The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
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Notre Dame College (Ohio)
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| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame College | 7 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 39 |
| Akron | 20 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 66 |
Zips Down Falcons 66-39 In Exhibition Action
November 05 | Women's Basketball
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Akron, Ohio- The University of Akron women's basketball team opened its 2017-18 season by downing Notre Dame College, 66-39, in its lone exhibition game on Sunday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.
As a team, the Zips shot 42.8 percent (28-for-67) from the field and just 16 percent (4-for-25) from distance. While Akron's shots weren't falling from long range, the Zips scored 46 points inside the paint, 20 points off turnovers, and recorded 14 second-chance points courtesy of 15 offensive rebounds. The Akron starters tallied 32 points, while the bench contributed an additional 26 points.
Three Akron players scored in double-figures in their first action of the new season. Sophomore guard Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and senior forward Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio) each pitched in 11 points, while Edmonds dished out seven assists and Burry pulled down five rebounds. Sophomore guard Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) added another 10 points in 25 minutes of action.
Off the bench, sophomore Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) contributed eight points going 4-for-4 from the floor and junior Fredniqua Walker (Cleveland, Ohio) scored an additional six points from a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor.
Freshman Sarah Leyendecker (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) and Kynnedy Azubike (Columbus, Ohio) made their collegiate debuts for the Zips against Notre Dame College. In 12 minutes of play, Leyendecker scored her first collegiate basket and brought in six rebounds, while Azubike recorded three rebounds in 14 minutes of action.
For the visiting Falcons, Marisa Finazzo led the offensive efforts with 10 points, while Seina Adichi added six points and three assists. The Zips held the Falcons to a shooting percentage of 24.6 percent and a 20.8 percent clip from three-point territory.
The game began with an Akron 11-2 run to open the first quarter of play. During the run, Burry scored nine early points, all inside the paint and from the charity stripe.
Akron continued its strong start to the contest with a second run that saw the Zips score nine points in the final 20 minutes of the first quarter to take a 20-7 lead after the initial break. Akron was efficient on the offensive end shooting 45 percent from the floor in the first 10 minutes. Â
Notre Dame college started the second quarter on 5-0 run to pull within eight points, 20-12, of the Zips in the first two minutes of the second period.
Akron responded to the Falcons comeback effort by ending the half on a 9-7 run. The Zips first bucket of the second quarter came from long range courtesy of redshirt junior Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) that initiated the run, which also included two well-executed layups by Walker off a steal and a pick-and-roll.
Heading into the locker room, Akron led by 13 points (32-19) and made 41 percent of their first-half shots, while the Falcons converted just 24 percent from the floor. The Zips also out-rebounded Notre Dame College 25-to-15.
The second half resumed with the two teams exchanging baskets resulting in the Falcons going on a 13-8 run cutting the lead to 40-32 with five minutes left in the third period.
The Zips regained control scoring seven-straight points to finish the third quarter to push its lead back to plus-15, 47-32. Edmonds accounted for eleven of the Zips points in the third quarter scoring six and assisting on two field goals.
The Zips were able to keep control of the game and maintained a 15-point lead with five minutes to play in the fourth quarter after Walker's third basket of the day increasing the Akron lead to 51-36.
Akron closed out the game strong outscoring the Falcons 19-7 in the fourth quarter while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor. As the final horn sounded inside the JAR, the Zips came out on top 66-39 for the exhibition win.
The 2017-18 regular season gets underway one week from today on Sunday, Nov. 12, when the Zips travel to Lewisburg, Pa., to take on Bucknell. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Sojka Pavilion.
