The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Face MAC-Leading Toledo Rockets at JAR Arena
February 21 | Women's Basketball
- The Zips face the top team in the MAC tonight as Toledo leads the conference with a 12-1 record.
- Akron is looking to stop a two-game skid with a win tonight. Prior to that Akron had won two in a row, its longest win streak of the season.
- UA is 0-10 in its last ten games against Toledo. The last Akron win over the Rockets came in 1980 when the Zips defeated UT, 70-69 on Dec. 19.
- Senior Katie Hank has been hot from the three-point line since returning from an injury that sidelined her for 15 games. In her last two outings, Hank has shot .500 (4-8) from the arc.
- The Zips have outrebounded seven of their last eight opponents with two of those times being against the conference's top rebounding team, Marshall. The Zips are averaging 38.1 boards per outing for a +0.9 rebound margin.
- Two current Zips are among UA's all-time top-10 in rebounding.
Cheryl Bowles is second with 855 boards, while
Jamie Scott is sixth with 683. In addition, Scott
is just two points shy of joining Bowles as one of Akron's top-10
all-time leading scorers.
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- Akron's game on Saturday at Miami will be broadcast on Fox Sports Ohio as part of the Mid-American Conference's television package. Game time is set for 12 p.m.
About Toledo
Toledo enters tonight's game as the top team in the MAC with a record of 19-5 overall, 12-1 in conference play. The Rockets are riding a 10-game win streak with their last loss coming on Jan. 13 at Bowling Green, a 63-58 defeat. Four of UT's five losses were by a combined total of 14 points.
The Rockets are led by senior forward Kahli Carter. An honorable mention All-MAC pick a season ago, Carter is averaging 17.2 ppg (5th in the MAC) and 8.9 rebounds per outing (1st in the MAC). On Saturday against Central Michigan, Carter set career highs in scoring (33) and rebounding (19).
Tia Davis finished with 13 points in the win and is fourth on the squad in scoring at 9.9 ppg. Davis leads the team in assists with 87 (3.6 per game) and has started all 24 games.
Junior transfer Melantha Herron has made the transition from junior college to Division I with starts in all 24 games and an 11.2 ppg average. Herron is also the top shot blocker with 21 and second in rebounding with 157 (6.5 per game).
Junior Courtney Risinger continues to increase her on-court production, averaging 12.6 ppg and hitting a team-leading 35 three-pointers. The starting five is rounded out by freshman Mary Blessing. Blessing has played in all 24 games, starting 10, and saw 30 minutes of action at Central Michigan last Saturday.
Head coach Mark Ehlen is in his sixth season at the helm of the Toledo program and owns a record of 134-43, 81-18 in MAC play. He is assisted by Kim Clark and Tina Langley.
Last time these two teams met...
... Cheryl Bowles finished with 25 points and nine rebounds but it was not enough as Toledo defeated the Zips, 62-53 at Savage Hall in Toledo, Ohio on Jan. 19, 2000. Akron dropped to 5-11 overall, 1-4 in the MAC, while Toledo improved to 8-8, 5-1 in conference play.
With a 37-25 halftime advantage, Toledo managed to hang on for the win as the Zips outscored the Rockets in the second half, 28-25. In addition to Bowles' 25, Erica Glover finished the night with 12 points and five rebounds.
UT was led by Tara Overaitis and Kahli Carter who each finished with 12 points. Guard Adriane Bryant had 11 points as seven of the nine Toledo players who entered the game scored at least five points.
Last Time Out...
Buffalo was on the board nine seconds into the game and never looked back as they defeated Akron (5-19, 3-10 MAC) Saturday afternoon at JAR Arena, 78-59.
The Zips tied things up at 2-all with a layup from Jamie Scott with 18:20 remaining in the half, but Buffalo (17-7, 8-5 MAC) would go on a 17-0 run to take a 19-2 advantage with 14:01 to play. Mari McClure had seven of the 17 points for Buffalo and finished the game with 15.
Akron would manage to cut that lead to seven when a layup from Katie Hank brought the score to 22-15 at the 8:46 mark. That is as close as the Zips would get for the remainder of the half as a 12-2 run in the final 2:32 gave the Bulls a 45-28 halftime lead.
