The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Elon
First-Ever Meeting with Elon on Tap for Akron
December 20 | Women's Basketball
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AKRON VS. ELON GAME NOTES - 12/21/16 (PDF)
Akron (6-3) vs. Elon (5-4)
Wednesday, Dec. 21
GSU Sports Arena (3,854)
Atlanta, Ga. • 1 p.m.
Live Stats: www.georgiastatesports.com
Webstream: None
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: None
WHAT'S AHEAD
Akron closes out the road portion of its non-conference slate squaring off against Elon in the Zips' finale at the Georgia State Classic on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Game time is on tap for 1 p.m. at the Georgia State Sports Arena.
A LOOK AT ELON
Elon enters play against the Zips having snapped a three-game losing streak following a 79-51 victory by the Phoenix at East Tennessee State on Dec. 17. Junior Shay Burnett and senior Lauren Brown have directed the scoring efforts for Elon averaging 12.1 and 11.1 points, respectively. Burnett is also the leading rebounder for the Phoenix pulling down 6.0 caroms a night. Elon is recording 68.2 points per contest and have connected at nearly 43 percent (.426) from the field and at a 35.1-percent clip from beyond the arc.
As a team, the Phoenix are ranked 47th in the NCAA in three-point defense (.275) and 59th in fewest turnovers (144).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron will be meeting Elon for the initial time in program history.
THE COACHES
Elon: Charlotte Smith is in her sixth season leading the Phoenix program owning a 92-74 (.554) record.
Akron: In her 11th year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, is Jodi Kest, who has a 167-156 mark (.517), including 393-309 (.560) overall, in her 25th year as a head coach.
AKRON DIALS LONG DISTANCE IN 78-66 WIN PAST GEORGIA STATE
Sparked by 25 and 20 points, respectively, from senior Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio), Akron opened the Georgia State Classic on Tuesday, Dec. 20, with a 78-66 triumph past the host Panthers.
The Zips connected on 11 three pointers in the contest en route to shooting 42.1 percent from the field. Fueled by a 53.3 percent shooting mark in the second half, Georgia State made 41.4 percent of its shots on the afternoon. The Panthers, who came into the affair having made 31 triples all season, drained nine shots from beyond the arc in the game.
Akron registered a 34-31 advantage in rebounding, including a 10-7 margin in offensive caroms, which the Zips parlayed into a 14-4 edge in second-chance points.
Plybon led all scorers with a game-high 25 points, while Sefcik poured in career-high marks in scoring (20) and triples made (6). Senior Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) also surpassed the double-digit scoring plateau with 15 points. Astaja Tyghter, Makeba Ponder and Haley Gerrrin recorded 16, 15 and 12 points, respectively, for the Panthers.
Junior Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for Akron, while freshman Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and senior Brittany Gordon (South Charleston, W. Va.) dished out six and five assists, respectively.
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 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 Hannah Plybon. Akron also garnered 13- and 11-point efforts from Alex Ricketts 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 Shaunay Edmonds dished out a career-high seven assists for the Zips.
PLYBON AMONG THE NCAA'S ELITE
One of the most dynamic players in women's collegiate basketball, Hannah Plybon enters play this Wednesday, Dec. 21, versus Elon 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 (741), triples attempted per game (6.99), triples made (259), three pointers made per contest (2.44), field goals attempted (1,162) and points (1,358). 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 18.0, 13.6 and 12.4 points, respectively. Shaunay Edmonds owns team-best marks 20 assists and 12 steals, while Brittany Gordon has distributed 18 assists against only five turnovers. Plybon and Sefcik have combined to connect on 24 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 11.0 points per tilt from Megan Sefcik, Akron is averaging 19.9 points per contest off the bench. The Zips' reserves are shooting nearly 38 percent (.378) from the field and at a 33.3-percent clip from beyond the arc. Brittany Gordon has registered 29 assists against only 12 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 Elon needing 11 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 16-5 record.
• Akron enters its contest versus Elon on Wednesday, Dec. 21, having won 63 of its last 91 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 Elon having amassed 1,358 points and has connected on 38.0 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 1,358 career points. She is 187 points shy of surpassing Pam Arnold (1,544) for seventh all-time in the Zips' record book.
• Greta Burry is shooting 51.1 percent from the field for her career having made 139 of her 272 shots.
• The Zips have won 19 or more games in each of the last four seasons.
AKRON NOTES
• Megan Sefcik registered career-high marks in scoring (20) and three pointers (6) in Akron's 78-66 victory over Georgia State.
• Hannah Plybon and Megan Sefcik have each recorded a team-best 24 triples this season.
• Greta Burry pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds for Akron in the Zips' 78-66 win over Georgia State.
• 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 (8), Alex Ricketts (6), Megan Sefcik (5), 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 (20 at Georgia State), 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 9.8 points in the first half of games this season, while Greta Burry is shooting 55.0 percent (11-20) in the initial 20 minutes of the Zips' nine tilts on the campaign.
• In the second half of games this season, Hannah Plybon leads the offensive efforts for Akron averaging 9.8 points. As a team, the Zips are shooting 41.4 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes in their nine contests this season. Additionally, Brittany Gordon owns a four 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 poured in a career-best 39 points at Canisius on Nov. 20 and owns 21 career 20-point performances.
• 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 Elon on Wednesday, Dec. 21, fifth in the NCAA in fewest fouls committed (137), while rating 18th in fewest turnovers (142) and 67th in three-point defense (.294).
• Individually, Hannah Plybon is 40th in the country in scoring (19.6), while Brittany Gordon is 28th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.42).
AKRON MAC STATISTICAL LEADERS
• Akron enters play versus Elon on Wednesday, Dec. 21, rated second in the Mid-American Conference in three-point defense (.294) and blocked shots (4.0), fifth in defensive rebounding (27.2) and rebounding offense (39.7).
• Hannah Plybon (4th in scoring - 19.6; 4th in triples made - 2.7; 8th in free throw percentage - .814)
• Shaunay Edmonds (7th in steals - 2.1)
• Brittany Gordon (3rd in assist/turnover ratio - 2.4)
• Megan Sefcik (7th in triples made - 2.7)
• Caitlin Vari (5th in blocked shots - 1.0)
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 Elon contest with 1,358 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 nine 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), .421 (Georgia State), 30 percent: .389 (Eastern Kentucky), .367 (Youngstown State), .345 (Malone), .302 (Bucknell), 20 percent: .294 (Duquesne).
AKRON'S DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' nine 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), .414 (Georgia 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 round out their non-conference schedule hosting Ohio Christian at James A. Rhodes Arena on Dec. 28. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
