Akron Earns First Win At The JAR, 63-54, Against Eastern Kentucky In Home Opener

Saturday, December 1

Akron, Ohio

2 PM

University of Akron

4-1

Eastern Kentucky

0-7

EKU

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron Earns First Win At The JAR, 63-54, Against Eastern Kentucky In Home Opener

December 01 | Women's Basketball

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AKRON, Ohio -- The Akron women's basketball team used a strong second half and a suffocating defense to pull away with the contest for a 63-54 win over visiting Eastern Kentucky in a non-conference contest Saturday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Redshirt senior guard Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) had a game-high 26 points for the Zips and junior forward Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) added 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win. Junior Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) was big on the glass for Akron tracking down seven rebounds, including five offensive boards and added six points. Sefcik made four or more 3-pointers for the fourth time in five games this season and grabbed four rebounds in the win.

The Zips held Eastern Kentucky to 32.8-percent shooting on the afternoon, including 6-of-28 (22.2 percent) from beyond the arc, while forcing 22 turnovers. Behind its defense, Akron built its lead to as many as 11 points in the second half and was able to fend off a late Eastern Kentucky rally to win its first game at the JAR in its 2018-19 home opener.

By holding the Colonels (0-7) scoreless for nearly seven minutes in the last stretch of the fourth quarter, Akron held its fourth opponent to 65 or fewer points on the year.

With the win, the Zips also rebounded from their first loss of the season to improve to 4-1 heading into the month of December.

Although the game was close for much of the middle portion of the contest, it looked early on as if Akron would easily outpace the winless Colonels.

The Zips started out quickly, building an early 10-point lead, but saw their edge evaporate as their shots stopped falling in the second quarter. Both teams had a hard time finding the bottom of the net in the period, making a combined 11-of-30 attempts.

After making three of its first four 3-pointers, Akron went cold, missing its next eight attempts. Eastern Kentucky maximized its scoring chances by grabbing 11 offensive rebounds in the first half, which provided extra possessions against a stout Akron defense that held the Colonels to 12-of-36 (33.3 percent) shooting in the opening half.

A pair of four-plus-minute scoring droughts stalled out the Zips on offense. A 22-8 scoring margin at the foul line buoyed the hosts' attack when the field goals weren't falling, but a three-pointer by Eastern Kentucky's Bria Bass to end the third quarter brought the visitors to within two, 48-46, heading into the final quarter.

Despite Akron shooting just 1-of-13 from the floor in the final period of play, the Zips went 12-for-16 from the free throw line to help hold onto its lead.

As the horned sounded inside James A. Rhodes Arena, Akron came away with its first home victory of the season over Eastern Kentucky.

Akron is back in action Wednesday, Dec. 5, when the Zips host St. Bonaventure in the program's annual Education Day game. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and is set to tip at 10:30 a.m.