Zips Host 'Akron For Nakon' Game Against Miami

Saturday, February 16

Akron, Ohio

2 PM

University of Akron

Miami University (OH)

Tickets

February 15 | Women's Basketball

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Akron vs. Miami Game Notes (PDF)

Akron (14-8, 5-6 MAC) vs. Miami (18-4, 9-2 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 16
Akron, Ohio. • James A. Rhodes Arena • 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
Watch: GoZips.com
Listen: GoZips.com

What's Ahead
The Zips close out a three-game homestand on Saturday, Feb. 16, as Akron welcomes Miami to town. Akron and the RedHawks are scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip-off inside James A. Rhodes Arena. The contest between Akron and Miami represents the 'Akron for Nakon' in conjunction with the Zips annual breast cancer awareness day.

Stop, Watch, and Listen
The Zips' radio broadcast will air on GoZips.com with Bill Morgan calling the action live from the JAR. You can also tune in and stream the game live on ESPN3, HERE, with Michael Reghi and Jacki Windon on the call.

Scouting the RedHawks
The top team in the Mid-American Conference East division rolls into Akron as the Miami RedHawks sit atop the standings with a 9-2 league record in week 14 and an 18-4 overall mark with seven games remaining in the regular season. The RedHawks entered league play after posting a 9-2 non-conference record. After opening MAC play with its two losses in three games to NIU and Buffalo, Miami has since rolled in league play and has won eight straight games heading into its match-up against Akron.

Three active RedHawks lead the offensive efforts and average double figures, including Lauren Dickerson (15.9), Savannah Kluesner (14.6), and Kendall McCoy (12.1). Dickerson, Miami's leading scorer, has also posted a team-high 125 assists and 50 steals which rank 28th and 77th in the nation along with fourth and fifth, respectively, in the MAC. Kluesner, a member of the RedHawks frontcourt, owns a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game, including 53 offensive and 122 defensive rebounds. McCoy, one of the most efficient shooters on the RedHawks roster is shooting 44.6-percent from and at a 39.8-percent clip from long range while connecting on the second-most triples (39).

In the NCAA, Dickerson ranks 19th in assists per game (5.7), 28th in assists, 37th in field goal attempts (375), 48th in three-point field goal attempts (171), and 49th in assists/turnover ratio (2.16). As a unit, the RedHawks are rated third in three-point field goal defense (.234), 18th in fewest turnovers (296), 37th in turnovers per game (13.5), 43rd in assist/turnover ratio (1.14), 61st in scoring margin (+9.1), and scoring defense (59.4).

Probable Starters
Miami: Lauren Dickerson, Savannah Kluesner, Kendall McCoy, Leah Purvis, Baleigh Reid.

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

Series History
Miami and Akron are set to compete for the 54th and 55th times this season since the two programs first met in 1982. In the previous 53 meetings between the Zips and RedHawks, Akron trails in the all-time series, 16-37. Prior to losing its last four contests against Miami, the Zips won six straight games over the RedHawks from 2014-2016 and eight of nine from 2013-16. The Zips are 5-2 against Miami at home in the last seven tries.

Last Time Out
Despite a big night from freshman guard Destiny Perkins (Indianapolis, Ind.), the Akron Zips dropped a 77-50 decision to the visiting Miami RedHawks in a Mid-American Conference contest at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Perkins led Akron with 15 points and added three rebounds, three assists, and one steal to pace the Zips on offense. It was the eighth time in the past 12 games the freshman has scored in double figures, while Perkins also made her first career start.

Kayla Brown led Miami with 14 points, while junior forward Kendall McCoy added 13 and sophomore guard Lauren Dickerson chipped in with 12 as the RedHawks had six players score in double figures.

Akron couldn't get on track offensively against the fourth-ranked scoring defense in the MAC. On the night, the Zips made just 32.3 percent of its field goal attempts, including 6-of-24 (25-percent) from 3-point range.

