Akron, Ohio / James A. Rhodes Arena-The Robert Morris University women's basketball team saw an 11-point halftime deficit balloon to 28 points as they dropped a 88-60 contest at the University of Akron Tuesday night. The Colonials continue to search for their first victory of the season as they sit at 0-4. The Zips improve to 3-1 overall.
Rachel Tecca had a double-double for Akron, scoring 30 points and ripping down 12 rebounds to lead all players in both categories. Kara Murphy added 17 points, Taylor RUper 10 and Carly Young had 12 points as nine different players contributed points to the Zips effort.
Colonials senior Destiny Harrison (Niagara Falls, N.Y. / Niagara Falls) finished with a career-best 18 points, 17 of those coming in the first half, as she went 5-10 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range. She also had five steals.
Seniors Kristine Silaraja (Ventspils, Latvia / Barton County C.C.) and Artemis Spanou (Rhodes, Greece / Greek National Team) chipped in with 10 points each. Spanou had a team-best seven rebounds.
Robert Morris season-long slow starts were apparent again Tuesday afternoon. At the first media timeout 4:30 into the game, the Zips had already built a 10-point lead, 16-6, as the Colonials committed five early turnovers.
Kara Murphy put the Zips up by 13 with a lay-up 5:21 into the game. Robert Morris mounted a run. Following a Durojaye free throw, RMU switched into a zone press, turning up the defensive pressure. The result was a 10-2 run that brought the Colonials to within five points when Yohanna Morton (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic / Dominican National Team) hit a short jumper with 10 minutes to play.
The Zips responded with an 8-0 surge that stretched the 23-18 score to 15 points, 33-18, over the next two minutes. The lead to dwindle to as little as eight points twice over the half's final eight minutes as the Zips carried a 49-38 lead into the break.
After shooting 55.6 percent (15-27) in those first 20 minutes, Robert Morris fell off over the final 20 minutes connecting at just 25.8 percent (8-31). Meanwhile, the Zips outscored RMU 39-22 in the second stanza.
Akron turned 27 RMU turnovers into 29 points as they finished the game shooting 45.5 percent.
The Colonials return to the Charles L. Sewall Center for their second and final non-conference home contest of the season when they host Duquesne in a cross-town showdown Sunday, Nov. 28, at Noon.
