AKRON, Ohio (Interstat) — In a game defined by its final frantic seconds, the Akron Zips, heavy underdogs at home, stunned the Toledo Rockets 77-74 in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball thriller Wednesday night at James A. Rhodes Arena.

The decisive sequence unfolded over the last six seconds. With Akron clinging to a 76-74 lead after a critical layup by Ni’Rah Clark, Toledo inbounded the ball looking for a tying or winning shot. The Rockets’ leading scorer, Patricia Anumgba, attempted a three-pointer, but Akron’s Corinne Reed swatted it away. The block preserved the Zips’ lead and, after a series of timeouts and free throws, secured a victory that defied the statistical odds.

Interstat’s ELO system had given Toledo a 94.6% probability to win, a projection that seemed justified given the teams’ trajectories. Toledo entered at 11-9, while Akron was just 5-17. The Rockets had won three straight and seven of their last ten. The Zips, conversely, had only two wins in their previous ten contests.

The game was a tense, back-and-forth affair that saw neither team lead by more than seven points. It was tied 16-16 after the first quarter and 35-35 at halftime. Akron began to create separation in the third quarter, outscoring Toledo 21-15 to take a 56-50 lead into the final period.

Toledo mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth, pouring in 24 points. Anumgba, who finished with a game-high 20 points, was central to the rally. Her driving layup with 35 seconds left cut Akron’s lead to 76-74, setting the stage for the dramatic final possession.

Akron’s victory was fueled by superior three-point shooting and key performances from its core. The Zips shot 10 for 20 from beyond the arc, while Toledo managed just 5 of 14. Clark, a Toledo, Ohio, native, led Akron with 19 points and nine rebounds. Point guard Shaena Brew of Rialto, California, orchestrated the offense with 14 points and nine assists. Izzy Callaway added 13 points, including a crucial three-pointer late in the shot clock during the fourth quarter that extended Akron’s lead to five with just over five minutes remaining.

For Toledo, Anumgba’s 20 points were supported by 14 points and three assists from Faith Fedd-Robinson and 11 points from Ella Weaver. Miriam Diala contributed 10 points off the bench. The Rockets hurt themselves with 13 turnovers, which Akron converted into key transition opportunities.

Despite near-identical shooting from the field—Toledo at 30 for 62, Akron at 29 for 62—the three-point disparity and Akron’s slightly more efficient offensive rating of 106.8 to Toledo’s 101.1 proved decisive. The Zips also won the battle at the free-throw line in the closing moments, making critical shots to keep Toledo at bay.

The announced crowd of 920 witnessed Akron snap a two-game skid and earn its first win over Toledo this season, improving to 6-17 overall. The Rockets, now 11-10, saw their three-game winning streak end in heartbreaking fashion.

Toledo will look to rebound on the road against Southern Mississippi this Saturday. Akron continues its homestand, also on Saturday, against Louisiana-Lafayette.