Akron Wins Second Straight MAC Contest With 74-71 Victory Over Bowling Green

Saturday, January 12

Akron, Ohio

2 PM

University of Akron

11-3 (2-1MAC)

Bowling Green

7-7 (0-3MAC)

Bowling Green

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron Wins Second Straight MAC Contest With 74-71 Victory Over Bowling Green

January 12 | Women's Basketball

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AKRON, Ohio– The Akron women's basketball team fended off a furious second-half rally by visiting Bowling Green and closed out the Falcons late in the fourth quarter for a 74-71 win Saturday afternoon at James A. Rhodes Arena during the Zips league home opener

The Zips, who led by double digits for most of the first half, saw their lead cut to one point multiple times in the third and fourth quarters, but never surrendered the lead. A clutch layup by junior forward Haleigh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) and five clutch free throws in the final minute of the game by freshman guard Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio) sealed a key Mid-American Conference win.

In the battle of the first-year head coaches, Akron's Melissa Jackson's squad improved to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in league play while Robin Fralick's Falcons fell to 7-7 overall and 0-3 in the MAC. Additionally, the Zips extended its home win streak to three games, snapped a four-game losing streak to Bowling Green, and claimed back-to-back wins following a loss for the third time this season.

Redshirt senior guard Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) tallied 12 of her 15 points after halftime by way of scoring from the perimeter, on drives to the basket and from the foul line. She received support from several teammates as junior guard Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) (16 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals), junior Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.) (10 points, four three-pointers), Brown-Mitchell (career-best 13 points), and junior Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio) (career-high eight assists) all played key roles in the win.

With Sefcik, Edmonds and Clay all making three shots from beyond the arc, Akron shot 42.9 percent (12-of-28) from long distance. For the game, the Zips as a team shot 41.4-percent (24-for-58) from the floor and totaled over 70 points for the third consecutive game and sixth time this season. In the 40 minute game, Akron led for nearly 39 minutes with the Falcons only holding a lead for 19 seconds of the contest.

Bowling Green made its big push midway through the third quarter, closing to within two, 46-44, on the strength of a 16-3 run, but Sefcik hit a clutch 3-pointer to steady the Zips. Moments later, when the Falcons trimmed the lead to one point, Sefcik again delivered with two free throws to bolster the Akron lead.

The Zips bolted from the starting gate, building a big early lead as Edmonds orchestrated an offensive outburst that saw the hosts lead by 10 points after one period and extend that lead to 31-15 less than three minutes into the second quarter.

Edmonds had eight points, two assists, and two steals in the game's first 13 minutes, while repeatedly setting up teammates such as Clay and junior Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) for good looks while also making two 3-pointers of her own.

As a team, Akron shot 48.3 percent (14-of-29) in the opening half while forcing 12 Bowling Green turnovers and converting those miscues in nine points. Additionally, the Zips held the Falcons to 41.4-percent shooting and didn't allow the visitors to score more than four unanswered points in any span of the opening two periods.

After expanding their lead to as many as 16 before the break, the Zips headed to the locker room with a 38-26 edge and when the Falcons challenged them by cutting the lead to 10 in the opening minute of the second half the hosts responded with a 3-pointer by Reinoehl and a layup by Edmonds to push the lead back to 15.

The Zips return to the court on Jan. 16 when they host MAC West rival Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+.