Rivalry Week Part One Takes Akron To Kent State

Saturday, February 2

Kent, Ohio

2 PM

University of Akron

Kent State

February 01 | Women's Basketball

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Akron (12-6, 3-4 MAC) vs. Kent State (10-8, 3-4 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 2
Kent, Ohio. • M.A.C. Center • 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
Listen: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
Rivalry week, part one. The Akron women's basketball team is back in action after a week off of competition and travels to its cross-town rival, Kent State, for part one of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge on Saturday, Feb., 2. First-tip between the Zips and Golden Flashes is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the M.A.C. Center.

Stop, Watch, and Listen
The Zips' radio broadcast will air on GoZIps.com with Bill Morgan calling the action live from the M.A.C. Center. You can also tune in and stream the game live on ESPN3, HERE.

Scouting the Golden Flashes
Kent State enters rivalry week on just below the Zips in the MAC East standings sitting in fifth place with a 3-4 conference ledger and a 10-8 overall record. After winning its first three MAC contests to begin league play with victories over Eastern Michigan (71-64), Northern Illinois (87-78), and Toledo (58-47), the Golden Flashes have since dropped four straight losing to Ohio (81-83), Central Michigan (75-82), Ball State (44-48), and Miami (63-79). Prior to the start of MAC play, KSU claimed seven non-conference wins. When playing inside the M.A.C Center, the Golden Flashes are 6-2 compared to 4-6 on the road.

Kent State's duo of Megan Carter and Asiah Dingle pace the Golden Flashes offense averaging double-digits in the scoring column in a combined 1,072 minutes of action. Carter leads Kent State in points (15.9/game), ranks second in assists (43), grabs 4.5 rebounds per game, and shoots 38-percent from the floor. Dingle, who averages 13.2 points per contest, dishes out 2.5 assists per game and has ripped 39 steals on the season. Despite their strong scoring efforts, Carter and Dingle also own the most turnovers on the Golden Flashes squad, 110. Lindsey Thall, a freshman forward, averages just under 10 points per game (9.7) in her first season at Kent State, while adding 5.2 rebounds per match-up and a team-high 26 blocks.

Defensively, the Golden Flashes are one of the most sound teams in the league as KSU boasts the third-best scoring defense allowing just 62.1 points per game and the number one percent defense allowing its opposition to shoot just .378 from the floor.

Probable Starters
Kent State: Megan Carter, Asiah Dingle, Lindsey Thall, Ali Poole, Alexa Golden

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

Series History
Since the first meeting between Akron and Kent State in 1975, the Golden Flashes own the overall all-time series advantage over the Zips, 52-16. However, in the last seven seasons, Akron holds a 10-4 ledger against Kent State in its last 14 meetings dating back to 2012, which also included eight straight victories over KSU. The Zips have picked up four wins inside the M.A.C. Center in the last six seasons.

Last Time Out
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, at the M.A.C Center.

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. 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 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.

Coaches
Kent State: Todd Starkey, the sixth head coach in Kent State women's basketball history, is in his third season at the helm of the Golden Flashes program. In his time at Kent State, was named the 2017 MAC Coach of the Year, won a MAC East title, and has earned a 42-40 record through two and half seasons.

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 Kent State, Akron Would...

