Akron’s home, James A. Rhodes Arena, is commonly referred to as the J.A.R., and Ohio could not bottle up enough shots to secure the victory Tuesday night.
Ohio (11-15, 4-8 Mid-American Conference) split the season series against Akron (12-14, 6-6 MAC) by dropping a 71-65 contest to the Zips.
Neither offense seized control for much of the first half. But at the 6:45 mark, the Bobcat offense found its groove. Leading 21-17, Ohio built a 17-12 run to close the first half with a nine-point advantage.
The Bobcats found success in transition, using tenacious defense and offensive rebounding to fuel the offense.
“We created a lot of energy because we were offensive rebounding, and we were able to make plays,” coach Semeka Randall said.
Akron head coach Jodi Kest tried calling numerous timeouts to stall the Ohio run and get her players back on track.
They responded after the break, making the game a tale of two halves. The Zips took control, outscoring Ohio 42-27 in the final 20 minutes.
“We didn’t get in and attack. We just passed the ball around the perimeter and (did) not attack the basket,” Randall said. “I thought that really hurt us.”
Neither team shot well from beyond the arc, as the teams combined to make four 3-pointers the entire game. Ohio managed to shoot only 9.5 percent from the perimeter.
“They put a zone out there, and our shooters didn’t knock some shots down,” Randall said. “We were really flat. We just took some bad shots.”
The Bobcats finished with three players in double figures. Senior guard Tenishia Benson led all scorers with 19 points. Sophomore guard Shavon Robinson chipped in 12 of her own, and junior forward Porsha Harris finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes of play.
Benson’s effort put her over 1,000 points in her career, and she accomplished it in her hometown of Akron.
“I’m excited for her,” Randall said. “She has worked hard and been through a lot. It is great for a player to be rewarded in her senior year, being able to achieve 1,000 points.”
Randall added that the accomplishment speaks to her character and her work ethic in terms of what she brings to the team.
nr225008@ohiou.edu
