The University of Akron Athletics
Akron hosts Buffalo in key mid-week MAC showdown
February 10 | Women's Basketball
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Akron hosts Buffalo
The Zips open a three-game homestand this Wednesday, Feb. 11, as Akron welcomes Buffalo to the James A. Rhodes Arena for a 7 p.m. tilt.
News, Notes and Story lines
• The Zips are seeking their eighth conference win of the season when they host Buffalo on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
• Only a half game seperates the two squads in the league standings when the teams meet for the first time during the 2014-15 campaign.
• Akron swept the season series against the Bulls a year ago as the Zips claimed a 101-92 home triumph on Feb. 2, 2014, before downing Buffalo, 79-71, on March 5, 2014 on the road.
• The Zips have won 22 of their last 25 games at the James A. Rhodes Arena, including an 10-1 mark this season.
• Akron enters its tilt versus Buffalo having won 33 of its last 40 games dating back to last season.
• Off to the best start in program history, Akron, in only its 21st game, earned its 17th win of the season (69-66, over Western Michigan on Feb. 4.) faster than any other previous squad besting the 2012-13 Zips who did so in their 24th game.
• Over the past three campaigns, the Zips have dominated the month of February winning 14 of their 16 games contested in the month.
• Senior Sina King (Waterford, Ohio) has been dominant for Akron over the last five games averaging 19.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest. During that span, she is connecting on 40.2 percent of her shots from the field and has scored 15 or more points on three occasions.
• Sophomore Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) has found her shooting groove over the last five games as she has connected on five, three, one, five and four three-pointers, respectively, while averaging 14.8 points per game.
• With her three-pointer at the 10:19 mark of the second half versus Kent State, Plybon moved into the top-10 in the single-season record book for triples with 56. She will enter the Buffalo game with the seventh-best single-season in school history having made 65 three-pointers.
• With their win over Kent State, the Zips clinched their third-consecutive winning season. It marks the first time in program history that Akron has garnered a winning mark over three-straight seasons.
• Junior Megan Barilla (Fairview Park, Ohio) has led Akron in assists 10 times this season.
• Akron's 10-game winning streak to begin the season represented the second-longest such streak in program history. A year ago, the Zips won 13-consecutive contests from Jan. 18 through March 5.
• Akron established a new school record for victories to open a season (8) with its 81-63 win past Bethune-Cookman. The victory helped the Zips surpass the previous mark of 7-0 set during the 1974-75 campaign.
• Buffalo is leading the conference in three-point percentage defense (.260), rebounding offense (43.6), steals (11.1) and offensive rebounds (16.0), while rating second in field-goal percentage defense (.357) and blocked shots (4.0).
• In league-only contests, the Bulls are ranked first in the conference in field-goal percentage defense (.344), rebounding offense (44.1) and offensive rebounds (16.8) and second in blocked shots (3.7), steals (10.1) and defensive rebounds (27.3).
• Senior Sina King owns a team-leading 10 double-doubles this season.
• Akron is one of two schools to have a pair of players in Sina King and junior Anita Brown (Warren, Ohio) ranked in the top-45 nationally in scoring. The Zips' duo joins Ohio State's Kelsey Mitchell and Ameryst Alston.
• Junior Megan Barilla checks in at No. 3 nationally in assist/turnover ratio (3.78) on the strength of dishing out 4.0 per night.
• Anita Brown surpassed the 700-point plateau for her Akron career with an eight-point effort at Northern Illinois. She will enter the Zips' contest with Buffalo having recorded 704 career points.
• Over her five-year Akron career, Sina King has registered 1,446 points and 790 rebounds to become only the fifth player in program history to notch at least 1,200 points and 700 rebounds as a Zip. She joins Rachel Tecca (2009-14), Cheryl Bowles (1997-2001), Pam Arnold (1984-88) and Casey O'Connor (1979-83) in that exclusive club.
• Sina King is approaching 1,500 points during her Akron career as she will enter play versus Buffalo with 1,446 career points, she is also 10 rebounds away from 800 for her career. Only three other all-time Zips have reached those numbers.
• Sina King needs 98 points to surpass Pam Arnold for fifth place all-time at Akron in career scoring. She will enter the Buffalo game with 1,446 points.