Earn its 13th victory of the 2018-19 season.
Give the Zips their fourth MAC win and move to 4-4 in league play.
Be the 146th win during Mid-American Conference play.
Claim its 17th win over KSU
Become the 15th team in Akron program history to win at least 13 games and the 12th Zips squad to do so 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 13th 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 23 of her last 30 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 10th in the nation averaging 3.44 triples per contest, rated 16th in three-point field goals made (62), 20th in three-point field goals attempted (164), and 95th in three-point field goal percentage (.368).
As a unit, the Akron ranks 35th in three-point field goals made per game (8.3), 46th in three-point field goals made (141), 58th in three-point field goal attempts (420), and 82nd in three-point field goal percentage (.378).
The Akron offense has taken care of the ball well through its 18 games with just 265 turnovers which ranks 42nd in the nation and their 14.7 turnovers per game rank 88th.
As a team, the Zips rank 54th in the NCAA in free throw percentage at 73.8-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.
The Zips defense has limited the opposition to 65 points or less in 12 of its 18 games
The Akron offense has made a minimum of five three-pointers in 17 of its 18 games including a season-high 12 triples on three different occasions.
Only seven teams have made more than 25 field goals in a contest through 18 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 642-550.
Akron has only entered the halftime intermission trailing its opponent seven times through 18 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 12 of its 18 games including a season-high 22.
Shayna Harmon dished out a career-high seven assists against Canisius.
Sefcik has made four three-pointers in nine games, at least one triple in all 18 games, and a single-game season-high of six netter triples against Northern Kentucky and Toledo.
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 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.
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 177 offensive rebounds through 18 games. Akron has turned their second chances into 169 points.
Caitlin Vari has grabbed a team-best 54 offensive boards, including a season-best eight against Canisius, has at least two offensive caroms in 15 games and has recorded a team-high in offensive rebounds in 11 games.
Despite the loss against Central Michigan, Akron scored its then 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 108 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.
Haleigh Reinoehl tied a career-high in rebounds against Eastern Michigan with 14 boards.
In six of the last seven games, the Zips have had at least three players score in double figures and in 12 of their 18 contests. Akron is 8-4 in those games.
The Zips 2-1 MAC record through the first three games of league play was the first time Akron was above .500 in the MAC since the 2015-16 season.
Haliegh Reinoehl eclipsed the 500th career point mark against Northern Illinois. In her first shot attempt of the game, the Zips junior knocked down a three-pointer to hit 500 points exactly.
Akron tied its season-best shooting performance from long range against the Huskies, .478. The Zips also shot 47.8-percent from distance against Oakland.
The Zips defense limited the second-best offense in the MAC to 35.3-percent shooting from the floor, 33.3-percent from three-point range, and its then- fourth-lowest scoring total of the season.
Akron's 48.2-percent shooting percentage against Buffalo is the second-highest shooting percentage of the season to date.
Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell tied a season- and career-high point total against Buffalo (13).
In the fourth quarter, Brown-Mitchell and Kendall Miller combined to scored 14 of the Zips 17 fourth-quarter points versus Buffalo.
In their career's, the junior class of Alyssa Clay, Shaunay Edmonds, Shayna Harmon, Haliegh Reinoehl, and Caitlin Vari have combined to play 7,554 minutes and have played in a combined 355 games since their freshman seasons.
Akron overcame a 12-point deficit against Toledo and defeated the Rockets, 70-64, their largest deficit of the season.
The Zips scored 17 points in the overtime period vs. Toledo, which almost equaled there point total in the entire first half (21).
Megan Sefcik scored 25 of her season-high 29 points against Toledo in the second half and overtime period and connected on a season-best six three-pointers for the second time this season.
Akron's 70 points against the Rockets were tied for the third-most points given up by UT all season.
After trailing on the glass in the first half, the Zips ended the game with a 35-34 rebound advantage over UT.
Shaunay Edmonds and Shayna Harmon combined to dish out 13 of the Zips 18 assists, which occurred on 81-percent of the Zips made field goals.

Where They Rank in the MAC, as a team (as of 2/1)

Rated 9th in scoring (66.1 ppg)
Ranked fourth in scoring defense allowing just 63.3 points per contest.
Akron's +2.8 scoring margin is ranked eighth in the league.
Akron is rated ninth in field goal percentage (.402) and seventh in field goal percentage allowed (.397).
From long range, Akron ranks fourth in 3FG made per game (8.4) and fourth in 3FG% (.342).
Ranked sixth in free throw percentage (.738).
Rated fourth in rebounding defense (36.2), seventh in rebounding margin (-0.5), 9th in defensive rebounds (25.9 per game), and 10th in offensive rebounds (9.8)
The Zips 6.89 steals per contest are a league 10th-best.
Akron's 46 blocked shots (2.56 per/game) are fourth-best in the conference rankings.
Akron ranks ninth in turnover margin (0.67) and eighth assists/turnover ratio (0.92).

Where They Rank in the MAC, Individually (as of 2/1)

Megan Sefcik is rated fifth in scoring (17.5 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the sixth most boards per contest (7.3/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks 10th (6.3/game).
Sefcik ranks 10th in FG% (.430), 4th in 3FG% (.378), and 2nd in 3FG made per game (3.4).
Shayna Harmon ranks 14th in assists (3.4 apg) and fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.9).
Shaunay Edmonds ranks 10th in steals per game (2.0 per game) and Sefcik ranks 12th (1.7 per game).

Where They Rank in MAC PLay, as a team (as of 2/1)

Rated seventh in scoring (68.3 ppg)
Ranked 11th in scoring defense allowing 74.4 points per contest.
Akron is rated 7th in field goal percentage (.418).
From long range, Akron ranks second in 3FG made per game (9.9) and first in 3FG% (.385).
Ranked fifth in free throw percentage (.728).
Fourth in rebounding defense (36.7).
Akron's 17 blocked shots (2.43 per/game) are seventh-best the conference rankings.
Akron ranks ninth in turnover margin (-2.43) and seventh assists/turnover ratio (0.88).

Where They Rank in MAC Play, Individually (as of 2/1)

Megan Sefcik is rated fifth in scoring (19.0 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the seventh most boards per contest (8.1/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks 18th (6.1/game).
Sefcik ranks 11th in FG% (.437), fourth in 3FG% (.380), and first in 3FG made per game (3.9), while Reinoehl rated 24th (1.6/game).
Shayna Harmon ranks 10th in assists (3.9 apg) and first in assist/turnover ratio (4.5).
Edmonds is rated 11th in steals per game (2.0 per game) and Sefcik ranks 20th (1.4 per game).

Up Next
The Zips head to southeast Ohio on Wednesday, Feb. 6, to take on MAC East foe, Ohio University. Akron and the Bobcats are scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip-off inside the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio.