Print edition: 
Wichita State's women's basketball team isn't interested in unforced errors. Its defense is determined to force every mistake it can with a blend of quickness and aggression.
Akron can attest to that after losing 67-61 to the Shockers in the first round of the 16-team Women's Basketball Invitational on Thursday at Koch Arena. The fifth-seeded Zips came unglued in the second half, committing 12 turnovers and missing 15 of its 21 shots. Two turnovers for every made shot is no way to win a game.
"We took the first 20 minutes off, and then we showed up the second 20 minutes," WSU coach Jody Adams said. "That 20 minutes is how we were supposed to play."
The Shockers (18-14) earned their first NCAA Division I postseason victory in program history. They are seeded fourth in the WBI's West Region and will play at first-seeded Memphis at 2 p.m. Sunday. Memphis (18-13) defeated eighth-seeded UMKC 72-67 on Thursday.
"I'm really excited we get to keep playing and see another team," WSU senior Marisah Henderson said. "We'll work to get better and, ultimately, win this."
The Shockers will need more effort like the one in the second half to keep advancing. They trailed 37-26 at halftime after allowing the Zips to make 15 of 27 shots and win the rebound battle 22-10.
Those are hot-button issues with Adams.
"Jody pretty much got after us," WSU guard Jessica Diamond said. "We realized we didn't want to be done here tonight, especially on our home court."
With that said, the Shockers changed the tone immediately in the second half. Their man-to-man defense took over, disrupting Akron's plays and taking away the inside baskets that the Zips thrived on.
"They wanted to attack us on the interior," Adams said. "They really use their plays, and they run a lot of sets, and we don't have time to prepare for that. We did what we were supposed to. First half, we didn't. We stood."
Akron ended four of its first five possessions in the second half with turnovers. WSU's defense took the Zips out of their flow and they responded by throwing passes out of bound and missing guarded shots.
That allowed WSU to go on a 6-0 run. The Shockers kept the pressure on, taking the lead with a 17-4 run after a three-point play by Michelle Price with 10:57 remaining.
Price, who finished with three steals, led WSU's defense with her aggressiveness in the passing lanes. She stole a bounce pass near half court before scoring and drawing a foul to give WSU a 43-41 lead. A few minutes later, she ripped the ball away from Akron's Jolene Tamboue. With WSU up 46-43, she again turned a steal into a layup for a 48-43 lead.
That forced the Zips to call timeout with 7:41 to play — they had committed 11 turnovers and missed 7 of 8 shots in the half.
"Michelle plays off her instincts," Henderson said. "She'll go for a steal that some of us probably won't go for. I'd rather her have on my team than play against her any night. She's our spark."
WSU took those turnovers and missed shots and converted them into easy baskets. The Shockers shot 48.1 percent in the second half to score 41 points. A three by Morgan Boyd, coming on a assist from Henderson on the break, gave WSU the lead for good at 46-43.
Diamond led WSU with 14 points. Boyd and Haleigh Lankster added 11. Sheena Johnson scored all nine of her points in the second half and also grabbed nine rebounds.
Tamboue, from Manhattan, led Akron with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Notes — WSU paid a $10,000 guarantee to host Thursday's game.... Former Wichita Heights player Savannah Ellis is a junior at Memphis.... Bradley was also a first-round WBI winner, defeating Louisville 69-59 on Wednesday. The Braves play at the College of Charleston on Sunday.
AKRON (18-14): Murphy 5-9 4-6 14, Tamboue 8-11 0-0 12, Baumgartner 1-5 2-2 4, Guzzardo 1-7 3-4 6, Witt 0-4 2-2 2, Williams 0-0 0-0 0, Ruper 2-5 2-2 8, Mushington 1-2 2-2 4, Tecca 3-5 1-2 7. Totals 21-48 16-20 61.
WICHITA STATE (18-14): Turner 0-3 0-0 0, Price 3-4 4-5 10, Henderson 1-1 2-6 4, Johnson 3-10 3-4 9, Lankster 4-9 2-5 11, Boyd 5-12 0-0 11, Diamond 5-11 3-4 14, Gordon 4-7 0-0 8. Totals 25-57 14-24 67.
Halftime—Akron 37-26. Three-pointers—Akron 3-10 (Ruper 2-5, Guzzardo 1-3, Tamboue 0-1, Witt 0-1), Wichita St. 3-12 (Lankster 1-3, Diamond 1-3, Boyd 1-5). Rebounds—Akron 37 (Tamboue 12), Wichita St. 31 (Johnson 9). Assists—Akron 14 (Murphy, Tamboue, Guzzardo 3), Wichita St. 17 (Henderson 8). Fouls—Akron 19, Wichita St. 17. A—892.
