The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Georgia St.
Georgia State Next Up For Akron
December 19 | Women's Basketball
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AKRON AT GEORGIA STATE GAME NOTES - 12/20/16 (PDF)
Akron (5-3) at Georgia State (4-5)
Tuesday, Dec. 20
GSU Sports Arena (3,854)
Atlanta, Ga. • 1 p.m.
Live Stats: www.georgiastatesports.com
Webstream: www.georgiastatesports.com
Radio: SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), for free at SportsRadio1350.com and on iHeartRadio. Bill Morgan will have the call starting with the pregame show starting at 12:45 p.m.
Television: ESPN3/Watch ESPN
WHAT'S AHEAD
Akron returns to the road this Tuesday, Dec. 20, as the Zips visit Atlanta, Ga., to open the Georgia State Classic against the host Panthers. Game time is on tap for 1 p.m. at the Georgia State Sports Arena.
A LOOK AT GEORGIA STATE
Georgia State comes into action against Akron on Tuesday, Dec. 20, having dropped two straight following an 80-57 setback at Alabama on Dec. 15. Senior Tiffany Holston owns a team-best 10.8 scoring average for the Panthers, while also pulling down a team-high 9.3 rebounds per contest. Georgia State is recording 61.2 points per contest and has connected at nearly 36 percent (.356) from the field and at a 22.8-percent clip from beyond the arc. As a team, the Panthers are ranked 13th in the NCAA in offensive rebounding (18.0).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron will be meeting Georgia State for the initial time in program history.
THE COACHES
Georgia State: Sharon Baldwin-Tener is in his seventh season leading the Panthers' program owning a 72-117 (.381) record. She also maintains a 267-259 (.508) ledger in 18 years as a head coach.
Akron: In her 11th year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, is Jodi Kest, who has a 166-156 mark (.516), including 392-309 (.559) overall, in her 25th year as a head coach.
ZIPS SUFFER 67-57 SETBACK AGAINST DUQUESNE
Akron nearly rallied from an 18-point deficit, but in the end the Zips were unable to overcome a 17.1 percent shooting effort in the first half as Duquesne bettered Akron, 67-57, on Saturday, Dec. 17, at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Zips, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped, were led by a 17-point performance from senior Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio). Akron also garnered 13- and 11-point efforts from senior Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) and junior Alli Ball (St. Louis, Mo.). Directing three Dukes in double-figures in scoring was Chassidy Omogrosso with a game-high 19 points. Adding 12 and 11 points, respectively, were Kadri-Ann Lass and Amadea Szamosi.
Akron was limited to a season-low 29.4 percent effort from the field, while the Dukes connected on 38.2 percent of their attempts.
Duquesne registered a 54-38 advantage in rebounding, including 38-25 edge on the defensive glass. Freshman Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) and Plybon each recorded a team-high six rebounds for the Zips, while Szamosi pulled down a game-best seven caroms for the Dukes.
Akron committed a season-low eight turnovers in the affair, while freshman Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) dished out a career-high seven assists for the Zips.
AKRON SURGES PAST EASTERN KENTUCKY, 63-57
Akron senior Hannah Plybon led three Zips scoring in double figures with a 20-point performance to spark Akron to its third straight victory, in come-from-behind fashion, 63-57, past Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 10.
Joining Plybon with double-digit scoring efforts for the Zips was freshman Shaunay Edmonds and Alex Ricketts with 12- and 10-point games, respectively. Alexus Cooper directed the Colonels with a team-high 19 points, while Jalen O'Bannon added 14 points.
Akron withstood a nearly four-minute (3:55) scoring drought in the final period in which Eastern Kentucky whittled the Zips' lead to one, 56-55, before knocking down seven key free throws to secure the victory. The free throws were critical to Akron maintaining its lead as the Zips shot just 2-for-11 (.182) over the game's final 10 minutes.
Akron connected at a nearly 39-percent clip (.389) from the field on the afternoon, including making five three pointers. The Colonels connected on 33.3 percent of their attempts in the tilt.
The Zips won the battle for the rebounds posting a 42-37 margin, including 30-25 on the defensive glass. Pulling down a team-best six rebounds for Akron was Ricketts, while senior Brittany Gordon (South Charleston, W. Va.) distributed a game-high five assists. Blocking a career- and game-best four shots was Caitlin Vari.
