Akron and Kent State Square Off In Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge

Saturday, January 27

Akron, Ohio

2 PM

University of Akron

Kent State University

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Akron and Kent State Square Off In Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge

January 26 | Women's Basketball

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Kent State vs. Akron: Game Notes: 1/27/18

Kent State (10-10, 3-5 MAC) at Akron (6-13, 0-8 MAC)

Wednesday, Jan. 27
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 2:00 p.m.

Live Stats: GoZips.com
Radio: SportsRadio 1350 AM (WARF) in Akron (flagship), for free at SportsRadio1350.com and on iHeartRadio. Bill Morgan will have the call following the conclusion of the men's basketball game at noon with Steve French and Joe Dunn
Watch: ESPN3

What's Ahead
The first rendition of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge between cross-town rivals, Akron and Kent State, is slated for Saturday, Jan. 27, at James A. Rhodes Arena as the Zips close out a three-game homestand. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. and all the action can be seen live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app with Michael Reghi and Jacki Windon on the call.

Scouting The Golden Flashes
Heading into the Wagon Wheel showdown between the Zips and Golden Flashes, Kent State owns a 10-10 overall record while standing at 3-5 within league play. KSU recently defeated Toledo (62-55) in the Golden Flashes last time out after dropping three straight against Central Michigan (84-88), Bowling Green (50-60), and Ball State (58-79).

Kent State's Jordan Korinek who leads the team in minutes played (30.8) paces the Golden Flashes scoring a team-best 20.1 points per game while also grabbing a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game and tallying a squad-best 14 blocks. Korinek's 20.1 points per game rank third-best inside the MAC. Megan Carter, who has seen action in the last eight contests, is out to a fast start scoring 12.8 points per game since returning the Golden Flashes lineup. Rounding out the trio of Golden Flashes scoring in double-figures is McKenna Stephens who is averaging 10.3 points per contest. KSU's point guard, Naddiyah Cross, runs the offense dishing out 80 assists on the year and 4.0 dimes per tilt, while also taking away 20 steals.

Probable Starters

Kent State: Jordan Korinek, McKenna Stephens, Ali Poole, Alexa Golden, Naddiyah Cross.

Akron: Shaunay Edmonds, Alyssa Clay, Kynnedy Azubike, Haliegh Reinoehl, Caitlin Vari.

Series History
Akron and Kent State have clashed on the hardwood 64 times in program history with the Golden Flashes holding a 49-15 advantage in the all-time series history against the Zips. Despite dropping both contests to Kent State last season, Akron has seen recent success against its cross-town rivals winning nine of the last 12 contests between the two schools dating back to 2012.

The Last Meeting
The University of Akron women's basketball team waged a valiant comeback over the final minutes of play, but the rally was not rewarded as Kent State secured a 73-69 triumph past the Zips in the Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge on Feb. 25, 2017, at the M.A.C. Center.

Shaunay Edmonds scored 20 of her career- and team-high 26 points in the second half to direct Akron in scoring. Hannah Plybon and junior Greta Burry added 13 and 10 points, respectively, for the Zips. Larissa Lurken paced all scorers in the affair with a game-best 28 points.

Mid-American Conference Member
The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 26 years after joining the league in 1992 from the North Star Conference.

Coaches
Kent State: Todd Starkey is in his second season running the Kent State women's basketball program since taking over in 2016. Last year, Starkey was named the MAC Coach of the Year, has compiled a 29-23 record in his two seasons, and won the program's first MAC East division title since 2005.

Akron: Jodi Kest, the all-time winningest coach in program history, is in her 12th-season in charge of the Zips program. The longest-tenured coach in the Mid-American Conference holds an all-time record of 176-186 (.486) at Akron and a 402-339 (.543) in her 25 years as a head coach

With A Win Over Kent State, The Zips Would

Earn their seventh win of the 2017-18 season.
Claim its first MAC win
Earn the program's 450th all-time victory.
End an nine-game slide.

2017-18 Zip Breakdown
Under the guidance of Kest, the Zips have 13 young and talented players eager to make an impact in 2017-18 highlighted by returning starters, sophomore guard Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.), sophomore forward Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.), and sophomore forward Caitlin Vari (Revere, Ohio), along with the veteran presence of senior forward Greta Burry (Lakewood, Ohio), senior guard Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.), and redshirt junior guard Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio).

Edmonds has taken on the role as the team's facilitator and floor general, while also having the ability to score the ball. Through 19 games, Edmonds is averaging 10.8 points, a team-high 4.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. The Zips' point guard scored a season-best 21 points against Central Michigan, tied her career mark with seven assists against Youngstown State, and posted a career-best six steals against Harvard.

Reinoehl has become a staple in the Zips starting five since midway through her freshman season, starting the last 32 contests dating back to last year for Akron. Reinoehl recorded a career-best game against Southeastern Louisiana (21 pts/11 reb) and posted her second career double-double against SIU Edwardsville (11 pts/10 reb). The forward is the team's third-leading scorer, 7.1 points per game and leads the squad in rebounding with 164 total rebounds, 8.6 per contest.

Sefcik is having a career year in her junior season en route to leading the team in scoring with 13.4 points per game while making 3.4 triples per contest. The Zips' guard broke the Akron single-game three-point record with 10 triples against Ohio Christian, while also tying the MAC record.

Burry, the Zip with the most playing experience on the roster, is the centerfold of the squad. In 260 minutes of play and 12 starts, Burry is averaging 5.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per tilt. Burry grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds against SLU and scored a season-best 14 points against EKU.

Vari, a member of the Zips frontcourt, has seen 398 minutes of action and started the last six contests. Vari grabs 5.5 rebounds per contest, including a team-best 39 offensive rebounds. In addition to the rebounds, Vari averages 6.0 points per contest.

Sophomores Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) have seen a significant bump in playing time in year two. Harmon has started 14 contests and owns the second-most assists on the squad (39). Clay has seen 357 minutes of action through 19 contests, including her first career starts while stepping up for Harmon due to injury. Clay owns the teams best shooting percentage from beyond the arc (.449, 31-of-69), which is highlighted by a career night against Bowling Green scoring 22 points and hitting 6-of-8 triples.

Freshmen Kynnedy Azubike (Columbus, Ohio), Sarah Leyendecker (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) and Destiny Perkins (Indianapolis, Ind.) made their collegiate debuts for the Zips three games into the season and have combined to score 239 points. Perkins has taken over the backup point guard role and had a career-night against Miami scoring a career-high 21 points and career-best 5 steals against the RedHawks.

Kest named Burry, Sefcik, and Reinoehl as the 2017-18 season captains.

Up Next
Akron returns to the road on Wednesday, Jan. 31, when the Zips and Ball State meet for the second time this season in Muncie, Ind. Game two between Akron and the Cardinals is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside John E. Worthen Arena