Women's Basketball Closes Out Non-Conference Play Hosting Malone

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Akron (8-2) vs. Malone (4-8)
Saturday, Dec. 29
Akron, Ohio • James A. Rhodes Arena • 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
Listen: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
For one last time in 2018, the Akron women's basketball team takes the floor in its final non-conference battle of the 2018-19 campaign. The Zips return to James A. Rhodes Arena for the first time in 13 days to host local opponent, Malone, on Saturday, Dec. 29. The first tip between the Zips and Pioneers is slated for 2 p.m.

Stop, Watch, and Listen
The Zips' radio broadcast will air on the WARF 1350 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action live from the James A. Rhodes Arena. You can also tune in to and stream the game live HERE.

Scouting the Pioneers
Malone, a Division II opponent from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, heads into its match-up with Akron 4-8 through its first 12 contests of the 2018-19 season. The Pioneers have lost two straight and five of its last six. In its four wins, Malone defeated Notre Dame College (65-52), Salem (81-75), Ohio Valley (76-51), and Trevecca Nazarene (54-46).

Robin Campbell leads the way for the Pioneers in the scoring column and averages 12.6 points per game to go along with a team-best 40 assists and third-best 5.2 rebounds per contest. In 12 starts, Chrissie Vaughn has scored 103 points with an 8.6 scoring average while grabbing 5.5 boards per contest. The trio of Ellen Doyle, Sydney Wentling, and Naomi Grandison score 7.8, 7.5, and 7.0 points per tilt, respectively, to round out the Pioneers top scoring threats.

While the Pioneers are shooting 35-percent from the field through 12 games, Malone has struggled from the perimeter and has posted just a 29.5-percent clip from three-point range. The Pioneers have seen success in the third quarter outscoring its opponents, 181-167, but have not been able to close out games and have been outscored 217-175.

Probable Starters
Malone: Robin Campbell, Chrissie Vaughn, Ellen Doyle, Naomi Grandison, Paiten Strother.

Akron: Shaunay Edmonds, Shayna Harmon, Megan Sefcik, Haliegh Reinoehl, Caitlin Vari.

Series History
Akron and Malone have met 12 times in program history since 1975 and the Zips hold a 9-3 all-time record against the Pioneers. The Zips have won two straight over Malone and five of the last six meetings.

Last Time Out
Hannah Plybon and Alli Ball led the University of Akron women's basketball team to 63-52 victory over Malone in the Zips' 2016-17 season opener on Nov. 12, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

The Zips (1-0) overcame a three-point halftime deficit and trailed by five with 4:18 to play in the third quarter before fighting back to take down the visiting Pioneers (0-1).

Plybon finished the game with a team-high 20 points and shot a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line. Ball added a career-high 15 points after shooting 6-of-12 from the field and contributed a team-high eight rebounds.

Shaunay Edmonds chipped in 10 points in her collegiate debut, while Megan Sefcik went 3-for-6 from three-point range to add nine points in the winning effort.

History Against the Great Midwest Athletic Conference
Akron is 15-6 against six of the 14 current members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference; Cedarville (3-2), Davis and Elkins (0-1), Lake Erie (1-0), Malone (9-3), Ursuline (1-0).

Coaches
Malone: Selana Reale is in her first season at the helm of the Malone women's basketball program after spending the previous two seasons on staff as an assistant coach. Reale was a four-year member of the Pioneers team and amassed over 800 points and 390 rebounds.

Akron: Melissa Jackson took over the Akron women's basketball team beginning in 2018-19. Jackson spent the previous 10 seasons on the Zips coaching staff as an assistant coach (four seasons) and as the associate head coach (six seasons). Jackson played a pivotal role in the recent Akron women's basketball success and looks to continue to grow the program.

Mid-American Conference Member
The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 27 years after joining the league in 1992 from the North Star Conference.

With A Win Over Malone, Akron Would...

Earn its ninth victory of the 2018-19 season.
Give the Zips their 10th win against Malone and 16th against a GMAC member.
Win four consecutive games for the second time this season.
Claim at least nine non-conference wins for the fourth time in the Division I era.
Record the second-best record through the first 11 games in program history; 10-1 (2014-15), 9-2 (1995-96).
Earn four home wins inside James A. Rhodes Arena.
Match the Zips win total from 2017-18