The Zips continued to pressure in the second half but the Bulls would pull away by as many as 31 points, 71-40, before UA began to scratch away their lead. An 16-3 Akron run, spurred by six of Scott's team-high 12 points, cut UB's lead to 74-56 with 2:14 to play. Buffalo outscored the Zips by just two points, 33-31, in the second half.
The Bulls were led by All-MAC candidate Tiffany Bell who finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds. For the Zips', Scott's 12 was followed by nine each from Hank and Julie McDivitt. Cheryl Bowles had just three points and three rebounds in nine minutes of play as she was bothered by an ankle injury suffered on Wednesday at Marshall.
Bowles Becomes Akron's All-Time Leading Scorer
Senior Cheryl Bowles has added her name to the Akron record books once again by becoming Akron's all-time leading scorer with 15 points against Ball State on Jan. 24. Bowles now has 1,658 points in 110 games, surpassing the old mark of 1,544 set by Pam Arnold from 1984-88. Bowles is currently the leading scorer among active players in the MAC and is 17th overall as she continues to move up the chart.
On The Rise
Over the last several games, senior Cheryl Bowles has begun to return to the form that saw her earn All-America honors in 2000. In her last nine games, Bowles is averaging 15.1 points per game, including a season-high 25 against Ohio on Feb. 3. On the boards she has averaged 7.1 per game during the span, including a season-high 14 at Ohio. Bowles has hit the double-digit mark in scoring 18 times in 24 games and has four double-doubles to her credit.
Krivak, Welcome Back
It is no secret that the Zips missed the play of guard Jamie Krivak when she tore her ACL seven games into the 1999-00 season. The team's second-leading scorer at the time of her injury, Krivak has shown this season exactly why she was missed.
A starter in 22 of 24 games this year, Krivak unloaded against Bowling Green on Feb. 10 for a career-high 24 points, including a 5-for-8 performance from behind the three-point arc. She is third on the team in scoring with a 8.8 ppg average. She has scored in double digits 10 times this year and is a consistent helper on the boards with 3.9 rebounds per contest. She is tops on the team in three pointers (22), including three against Ball State, third in steals with 20 and is first in assists with 54 .
Bowles Named MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week
Senior Cheryl Bowles was named the MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week for Feb. 5-11. In Akron's two wins that week, Bowles averaged 19.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg while shooting 69% from the floor for the week. Bowles, who completed her undergraduate degree in three years, is finishing up her master's degree in exercise science.
Perfection
Along with scoring 22 points at Central Michigan on February 6, Cheryl Bowles was a perfect 10-for-10 from the field. That ties her with two other Zips for a perfect night (minimum four made) and is the most among the three (Lori Rotruck: 5-5, 1983; Jerilyn Cushing: 9-9, 1996).
Hot-Shooting Hank
After a 15-game lay-off due to an injury suffered in Akron’s game against South Carolina on Dec. 1, Katie Hank has come back to the court ready to finish her Akron career in style. In her last four games, Hank is 5-12 from the three-point line, including a bomb from the foot behind the arc that went in as the shot clock expired against Buffalo on Feb. 17. In the five games prior to her injury she was 4-14 from three-point range and averaging 6.0 ppg. Since her injury she is averaging 5.5 ppg and 2.8 rebounds per game, including six at Marshall on Feb. 14.
Sophomore Surprise
Second-year player Sandy Martin has made significant contributions for Akron this season after limited playing time in her freshman campaign.Martin is third on the team in rebounding with 5.8 boards per game, including a game-high nine against Bowling Green on Feb. 10. She is also tied with Bowles for the Zips' lead in double doubles this year with four (15 pts., 10 reb. vs. Cleveland State; 14 pts., 10 reb. vs. Wright State; 14 pts., 11 reb. at Hawaii; 10 pts., 13 reb. vs. Ball State). Martin has hit career highs for points (18 at Buffalo), rebounds (13 vs. Ball State), assists (3 at Hawaii, Western Michigan), steals (3 at Kent State) and minutes (30 at Hawaii) this year.
Injury Rebounds...
Akron welcomes two Jamie's back into the fold as senior guard Jamie Krivak and senior forward Jamie Scott return to action in 2000-01. Both missed the 1999-2000 season with injuries.
