AKRON, Ohio – Sophomore Elana Wroten (Chicago, IL/Morgan Park) (Chicago, Ill.) recorded a career-high 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting and seven rebounds to lead four players in double figures as visiting Chicago State women's basketball snapped a three-game losing skid tonight with a 64-54 win over Akron at Rhodes Arena. The Cougars improve to 2-3 on the young season and the Zips saw their record drop to 1-2.
The visitors opened the game with a 6-2 advantage after layups from freshman Jael Peña (Harlem, N.Y.) and junior Jasmin Dixon (Detroit, MI/Martin Luther King) (Detroit, Mich.). After Akron grabbed a 7-6 lead on a pair of free throws from sophomore Amanda Sedlack at the 14:31 mark, CSU then scored 12 of the next 17 points over two minutes to reclaim an 18-12 leading margin with 11:12 remaining in the stanza that was culminated by a triple by Peña. Sophomore Kara Murphy scored five consecutive points that brought the home team within 18-17 after hitting a three at the 8:21 mark. Wroten scored eight points as part of a 16-4 scoring run in the final 7:30 of the half as the Cougars took a 34-21 lead into the half.
Scoring 10 of the first 14 points of the second stanza helped slice the Zips deficit to 38-31 on a jumper from redshirt sophomore Amber Witt at 16:31. CSU rebounded with a 14-7 scoring drive during an eight-minute stretch which put its leading margin back to 52-38 on a conventional three-point play by Wroten at the 8:10 mark. Akron scored 10 straight points in four minutes to close within four at 52-48 at the four-minute mark after a pair of free throws from junior Victoria Arndt. The visitors closed out the game by tallying 12 of the final 18 points down the stretch which included seven points from Dixon for the final score.
Dixon added 17 points, seven boards, five assists and two blocks for CSU. Junior Alyssa Waldon (Sun Prairie, WI/Sun Prairie) (Sun Prairie, Wis.) added 13 points and two steals, while Peña contributed 10 points with five caroms and three assists.
Murphy posted a game-high 24 points to go along with five boards and two assists for Akron. Witt and freshman Kyle Baumgartner each produced seven points and two assists.
CSU heads to Florida this weekend to participate in the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament starting Friday afternoon against Santa Clara with a start time of 4 p.m.
~ CSU ~
