The University of Akron Athletics
Women's Basketball hits the road for East Division battle at Miami
February 08 | Women's Basketball
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Akron (15-7, 6-3) at Miami (14-8, 6-3)
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 • 3:30 p.m. ET
Oxford, Ohio
Millett Hall (6,400)
Television: None.
Live Statistics: Available at GoZips.com
Video Stream: Available at MAC-sports.com.
Radio: Akron-IMG Sports Network – SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flag- ship), and for free at SportsRadio1350.com and iHeartRadio. Bill Morgan (play-by-play) (3:15 p.m. ET airtime).
Akron Coach Jodi Kest (Slippery Rock, 1984): Kest is in her seventh season at Akron, posting a 89-117 (.432) mark. She is 315-270 (.538) in 20+ seasons as a collegiate head coach. Kest was named the 2010 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year, and has guided the Zips to Cleveland for the conference tournament for the past three consecutive seasons.
Miami Coach Maria Fantanarosa (Miami, 1990): Fantanarosa is in her 15th season leading the RedHawks and holds a 232-207 record as Miami's head coach. In 2011-12 she led MU to 21 wins and the first round of the WNIT.
The Series: Akron trails the all-time series with Miami, 8-32, and has lost the last four straight meetings. The Zips are 4-8 against Miami under Kest.
Akron Heads West for Battle of the East
After a perfect 3-for-3 showing during their last homestand, the Zips take to the road for three out of their next four games, beginning with a trip to Oxford, Ohio. Akron will take on Miami in the battle of two of the East Division's top teams Saturday.
News, Notes and Storylines
• Akron completed a clean sweep of its most recent homestand with a nail-biting win over Eastern Michigan Wednesday, 82-81.
• Carly Young scored a career-high 23 points in just 18 minutes of action off the bench, shooting 90 percent (9-of-10) from the field, including a perfect 5-of-5 from 3-point land.
• Four Akron players reached double digits for the eighth time this season. Joining Young, Rachel Tecca had 20 points, and Hanna Luburgh and Taylor Ruper each had 11.
• Kacie Cassell dished out 10 assists for the second consecutive game, and now has 167 assists on the season.
• Hanna Luburgh was tabbed MAC East Player of the Week for her efforts against Bowling Green and Buffalo. The junior averaged a double-double over the course of the two games with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
• As a team the Zips knocked down a season-high 12 3-pointers, tying their second highest mark for triples in a game in program history.
• Rachel Tecca continued her double-figure scoring streak, and has now reached double digits in all 22 of Akron's games this season, including 11 20-plus point peformances.
• Taylor Ruper ranks sixth all-time in the MAC for career 3-pointers made with 241.
• The game against Buffalo on Feb. 2 was designated as UA's Play 4Kay game, and the program raised nearly $1,700 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
• The Zips have been ranked in the top-20 nationally in scoring offense for the past nine consecutive weeks. They are currently 11th, averaging 75.9 points per game, making UA the highest scoring mid-major team in the country.
• Akron is looking for its first win over Miami since the 2009-10 season. The Zips took down the RedHawks twice that year.
A Look at the RedHawks
Miami has lost two of its last three contests after winning five-straight league gamest from Jan. 13-27. The RedHawks' only MAC losses have come against Ball State, Buffalo and Toledo.
Miami also fields three players that average double figures, led by Courtney Osborn with 17.3 ppg. Kirsten Olowinski and Hannah Robertson are putting in 11.4 and 10.2 ppg, respectively. Olowinski is the only player in the MAC that averages a double-double, also with 10.5 rebounds per contest.
As a team, Miami is second only to Akron in the league standings in field goal percentage, converting 42.5 percent of its attempts.
Last Time Against Miami
Carly Young's double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds was not enough to carry Akron to victory in an 84-76 loss on Feb. 22, 2012 at Millett Hall. All five Miami starters reached double figures led by Courtney Osborn with 21 points.
Eastern Michigan at Akron Recap
In a game that saw three lead changes in the final 11 seconds, the University of Akron women's basketball team came out on top, defeating Eastern Michigan 82-81 Wednesday night at James A. Rhodes Arena.
