Zips Drop Season Opener To Bucknell, 63-52, Despite 19 Points From Sefcik

Sunday, November 12

Lewisburg, PA

2 PM

University of Akron

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Bucknell University

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Akron

Bucknell

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Zips Drop Season Opener To Bucknell, 63-52, Despite 19 Points From Sefcik

November 12 | Women's Basketball

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LEWISBURG, Pa. – The University of Akron women's basketball team trailed Bucknell by five points with three minutes to play, but the Bison ended the contest on a 9-3 scoring run in the final minute of the game to defeat the Zips, 63-52, on Sunday afternoon in Lewisburg, Pa.

Akron remained in the contest until the final minute of play despite shooting just 27.1 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from long distance, while Bucknell shot an efficient 43.4 percent from the floor but just 26.7 percent from beyond the arc.

While the Zips offensive efforts had trouble to find the bottom of the net, the Akron defense stepped up to keep the squad in the game. The Zips forced 24 turnovers in the contest including five different Zips recording a steal, which led to 14 points.

Redshirt junior Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio.) scored a team-high 19 points after catching fire from long range. The Akron guard went 6-for-13 from the floor and drained five of her six buckets from beyond the arc. Sefcik added one assists and three steals to her performance. Senior Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.) had her jump shot working in the contest adding nine points, while sophomore Shaunay Edmonds (Piitsburgh, Pa.) scored nine points, assisted on five baskets, forced three steals, and grabbed three rebounds.

Bucknell was led by Kaitlyn Slagus on the offensive side of the ball with a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double, while Catherine Romaine added 13 points and Kate Walker helped with 12 points.

The contest between the Zips and Bison began with the advantage in favor of Bucknell. The Bison opened the first quarter of play with a 16-3 run. Despite the shooting just 1-for-10 from the field in the first eight minutes of the contest, the Zips had open looks at the basket that just would not fall.

Lauren Hung halted the Bucknell run with a three-pointer at the 1:56 mark of the initial quarter, to spark a short offensive burst for the Zips closing the quarter on a 7-2 run, cutting the deficit to 18-10 after the first quarter.

The Zips offensive momentum carried over into the second quarter with five quick points. Sophomore Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) nailed a jumper for her first bucket of the game, followed by a jumper from Edmonds, and a free throw by sophomore Caitlun Vari (Richfield, Ohio.)

The Bison responded by scoring five-straight points in a two-minute span to extend their lead back to 12 (29-17).

However, Akron closed the first half with an 8-3 run of their own courtesy of a three-pointer from Sefcik, a jumper from Hung, and a lay-in by senior Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio), that brought the Zips within seven points, 32-25, heading into the locker room.

Following a 15-minute intermission, Akron and Bucknell began the third quarter in a back-and-forth battle exchanging buckets for the first four minutes. Sefcik took over for the Zips scoring eight-straight points from a pair of three-pointers and two free throws from the charity stripe.

After Akron cut the lead to six points with 4:06 to play in the third quarter, the Bison ended the quarter with six points in the closing minutes to take a 49-35 lead into the final period of play.

The Zips flipped the switch on the offensive end to open the fourth quarter. Vari, Reinohel, Sefcik, and Hung each scored during Akron's 11-3 run in the first five minutes to cut the Bucknell lead back down to 52-46.

With 3:22 left to play, Akron trailed by five points and had the momentum in their favor. After neither team scored for just over two minutes of play (3:21-1:17), Bucknell went on a 9-3 run in the final minute of play to put the game out of reach.

As the clocks hit zero and the final whistle blew, Bucknell came out on top over the Zips, 63-52, in the 2017-18 season opener.

Akron returns to action on Nov. 17-18, as the Zips prepare for their 2017-18 home opener when they host the Akron Classic. Akron is scheduled to play on Friday, Nov. 17 against Southeastern Louisiana, at 7:30 p.m., before meeting Florida Gulf Coast for game two of the Classic on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 2:30 p.m.