Krivak started seven games and was second on the team in scoring before going down for the season with an ACL injury against Marist in December 1999. In 22 starts this season she is third on the squad in scoring at 8.8 ppg, including a career-high 24 against Bowling Green on Feb. 10 and 17 against Miami on Jan. 10. Krivak also leads the team in three pointers with 22.
Scott has been a pleasant surprise returnee after not having played a game since a season-ending knee injury on Feb. 6, 1999 at Miami. Scott has recaptured the form that made her a dominating force underneath the basket. At Marshall on Feb. 14 she finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. She was the Akron high-scorer with a season-best 20 at Western Michigan, 18 against Miami, and led the Zips against Ohio State with 12 points and nine rebounds She also had 13 points and 10 boards at Bowling Green. She has played in all 24 games, starting 14. Scott is second on the team in scoring with 9.0 ppg and is second in rebounding with 6.0 per game.
... and Injury Losses
Although the Zips return several players who spent last season on the injured reserve, there are new casualties for 2000-01. Guard Hollie Stephenson is out with a viral infection. Sophomore guard Angela Tylec is battling knee problems and will not return this season. Junior Terrah Yeager is out indefinitely with a back strain. Junior forward Felecia Bell has decided to have surgery to repair an ACL and is out for the season.
Great Scott!
Not about to let her senior season pass her by, forward Jamie Scott has returned from her 1999 knee injury with a renewed effort. And her on-court play has shown she is anxious to contribute as much as possible.
Scott picked up her third double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Eastern Michigan on January 31. She has started the last 10 games and has played 20-plus minutes in the last 15.
Against Marshall on Jan. 27, Scott had the game-sealing free throws with six seconds left and finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, including an 8-for-11 performance from the charity stripe. Scott also had a season-high 20 points at Western Michigan on Jan. 20, one point off her career best. She came away from a trip to Central Michigan with 14 points and nine rebounds and was Akron's leading scorer against Buffalo on Feb. 17.
For her career, Scott is currently sixth in UA history in rebounding with 683 and is two points away from cracking the top-10 in scoring with 887 points.
All-Tournament Teams
Akron played in two tournaments this season and two different Zips were honored with all-tournament selections. At the Carrier Classic, Bowles garnered all-tournament honors, averaging 9.5 ppg and 7.5 rebounds per game. She picked up her second trophy at the Hawai'i Invitational and was joined by sophomore Sandy Martin who averaged 14.0 ppg and 10.5 rpg in the tournament.
Bowling Through the Record Book
With just three regular-season games left in her Akron career, Cheryl Bowles continues to leave her mark, rewriting several Akron records. In addition to becoming Akron's all-time leading scorer, Bowles enters tonight's game in the top-10 in 11 different career categories: Points Per Game (2nd-15.1), Field Goals Made (1st-648), Field Goals Attempted (3rd-1220), Field Goal Pct. (1st-.531), Free Throws Made (1st-333), Free Throws Attempted (1st-481), Free Throw Pct. (4th-.692), Rebounds (2nd-855), Rebounds Per Game (7th-7.8), Blocked Shots (4th-88) and Steals (8th-132).
Preseason Predictions
Coming off an 11-17 campaign in 1999-2000, many had high hopes for this year's young Zip squad with the Mid-American Conference News Media Association picking Akron to finish third in the East Division. Kent State was picked to repeat as division champs, receiving 254 points and 33 of 37 first-place votes. Miami was second with 178 points and two first-place votes, followed by the Zips with 166 points and two first-place votes. Akron also received one vote to win the MAC Tournament.
In the West, defending champion Western Michigan was also favored to repeat with 202 points and 21 first-place votes. Right on its heels was Eastern Michigan with 163 points and 12 first-place votes. Rounding out the top three was Ball State with 144 points.
Bowles Preseason All-MAC
For the second season in a row, senior center Cheryl Bowles (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill) was named to the Mid-American Conference's five-woman preseason All-MAC team. Last year Bowles lived up to the billing by becoming Akron's first-ever First-Team All-MAC selection. In 1999-2000 she led the team in scoring (17.8 ppg), rebounding (8.4 rpg), field goal percentage (194-351, .553) and blocked shots (28). As a sophomore she was a second-team All-MAC pick and was named to the All-Freshman squad in her first season.
