Thrilling OT Contest Between Akron and Kent State Falls In Favor Of Golden Flashes, 66-55

Wednesday, March 6

Akron, Ohio

7 PM

University of Akron

16-12, 8-9MAC

Kent State University

17-11,10-7MAC

OT 1

Kent State

Akron

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Thrilling OT Contest Between Akron and Kent State Falls In Favor Of Golden Flashes, 66-55

March 06 | Women's Basketball

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AKRON, Ohio– In a contest befitting one of the most intense rivalries in the Mid-American Conference, Akron fell 65-55 to Kent State in overtime at James A. Rhodes Arena in a thrilling game that featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes during part two of the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge.

Junior guard Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tied the game at 51-all with 12.7 seconds left with a driving layup on which she was fouled, then headed to the line and calmly sank the ensuing free throw to knot up the contest and send the game to overtime after Kent State missed a last-second shot to try to win the game. However, the Flashes were able to hold the Zips to four points in the extra period to capture the win.

Despite the result not going in their favor, Akron has secured a home contest in the first round of the 2019 Mid-American Conference Tournament after Eastern Michigan fell to Toledo in double-overtime, 76-72.

Kent State picked up a full point for the Golden Flashes in the Wagon Wheel Challenge taking the season series, 2-0,, but the Zips still lead in the overall standings, 5.5-to-3.0.

Yet again, Akron was led by redshirt senior guard Megan Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio) and its junior forward duo of Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) and Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ohio), who combined for 20 points and 27 rebounds to power the Zips on the interior.
Out of the 27 rebounds between Reinoehl and Vari, Reinoehl collected a career-high 20 boards off the glass and also moved into ninth place on the program's all-time rebounding list with 651. Sefcik scored a team-high 14 points, including 12 in the second half, to give her 999 points for her career, one point shy of becoming the 15^thmember in program history to join the 1,000-point club.

It was evident early on that this edition of the Akron-Kent State rivalry would hinge on defense as both sides dug in and covered the court from sideline to sideline, forcing tough shots from one another's shooters and battling for rebounds.

The Zips (16-12, 7-10 MAC) and Flashes traded leads and big shots all night long and in the end.

Following a close first half, the game got even closer in the third period as neither side could build a lead bigger than three points, setting up the decisive fourth quarter and extra period.

After falling behind by five, 47-42, Akron blitzed Kent State with a 6-0 run highlighted by a long 3-pointer from the left wing by Sefcik, who gave her team a 48-47 edge with her long triple midway through the final period.

The game was close throughout the first half as neither side led by more than six points that included five ties and three lead changes. Shots inside the arc were the preferred method of scoring on both sides as the two teams combined to make just two three-pointers and two free throws before intermission.

While shooting 37-percent themselves, the Zips clamped down on the Flashes (17-11, 10-7 MAC) and held their rivals to 29-percent shooting over the course of the first two periods. They also controlled the interior, outscoring Kent State 14-6 inside the paint and securing a 21-to-20 rebounding edge heading to the locker room in a game tied 22-all.

The Zips head out on the road to conclude their regular-season against Miami, which currently stands second in the MAC East. Tip-off from Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio is scheduled for 2 p.m., on March 9 and the game can be seen on ESPN3.

For tickets for the first round of the MAC tournament on March 11, visit gozips.com/tickets or call 888-99-AKRON.