Carly Young proved to be the difference maker for Akron, leading both teams with a career-high 23 points off the bench, fueled by a perfect 5-for-5 showing from 3-point land.
Rachel Tecca poured in 20 points in 29 minutes on 7-of-11 shooting from the field, while Hanna Luburgh and Taylor Ruper posted 11 apiece. Kacie Cassell dished out 10 assists for the second-straight game, playing all 40 minutes and also contributing nine points.
Eastern Michigan, which only averaged 54.9 points per game entering the contest, also fielded four players in double figures, led by India Hairston with 18 points, and Natachia Watkins with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Young Money
Carly Young's career-high 23 points against Eastern Michigan was the best shooting performance from the field by a Zip this season. The junior knocked down 9-of-10 attempts, including a flawless 5-for-5 showing from behind the 3-point line.
Luburgh Named MAC East Player of the Week
Hanna Luburgh was named the MAC East Player of the Week on Feb. 4, marking the second time this season she has earned this distinction.
Luburgh assumed the lead role in Akron's all-star cast last week as she averaged a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds in two crucial East Division victories over a three-day span.
The junior emerged with the first double-double of her career in UA's 68-63 win over Bowling Green, leading both teams with 25 points and an unprecedented 15 rebounds. Her breakout second half of 17 points and 10 boards, including a 7-for-8 performance from the free throw line down the stretch, carried Akron (14-7, 5-3) to its first win over BGSU since Feb. 10, 2001.
Luburgh followed that outing with 15 points and seven boards in a 75-57 victory over Buffalo as the Zips handed UB its first loss to an East division opponent this season. The junior was also a threat on the defensive end, issuing four blocks and a pair of steals in both contests combined.
A is for Assist, C is for Cassell
With her 10 assists against Buffalo, Kacie Cassell now holds the school record for the most assists in a single season, accomplishing the feat in just 21 games. She currently has 167 dimes on the year, surpassing Abby Hoy who had 156 assists in 29 games during the 1998-99 season.
Streak Stopped
Akron's win over Bowling Green snapped a 19-game losing streak to the Falcons, but was big for another reason. Remember when Dayton came to town ranked 16th in the nation? The Flyers are now 20-1, and their only loss is to BGSU.
Beast of the East
Although Akron has played MAC West Division opponents in four out of its last six games, it has exhibited some early dominance on its own side of the league. The Zips are 4-0 against the East so far this year.
When Tecca Hits 20
The Zips have seen success so far this year when Rachel Tecca has scored 20 or more points in a game. In addition to scoring in double figures in all 22 contests, Tecca has scored 20 or more points on 11 of those occasions. Akron is 9-2 when she surpasses the 20-point plateau.
Getting to the Line
Rachel Tecca and Sina King get to the free throw line more than anyone in the conference in league play. King has the best free throw percentage for players with more than attempts at .900, connecting on 36-of-40. Tecca has appeared at the stripe a league-leading 63 times in conference play.
A Little Streaky
With the win at Northern Illinois on Jan. 16, Akron tied its longest winning streak of the season at four games, mirroring its two four-game winning streaks from 2010-11.
Luburgh Makes It Rain
Hanna Luburgh has been shooting the lights out since conference play started. Through the first nine league games, Luburgh is shooting 50.0 percent from the field with 13 3-pointers. At Northern Illinois, the junior connected on 7-of-11 attempts, including 4-for-4 from 3-point range.
Winning Big
The Zips' 93-58 rout of Kent State on Jan. 13 was the biggest win over a Mid-American Conference opponent since joining the league in 1992-93.
Out of the conference, Akron's 41-point margin of victory over Chicago State on Jan. 3 was the second-largest against a Division I opponent in program history, behind the Zips' 46-point win at Saint Peter's earlier this year on Nov. 26.
Keeping It Balanced
Akron has produced at least three players in double figure scoring in all 22 of its games this year - five players have reached double digits twice, and four players have hit the mark eight times.
