The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Ohio Christian
Zips Close Non-Conference Play Hosting Ohio Christian
December 27 | Women's Basketball
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AKRON VS. OHIO CHRISTIAN GAME NOTES - 12/28/16 (PDF)
Akron (6-4) vs. Ohio Christian (9-6)
Wednesday, Dec. 28
James A. Rhodes Arena (5,500)
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.
Live Stats: www.AkronStats.com
Webstream: www.GoZips.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 6:45 p.m.
Television: None
WHAT'S AHEAD
In its final tune-up before opening Mid-American Conference play this Saturday, Dec. 31, at Western Michigan, Akron closes out its non-conference ledger hosting Ohio Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Game time at James A. Rhodes Arena is set for 7 p.m.
A LOOK AT OHIO CHRISTIAN
Ohio Christian enters play against the Zips having snapped a three-game losing streak following a 73-65 victory by the Trailblazers over Alma College on Dec. 21. Seniors Erinn Bailey and Paige Lewis pace Ohio Christian in scoring averaging 12.4 and 12.1 tallies per night, respectively. Bailey also directs the Trailblazers with a team-best 7.6 rebounding average. Ohio Christian is recording 65.0 points per contest and have connected at better than 36 percent (.364) from the field and at a 27.1-percent clip from beyond the arc.
SERIES HISTORY
Akron will be meeting Ohio Christian for the second time in program history with the Zips owning a 1-0 series advantage. Akron registered a 97-62 victory past the Trailblazers on Dec. 20, 2014 at James A. Rhodes Arena.
THE COACHES
Ohio Christian: Jamey Batten is in his third season leading the Trailblazers' program owning a 37-31 (.544) record and maintains a 93-63 (.596) overall mark as a head coach.
Akron: In her 11th year on the Akron sidelines as head coach, is Jodi Kest, who has a 167-157 mark (.515), including 393-310 (.559) overall, in her 25th year as a head coach.
IN OUR LAST MEETING
Akron def. Ohio Christian, 97-62 (Dec. 20, 2014)
AKRON, Ohio - Akron extended its season-opening win streak to 10 in a row with a 97-62 victory over Ohio Christian at the James A. Rhodes Arena.
Anita Brown led all players in scoring, issuing a 10-of-12 performance from the field and 3-for-3 showing from the charity stripe for 23 points for the Zips. Seventeen of her points came in her 17 minutes of first-half action.
Three other Zips joined Brown in double-figures. Hannah Plybon (Orrville, Ohio) followed equaling a then career-high scoring output with 18 points, connecting on 4-of-7 from long range.
DiAndra Gibson finished one board shy of a double-double, as she helped the Zips win the rebounding battle 44-27, including 34-19 on the defensive glass, by posting nine rebounds, each coming on the defensive end to go with 12 points.
Sina King chipped in 12 points along with five boards to round out the double-figure scoring.
Megan Barilla helped Akron's offense, dishing out six assists, while 12 different Zips posted points in the scoring column for 26 bench points.
Akron shot 58.5 percent from the field after connecting on 38 of its 65 attempts, while shooting 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from behind the arc.
LATE RALLY COMES UP SHORT AGAINST ELON, 65-62
The opportunity for victory was within reach for Akron, but the Zips were unable to capitalize down the stretch dropping a 65-62 decision versus Elon in the finale of the Georgia State Classic on Dec. 21.
A 27-point, 10-rebound performance from Hannah Plybon directed the efforts for the Zips, while senior Alex Ricketts (Mercer, Pa.) and redshirt sophomore Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) each added nine points for Akron. Shay Burnett, Jenifer Rhodes and Essence Baucom registered 21, 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Phoenix.
Plybon registered five three pointers in the game to move within six triples of surpassing Taylor Ruper's school record of 269 career three pointers.
Elon posted a 42-39 margin in rebounding on the afternoon and parlayed the advantage into 32-14 and 16-8 spreads in points in the paint and second-chance points.