PLYBON AMONG THE NCAA'S ELITE
One of the most dynamic players in women's collegiate basketball, Hannah Plybon enters play this Tuesday, Dec. 20, versus Georgia State highly ranked among the active women's basketball players in Division 1 in several categories. Plybon is currently ranked fourth, fourth, sixth, 10th, 42nd and 47th, respectively, among active career leaders in three pointers attempted (728), triples attempted per game (6.93), triples made (255), three pointers made per contest (2.43), field goals attempted (1,143) and points (1,333). Across all divisions of women's basketball, Plybon is rated sixth in three pointers attempted and triples taken per game and eighth in three pointers made.
NEWS, NOTES AND STORYLINES
• Over the Zips' last five contests, Hannah Plybon, Alex Ricketts and Megan Sefcik are averaging 14.0, 11.8 and 9.4 points, respectively. Shaunay Edmonds owns team-best marks 18 assists and 13 steals, while Brittany Gordon has distributed 14 assists against only four turnovers. Plybon and Sefcik have combined to connect on 15 three pointers.
• Following their 76-74 victory over Youngstown State on Dec. 6, the Zips have won five consecutive games played in overtime, including a 4-0 record last season.
• Led by 9.9 points per tilt from Megan Sefcik, Akron is averaging 19.6 points per contest off the bench. The Zips' reserves are shooting nearly 38 percent (.377) from the field and at a 31.5-percent clip from beyond the arc. Brittany Gordon has registered 24 assists against only nine turnovers.
• Akron's tilt at Eastern Kentucky marked the 700th game in the head coaching career of Jodi Kest.
• The Zips' victory over Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 10 marked the 350th since Akron transitioned to NCAA Division I prior to the 1983-84 campaign.
• Hannah Plybon enters play versus Duquesne needing 15 triples to surpass Taylor Ruper's (2009-13) school-record 269 three pointers made. A year ago, she connected on a school-record 104 three pointers during the 2015-16 campaign.
• When Hannah Plybon surpasses 20 points in a contest Akron has posted an 15-5 record.
• Akron enters its contest versus Georgia State on Tuesday, Dec. 20, having won 62 of its last 90 games dating back to the 2013-14 campaign.
• Since the start of the 2011-12 campaign, the Zips have won more than 73 percent (.731) of their games at James A. Rhodes Arena, having posted a 57-21 ledger.
• Hannah Plybon came into the 2016-17 campaign as the Zips' active leader in career scoring. She will enter Akron's game with Georgia State having amassed 1,333 points and has connected on 38.1 percent of her shots from the field and at a 35.0-percent clip from beyond the arc.
• Hannah Plybon is ranked eighth in career scoring at Akron with 1,333 career points. She is 212 points shy of surpassing Pam Arnold (1,544) for seventh all-time in the Zips' record book.
• Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio) is shooting 51.5 percent from the field for her career having made 137 of her 266 shots.
• The Zips have won 19 or more games in each of the last four seasons.
AKRON NOTES
• Shaunay Edmonds distributed a career-best seven assists versus Duquesne, while Caitlin Vari poured in career-high marks in scoring (6) and rebounding (6).
• The Zips committed a season-low turnovers versus Duquesne.
• Alex Ricketts registered her second career double-double with a 20-point, 10-rebound effort to spark Akron to a 76-64 overtime triumph at Youngstown State on Dec. 6. In her first career start at Western Michigan on Feb. 13, 2016, she poured in a 12-point, 12-rebound performance.
• Greta Burry is the Zips' active leader in double-doubles having posted three in her Zips' career. Her double-doubles came at Florida Atlantic (14 points/12 rebounds - 11/13/15), at Eastern Michigan (17 points/10 rebounds - Jan. 6, 2016) and at Bowling Green (17 points/11 rebounds - Jan. 20, 2016).
• While Burry owns a team-best three double-doubles, Akron has also benefited from two from Alex Ricketts and one apiece courtesy of Hannah Plybon (18 points/11 rebounds at Youngstown State - Dec. 6, 2016) and Alli Ball (13 points/11 rebounds at Florida Atlantic - Nov. 13, 2015)
• Shaunay Edmonds turned in a solid game for the Zips versus Bucknell on Nov. 30, leading Akron in scoring (6), rebounds (5), assists (4) and steals (3) in 24 minutes of action.
• Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) registered career-high marks in scoring (5), rebounding (5) and blocked shots (3) against Bucknell on Nov. 30.
• Five players in Hannah Plybon (7), Alex Ricketts (5), Megan Sefcik (4), Shaunay Edmonds (3) and Alli Ball (2) have scored in double figures for the Zips this season.