Zips Tidbits

Brown-Mitchell, Miller, and Neitzel each made their collegiate debut against North Carolina A&T (11/13).
Coach Jackson earned her first career victory with a 49-36 win over North Carolina A&T.
The starting five of Shaunay Edmonds, Shayna Harmon, Megan Sefcik, Haliegh Reinoehl, and Caitlin Vari made their sixth start together as a group dating back to last season.
Brown-Mitchell began her Akron career scoring 7 points and pulling down 6 rebounds.
Dating back to 2017-18, Sefcik has scored in double-figures in 19 of her last 25 games played in.
Sefcik fell one point shy of tying her career-high in scoring during a season opener with her 18 points after scoring 19 last year.
All 10 active players on the roster saw time on the court against the Aggies and six of the 10 recorded at least one point.
Akron outscored N.C. A&T 17-3 in the third quarter, including 10 points from Sefcik, and 27-12 in the second half to pull away with the game.
The Zips 3-0 record to open the season was the best start since 2014-15 when the Akron squad went 8-0.
Akron has outscored four of its 10 opponents by double-digits (+13 vs. NC A&T, +20 vs. Oak, +17 vs. NKU, +17 vs. JSU). The last time Akron won three straight games by 10+points was 2015-16.
Megan Sefcik ranks 10th in the nation averaging 3.50 triples per contest, rated 30th in three-point field goals made (35), and ranks 93rd in the NCAA with a 39.3-percent clip from long range.
As a unit, the Zips rank fifth in the MAC and 49th in the NCAA in three-pointers made per game, 8.1, along with being rated the 96th best team in 3-point field goal percentage, 33.5-percent.
Caitlin Vari registered the first double-double of her career against Youngstown (10 points, 10 rebounds).
The Akron offense has taken care of the ball well through its first 10 games with just 146 turnovers which ranks 37th in the nation.
The Zips capitalized on Youngstown State being called for 14 fouls and connected on 16 free throws on 18 attempts (.889). Haliegh Reinoehl and Shayna Harmon each went 7-for-8.
Shayna Harmon accounted for all seven of the Zips third-quarter points against the Penguins.
Haliegh Reinoehl needs 49 points to hit the 500 point mark.
The Zips defense has limited the opposition to 65 points or less in nine of its 10 games
The Akron offense has made a minimum of five three-pointers in each of its 10 games.
No team has made more than 25 field goals in a contest through 10 games against the Akron defense.
The Akron Zips are 5-1 when playing in their annual Education Day game.
Kendall Miller dished out a season and career-best five assists against the Bonnies.
Shayna Harmon poured in a career-high 21 points against St. Bonaventure to lead Akron to victory.
The Zips have taken advantage of the first and fourth quarter getting off to a fast start and closing out games strong. In both periods combined, Akron has outscored the opposition 353-286.
Akron has only entered the halftime intermission trailing its opponent three times through 10 games.
Colleen Neitzel led the Zips in scoring with nine points against Butler. The freshman connected on three field goals that all came from beyond the arc for a single-game career-best.
The Zips have posted six contests where at least nine players scored at least one point (Oakland, YSU, EKU, Butler, JSU, UTEP), and one contest where all 10 active players were in the scoring column (vs. NKU).
Akron has connected on double-digit free throws in seven of its 10 games including a season-high 22.
Shayna Harmon dished out a career-high seven assists against Canisius.
Sefcik has made four three-pointers in six games and at least one triple in all 10 games for the Zips in 2018-19.
In her season debut, Fredniqua Walker registered a season- and tied a career-best eight points against Jackson State after returning from injury.
Prior to the 2018-19 season, Shayna Harmon scored in double-figures in just two games. She has already notched double figures in four games this year.
The .508 shooting percentage against Northern Kentucky is the highest single-game percentage in the past two seasons.
In six games, Akron has seen at least three players scoring in double-figures. The Zips are 5-1 in those contests.

Where They Rank in the MAC, as a team (as of 12/28)

Rated eighth in scoring (64.9 ppg)
Ranked first in scoring defense allowing just 57.5 points per contest.
Akron's +7.4 scoring margin is ranked sixth in the league.
Akron is rated seventh in field goal percentage (.401) and fourth in field goal percentage allowed (.369).
From long range, Akron ranks fifth in 3FG made per game (8.1) and fifth in 3FG% (.335).
The Zips 8.10 steals per contest are a league fifth-best.
Akron's 26 blocked shots (2.60 per/game) are fourth-best the conference rankings.
Ranked third in free throw percentage (.755).
Rated 11th in rebounding offense (36.0), fourth in rebounding defense (36.0), and fifth in defensive rebounds (26.3 per game).
Akron ranks seventh in turnover margin (2.50) and sixth in assists/turnover ratio (0.94).

Where They Rank in the MAC, Individually (as of 12/28)

Megan Sefcik is rated fifth in scoring (17.5 pts/game) and Haliegh Reinoehl is rated 35th (9.6 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the 5th most boards per contest (6.8/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks 6th (6.5/game).
Sefcik ranks 11th in FG% (.439), 6th in 3FG% (.393), 4th in 3FG made per game (3.5), while Reinoehl is rated 31st in 3FG made per contest (1.2).
Shayna Harmon ranks 13th in assists (3.4 apg).
At the free throw line two Zips rank in the top-15, Reinoehl eighth (.786) and Harmon 10th (.744).
Sefcik ranks 10th in steals per game (2.0 per game).
In blocked shots, Caitlin Vari and Colleen Neitzel are rated 12th in blocks per game (0.6 bpg).

Up Next
The calendar flips to 2019 and the Akron women's basketball schedule turns to Mid-American Conference play. The Zips travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich., to open league play and takes on Central Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m.

Women's Basketball Closes Out Non-Conference Play Hosting Malone

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alli Ball

Shaunay Edmonds

Shayna Harmon

Kendall Miller

Colleen Neitzel

Hannah Plybon

Haliegh Reinoehl

Megan Sefcik

Caitlin Vari

Fredniqua Walker

The University of Akron Athletics

Women's Basketball Closes Out Non-Conference Play Hosting Malone

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alli Ball

Shaunay Edmonds

Shayna Harmon

Kendall Miller

Colleen Neitzel

Hannah Plybon

Haliegh Reinoehl

Megan Sefcik

Caitlin Vari

Fredniqua Walker

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