All-America Honors
In addition to being the first Zip to earn first-team all-conference honors, Cheryl Bowles went one step further by becoming Akron's second All-America honoree, earning Kodak All-America Honorable Mention notice. She was one of four MAC players to earn the honor.
Zips Excel in the Classroom
Akron was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Academic Top-25 for the 1999-2000 season. The Zips came in at No. 16 with a team GPA of 3.267. Only two other MAC schools were among the top 25 with Toledo at No. 3 and Kent State in 18th.
Across the board the Zips have always taken pride in their academic performance. Senior Cheryl Bowles graduated in three years and is now spending her fourth year as a graduate student. Jamie Scott has also completed her undergraduate work and began postgraduate classes this semester. Eleven women posted a 3.0 or better for the Fall 2000 semester, with Felecia Bell, Jamie Krivak and Kimberly Larson posting perfect 4.0 GPA's. Bell, Bowles, Sierra Cooper, Amanda Croston, Erica Glover, Katie Hank, and Larson earned Academic All-MAC honors in 1999-00.
A New Crop
Head coach Roxanne Allen inked three players for the 2001-02 season during the early signing period in November.
At guard, Lindsay Hemmelgarn is a 5-8 1-2 guard from Versailles High school in New Weston, Ohio. As a junior she averaged 11 points per game, 5.3 assists per game and was an all-league selection. She is ranked No. 1 in her class and sports a perfect 4.0 GPA.
A 5-8 point guard, Celina Dopoulos of Strongsville, Ohio earned first-team All-Pioneer Conference honors her junior season, averaging 14 points, five assists and 3.5 steals per game. She is a member of the President's Honor Roll with a 4.0 GPA.
A 6-2 post player, Cydney Overton (Hamilton, Ohio) led Badin High School to a 23-5 record and Division II state runner up notice. She was an honorable mention All-Butler County pick as she led her team in rebounding with an average of six boards per game.
About Head Coach Roxanne Allen Now in her fourth year at the helm of the Akron women's basketball program, head coach Roxanne Allen is beginning to see the fruits of her labor. Her first recruiting class is about to embark on its senior year and still carries the memory of what is was like to record a winning season and advance to the WNIT.
With a rash of unexpected and debilitating injuries during the '99-'00 season behind them, the Zips are ready to reclaim that success that tasted so sweet the season before. In 2000-01, the Zips boast a returning cast that includes All-America candidate Cheryl Bowles, and six players with 87 starts among them.
In 1998-99, UA earned the program's first-ever postseason national tournament bid by landing a spot in the WNIT. The Zips also set two school records by reaching the Mid-American Conference semifinals and for Division I victories with 16. Hoping to build upon that momentum in '99-'00, the Zips saw the loss of two starters, and a host of injuries to several of the other players turn the year into a frustrating 11-17 campaign, including a mark of 7-9 in the MAC. Despite the disappointment, Allen has the program miles ahead of where it was just three seasons ago.
"Last year should have been a key year for us, but we got taken out of it early with all the injury problems," Allen said. "Regardless, we have the core nucleus, and with the inexperienced players getting experience last year we are going to have some stability and scoring power."
A native of Elton, La., Allen was a two-sport athlete at Northeast Louisiana University, playing volleyball and being a pioneer member of the women's basketball program from 1972-74. After two seasons at NLU, she transferred to McNeese State, where she concentrated on basketball and earned her B.S. degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1976.
Allen completed her master's degree at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, in 1988, while serving as an assistant volleyball coach.
MAC Moves to Gund The Mid-American Conference women's basketball tournament has a new home for 2001 as the women will join the men's teams in playing at Gund Arena, home of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. Last season the women played their tournament at Public Hall in downtown Cleveland. Kent State won the championship with a 71-60 win over Toledo.
Quarterfinal games will be held on March 6, with semifinal action on March 9 and the championship game set for 1 p.m. on March 10. This will mark the second year that all 13 MAC schools participate in the tournament, after just eight teams qualified from 1992-99.
Also, the Mid-American Conference has announced that Kraft is the title sponsor of the 2001 tournament. The partnership, which is a two-year deal, is a fully integrated sponsorship consisting of television and print ads, signage and sampling opportunities.
Additionally, Kraft will present two $1,000 educational scholarships to students currently enrolled at a MAC institution during halftime of the women's championship game.
