.
The offense was unstoppable in the first half, with the starting five alone making 15-29 attempts. The one foe they were not able to beat was foul trouble, as every starter aside from Alexus Malone was limited by multiple fouls. The bench was able to step up for eight points, four apiece from Karin Moss and Ayana Bradley, but the Zips were able to close out the half with a big run over the final nine minutes to take a 51-42 lead. From a Margeaux Gupilan three with 8:52 remaining until the end of the half, Akron outscored Buffalo 29-8. The comeback was aided by a wide margin at the charity stripe, where the Zips would make 16-20 free throws while Buffalo would not attempt a single shot.
Kristen Sharkey led the team in the half with 12 points on 6-8 shooting in 13 minutes, while Margeaux Gupilan and Mackenzie Loesing each added in nine.
Both offenses remained strong as the second half began, with the teams trading baskets at a furious pace. Buffalo would ultimately finish an eye-popping 11-17 on two-point field goals, but Akron would be even better in the half and shot 56.7 percent (17-30) in the final 20 minutes. That effort was keyed by Hanna Luhburgh, who would score 22 of her game-high 34 points in the second half alone. She would frustrate the Bulls, who were scoring at will but unable to make the key rebound or put together multiple stops on defense to cut into the lead.
The Akron lead would fluctuate from eight to 14 points over the final 12 minutes of the game before the Bulls were able to get within five with 46 seconds to go. Trailing 96-88, the Zips would miss the front end of the 1-and-1 and Loesing would come down and hit a circus three in transition to get as close as the team could manage in the home stretch. Luhburgh would score five points and assist on another critical three from Kacie Cassell to put the game out of reach for the Bulls in the final minutes.
Loesing would have one of the best games of her young career, hitting 11-19 shots and a career-high six three pointers to reach a new career high in points. Sharkey would put up her second 30-point game (on 12-19 shooting) over the last three contests and added a team-high 11 rebounds and four assists. Both the interior defense and the rebounding margin would suffer for UB thanks to limited action from Christa Baccas, who played just five minutes before picking up four fouls between the start of each half. She would ultimately play with the four fouls, but would get just one rebound and a blocked shot in 15 minutes of playing time.
The two teams will meet again in Buffalo on March 5th, but the team will now focus on its next game, coming on Thursday at home. The team will have a matinee against the Ohio Bobcats at 12 pm.
