MACtion Tips-Off For Akron Against Central Michigan

Saturday, January 5

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 PM

University of Akron

Central Michigan

MACtion Tips-Off For Akron Against Central Michigan

January 04 | Women's Basketball

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Akron vs. Central Michigan Game Notes (PDF)

Akron (9-2) vs. Central Michigan (9-3)
Saturday, Jan. 5
Mount Pleasant, Mich. • McGuirk Arena • 1:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
Listen: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
Basketball returns for the first time in 2019 as the 2018-19 Mid-American Conference schedule tips-off around the league on Saturday, Jan. 5. The Akron women's basketball team starts MAC play against the reigning MAC Tournament champions, Central Michigan, in Mount Pleasant Mich. First tip between the Zips and Chippewas is scheduled for 1 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 Chippewas
Coming off the best season in program history that saw Central Michigan reach the Sweet Sixteen during the NCAA Tournament, the Chippewas are off to a 9-3 start after 12 non-conference contests. CMU went up against top-tier opponents throughout its non-conference schedule including UCF (W, 75-68), Virginia (W, 74-61), Vanderbilt (W, 66-57), No. 3 Louisville (L, 68-72), and No. 24 Miami (W, 90-80.

The Chippewas trio of Presley Hudson, Reyna Frost, and Micaela Kelly all rank in the MAC's top 15 in scoring heading into MAC play. Hudson, CMU's leading scorer, averages 21.1 points per game which is rated as the 15th best scoring average in the NCAA. Hudson is shooting at a 43-percent clip from the floor and a 39-percent clip from long range. Additionally, Hudson owns a team-high 67 assists. Frost, a member of the Chipps frontcourt is averaging a double-double scoring 16.9 points and grabbing 11.2 rebounds per contest. Kelly, an efficient scorer for CMU is shooting 50-percent from the floor and 45-percent from beyond the arc en route to scoring 14.8 points per game. Kelly also grabs 4.0 rebounds per game, has notched 39 assists and 15 steals.

In the nation, the Chippewas rank eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.404), 16th in field goal percentage (.472), and 14th in three-point field goals made per game (9.8).

Probable Starters
Central Michigan: Presley Hudson, Reyna Frost, Micaela Kelly, Jahari Smith, Maddy Watters.

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

Series History
Heading into the Mid-American Conference opener, Akron and Central Michigan have faced off 39 times in each programs respective history. The Chippewas hold the all-time series advantage over the Zips, 23-16. Akron last defeated CMU on Jan. 24, 2015, by a narrow 74-72 margin.

Last Time Out

Four players scored in double-figures and the Zips played a complete, all-around contest, but the Akron women's basketball team ran into the top team in the Mid-American Conference falling to Central Michigan, 95-86, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

A hungry Akron team played until the final whistle with the Chippewas. After trailing by a game-high 16 points with 6:17 to play, the Zips continued to fight in the final six minutes cutting the deficit to five, 83-78, with 2:58 to play, but CMU would ultimately pull away for the win

Four Akron players scored in double-digits led by Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) with 21 points, four assists, and a steal, followed by Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.) recording her third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.) found a rhythm from long range shooting 4-of-6 from three-point land en route to 14 points, while Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) added 12 points and five rebounds.

Coaches
Central Michigan: Sue Guevara is one of the longest-tenured coaches inside the Mid-American Conference in her 11th season at CMU. Since taking over the Chippewas program, Guevara has amassed a 215-150 overall record, including a program-best 30-5 ledger in 2017-18 and an NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearance.

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 Central Michigan, Akron Would...

Earn its 10th victory of the 2018-19 season.
Give the Zips their first MAC win of the 2018-19 year.
Win five consecutive games for the first time this season and the first time since 2015-16.
Win its first MAC opener since 2013-14.
Tie the best record through the first 12 games in program history; 10-2 (2014-15).
Surpass 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 seventh 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 19 of her last 26 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 five of its 11 opponents by double-digits (+13 vs. NC A&T, +20 vs. Oak, +17 vs. NKU, +17 vs. JSU, +19 vs. MU). The last time Akron won three straight games by 10+points was 2015-16.
Megan Sefcik ranks 20th in the nation averaging 3.18 triples per contest and rated 58th in three-point field goals made (35).
As a unit, the Zips rank fifth in the MAC in three-pointers made per game, 7.5, and three-pointers made.
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 11 games with just 156 turnovers which ranks 14th 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 44 points to hit the 500 point mark.
The Zips defense has limited the opposition to 65 points or less in 10 of its 11 games
The Akron offense has made a minimum of five three-pointers in 10 of its 11 games.
No team has made more than 25 field goals in a contest through 11 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 11 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 eight of its 11 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 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.
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 117 offensive rebounds through 11 games. Akron has turned their second chances into 99 points.
Caitlin Vari has grabbed a team-best 34 offensive boards, including a season-best eight against Canisius and has at least two offensive caroms through 11 games.

Where They Rank in the MAC, as a team (as of 1/4)

Rated 10th in scoring (64.7 ppg)
Ranked second in scoring defense allowing just 56.3 points per contest.
Akron's +8.5 scoring margin is ranked fifth in the league.
Akron is rated eighth in field goal percentage (.392) and fourth in field goal percentage allowed (.361).
From long range, Akron ranks fifth in 3FG made per game (7.5) and seventh in 3FG% (.313).
The Zips 8.09 steals per contest are a league seventh-best.
Akron's 29 blocked shots (2.604per/game) are sixth-best the conference rankings.
Ranked fifth in free throw percentage (.743).
Rated 9th in rebounding offense (37.9), third in rebounding defense (35.9), sixth in rebounding margin (2.0). and fourth in defensive rebounds (27.3 per game).
Akron ranks seventh in turnover margin (2.64) and seventh in assists/turnover ratio (0.95).

Where They Rank in the MAC, Individually (as of 1/4)

Megan Sefcik is rated seventh in scoring (16.5 pts/game) and Haliegh Reinoehl is rated 37th (9.2 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the 6th most boards per contest (6.7/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks 9th (6.5/game).
Sefcik ranks 13th in FG% (.426), 6th in 3FG% (.376), 4th in 3FG made per game (3.2), while Reinoehl is rated 35th in 3FG made per contest (1.1).
Shayna Harmon ranks 13th in assists (3.4 apg).
At the free throw line two Zips rank in the top-15, Sefcik fourth (.900) and Harmon 14th (.744).
Sefcik ranks 12th in steals per game (1.9 per game).
In blocked shots, Colleen Neitzel is rated 9th in blocks (0.6 bpg), while Caitlin Vari is rated 17th (0.5)

Up Next
The Zips continue their conference play road trip in the state of Michigan as the Akron women's basketball team travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., on Wednesday, Jan. 9. The Zips take on Western Michigan inside the Read Fieldhouse and University Arena at 7 p.m. All the action can be seen on ESPN3 or heard live on GoZips.com with Bill Morgan.