KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Kaitlyn Zarycki continues to impress on the court for the Western Michigan women's basketball team. In just her second game after her 30-point performance against Ohio University, Zarycki tallied a new NCAA Division One career-high 34 points in WMU's 60-51 victory over Akron University Wednesday. The guard from Niles, Michigan, would conclude the night with an efficient 10-18 from the field, two three-pointers, and a 12-13 performance from the free-throw line. 

After trailing early in the first, the Brown and Gold would close the second half of the quarter after completing a 13-2 scoring run over the final seven minutes of the quarter. During the run, Zarycki, Hannah Spitzley, and Gabi Saxman would supply the Broncos with their final 13 points. 

The Brown and Gold would take a 19-8 lead heading into the second quarter Wednesday. Following the first quarter, the Brown and Gold would score 16 points in the second frame, with buckets from Zarycki, Jasmine Elder, and De'Ahna Richardson. At the half, WMU led the Zips 35-17. 

After the break, the women's basketball team and the Zips exchanged buckets throughout the third quarter, with neither team improving their previous positioning in the first half. Both teams would exchange buckets down the stretch of the third until Zarycki, Saxman, and Richardson closed out the quarter with a 6-2 advantage in the third's final 2:01. At the end of the quarter, WMU entered the fourth with an 18 point advantage over the Zips. 

In the fourth and final frame, the Brown and Gold burst out to a 20-point lead after a quarter-opening bucket from Elder. Later in the fourth, Zarycki managed to remove any chance of an Akron comeback by hitting a jumper to put WMU up 58-42 with 2:20 remaining.  The jumper, in turn, would provide Zarycki with a new career high at the division one level with 34 points. 

Historical Notes

Spitzley's lone three pointer on the evening improved her streak to a seventh straight game with a three pointer made. Spitzley, now with 66 career three pointers, sits 10 treys away from tying Sarah Hurrle (2000-01) for the 21st most career threes in program history (76). 

Zarycki's 34 point outing registered as the seventh most points scored in a single game in WMU women's basketball program history. Tonight also marked the third time this season that she would score at least 30 points in a single game. The guard from Niles, Michigan, now owns a share for the seventh (34 points), ninth (32 points), and 11th (30 points) most points scored in a single game for the women's basketball team. 

Up Next

The Brown and Gold will travel to Mount Pleasant, Michigan to take on Central Michigan University on Saturday January 27, at 1:00 PM.