Kent State Evens Series Against Akron, Defeats Zips 60-55

Saturday, February 24

Kent, OH

2 PM

University of Akron

8-19, 2-14MAC

Kent State University

12-16, 5-11MAC

Akron

Kent State

Photo by: David Dermer

Kent State Evens Series Against Akron, Defeats Zips 60-55

February 24 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Follow Akron Women's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Follow Coach Kest on Twitter
Purchase 2017-18 Akron Women's Basketball Single-Game Tickets

Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

KENT, Ohio – The University of Akron women's basketball team trailed by as many as 15 points in the third quarter and the Zips outscored Kent State, 22-16, in the fourth quarter, but Akron's comeback effort fell just short as the Golden Flashes took part two of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Wagon Wheel Challenge, 60-55, Saturday afternoon at the M.A.C Center.

With the win, the Zips and Golden Flashes split the season series, earning each team 0.5 points towards the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge. The season standings now sit with Akron out in front owning 5.0 points and Kent State with 3.5 points.

Heading into the final period, Akron trailed 44-33 and needed a comeback in hopes to walk out of the M.A.C Center with its second win against Kent State this season. Junior Fredniqua Walker (Cleveland, Ohio) scored a career-high eight points in the quarter and the Zips outscored the Golden Flashes 22-16, but ultimately it wasn't enough.

Akron (8-19, 2-14 MAC) used a balanced scoring attack on the afternoon with nine players tallying points in the scorebook. Sophomore Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ohio) and junior Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) paced the way with nine points apiece, followed by Walker's career-night, eight points. Sophomore guard Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) posted a game-high four assists, while freshman Sarah Leyendecker (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

For the contest, Akron shot 31.7-percent (20-for-63), including a game-best 40-percent in the fourth quarter while they shot a low 19-percent from long distance (4-for-21). The Golden Flashes (12-16, 5-11 MAC) went on to shoot 33.3-percent (20-for-60) from the field and 27-percent from beyond the arc.

At the media break midway through the first quarter, Kent State found itself out in front 11-4 after the first five and half minutes of play. The Flashes shot 5-of-9 from the floor while Akron shot just 1-of-7 to start the game. Reinoehl scored all four Akron points off a 10-foot jumper and a pair of free throws from the charity stripe.

Kent State scored their 11^th point of the afternoon at the 5:14 mark of the first quarter. From that point on, both teams scored a combined two points when Sefick connected on a jumper from the baseline with 20,0 seconds on the clock and the quarter ended with an 11-6 lead in favor of Kent State.

The Zips shot just 18.2-percent (2-for-11) in the initial stanza, while the Golden Flashes shot 29.4-percent (5-for-17).

The Golden Flashes used a pair of runs to take a 17-12 advantage in the second quarter. Megan Carter scored the first seven points for Kent State including the first five of the second quarter. Akron would use a counter attack of back-to-back buckets to cut the lead back down to six points (16-10).

After the media timeout, the Golden Flashes came out firing from long distance en route to an 8-0 run in a matter of just over a minute (6:54-5:34) to grow its lead to a then game-high 14 points (24-10).

The final 5:12 of the first half went in favor of the Zips outscoring the Golden Flashes, 8-4, and trimmed the lead to minus-10 (28-18) heading into the lockerroom.

The third quarter was a back and forth battle between the Zips and Golden Flashes with the slight advantage in favor of KSU, 16-15. After each team recorded back-to-back buckets, senior Lauren Hung (Waterford, Mich.) nailed a triple to trim the lead back to single digits (34-25).

However, an 8-2 run by the Golden Flashes gave them their largest lead of the afternoon, 42-27. Akron took a timeout with 1:55 to play in the period to reset. After the short break, Akron hit a pair of threes from Sefcik and sophomore Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.) to cut the deficit to minus-11 (44-33) heading into the final minutes of play.

Akron was able to cut the lead down to as little as two points with 2:10 remaining when Clay hit her second triple of the game that capped off a 12-4 run by the Zips.

In the final minute of the game, the Zips would get three shots off against KSU but all would land off the mark.

The Zips take their final road trip of the 2017-18 regular season on Feb. 28, traveling to Bowling Green, Ohio, for one final match-up with the Falcons in attempts to even up the season series. Akron and Bowling Green are slated to tip-off at 7 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.