Coaches
Miami: Megan Duffy, is amidst her second season running the Miami women's basketball program since taking over in 2017. In her first season with the RedHawks, Duffy led Miami to a 22-11 overall record, an appearance in the MAC tournament semi-finals, and participated in the WNIT postseason tournament.

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 Miami, Akron Would...

Earn its 15th victory of the 2018-19 season.
Give the Zips their sixth MAC win and move to 6-6 in league play.
Be the 148th win during Mid-American Conference play.
Become the eighth team in Akron program history to win at least 15 games and the sixth Zips squad to do so in the Division I era.
Earn win #17 over Miami and snap a four-game losing streak to the RedHawks.
Win back-to-back-to-back games for the third time this season.

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 17th 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 26 of her last 34 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 seven of its 22 opponents by double-digits (+13 vs. NC A&T, +20 vs. Oak, +17 vs. NKU, +17 vs. JSU, +19 vs. MU, +13 vs. WMU, +30 vs. Ball St.). The last time Akron won three straight games by 10+points was 2015-16. The 30-point margin of victory over BSU was the largest of the season for Akron.
Megan Sefcik ranks 16th in the nation averaging 3.18 triples per contest, rated 23rd in three-point field goals made (70), 27th in three-point field goals attempted (188), and 102st in three-point field goal percentage (.373).
As a unit, the Akron ranks 34th in three-point field goals made per game (8.3), 51st in three-point field goals made (182), 72nd in three-point field goal attempts (524), and 54th in three-point field goal percentage (.347).
The Akron offense has taken care of the ball well through its 22 games with just 309 turnovers which ranks 33rd in the nation and their 14.0 turnovers per game rank 60th.
As a team, the Zips rank 59th in the NCAA in free throw percentage at 73.4-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 14 of its 22 games
The Akron offense has made a minimum of five three-pointers in 21 of its 22 games including a season-high 12 triples on three different occasions.
Only eight teams have made more than 25 field goals in a contest through 22 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 758-659.
Akron has only entered the halftime intermission trailing its opponent nine times through 21 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 seven contests where at least nine players scored at least one point (Oakland, YSU, EKU, Butler, JSU, UTEP. Ball St.), 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 16 of its 22 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 20 of 21 games, and a single-game season-high of six netted 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 six 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 209 offensive rebounds through 22 games. Akron has turned their second chances into 198 points.
Caitlin Vari has grabbed a team-best 65 offensive boards, including a season-best eight against Canisius, at least two offensive caroms in 17 games, and recorded a team-high in offensive rebounds in 12 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 then 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.
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 then 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 8,116 minutes and have played in a combined 3,706 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.
Akron recorded its highest three-point shooting percentage of the season against Ohio (52.4-percent).
Alyssa Clay went off against the Bobcats playing the best game of her career scoring a career-best 25 points, shot 9-of-14 from the floor, 5-of-6 from long range, and 2-for-4 from the free throw line. Her five triples against OU are the second-most Clay has connected on in a single game (6 vs. BG, 1/13/18).
Shaunay Edmonds scored a season-high 24 points in game two against Western Michigan. She fell three points shy of her career-high 27 points set last season.
The Akron offense turned the ball over a season-low seven times against Western Michigan. This is the first time a Zips team has recorded less than eight turnovers in a game since 2015-16 when Akron tallied just five turnovers against Bowling Green (3/5/16).
The Zips completed Akron's first season sweep of Western Michigan since 2011.
The 2018-19 Zips squad is 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.
Against the Broncos, Haliegh Reinoehl recorded her third double-double of the season, all of which have come in Mid-American Conference play.
Caitlin Vari bested her career-high in scoring against Western Michigan turning in a 15 point performance.
In 10 of the last 11 games, the Zips have had at least three players score in double figures and in 16 of their 22 contests overall. Akron is 10-6 in those games.
Become the 13th team in Akron program history to win at least 14 games and the 11th Zips squad to do so in the Division I era.
Akron notched six names in the scoring column against Ball State. Look at stat computer
The 91-point outing against Ball State represented the highest point total of the season for Akron.
The Zips 8-2 home record is tied for the 5th best winning percentage at the JAR in program history.
The 30-point margin of victory against Ball State was the largest of the season for Akron.
The contest also marked the first time Akron defeated a conference opponent by 30+ since the 2012-13 season when Akron defeated Kent State by +35 (93-58).
Caitlin Vari set a season-high and tied her career-high 16 rebounds against the Cardinals.
The Zips +17 advantage in the first quarter against Ball State was the largest point differential in a quarter for Akron this season.
In a dominant defensive performance, the Zips held the Cardinals to just three points in the first quarter. Akron also held North Carolina A&T to 3 points in the third quarter in the first game of the season.
The Zips scored a season-high 40 points inside the paint against Ball State.
The starting five of Edmonds, Harmon, Sefcik, Reinoehl, and Vari scored 66 of the Zips 91 points vs. Ball State.