• Sina King is also rated third, fourth, sixth, sixth and seventh, respectively, in the career record book in free throws made (345), free throws attempted (436), rebounds (790), field-goal percentage (.470) and field goals made (514).
• Akron is ranked in the top-50 in seven NCAA statistical categories, including 22nd in scoring offense (76.1).
• Akron was rated No. 16 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 WBB poll released on Feb. 3.
• Akron is ranked 79th in the latest NCAA RPI rankings.
• The Zips enter their game versus Buffalo leading the Mid-American Conference in scoring offense (76.1), field-goal percentage (.447), assists (16.9), assist/turnover ratio (1.2) and defensive rebounds (28.5), while ranking second in scoring margin (+11.1), three-point percentage (.336) and rebounding margin (+3.3).
Promotions vs. Buffalo
Akron's game versus Buffalo on Wednesday, Feb. 11, will serve as Student Appreciation Night. Starting on Monday, Feb. 9, students were able to tweet using the hashtag #ZipsBucketList and talk about what they have on their bucket list to accomplish before graduation. Five winners will be chosen at the game on Wednesday to go "All In" as the Zips will help the winners accomplish their bucket lists item. It also Girl Scout Night with participants getting a special group rate for admission into the game.
Akron Hosts Play4Kay Game vs. Toledo
Saturday's game versus Toledo will serve as the Zips' Play4Kay game in honor of the late North Carolina State women's basketball coach Kay Yow, who lost her long battle with breast cancer in 2009. The game will help raise awareness for the disease and the Kay Yow Foundation, which supports research, provides grants, and drives inspiration in the fight against women's cancers.
A signed pink basketball from the entire Akron women's basketball team along with a pair of pink jerseys signed by the squad, will be raffled off. Additionally, blue t-shirts with a pink graphic design will be sold for $5 at the game.
A Look at Buffalo
Buffalo enters Wednesday's game versus the Zips having won its last four games and sitting at 6-4 in conference play following a 66-45 home victory over Bowling Green on Saturday, Feb. 7. Senior Kristen Sharkey paces three Bulls averaging in double figures in scoring registering a team-best 14.8 points per game. Junior Mackenzie Loesing and sophomore Alexus Malone are recording 13.2 and 11.1 tallies a night. Senior Christa Baccas is pulling down a team-best 8.4 rebounds per tilt, while junior Karin Moss is distributing 2.1 assists per tilt. Buffalo is scoring 64.2 points a game and has held its opponents to 61.5 points a night. The Bulls are connecting on nearly 37 percent (.367) of their shots from the field.
In Our Last Meeting
Akron 79, Buffalo 71
March 5, 2014 • Buffalo, N.Y.
Trailing by four points with just over five minutes to play, Akron proved why it was the best free-throw shooting team in the Mid-American Conference, converting from the line and coming from behind down the stretch to defeat Buffalo on the road, 79-71.
The Zips went 16-for-17 from the charity stripe in the second half to overcome a late surge from Buffalo.
Rachel Tecca led all scorers with 23 points and 15 rebounds. DiAndra Gibson posted a then career-high 10 points and added six rebounds, and Kacie Cassell chipped in nine points, all in the second half.
Hanna Luburgh scored 14 of her 20 points in the final 20 minutes, but none were bigger than the 3-pointer from deep in the left corner to give the Zips back the lead at 70-67 with 1:57 remaining.
Four players finished in double figures offensively for Buffalo, led by Kristen Sharkey's 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Akron vs. Northern Illinois Recap
Akron gave up a 15-point second-half lead and fell at Northern Illinois, 62-56, in Mid-American Conference action at the Convocation Center.
In the first half, the Huskies jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead. The Zips then went on an 8-2 run to come within two, 10-8. Senior Sina King and sophomore Hannah Plybon each connected on three pointers.
The teams battled back and forth for the rest of the half. Akron tied the game at 20-20 on a lay-up by Plybon. The Zips' largest lead was three points following a pair of free throws from King and a lay-up by freshman Kerri McMahan (Novi, Mich.). Akron closed the stanza with a one-point edge, taking a 27-26 lead into the locker room.