• Twelve Zips have established career-high marks in scoring this season including; Hannah Plybon (39 at Canisius), Alex Ricketts (20 at Youngstown State), Megan Sefcik (19 at Winthrop), Alli Ball (15 vs. Malone), Shaunay Edmonds (12 at Youngstown State/at Eastern Kentucky), Brittany Gordon (6 at Penn State), Caitlin Vari (6 vs. Duquesne), Brooke Kurucz (Parkersburg, W. Va.) (5 at Winthrop), Haliegh Reinoehl (5 vs. Bucknell), Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) (4 vs. Bucknell), Fredniqua Walker (Cleveland, Ohio) (4 at Winthrop) and Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.) (2 at Winthrop).
• Shaunay Edmonds poured in 10 points in her collegiate debut versus Malone (Nov. 12), while fellow rookie Caitlin Vari also cracked the scoring column for the first time as a Zip with two points off the bench against the Pioneers.
• Hannah Plybon is averaging a team-best 9.4 points in the first half of games this season, while Greta Burry is shooting 55.6 percent (10-18) in the initial 20 minutes of the Zips' eight tilts on the campaign.
• In the second half of games this season, Hannah Plybon leads the offensive efforts for Akron averaging 9.5 points. As a team, the Zips are shooting 41.3 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes in their eight contests this season. Additionally, Brittany Gordon owns a seven to one assist-turnover ratio.
• Alli Ball narrowly missed registering her second career double-doubles as she posted a 15-point, eight rebound performance in Akron's 63-52 win over Malone (Nov. 12).
• Hannah Plybon owns 20 career 20-point performances after she poured in a career-best 39 points at Canisius on Nov. 20.
• The Zips have won 37 of their last 47 games at the James A. Rhodes Arena, including a 1-2 mark this season.
• Since 2010, Akron has surpassed the 100-point plateau in scoring on nine occasions, including versus Valparaiso and Toledo during the 2014-15 campaign. The Zips' record all-time when scoring 100 or more is 11-0.
• The Zips made their fifth postseason appearance in the past seven years last season, advancing to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). The Zips ended their postseason run with an 74-70 loss against Bucknell.
• Jodi Kest, now in her 11th 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.
NCAA RANKINGS
• The Zips enter play versus Georgia State on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 10th in the NCAA in fewest fouls committed (122), while rating 22nd in fewest turnovers (127) and 72nd in three-point defense (.282).
• Individually, Hannah Plybon is 39th in the country in scoring (18.9) , while also rating 75th in triples per game (2.50). Brittany Gordon is 29th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.67).
AKRON MAC STATISTICAL LEADERS
• Akron enters play versus Georgia State on Tuesday, Dec. 20, rated second in the Mid-American Conference in three-point defense (.282) and blocked shots (4.1), fifth in defensive rebounding (27.6) and rebounding offense (40.4).
• Hannah Plybon (4th in scoring - 18.9; 4th in triples made - 2.5; 9th in free throw percentage - .796; 10th in minutes played - 32.4)
• Shaunay Edmonds (6th in steals - 2.1)
• Brittany Gordon (2nd in assist/turnover ratio - 2.7)
• Megan Sefcik (6th in triples made - 2.3)
• Caitlin Vari (5th in blocked shots - 1.1)
A LOOK AT THE 2016-17 ZIPS
Headlining the Zips' lineup this season will be senior Hannah Plybon, who earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference accolades last year averaging 16.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. She registered a school-record 104 three-pointers en route to scoring in double figures in 27 games, including recording 20 or more points in 11 tilts.
Junior Greta Burry and senior Alex Ricketts also played significant roles in Akron's success a year ago.
Ricketts, along with Plybon and graduate transfer Brittany Gordon comprise Akron's senior class for the 2016-17 campaign.
Burry appeared in 33 games, including 32 starts for the Zips a season ago, averaging 7.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per contest. She ranked sixth in the MAC in field goal percentage (.522) and shot a team-best 52.2 percent from the field, while leading Akron in offensive rebounds (78).
Ricketts played in all 33 contests for the Zips during the 2015-16 campaign, including making a pair of starts, en route to averaging 3.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
The Zips are also expecting solid contributions from its junior class of Alli Ball, Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.) and Kaitlyn Flowers (Lompoc, Calif.), along with redshirt sophomore Megan Sefcik and sophomore Fredniqua Walker.
Ball played in 30 contests last season averaging 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore, while Hung appeared in 23 games registering 3.0 points per tilt and Flowers earned playing time in five games.
Averaging 2.3 points per contest in 27 games was Sefcik, while Walker returns after appearing in five games for the Zips as a freshman.