Where They Rank in the MAC, as a team (as of 2/15)

Rated seventh in scoring (67.2 ppg)
Ranked fifth in scoring defense allowing just 64.9 points per contest.
Akron's +2.3 scoring margin is ranked eighth in the league.
Akron is rated eighth in field goal percentage (.410) and seventh in field goal percentage allowed (.399).
From long range, Akron ranks fourth in 3FG made per game (8.3) and fourth in 3FG% (.347).
Ranked sixth in free throw percentage (.734).
Rated fourth in rebounding defense (36.5), eighth in rebounding margin (-0.7), 6th in defensive rebounds (26.2 per game), and 10th in offensive rebounds (9.5)
The Zips 6.59 steals per contest are a league 10th-best.
Akron's 63 blocked shots (2.86 per/game) are third-best in the conference rankings.
Akron ranks eighth in turnover margin (0.68) and sixth assists/turnover ratio (0.96).

Where They Rank in the MAC, Individually (as of 2/15)

Megan Sefcik is rated sixth in scoring (16.9 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the seventh most boards per contest (7.4/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks eighth (7.0/game).
Sefcik ranks nintth in FG% (.418), 18th in 3FG% (.372), 5th in 3FG made per game (3.2), and 2nd in free throw% (.906)
Shayna Harmon ranks 12th in assists (3.6 apg) and third in assist/turnover ratio (2.0).
Shaunay Edmonds ranks 11th in steals per game (1.7 per game) and Sefcik ranks 10th (1.8 per game).

Where They Rank in MAC Pay, As A Team (as of 2/15)l

Rated sixth in scoring (69.6 ppg)
Akron is rated fourthth in field goal percentage (.427).
From long range, Akron ranks second in 3FG made per game (9.1) and second in 3FG% (.382).
Ranked sixth in free throw percentage (.723).
Fourth in rebounding defense (37.1).
Akron's 34 blocked shots (2.90 per/game) are fifth-best the conference rankings.
Akron ranks eighth in turnover margin (-1.27) and sixth assists/turnover ratio (0.97).

Where They Rank in MAC Play, Individually (as of 2/15)

Megan Sefcik is rated eighth in scoring (17.7 pts/game).
In the rebounding category, Reinoehl has the eighth most boards per contest (8.0/game) and Caitlin Vari ranks ninth (7.5/game).
Sefcik ranks 11th in FG% (.411), 16h in 3FG% (.368), second in 3FG made per game (3.2), and first in free throw percentage (.912).
Shayna Harmon ranks seventh in assists (4.1 apg) and first in assist/turnover ratio (3.5).
Edmonds is rated 15th in steals per game (1.5 per game) and Sefcik ranks 14th (1.6 per game).

Up Next
Akron returns to the road after a week and a half at the friendly confines of the JAR. The Zips head to Ypsilanti, Mich., to take on Eastern Michigan for the second time this season on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.