MACtion Returns To The JAR As Akron Hosts Eastern Michigan

Wednesday, January 16

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

Eastern Michigan

Tickets

MACtion Returns To The JAR As Akron Hosts Eastern Michigan

January 15 | Women's Basketball

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Akron vs. Eastern Michigan Game Notes (PDF)

Akron (11-3, 2-1 MAC) vs. Eastern Michigan (8-6, 1-2 MAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 16
Akron, Ohio. • James A. Rhodes Arena • 7:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
Listen: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
The Akron women's basketball team returns to the hardwood as the Zips host cross-divisional foe Eastern Michigan at James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Akron and the Eagles tip-off at 7 p.m.

Stop, Watch, and Listen
The Zips' radio broadcast will air on WARF Fox Sports 1350 with Bill Morgan calling the action live from the James A. Rhodes Arena. You can also tune in to and stream the game live on ESPN+ HERE with Dave Bacon (Play-by-play) and Dave Skoczen (Analyst) on the call from the JAR.

Scouting the Eagles
Heading into week three of Mid-American conference play, Eastern Michigan is currently 1-2 in league contests while holding an 8-6 overall record. The Eagles opened MAC play on the road with a loss to Kent State (64-71) before falling to Buffalo in overtime at home (84-91) and claimed a victory over Western Michigan (64-61) in Ypsilanti, Mich. The Eagles saw non-conference wins over Cleveland State, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago, Detroit Mercy, Fort Wayne, Longwood, and Northwood.

Danielle Minot paces the Eagles offense scoring 16.2 points per game which ranks seventh in the MAC. However, since the start of league games, Minot has scored 25.0 points per game including 43 points against Buffalo. In three MAC contests, Minot is shooting .424 from the field, .400 from long range, and has pulled down a team-best 26 rebounds (8.7/game). Minott's teammates, Corrione Cardwell, and Courtnie Lewis are averaging 13.8 and 10.2 points per match-up, respectively, to round out the Eagles triple threat. Cardwell has added 37 seven assists, 28 steals, and averages 4.0 rebounds per game, while Lewis owns 41 rebounds, 15 steals, and eight assists. Combined the trio has scored 546 of the Eagles 879 total team points (62 percent).

Starting point guard Jenna Annecchiarico, who leads the Eagles in assists (57), ranks first in the MAC in Assist/Turnover ratio while also ranking 19th in the country. Eastern Michigan has quick hands on the defensive end of the court with 128 steals, third-best in the conference and 104th in the NCAA. Minott is rated 69th in steals per game (2.38).

Probable Starters
Eastern Michigan: Danielle Minott, Corrione Cardwell, Courtnie Lewis, Lorraine Enabulele, Jenna Annecchiarico.

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

Series History
Akron versus Eastern Michigan, advantage to the Zips. Akron and the Eagles have competed on the hardwood 38 times since the program's first meeting in 1982 with the Zips owning a 23-15 overall record against the Eagles. Akron has defeated EMU in the previous four meetings, in seven of the last eight contests, and is currently riding a four-game win streak at the JAR.

Last Time Out
The University of Akron women's basketball team went on the road to Ypsilanti, Mich. and took down Eastern Michigan at the Convocation Center, 77-65, behind a career day by guard Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) who scored 27 points en route to the Zips win on Sunday afternoon.

Edmonds shot an efficient 10-for-17 (59-percent) from the floor and tied a career-best four triples (4-for-9) to total her career-best 27 points. Along with scoring the ball, Edmonds added five steals, three assists, and two rebounds. Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) followed Edmonds with her fourth triple-double of the season scoring 15 points and reeling in 14 rebounds during 31 minutes of play, while Destiny Perkins (Indianapolis, Ind.) chipped in 12 points, a game-high five assists, and four steals.

As a team, the Zips offense shot 43.1-percent (28-of-65) from the floor and 31.8-percent (7-for-22) from beyond the arc. Defensively, Akron forced 24 Eastern Michigan turnovers, a season-high for the Eagles, ripped 10 steals and scored 22 points off turnovers.

Coaches
Eastern Michigan: Fred Castro is amidst his third season at the helm of the Eastern Michigan women's basketball program and owns a 25-51 overall record while going 8-35 inside the Mid-American Conference. A year ago, Castro's Eagles scored the ninth-most points in program history (2,150) and seventh-most field goals (810).

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 Eastern Michigan, Akron Would...

Earn its 12th victory of the 2018-19 season.
Give the Zips their third MAC win of the 2018-19 year and claim three straight league victories.
Earn Akron a 3-1 record to open league play.
Be the 145th win during Mid-American Conference play.
Grow win streak vs. EMU to five games overall and five games at home.
Extend its winning streak to three games and home winning streak to four games.
Become the 18th Akron team to capture at least 12 wins in a season and the 15th team in the Division I era.