The experience of Akron's upperclassmen will be key to the Zips, as Kest and her staff have added to the mix a talented core of six true freshmen this season. The first-year players include; Alyssa Clay, Shaunay Edmonds, Shayna Harmon, Haliegh Reinoehl, Caitlin Vari and Brooke Kurucz.
PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
Akron senior Hannah Plybon was named to the Preseason All-Mid-American Conference East team in a preseason poll of 12 conference coaches, the league office announced Oct. 27.
The Zips were picked to finish third as a team in the MAC East Division behind Ohio (69 points) and 2015-16 MAC Tournament Champion Buffalo (60 points). Following Akron (48 points) was Bowling Green (30 points), Miami (27 points) and Kent State (18 points).
In the MAC West, Central Michigan (72 points) received all 12 first-place votes and was named the favorite to win the division. Ball State (53 points) and Toledo (53 points) were pegged to finish second and were followed by Western Michigan (34 points), Northern Illinois (25 points) and Eastern Michigan (15 points).
Also voted on by the coaches was the predicted 2017 MAC Regular Season Champion. Central Michigan received six of the 12 first-place votes, while Ohio (five) and Buffalo (one) collected the remaining championships tallies.
In a tabulation of the MAC Championship winner, Central Michigan was selected as the favorite earning seven first-place tallies. The Chippewas were followed again by Ohio with four votes, while Buffalo rounded out the poll with the final tally.
PLYBON IN AKRON'S 1,000-POINT CLUB
With her second of two free throws with 46 seconds remaining in Akron's 77-65 victory past Miami on Feb. 6, 2016, Hannah Plybon joined the 1,000-point club at Akron. Plybon will enter the Georgia State contest with 1,333 career points.
ZIPS INK FOUR FOR 2017 RECRUITING CLASS
The University of Akron women's basketball team, under the leadership of 11th-year head coach Jodi Kest, has announced the addition of four student-athletes joining the Zips' squad for the 2017-18 campaign.
Donning the Akron uniform next season will be Kynnedy Azubike (Columbus, Ohio/Africentric), Taylor Gregory (Mt. Vernon, Ohio/Mt. Vernon), Sarah Leyendecker (Lawrenceburg, Ind./Mother of Mercy (Ohio)), and Destiny Perkins (McCordsville, Ind./Lawrence North), who have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Zips' program for the 2017-18 campaign.
A 6-0 guard from Africentric High School in Columbus, Ohio, Azubike averaged 13.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals per contest as a junior en route to earning All-City accolades. She helped her squad capture a state title in Division III in 2016.
A 6-2 forward from Mt. Vernon High School in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, Gregory registered 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per contest as a junior en route to earning first-team all-conference honors.
A 6-4 forward/center from Mother of Mercy High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Leyendecker averaged 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game as a junior en route to earning second-team all-conference recognition.
A 5-4 point guard from Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, Ind., Perkins recorded 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.0 steals per contest as a junior en route to earning honorable mention all-state accolades. She is the No. 23 rated point guard according to 2017 ESPN HoopGurlz.
AKRON IN CLOSE GAMES
Akron has been involved in 61 games decided by five points or fewer under head coach Jodi Kest. A breakdown of those matches is as follows; one-point difference (9-9), two-point difference (12-4), three-point difference (4-4), four-point difference (4-7) and five-point difference (2-6).
ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's eight games this season, this is how the Zips has fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .484 (Winthrop), .448 (Penn State), .434 (Canisius), 30 percent: .389 (Eastern Kentucky), .367 (Youngstown State), .345 (Malone), .302 (Bucknell), 20 percent: .294 (Duquesne).
AKRON'S DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' eight games this season, this is how Akron's opponents have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .432 (Penn State), .424 (Youngstown State), .413 (Winthrop), .400 (Bucknell), 30 percent: .385 (Canisius), .382 (Duquesne), .333 (Eastern Kentucky), .317 (Malone), 20 percent: NA.
WHAT IS A ZIP?
• One of the unique nicknames in collegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron.
• Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth "Red" Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletics teams.
• Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers.
• The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers, a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.
• The evolution of Zippy, UA's mascot, began 40 years ago when the student council decided the University needed a mascot.
• "Zippy" the kangaroo was officially declared the school's mascot on May 1, 1953. The first known printed reference to the mascot as "Zippy" was a 1965 Zip football press brochure. The Buchtelite's first use of the name "Zippy" came Sept. 24, 1965, in an identification of a photo of the cheerleaders listing "Mascot - 'Zippy' - Charles Huettner."
• In 2007, Zippy was named the Capital One National Mascot of the Year.
UP NEXT
The Zips conclude play at the Georgia State Classic squaring off against Elon on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