Nine Is Fine
Akron's nine non-conference wins this year mark the most non-league victories in a single season in the history of the program.
Traveling Experts
Over the course of the non-conference season, the Zips have amassed 4,249 total miles in the air and on the road traveling to away games in the first half of the season.
How Can I Assist You?
The Zips have had no problem sharing the wealth this year, coming up seventh in the national rankings for assists per game as a team. Akron averages 17.9 dimes a contest, five more than the national average. UA's 1.1 assist/turnover ration is No. 17 out of 345 Division I teams.
Ruper Hits Century Mark
Senior guard Taylor Ruper played in her 100th career game in an Akron uniform Dec. 18 against Dayton. She has now started 83 consecutive games for the Zips.
Hats Off to the Grad
Before Akron's big win over Cincinnati on Dec. 15, Rachel Tecca graduated with her bachelor's degree in marketing management. The Tallmadge, Ohio native, who holds redshirt junior athletic eligibility, will begin pursuing her MBA this semester.
Getting Buckets
The Zips have ranked in the nation's top-20 in scoring offense for the last nine weeks (as high as sixth), averaging 75.9 ppg, 13 points higher than the national average (62.3). Akron ranks No. 11 in the country this week, putting the Zips back on top as the highest scoring mid-major team in the nation. Nearly 29 percent of their offense comes from behind the 3-point arc.
Triple Threat
It is no secret where Akron gets its offensive prowess from this season. The Zips' top three scorers in Rachel Tecca, Hanna Luburgh and Sina King combine for over 65 percent of Akron's total points per game, and all are averaging in double figure scoring. The three starters are ranked one through three among all juniors in the MAC in scoring, and all fall inside the nation's top-75 in field goal percentage.
Akron RPI
After its two big wins last week, Akron's RPI jumped 21 spots to 140. The Zips have the third-best RPI in the MAC East and the fifth-best in the conference overall. Toledo has the lowest RPI in the league at 46, followed by Central Michigan (54), Bowling Green (86) and Miami (134).
Building A Legacy
With Akron's win over Canisius on Dec. 1, head coach Jodi Kest surpassed former UA coach John Street for the most wins as a head coach in the history of Akron women's basketball. Street coached the Zips from 1982-89 and was the only male coach to ever lead the program. Now in her seventh season, Kest continues to develop the program that posted the greatest single-season win total in the history of the program in 2009-10.
Two in a Row
Akron fielded back-to-back MAC East Players of the Week the last two weeks in November in Rachel Tecca and Hanna Luburgh. The last time Akron had back-to-back conference Players of the Week was in 2007-08 when Sarah Tokodi received the nod two weeks in a row.
Top of the Crop
Rachel Tecca continues to lead the Mid-American Conference in scoring with 18.5 ppg., and is second in field goal percentage at .554. Her biggest statitic though may be that she does not appear in the MAC's top-10 in minutes played, meaning that she is posting these numbers in less time on the court than the other top players in the conference. She is also No. 4 in the nation in points per 40 minutes at 29.8.
King's Court
Junior Sina King continues to make her case for the most consistent player in the MAC. She has scored in double figures in 20 out of 22 games, including a streal of 12 in a row, en route to posting nine double-doubles. The forward is fluctuating between averaging a double-double, currently with 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, and grabs 23.2 percent of the team's total rebounds.
Cassell Dishes Her Way Into the Books
Akron point guard Kacie Cassell moved up one more spot to No. 4 on Akron's all time list for career assists with 383, surpassing current UA assistant coach Ayla Guzzardo in the record books. Cassell recorded a new career-high 11 assists at Northern Illinois, and is currently second in the nation in assists per game at 7.6.
Tecca Reaches 1,000... And She Keeps Going
With two free throws at the 13:27 mark against Tennessee Tech, Rachel Tecca picked up points 999 and 1,000 of her career, becoming the first player to reach the milestone since Kara Murphy in 2008-09. Tecca, currently with 1,385 career points, is now Akron's fourth all-time leading scorer.