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 10th start together as a group dating back to 2017-18
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 22 of her last 29 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 six of its 13 opponents by double-digits (+13 vs. NC A&T, +20 vs. Oak, +17 vs. NKU, +17 vs. JSU, +19 vs. MU, +13 vs. WMU). The last time Akron won three straight games by 10+points was 2015-16.
Megan Sefcik ranks 25th in the nation averaging 3.14 triples per contest, rated 45th in three-point field goals made (44), and 47th in three-point field goals attempted (121).
The Akron offense has taken care of the ball well through its first 14 games with just 193 turnovers which rank 13th in the nation.
As a team, the Zips rank 72nd in the NCAA in free throw percentage at 72.8-percent.
Caitlin Vari registered the first double-double of her career against Youngstown (10 points, 10 rebounds).
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 13 points to hit the 500 point mark.
The Zips defense has limited the opposition to 65 points or less in 11 of its 14 games
The Akron offense has made a minimum of five three-pointers in 13 of its 14 games including a season-high 12 triples on three different occasions.
Only four teams have made more than 25 field goals in a contest through 14 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 506-408.
Akron has only entered the halftime intermission trailing its opponent four times through 14 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 active players were in the scoring column (vs. NKU, vs. Malone).
Akron has connected on double-digit free throws in 10 of its 14 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 13 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 five games this year.
The .508 shooting percentage against Northern Kentucky is the highest single-game percentage in the past two seasons.
In eight games, Akron has seen at least three players scoring in double-figures. The Zips are 7-2 in those contests.
Against Malone, Neitzel dished out a career-best five assists to lead the Zips while Kendall Miller scored a career-high nine points against the Pioneers.
The Zips have reeled in 142 offensive rebounds through 14 games. Akron has turned their second chances into 134 points.
Caitlin Vari has grabbed a team-best 43 offensive boards, including a season-best eight against Canisius, has at least two offensive caroms in 13 games and has recorded a team-high in offensive rebounds in 11 games.
Despite the loss against Central Michigan, Akron scored its fourth-most points in a game this season, recorded its third-best field goal percentage of the year, and three players scored in double-figures.
Akron posted four players in double-figures against Western Michigan for the first time this season.
Megan Sefcik recorded her first career double-double against the Broncos scoring 15 points and grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds.
Alyssa Clay played her best game of the season against Western Michigan scoring 11 points including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. It was the sixth time in her career making three or more three-pointers in a single-game.
Haliegh Reinoehl eclipsed the 500 career rebounds mark in their win against Western Michigan. She needs just 129 more rebounds to join the top-ten all-time career rebounder's in program history.
Akron saw five players score in double figures against Bowling Green. It was the first time five Zips scored double digits in a game since 2015-16.
Shayna Harmon recorded a career-best eight assists against the Falcons.
The Zips snapped a four-game win streak against Bowling Green with their 74-71 win.

Where They Rank in the MAC, as a team (as of 1/15)

Rated 9th in scoring (66.7 ppg)
Ranked fourth in scoring defense allowing just 60.1 points per contest.
Akron's +6.6 scoring margin is ranked seventh in the league.
Akron is rated ninth in field goal percentage (.401) and fourth in field goal percentage allowed (.384).
From long range, Akron ranks fourth in 3FG made per game (8.3) and fifth in 3FG% (.337).
Ranked sixth in free throw percentage (.719).
The Zips 7.60 steals per contest are a league seventh-best.
Akron's 40 blocked shots (2.67 per/game) are fourth-best the conference rankings.
Rated 9th in rebounding offense (37.5), third in rebounding defense (35.3), fifth in rebounding margin (2.0). and fourth in defensive rebounds (27.0 per game).
Akron ranks seventh in turnover margin (2.07) and sixth assists/turnover ratio (0.99).

Where They Rank in the MAC, Individually (as of 1/15)

Megan Sefcik is rated sixth in scoring (16.3 pts/game), Haliegh Reinoehl is rated 35th (9.6 pts/game), Shayna Harmon ranked 43rd (8.0 pts/game), and Caitlin Vari rated 47th (7.6 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the 11th most boards per contest (6.5/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks 8th (6.7/game).
Sefcik ranks 14th in FG% (.423), 6th in 3FG% (.356), 4th in 3FG made per game (3.1), while Reinoehl is rated 33th (1.1 per/game) and Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell ranks 34th (1.1 per/game)
Shayna Harmon ranks 13th in assists (3.3 apg) and fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9).
Sefcik ranks 14th in steals per game (1.7 per game).

Up Next
The Zips are back on the road for a two-game road swing starting in DeKalb, Ill., on Saturday, Jan. 19, against Northern Illinois. Akron and the Huskies are slated to tip-off at 2:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. CT) from inside the Convocation Center.