The Zips came out of the locker room and jumped ahead with a 10-0 run to lead by nine, 37-28, with 16:04 to go. With 8:36 remaining, Akron had its largest lead of the game, 51-36, before Northern Illinois started chipping away. The Huskies' Amanda Corral was unstoppable. She scored 14 of their last 18 points down the stretch. With the score tied at 56-56 with 1:19 to play, Corral nailed a three and four free throws for the win.
King led the Zips with 17 points and six rebounds. Plybon followed with 16 points, including four treys, and six boards. Junior Anita Brown, who was held scoreless in the first half, finished with eight points and seven rebounds. Brown also distributed a game-high four assists.
Corral led Northern Illinois with 31 points, including three treys. Kelly Smith added 12 points, and Ally Lehman had 10.
Overall, Akron out-shot the Huskies, 37 percent (22-of-59) to 35 percent (22-of-62). The Zips also shot better at the charity stripe, 86 percent (6-of-7) to 72 percent (13-18). Akron out-rebounded the Huskies, 41-38. The difference was turnovers. The Zips committed 15 turnovers while forcing just eight. Freshman Alli Ball (St. Louis, Mo.) equaled a career high pulling down seven rebounds.
Nationally Speaking
The Zips are nationally-ranked in several categories this season. As a team, Akron is 15th in assist/turnover ratio (1.22), 18th in scoring (77.1), 19th in assists per game (16.9), 25th in field-goal percentage (.447), 35th in scoring margin (+11.1), 37th in turnovers per game (13.9) and 38th in won-loss percentage (.773). Individually, Sina King is 30th, 31st and 80th, respectively, in double-doubles (10), scoring (20.0) and field-goal percentage (.485). Anita Brown is rated 42nd in scoring (19.0) and 83rd in field-goal percentage (.483), while junior Megan Barilla is third in the nation in assist-turnover ratio (3.78). Sophomore Hannah Plybon is 10th in three-pointers per game (2.95) and 66th in three-point percentage (.382).
King Candidate For Senior CLASS Award
Senior Sina King was named one of 30 women's basketball candidates for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character, and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2015 NCAA Women's Final Four®.
Each of the 30 candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists later in the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans.
Brown Named High-Major National Player of the Week
Akron junior Anita Brown was tabbed by College Sports Madness on Jan. 19 as its Madness High-Major Women's Basketball National Player of the Week for her efforts leading the Zips to a pair of road victories.
She also claimed top honors by College Sports Madness as its Mid-American Conference Player of the Week (Jan. 19).
Brown registered 26.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals per contest en route to leading the Zips to road wins at Toledo and Miami.
Akron Notes
• Led by 22 and 20 double-figure scoring games, respectively, from Sina King and Anita Brown and 11 and six courtesy of Hannah Plybon and Kerri McMahan, Akron has had players surpass the double-digit scoring plateau 65 times this season.
• The Zips have won 14 of their last 18 regular-season games away from home.
• Senior Sina King cracked the top-10 for career games played as a Zip when she took the court versus Ohio on Jan. 28. The contest was the 112th time King donned Akron uniform. With her appearance against Northern Illinois King tied Cheryl Bowles (1997-2001) for eighth place all-time at Akron at 115 games.
• The Zips have led or been tied in the second half in all but one game this season.
• Freshman Kerri McMahan became only the second Zip this season to lead Akron in rebounding and assists in a game with her eight-rebound, seven-assist effort in a 72-60 loss at Ohio on Jan. 28. The eight dimes established a new career-high mark for McMahan.
• The Zips' 74-72 triumph over Central Michigan marked their first victory in Mount Pleasant, Mich., since Feb. 6, 2001.
• Akron equaled a school record connecting on 13 three-pointers in its win at Central Michigan on Jan. 24. The Zips' effort matched the 13 triples Akron drained versus the Chippewas on Feb. 21, 2005.
• Senior Sina King, junior Anita Brown and sophomore Hannah Plybon each registered career-high marks in scoring in the Zips' 102-101 victory at Toledo. The trio registered 29, 36 and 26 points, respectively.
• Brown's 36 points against the Rockets represented the fourth-highest single-game scoring effort in program history, while junior Megan Barilla's notched the ninth-best performance for assists with 10 dimes.
