Feb. 27, 2010
Final Stats
AKRON, Ohio - A tight game throughout was sealed by free throws late as Akron defeated Miami, 72-65, Saturday afternoon. Kirsten Olowinski led the RedHawks with 20 points. Miami falls to 8-20 overall and 6-9 in the Mid-American Conference. The Zips improve to 16-12 overall and 10-5 in the MAC.
Miami was done in by Akron's hot shooting on the afternoon. While the RedHawks had a decent shooting night themselves at 44.1 percent (26-for-59), the Zips shot a blistering 59.1 percent (26-for-44) for the game.
Akron jumped to a quick 7-0 lead to begin the game. After a Miami timeout, Courtney Osborn hit a three-pointer to get the RedHawks on the board. The Zips eventually got the lead to 10 at 21-11 with 10:11 remaining, but once again Osborn stopped the run with another three-pointer, while Courtney Reed cut the deficit to five with a layup on the next possession.
With the score 31-20 at the 5:05 mark, layups by Osborn and Olowinski sparked an 8-4 run that pulled the RedHawks back within five. Akron scored the next two baskets, but Osborn hit a layup with nine seconds to send Miami into break trailing, 37-30.
Five consecutive points by Olowinski along with two layups from Ashleigh Brown were part of a 7-1 run that pulled Miami to within one early in the second half. After a layup by Akron, Brown hit another layup and Osborn hit a three-pointer to give the RedHawks their first lead at 42-40 with 14:56 to go. A three-pointer by Maggie Boyer helped extend the advantage to four at 47-43 with 13:26 remaining.
Akron eventually tied the game 49, before Reed hit a layup to put Miami back in front. A 14-3 run by the Zips gave Akron a 63-54 lead with 5:24 remaining. The RedHawks did not give in as they drove in for several layup attempts and hit all their free throws to pull to within six at 67-61 with 2:11 to go.
In the last two minutes, Olowinski hit two consecutive layups to pull Miami to within two at 67-65. Osborn missed a three-pointer with 1:05 to go that would have given the RedHawks the lead. After Kara Murphy hit one free throw to put Akron up three at 68-65 with 36 seconds remaining, an Olowinski three-pointer that would have tied the score just rimmed out. The Zips hit four straight free throws over the last 24 seconds to secure the 72-65 win.
In addition to Olowinski's 20 points, Osborn scored 17 and Boyer contributed 12. Brown had a good overall game with six points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Osborn led the RedHawks with six assists. Akron outrebounded Miami, 33-22.
Miami concludes the regular season Tuesday at 7 p.m. when it hosts Bowling Green. That game is senior day and Brown and Reed will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