The Zips finished the contest shooting 35.6 percent from the field, while the Phoenix hit on 36.4 percent of their attempts.
AKRON DIALS LONG DISTANCE IN 78-66 WIN PAST GEORGIA STATE
Sparked by 25 and 20 points, respectively, from Hannah Plybon and Megan Sefcik, Akron opened the Georgia State Classic on 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). Alex Ricketts 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.
PLYBON AMONG THE NCAA'S ELITE
One of the most dynamic players in women's collegiate basketball, Hannah Plybon enters play this Wednesday, Dec. 28, versus Ohio Christian highly ranked among the active women's basketball players in Division 1 in several categories. Plybon is currently ranked second, third, fifth, eighth, 39th and 41st, respectively, among active career leaders in three pointers attempted (753), triples attempted per game (7.04), triples made (264), three pointers made per contest (2.47), field goals attempted (1,178) and points (1,385). Across all divisions of women's basketball, Plybon is rated fourth in three pointers attempted, fifth in triples taken per game and seventh in three pointers made.
PLYBON NAMED MAC EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior Hannah Plybon was selected by the Mid-American Conference as the MAC East Division Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday, Dec. 27.
The conference award is the fourth in Plybon's career and marks the third weekly conference accolade for a Zip during the 2016-17 campaign. Plybon was previous named MAC East Player of the Week on Dec. 20 and Nov. 22, respectively.
Plybon turned in a stellar week for the Zips averaging a team-best 26.0 points per contest in a pair of games at the Georgia State Classic, while averaging 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists a tilt.
She connected at better than 37 percent (.371) from the field and made nine three pointers en route to shooting 36 percent beyond the arc. She was also 17-of-18 at the charity stripe.
In Akron's victory over Georgia State, Plybon scored a game-high 25 points, including nailing four triples and recording three rebounds and a trio of assists.
Plybon followed with her second career double-double with a 27-point, 10-rebound outing against Elon. She was 7-for-16 from the field (43.8 percent) and connected on five three pointers to move within six triples of becoming Akron's all-time leader.
On the season, Plybon is posting 20.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. She is shooting nearly 40 percent from the field and is connecting at nearly 37 percent (.367) from beyond the arc.
NEWS, NOTES AND STORYLINES
• Hannah Plybon enters play versus Ohio Christian needing six 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.
• Megan Sefcik has begun to emerge for the Zips this season averaging 10.8 points and 2.70 three pointers per game, totals which rank second only to Hannah Plybon on the team. Sefcik has already surpassed career single-season totals in field goals, tripes and free throws made/attempted, defensive rebounds, total rebounds and assists.
• 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.
• Akron has recorded at least one block in each of its last 15 games and in 42 of 43 overall since the start of the 2015-16 campaign.
• Over the Zips' last five contests, Hannah Plybon, Alex Ricketts and Megan Sefcik are averaging 21.4, 13.4 and 10.4 points, respectively. Shaunay Edmonds owns team-best marks 23 assists and 10 steals, while Brittany Gordon has distributed 16 assists against only seven turnovers. Plybon and Sefcik have combined to connect on 25 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 10.8 points per tilt from Megan Sefcik, Akron is averaging 19.5 points per contest off the bench. The Zips' reserves are shooting nearly 37 percent (.368) from the field and at a 32.7-percent clip from beyond the arc. Brittany Gordon has registered 30 assists against only 14 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.
• When Hannah Plybon surpasses 20 points in a contest Akron has posted an 16-6 record.
• Akron enters its contest versus Ohio Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 28, having won 63 of its last 92 games dating back to the 2013-14 campaign.
• Hannah Plybon came into the 2016-17 campaign as the Zips' active leader in career scoring. She will enter Akron's game with Ohio Christian having amassed 1,385 points and has connected on 38.0 percent of her shots from the field and at a 35.1-percent clip from beyond the arc.