• Since 2010, Akron has surpassed the 100-point plateau in scoring on seven occasions, including versus Valparaiso and Toledo this season. The Zips' record all-time when scoring 100 or more is 10-0.
• The Zips' 102-101 victory at Toledo marked the first time in program history that both Akron and its opponent had surpassed 100 points in a game.
• The Zips' 102 points at Toledo represented the fifth-best single-game scoring output in program history, while also marking the first contest this season decided by less than five points for Akron.
• The Zips have displayed their defensive presence in the squad's first 22 games as Akron has committed the same or fewer turnovers than its opponents in 15 of its 22 games.
• The Zips have garnered six Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week selections this season with Anita Brown leading the way earning the award three times (Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Jan. 20). Sina King took home the accolades on Nov. 24 and Jan. 26 and Hannah Plybon on Jan. 12.
• The Zips' 67-59 win over Bowling Green marked only the fourth-ever triumph by Akron versus the Falcons.
• Hannah Plybon connected on a career-best six three-pointers en route to recording a then career-high 25 points in the Zips' 65-48 win over Eastern Michigan. Her six triples represented the sixth-best single-game performance in program history.
• DiAndra Gibson registered a game- and career-best 16 rebounds in Akron's 67-59 win past Bowling Green. Her 10 defensive rebounds tied Sina King for the most by a Zip in a game this season.
• Akron connected on a season-best 58.5 percent of its shots in the Zips' 97-62 victory over Ohio Christian.
• Hannah Plybon established a new career-high mark distributing eight assists in Akron's' triumph over Bethune-Cookman.
• Freshman Alli Ball made the most of her first career start registering three point, four rebounds and a team- and game-high two blocks in 20 minutes of action against Bethune-Cookman.
• The Zips' 89-61 win over Morehead State represented the 400th victory in program history.
• Sparked by a 5-for-8 shooting effort in the second half of its 90-74 victory over Siena, Akron finished the contest shooting 50 percent from three-point range. It marked the first time this season that the Zips had connected on 50 percent or better from beyond the arc.
• Anita Brown finished one point shy of equaling her then career high pouring in 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 4-for-7 beyond the arc versus Siena.
• Megan Barilla distributed a then career- and team-high seven assists in the Zips' 90-74 win past Siena.
• Junior Katie Nunan (Fairmont, W. Va.) came off the bench to register 17 of her career-high 19 points in a 73-58 victory over Belmont.
• The 100 points scored against the Crusaders marked the ninth-highest single-game point total in program history. Seven of the top-nine single-game scoring outputs have occurred under ninth-year head coach Jodi Kest.
• Akron nailed 12 three-pointers against Valparaiso, one off the school record of 13 set versus Central Michigan on Feb. 21, 2005 and Jan. 24, 2015.
• The 40 made field goals by the Zips in a 100-65 win over Valparaiso represented the sixth-best single-game effort in program history equaling the mark set against Xavier on Dec. 1, 1984.
• The Zips' 100-65 win over Valparaiso marked the 350th in the coaching career of Kest.
• The 100-point effort against Valparaiso marked the sixth time under Kest's tenure that the Zips have scored at least 100 points in a game.
• Akron began the 2014-15 season as the defending Mid-American Conference champions, and were picked to finish third in the MAC East Division this year in the preseason poll by the league's head coaches.
• Akron returned two starters and eight letterwinners from last year's squad, and welcomed five freshmen to the team this season. In their second-straight 23-win campaign last year, the Zips posted the best conference record in the history of the program at 14-4.
• The Zips made their third postseason appearance in the last five years, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. The 13th-seeded Zips ended their postseason run with an 84-55 loss to fourth-seeded Purdue in the first round of the tournament at Mackey Arena.
• King returned to the basketball court for a fifth year this season after sitting out her true senior year to undergo treatment for blood clots. King was named to the All-MAC East Preseason Team. She was a third team All-MAC selection in 2012-13, after putting up 14 double-doubles, averaging 15.0 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game.
• Kest, now in her ninth season at the helm of the program, has collected the most wins of any Akron women's basketball head coach in the history of the program.
March on the Single-Season Record Book
• Sina King and Anita Brown currently own the fourth- and sixth-best single-season scoring averages in program history registering 20.0 and 19.0 points per game this season.
