AKRON, Ohio – Southeastern Louisiana senior guard Taylin Underwood shared game-high honors with 21 points, but it was not enough as the Lady Lions dropped a 66-54 decision to host Akron on the opening night of the Akron Classic Friday at James A. Rhodes Arena.
 
Southeastern (0-4) forced the Zips (1-1) into 26 turnovers, finishing the game with a season-high 14 steals. However, the Lady Lions could not overcome cold field goal shooting (20-for-75) and a dominant 64-43 Akron rebounding advantage.
 
Underwood was the lone Lady Lion in double figures. Freshman forward Caitlyn Williams narrowly missed her second double-double of the season with nine points and eight rebounds. Underwood and freshman wing Morgan Carrier added six rebounds apiece.
 
Sophomore guard Tyler Morrison led the Southeastern defensive effort with six steals. Sophomore guard Charliee Dugas added five steals of her own off the bench for the Lady Lions.
 
Sophomore forward Haliegh Reinoehl led the Zips with a double-double effort, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Akron sophomore guard Shaunay Edmonds joined her in double figures with 16 points.
 
Reinoehl was one of three Zips with double-digit rebounds, along with sophomore forward Caitlin Vari (16 rebounds) and senior forward Greta Burry (10 rebounds). Edmonds and sophomore guard Shayna Harmon shared game-high honors with four assists apiece.
 
Southeastern held Akron to 21.4 percent (3-for-14) shooting from the floor in the opening quarter. A three by Carrier and a bucket by Caitlyn Williams allowed the Lady Lions to close the quarter with an 11-7 advantage.
SLU maintained a lead through the majority of the second quarter, as a three by junior guard Ashailee Brailey gave the Lady Lions a 17-16 advantage with 4:23 left in the half. Akron closed the second quarter on a 10-4 run to take a slight 26-21 halftime lead.
 
The Zips opened the third quarter on a 13-2 run to start to pull away. A three by Reinoehl gave Akron a commanding 39-23 advantage with 5:40 left in the third quarter. Southeastern cut the lead in half by the end of the period, as a layup by sophomore guard Courtney Dawsey send the Lady Lions into the final quarter down, 45-37.
 
The lead would shrink to as few as six on a Brailey bucket with 4:22 left in the contest. However, Akron would answer by scoring the next seven points to grow the lead to 13 and Southeastern would get no closer than 11 the rest of the way.
 
Southeastern will close out the Akron Classic on Saturday with an 11 a.m. (Central) game versus Kent State. Live stats, provided by Akron, and audio, provided by Kent State, will be accessible via the women's basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.