• Hannah Plybon is ranked eighth in career scoring at Akron with 1,385 career points. She is 160 points shy of surpassing Pam Arnold (1,544) for seventh all-time in the Zips' record book.
• Greta Burry is shooting 51.3 percent from the field for her career having made 141 of her 275 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 recorded 29 and 27 triples, respectively, this season.
• Hannah Plybon leads all Akron players in rebounding having pulled down a team-best 53 caroms this season, while Greta Burry and Alex Ricketts have each recorded 51 rebounds.
• 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 (Richfield, Ohio) poured in career-high marks in scoring (6) and rebounding (6).
• The Zips committed a season-low eighth 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 apiece from Alex Ricketts and Hannah Plybon (18 points/11 rebounds at Youngstown State - Dec. 6, 2016; 27 points/10 rebounds vs. Elon - Dec. 21, 2016) and one from Alli Ball (St. Louis, Mo.) (13 points/11 rebounds at Florida Atlantic - Nov. 13, 2015).
• Five players in Hannah Plybon (9), 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 (Westfield, Ind.) (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).
• Hannah Plybon is averaging a team-best 10.3 points in the first half of games this season, while Greta Burry is shooting 52.4 percent (11-21) in the initial 20 minutes of the Zips' 10 tilts on the campaign.
• In the second half of games this season, Hannah Plybon leads the offensive efforts for Akron averaging 10.0 points. As a team, the Zips are shooting 40.9 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes in their 10 contests this season. Additionally, Brittany Gordon owns a 3.2-1.0 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 22 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 Ohio Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 24th in the NCAA in fewest fouls committed (156), while rating 52nd in triples per game (7.6) and 67th in fewest turnovers (161).
• Individually, Hannah Plybon is 18th in the country in scoring (20.3), 33rd in free throws made (56), 35th in three pointers per contest (2.90), 55th in free throws attempted (67), 60th in triples made (29), 65th in total points (203) and 75th in three pointers attempted (79), while Megan Sefcik is 57th in three pointers made per game (2.70) and Brittany Gordon is 71st nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.14).
AKRON MAC STATISTICAL LEADERS
• Akron enters play versus Ohio Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 28, rated second in the Mid-American Conference in three-point defense (.288), third in blocked shots (3.8), fourth in triples made (7.6) and three-point percentage (.322) and fifth in defensive rebounding (27.6) and free throw percentage (.713).
• Hannah Plybon (2nd in scoring - 20-3; 3rd in triples made - 2.9; 7th in free throw percentage - .836; 8th in minutes played - 32.8)
• Shaunay Edmonds (8th in steals - 2.0; 10th in assists - 3.4)
• Brittany Gordon (4th in assist/turnover ratio - 2.1)
• Alex Ricketts (10th in field goal percentage - .481)
• Megan Sefcik (4th in triples made - 2.7;10th in three-point percentage - .375)
• Caitlin Vari (6th 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 Ohio Christian contest with 1,385 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 62 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 (4-5), four-point difference (4-7) and five-point difference (2-6).
ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 10 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), .356 (Elon), .345 (Malone), .302 (Bucknell), 20 percent: .294 (Duquesne).
AKRON'S DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 10 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), .364 (Elon), .382 (Duquesne), .333 (Eastern Kentucky), .317 (Malone), 20 percent: NA.
ZIPS LIVE RADIO SHOW
Every Monday throughout the season from 7-8 p.m. ET, Akron head coaches can be heard on the weekly radio program Zips Live, presented by Lee Hyder and Associates. The show airs locally on 1350 AM (WARF) and originates from the Spaghetti Warehouse (510 S. Main Street). A free audio stream is available on www.SportsRadio1350.com.
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
Akron begins Mid-American Conference play with the first of back-to-back road games as the Zips travel to battle Western Michigan on Saturday, Dec. 31. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at University Arena.
