Recap: Women’s basketball on a five-game winning streak with victory over Akron

The Miami University RedHawks women’s basketball team (16-8, 8-5 in conference play) played a dominant fourth quarter against the University of Akron Zips (9-17, 3-10 in conference play) to take a 70-58 victory on Feb. 19.

After tying the game halfway through the third quarter, the RedHawks outscored the Zips 21-11 through the final 10 minutes of play. Despite briefly losing the advantage early in the fourth quarter, Miami played dominant for four-straight minutes, scoring 14 points while allowing two from Akron.

Graduate student guard Maya Chandler put up 17 points, her ninth game in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play with double-digit points. Chandler sank three of Miami’s five 3-pointers.

Sophomore guard Enjulina Gonzalez (16) and sophomore forward Amber Tretter (15) joined Chandler in the double-figures, while senior forward Katey Richason contributed a season-high 12 points, including the team’s remaining 3-pointers.

Redshirt senior forward Shelbee Brown brought in 24 points, her second-best game of the season, for the Zips. However, a 7-23 (30.4%) run on field goals in the second half caused Akron to slip late in the game.

Despite taking a 15-10 lead late in the first quarter, the RedHawks allowed Akron to add on 11 points to take the advantage 21-17 going into the second quarter.

Tretter tied the game with a free throw, but Maddie Vejsicky returned the lead to the Zips with a layup. Neither team scored for five minutes, but Gonzalez once again evened the score 25-25 going into the final minutes of the first half.

Miami kept the game close, starting the quarter down 31-30 thanks to a layup from Tretter before the halftime buzzer. Akron initially held the upper hand, but after Gonzalez leveled the score 36-36, the RedHawks outpaced the Zips and took a 49-47 lead going into the final stretch.

Redshirt senior forward Emily Hall briefly brought Akron back up with a 3-pointer, but the fourth quarter saw the RedHawks add 21 points while holding the Zips to 11.

A pair of free throws from first-year guard Tamar Singer cushioned Miami’s lead in the final minute. After three Akron free throws from Brown, the RedHawks took their fifth-straight victory 70-58.

Miami shot 27-53 (.509) on field goals, its fourth-most accurate game of the season. The team finished with 29 rebounds, one block and six steals, two of which coming from sophomore guard Núria Jurjo.

Miami moves up one spot to No. 4 in the MAC. The RedHawks return to Millett Hall on Feb. 22 against the University of Buffalo Bulls.