DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daniela Abies' first career double-double led Wichita State past Akron, 63-61, despite a strong fourth-quarter rally by the Zips Friday morning at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center.
 
Abies led the team with a career high-tying 18 points and a career-high 11 rebounds as the Shockers improved to 3-2, their first time above .500 on the season.
 
"[Abies'] activity is probably her biggest asset," head coach Terry Nooner said. "I wish she wouldn't have fouled out…but I'm just excited by her energy from the start."
 
Jayla Murray recorded a season-high and Division I career-high 12 points and 6 rebounds, and Jeniah Thompson shot 3-for-4 from three to score 11 points off the bench.
 
Akron's (1-2) Reagan Bass led all scoring with 22 points and recorded a game-high 13 rebounds.
 
Wichita State forced 14 turnovers in the first half with four steals from Tre'Zure Jobe, leading to 12 Shocker points off turnovers.
 
Salese Blow, Jobe and DJ McCarty struggled in the first half, shooting a combined 1-for-18, but Abies' 11 and Murray's 8 first-half points helped give the Shockers a 15-point lead going into halftime. Thompson shot 2-for-2 from behind the arc to put up 6 first-half points.
 
A string of turnovers and missed shots in the third quarter created the lowest combined scoring quarter of the game with each team scoring just 11 points, allowing Wichita State to maintain its 15-point lead.
 
The Zips flipped the script in the fourth quarter, going on an 11-1 run to close the gap. Akron shot 10-for-14 (71.4%) to score 31 points in the final quarter, more than their entire first half point total.
 
Abies fouled out for the second-consecutive game with 3:41 to play, and the Shockers struggled to make free throws in the closing minutes, shooting just 56.3% from the line to leave the door open for the Zips, who brought it within two before time expired.
 
"We lost our focus a little bit late, made some bonehead decisions and then couldn't close it out by making our free throws, but we'll be better next time," Nooner said.
 
Wichita State won the battle of the boards 35-34 with 15 offensive rebounds, nine of which came from Abies.
 
The Shockers forced 25 turnovers to win the turnover battle for the fourth time in five games, committing 17 themselves.
 
Wichita State tallied 12 assists, its second most of the season as Jobe tied for a game-high four.
 
The Shockers return to the Ocean Center court Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT to play Dayton before returning home for four-straight games in Charles Koch Arena.