KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan women's basketball team earned a season sweep over Akron with a 79-71 win over the Zips on Saturday, Jan. 25 inside University Arena. 

After two straight losses, the Broncos were back in mid-season form against Akron, moving to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in conference, already surpassing last season's 10-20 record and tying their 2018-19 conference win number.

Western Michigan held the advantage in the shooting category, going 27-of-56 (48.2 percent) from the field with an impressive 36.8 percent (7-of-9) mark from three-point range. The Broncos shot earned 15 points off Akron turnovers and poured in 18 points off the bench while limiting the Zips to a 28.6 percent mark from long range and 44.6 percent from the field.
 
"I thought our team displayed unconditional toughness, especially in the third and fourth quarters," Head Coach Shane Clipfell said. "I think we had a nice balance, that's when this team is at its best- shooting from all four spots on the perimeter and in the post."

Each Bronco that saw playing time in today's contest scored at least five points, with five of seven racking up double-digit numbers. Leighah-Amori Wool led the squad with 21 points, two shy of a career-high, adding a team-high eight rebounds with four assists. Jordan Walker and Chelayne Bailey each tallied ten points, Walker with a new career-high nine assists on the day. Breanna Mobley fell just shy of a double-double but recorded 15 points with six rebounds.  Chelayne Bailey was the fourth Bronco starter to score in double figures with ten points and a team-high three steals. Off the bench, Reilly Jacobson added 12 points, while Maddie Watters went 2-of-4 from long range to bring in six.  

"For us, it's better not to focus on winning or losing, but to set our focus on playing well," Clipfell said. "When we do that, we are a much different team."

A jumper from Mobley sealed an 11-1 opening to the game for the Broncos, leaving the Zips scoreless until 5:33 in the first quarter. WMU continued on with points from Bailey and the first three of the game from Reed, leading throughout the frame. Both teams struggled with turnovers early on, tallying six each in the first ten minutes.

The second quarter saw Akron's best run of the game as they outscored the Brown & Gold 22-12. WMU struggled to find their stride as the Zips scored 12 straight out of the gate to take their first lead of the contest. Mobley finally ended the run with a jumper in the paint and a pair of free throws. Despite late points from Wool in the form of her first basket from long range, the opponent Akron headed to the locker room with a 33-28 advantage.

WMU set out to take back the lead, starting the second half with a 9-0 run. The lead was regained off a pair of fast break layups from Bailey, and the Brown & Gold didn't look back.  With a slim one-point advantage heading into the final frame, they bounced back again with made baskets on three straight possessions. Despite the Zips creeping up with a trio of long-range shots in the quarter, the Broncos didn't panic, as Watters came off the bench to sink her three-pointers and extend the lead by eight. The rest of the game was a battle from the charity stripe as both teams exchanged free-throw shots in the final minutes. Western Michigan took the lead by ten, going 8-for-12 in the final frame at the line to seal the victory.