Akron Pair Nominated for CoSIDA Honors
Akron senior Sina King and sophomore Hannah Plybon were nominated for the 2015 Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.30 or better and be a starter or significant reserve. In her second semester of graduate school, King maintains a 3.56 GPA in exercise science and physiology, while Plybon, a speech language major, owns a 3.76 cumulative GPA.
PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge
Akron's home game versus Kent State on Jan. 31 marked the first installment in the PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. The Zips picked up a half point in the series with their 74-67 victory and now trail the Golden Flashes, 4.0-1.5. The two team will next meet on Feb. 25 in Kent, Ohio.
Each of the fifteen (15) sports will be worth one (1) point. For a school to be the winner of The PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge, it must accumulate at least eight (8) points.
According to legend, the "Wagon Wheel" trophy traces its beginnings to the spring of 1870 when Akron industrialist John R. Buchtel set out for the town of Kent in search of a site to establish a college. In the muddy Ohio fields, however, his wagon became bogged down in the area where Kent State University is currently located. When horses pulled the wagon, a wheel came loose and became buried until it was discovered in 1902 during the construction of a pipeline along the Western Reserve Trail.
The wheel eventually fell into the possession of Dr. Raymond Manchester, who as the Kent State Dean of Men in 1945, suggested the local historic artifact be offered as the trophy to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. Through the 2011 game, Kent State leads the series 21–19–1 in Wagon Wheel games.
Poll Party
Akron checked in at No. 16 in the Feb. 3 CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll. Other MAC schools showing up in the poll were Ohio (No. 11), Ball State (seven votes), Western Michigan (five votes) and Central Michigan (three votes).
Zips' Offensive Progress Report
In Akron's 22 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .585 (Ohio Christian), .545 (Toledo-1), .545 (Bethune-Cookman), .527 (Siena), 40 percent: .494 (Valparaiso), .480 (Eastern Michigan), .461 (Morehead State), .459 (Northern Kentucky), .458 (Central Florida), .441 (Ball State), .438 (Miami-1), .438 (Binghamton), .420 (Belmont), .417 (Western Michigan-2), .417 (Western Michigan-1), .410 (Bowling Green-1), .403 (Northern Iowa), 30 percent: .394 (Kent State-1), .390 (Ohio-1), .389 (Youngstown State), .380 (Central Michigan), .373 (Northern Illinois) 20 percent: NA.
Akron's Defensive Progress Report
In the Zips' 22 games this season, this is how Akron's opponents have fared from the field: 50 percent: .500 (Toledo-1), 40 percent: .490 (Kent State-1), .483 (Ball State), .455 (Western Michigan-1), .424 (Western Michigan-2), .424 (Youngstown State), .424 (Northern Iowa), .419 (Central Michigan), 30 percent: .373 (Ohio Christian), .369 (Siena), .344 (Morehead State), .361 (Ohio-1), .355 (Northern Illinois), .343 (Bethune-Cookman), .333 (Bowling Green-1) .333 (Northern Kentucky & Binghamton), .329 (Central Florida), .328 (Miami-1), .317 (Belmont), 20 percent: .297 (Eastern Michigan), .286 (Valparaiso).
Akron in Close Games
Akron has been involved in 51 games decided by five points or fewer under head coach Jodi Kest. A breakdown of those matches is as follows; one-point difference (8-8), two-point difference (9-4), three-point difference (1-4), four-point difference (4-5) and five-point difference (2-6).
The King is Back
Sina King, the lone senior on Akron's roster, has made her return to the basketball court for a fifth year in 2014-15, after a medical issue sidelined her a year ago.
King underwent treatment for blood clots during what would have been her true senior year last season, serving as a student assistant coach to help her teammates capture the first Mid-American Conference championship in school history.
King was a third-team All-MAC selection two years ago in 2012-13, after putting up 14 double-doubles, averaging 15.0 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game. She shot 84.9 percent from the free throw line that year, ranking No. 32 in the nation. The 288 rebounds she pulled down as a junior are the fourth-most for a single season in program history.
She is off to a strong start to the 2014-15 campaign as she is averaging a team-best 20.0 points and a team-best 8.6 rebounds per game. She has led the Zips in rebounding and scoring 12 and eight times, respectively, while registering a team-high 10 double-doubles. She has scored in doubles figures in 33 consecutive games and 78 times during her career.
