Box Score
RICHMOND, Ky. – Alexus Cooper tied her career-high with 19 points and Eastern Kentucky had a five-point third quarter lead, but the Colonels couldn't hold off Akron in a 63-57 loss on Saturday at McBrayer Arena.
Cooper knocked down 5-of-11 from behind the arc, 4-of-4 at the free throw line, had two assists and five rebounds.
Shavontae Naylor added nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Colonels led by one at halftime.
Jalen O'Bannon's lay-up and a three-pointer by Cooper from the left wing allowed the home team to move in front by five, 40-35. However, Akron scored eight straight to turn a five-point deficit into a three-point lead, and never trailed again.
Two free throws by Cooper kept the margin at three at the end of the third quarter, but the Zips ripped off the first seven points of the fourth quarter. EKU didn't score its first points of the final quarter until the 4:28 mark when O'Bannon converted a lay-up and free throw. That play began a 9-0 Colonel run as Akron went 3:55 without scoring.
Naylor's old-fashioned three-point play made it a three-point game, 56-53. Cooper's two free throws got Eastern Kentucky within one, 56-55.
With just over a minute to play, Akron's Alex Ricketts made two free throws to end the EKU run and push the lead back to three. The Zips went 7-for-8 at the charity stripe in the final 1:02 to secure the win.
Eastern Kentucky jumped out to an 8-2 lead and stretched its lead to nine late in the first quarter. A three-pointer from the left wing by Cooper, two free throws from O'Bannon and a lay-up from Tae-Lour Richardson capped a 7-0 run and made it 18-9 with 1:33 to go in the first.
Akron rolled off eight unanswered in the second quarter to stay in the game. A lay-up by Edmonds gave the Zips their first lead of the game, 27-25, and capped the run.
Mariah Massengill's jumper at the horn sent Eastern to the locker room with a 32-31 lead at the break.
For the game, Akron shot 39 percent from the field while Eastern Kentucky made 33 percent of its shots. The Zips held a 42-37 rebounding advantage and out-scored EKU 20-10 off turnovers.
The Colonels will be right back in action on Sunday when they host Ohio Valley University. Tip-off at McBrayer Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m.