Tecca On the Boards
Rachel Tecca broke into the program's top-10 all time for career rebounds with 13 caroms at Saint Peter's. She has 165 rebounds on the year and 723 for her career, moving her to No. 7 on the all time list. Tecca already holds the record for the third most rebounds in a season in program history, when she pulled down 288 in 2010-11.
Strong Start
The Zips were 3-0 for the first time since their inaugural season in 1974-75. Their 9-4 non-conference record is the best start the team has had in 17 years, when it went 9-1 in 1995-96.
Ruper From Downtown
After becoming Akron's all-time leader in 3-pointers made at the end of last season, this year Taylor Ruper will see how far she can go in distancing herself at the top of the record books. Ruper has netted 54 three's so far this season, bringing her career total to 238. She is currently sixth all time in the MAC record books for career 3-point field goals made.
Zips Sign Four for 2013-14
Jodi Kest recently announced the signing of four standout student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play for Akron beginning in 2013-14:
• Keanna Gary (Fort Wayne, Ind.) - Gary, a 6-1 forward, has built a strong career at the high school and AAU levels over the past three years. Last year as a junior, Gary averaged 11.7 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, in addition to 2.2 blocks. She received Honorable Mention All-State accolades from Hoosier Basketball Magazine, and was a 2012 IBCA All-State and All-Northeast Indiana First Team selection. Gary has also led her AAU team to the state championship title for the past three consecutive years.
• Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) - Plybon, a 5-9 guard out of nearby Orrville High School, comes to Akron as an ESPN 86 Grade, three-star recruit, the 107th best guard in the nation. In 2011-12, she averaged 20.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and three assists per game. Plybon has received all-state recognition for the last three years, including being named to the All-Ohio First Team as a sophomore and junior. The two-time Northeast Inland District Player of the Year currently ranks second in school history with 1,380 career points and one season left to play.
• Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) - Ricketts, a 5-11 shooting guard, has been named Offensive Player of the Year for the past two seasons after posting averages of 13.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game. She is a three-time First Team All-Region honoree and earned the title of 2011 Miss Basketball Player of the Year.
• Hannah Scipio (Westerville, Ohio) - Scipio, a 5-4 point guard from the Columbus area, was named one of the Top-10 players in District 10, in addition to earning Special Mention All-Ohio recognition and a spot on the All-OCC Capital Division First Team. Scipio averaged 14.1 points, 5.7 assists and 4.2 steals per game her junior season.
Preseason Predictions
For the second consecutive season, the Zips were picked third in the MAC East Division behind Miami (Ohio) and last year's regular season champion, Bowling Green. Last season, Akron finished third in the East and sixth in the conference overall with a 7-9 record. Sina King earned All-MAC Second Team honors and Taylor Ruper received Honorable Mention.
Also for the second straight year, Rachel Tecca was one of five players in each division selected to the Preseason All-MAC team. An All-MAC selection in each of her two full seasons at Akron, Tecca was averaging 17.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in 2011-12 before her season was cut short due to injury.
Kest Reaches 300 Wins
Head Coach Jodi Kest picked up win No. 300 of her 20 year career as a collegiate head coach when the Zips defeated Buffalo for the third time last season in the opening round of the MAC Tournament. With the Zips' victory over Canisius on Dec. 1, Kest now stands alone as the winningest coach in Akron women's basketball history.
Bridging the Gap
Akron fields a unique roster this year with six experienced upperclassmen and pool of six newcomers that includes five freshmen. Coach Kest has maintained that the team will only be as good as the freshmen are able to play, as a big key to the Zips' success this year will be finding a balance between the abilities of the returners and newcomers.
Tecca and the 2013 WNBA Mock Draft
Rachel Tecca was projected to be selected 27th overall in the 2013 WNBA Mock Draft recently released by DraftSite.com. Tecca was anticipated to be taken with the third pick in the third round by the Tulsa Shock. She was one of just two MAC players to be included in the mock draft, along with Miami (Ohio) guard Courtney Osborn who was slated to be selected right before Tecca with the 26th overall pick. In addition to Tecca, the Shock was predicted to take Delaware's Elena Delle Donne as well as Brittany Chambers out of Kansas State.