Anita Buckets
After playing some of her best basketball near the end of the 2013-14 campaign junior Anita Brown has cracked the starting line-up in each of the Zips' first 22 games this season. She has responded registering 19.0 points per contest, while connecting on a 48.3 percent of her shots from the field. Additionally, she is pulling down 6.5 rebounds a game, while distributing a 2.7 assists a tilt.
A year ago, she was fourth on the team in scoring and rebounding as the first guard off the bench (7.5 ppg and 4.4 rpg). Brown averaged 10.7 ppg over the course of the 2014 MAC Tournament, including a 16-point effort in 25 minutes in the semifinal game against Central Michigan.
Sophomore Status
Sophomore Hannah Plybon is one of two starters returning from last year's squad. The 2014 All-MAC Freshman-Team selection established herself as a prominent offensive threat on the Zips' roster last season, starting all but one game as a rookie on a senior-laden team. The Orrville, Ohio native scored in double figures on 11 occasions, averaging 25.3 minutes per game and 7.1 ppg (8.2 ppg in MAC play).
This season, she ranks third on the team in scoring 12.7 ppg, while recording 3.3 rebounds 2.0 assists and 0.7 steals per contest. She leads the Zips in three-pointers made (65) and has hit at least two triples in 19 of 22 games this season.
An Unsung Warrior
The mark of a quality team is the willingness of every player to do the little things that may not always show up in the boxscore that helps win ballgames. For the Zips, one of those players this season has been junior DiAndra Gibson.
Entering Akron's game versus Buffalo, Gibson is averaging 5.9 points, 7.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor. She has recorded five or more rebounds in 17 of the Zips' 22 games this season, including pulling down a career-best 16 rebounds in a 67-59 win over Bowling Green.
She has scored in double figures three times during the 2014-15 campaign and connected on 50 percent or better from the field in nine tilts, including six of Akron's 11 conference games.
A Steady Hand
Junior Megan Barilla has proven to be a steadying force for the Zips off the bench this season averaging 4.0 assists, while ranking third in steals (1.1). She currently owns the third-best assist-turnover ratio in the country (3.78) and has posted five or more assists in nine games this season. In 11 league contests, Barilla has distributed 4.2 assists per tilt and has committed zero turnovers in five of those contests.
McMahan On The Rise
Freshman Kerri McMahan has stepped into the starting line-up for the Zips and quickly become a presence for Akron registering 7.0 points, 4.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest. She has started all 22 games for Akron scoring in double figures in six games. She has paced the team in assists and steals 11 and eight times, respectively, this season.
Bench Production
Akron is averaging 11.5 points of production from its bench through the Zips' first 22 games this season. Katie Nunan and freshmen Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.), Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio) and Alli Ball, junior Megan Barilla along with sophomore Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) lead the way registering 4.2, 2.5, 1.8, 1.5, 1.5 and 1.4 points, respectively. Ball is pacing the reserves in rebounding pulling down 2.5 caroms per tilt, while Barilla ranks second in assists (87).
Preseason Predictions
The Zips were picked to finish third in the MAC East Division this year in the conference preseason poll voted on by the league's head coaches. UA was projected to finish behind Buffalo and Bowling Green in the East after capturing its first-ever conference tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth a year ago. Buffalo was picked to win the East Division, receiving eight first place votes out of a possible 12. BGSU received three first place votes. Ohio, Miami (Ohio) and Kent State were picked fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
In the West Division, Central Michigan was chosen as the favorite, earning 11 of the 12 first place votes. Ball State was selected second with one first place vote, followed by Western Michigan, Toledo, Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois.
CMU was also predicted to win the 2015 MAC Tournament, March 9-14 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
Leading Scorers
For the third-straight season, the Zips set a new school record for most points scored in 2013-14. Akron's signature high-octane offense averaged 82.0 points per game, which ranked 11th in the nation in scoring offense. UA was also seventh in the country in assists per game at 18.5, fueled by the graduated Kacie Cassell, the school's all-time career assists leader (688).
Zips in the Pros
Following graduation in 2014, seniors Hanna Luburgh and Rachel Tecca signed contracts to play professionally overseas. Luburgh went on to play for AZS UMCS in Lublin, Poland, for the 2014-15 season, while Tecca traveled to Iceland to compete for U.M.F. Grindavik out of the Dominos League. The pair were two of the most prolific scorers to come through Akron, as Tecca left as the career scoring leader and Luburgh holds the single-season record.
Newcomer Notes
• Alli Ball - Fr., St. Louis, Mo./Principia Upper School: Set the school record for career points (1,360), points in a single season (553), blocks in a single season (122) and career blocks (255)...two-time Missouri Basketball Coaches Association all-state selection...two-time first team all-district...named MBCA Class 3 as well as Metro League Player of the Year as a senior...averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game as a senior...led her team to two conference, district and sectional championships in her four years...was a cross country state qualifier as a freshman and a track & field state qualifier as a sophomore.
• Greta Burry - Fr., Lakewood, Ohio/St. Joseph Academy: Four-year letterwinner...averaged 9.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals as a senior...recognized by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as a top-25 player to watch, player of the week and postseason honorable mention...recipient of the coaches award as a senior.
• Kaitlyn Flowers - Fr., Lompoc, Calif./St. Joseph: Scored 1,448 points over the course of her prep career...as a senior, averaged 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 4.8 steals per game...shot 41 percent from the field for her career...three-time team captain ... four-time scholar-athlete...all-division first team as a senior and second team as a junior...led her squad to two league championship titles in four years and one California Interscholastic Federation Division 3 state championship...two-time all-league first team defensive MVP...was also an all-league performer in track & field (hurdles).
• Lauren Hung - Fr., Waterford, Mich./Waterford Mott: Earned all-state recognition as a senior...scored 1,315 points for her career...averaged 15.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a senior...two-time state free throw champion...shot 82 percent from the charity stripe during her senior season...four-time team MVP.
• Kerri McMahan - Fr., Novi, Mich./Novi: Graduated as the only girls' basketball player in school history to surpass 1,000 points, finishing with 1,069 points for her career...set the school single-game scoring record (32 points)...led her team to four division championship titles...four-time all-conference selection...Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) all-state first team as a junior and senior...two-time All-Oakland County first team selection...three-time all-area Player of the Year...received BCAM academic-all state recognition as a junior and senior...averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 steals during her senior season...was also an all-state cross country runner as a freshman and the fifth-fastest freshman in the state of Michigan...three-time all-state runner in the 4x400 meter relay...four-time all-state high jumper...only student-athlete in school history to earn all-state honors in three different sports.
• Megan Sefcik - Fr., Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch: Graduated as the school's second all-time leading scorer...averaged 19.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a senior...named the conference Player of the Year as a senior...shot 53.0 percent from the field and 89.0 percent from the free throw line during her senior season...three-time first team all-conference selection...All-Ohio Special Mention.
Zips Sign Two Prep Standouts
Akron women's basketball head coach Jodi Kest has announced the signings of prep standouts Lilli Piper (Norton, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and Fredniqua "Shaq" Walker (Cleveland, Ohio/Shaw) to national letters of intent to join the program for the 2015-16 season.
Piper, a 5-10 guard from nearby Walsh Jesuit High School, averaged 12.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game last season. She earned All-Ohio Special Mention recognition as a junior, and was also named first team all-district. A multi-sport athlete, Piper was tabbed the 2014 softball player of the year by Cleveland.com, and maintains a 3.6 GPA.
Walker a 6-1 post player out of Shaw High School in Cleveland, averaged a double-double a year ago with 12.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. She earned all-district recognition following her junior campaign in 2013-14. Walker boasts a 4.3 GPA and ranks No. 1 in her class.
Reid Promoted, Pierce Joins Akron Staff
Head coach Jodi Kest made a few changes in her staff during the offseason, promoting former graduate assistant Preston Reid to assistant coach, and hiring Sam Pierce as an assistant coach.
Reid served as a graduate assistant on Kest's staff for the last two seasons, after one year as the assistant video coordinator at Florida State.
Pierce comes to Akron from the state of Pennsylvania, where he founded a basketball development program called PA Pride located in Altoona, Pa. He coached boys and girls for the last six years as a part of the program.
