The University of Akron Athletics
Zips and Golden Flashes Meet This Saturday
February 16 | Women's Basketball
Game 25
Akron (9-15, 2-10 MAC) at Kent State (12-11, 8-4
MAC)
February 17, 2007 • 2:00 p.m. (EST)
M.A.C. Center- Kent, Ohio
Television: None
Radio: 1350 AM/www.GoZips.com. Bill Morgan has
the call.
Records: Akron is 9-15 on the season, 2-10 in
MAC play after a 91-46 loss at Bowling Green on Wednesday. Kent
State is 12-11, 8-4 MAC after dropping a 75-71 overtime decision at
Ohio.
Coaches:
Jodi Kest is in her first
season at Akron with a career record of 236-168. She picked up her
first win at Akron on Nov. 18 vs. Binghamton, and her first MAC win
on Feb. 3 vs. Eastern Michigan. Bob Lindsay is in his 18th season
with a record of 341-181.
Series: Kent State leads the series, 41-4. They won the last meeting by a score of 79-47 on Feb. 6, 2007 at Rhodes Arena.
Akron Makes Trek To Local Rival Kent
State...
The shortest road trip of the year happens this Saturday as Akron
makes the eight-mile journey to Kent State for a 2 p.m.
contest.
About Akron...
The Zips must bounce back from a 91-46 loss at No. 17 Bowling
Green on Wednesday night.
Akron fell behind 13-0 to start and could not catch up to the
hot-shooting Falcons. BGSU led 46-25 at the half and shot 56
percent (14-25) in the second half to lead by as many as 48.
For just the fifth time this season, Akron did not have two or
more players score in double figures as freshman
Riana Miller was the only
player to reach the mark with 12 points, all coming in the first
half. Sophomore
Niki McCoy saw her
nine-game double-digit scoring streak come to an end as she
finished with just nine points.
The Zips are currently in a battle with Buffalo to determine the
No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in the MAC East for the 2007 Kraft MAC
Women's Basketball Tournament. If the season ended today, Akron
would be the No. 6 seed and would face either NIU or Eastern
Michigan in the first round. The Zips are currently one game behind
Buffalo, with the two teams schedule to meet on Feb. 24 at Rhodes
Arena.
Akron currently ranks 12th in the league in scoring offense (59.3
ppg) and are 12th in field goal percentage (.398). Defensively the
Zips rank sixth in scoring defense (66.1 ppg allowed) and fifth in
field goal percentage defense (.405).
For the year the Zips are averaging 35.3 rebounds per game. They
have recorded 272 assists for an average of 11.3 per game.
Individually, sophomore
Niki McCoy is 7th in the
MAC in scoring (16.0 ppg) and 13th in rebounding (6.7 rpg).
Freshman
Riana Miller is tied for
sixth in the league in blocked shots with an average of 1.08 per
game. Freshman
Sarah Tokodi ranks 11th in
assists (3.83 per game) and is 20th in scoring at 12.1 ppg.
About Kent State...
The Golden Flashes have dropped two straight after a 75-71
overtime loss at Ohio on Wednesday. Kent State now just has a
one-game lead over the Bobcats for the No. 2 spot in the MAC East
and a first-round bye in the MAC Tournament.
La'kia Stewart had a double-double in the loss with 12 points and
11 rebounds, while Kristin Peoples was the top scorer with 19.
Peoples currently leads the team at 16.6 points per game, while
Stewart is the top rebounder at 8.1 per game.
One of Kent State's losses was to Eastern Michigan at home
(69-64), a team that Akron defeated by a 69-53 score on Feb. 4.
For the season KSU is averaging 72.9 ppg while allowing 69.0 ppg.
They are among the league leaders (third) in rebounding at 39.0 per
game and rank third in steals at 10.8 per game.
Head coach Bob Lindsay is in his 18th season at Kent State with a
record of 341-181. He is assisted by Lori Bodnar, Jenna Lehmann and
Michael Terry.
Series Business...
- This is the 46th meeting between the two schools with the Golden
Flashes holding a commanding 41-4 advantage.
- Kent State defeated Akron, 79-47 on Jan. 6, 2007 at Rhodes
Arena.
- The Golden Flashes have won 15 straight in the series dating back
to the 1999-00 season.
- Akron's last win came on Jan. 16, 1999 at Rhodes Arena, 67-62. It
is Akron's only win over the Golden Flashes since joining the MAC
for the 1992-93 season.
- Akron's last win at Kent State came on Jan. 26, 1988 by a 76-72
score.
Last Time These Two Teams Met...
The University of Akron women's basketball team suffered a 79-47
defeat to arch-rival Kent State on Jan. 6 at Rhodes Arena despite
26 points from freshman
Sarah Tokodi (Marietta,
Ohio/Parkersburg Catholic).
With the defeat, UA fell to 7-7 overall and 0-2 in the
Mid-American Conference, while the Golden Flashes improved to 6-7
and 2-0.
"Kent State was the better team today," UA head coach
Jodi Kest said. "I thought
we came out hard for the first 10 minutes, but Kent State stepped
up the intensity and we didn't match it."
Tokodi, who matched a career high, scored 17 of the Zips' 24
points in the first half and shot 9-for-14, including 4-for-5 from
three-point range, for the game. Senior
Jessie Crooks
(Independence, Ohio/Independence) added seven points and five
rebounds.
Five players reached double digits in scoring for Kent State,
which forced 25 UA turnovers and held Akron to 25.5 percent
shooting. La'Kai Stewart paced the Golden Flashes' attack with 16
points as KSU dominated the inside game by out-scoring Akron 40-10
in the paint.
"We just have to regroup and learn form this," Kest said.
"Hopefully when we play at their place we will be a much better
team. We've got to learn how to play a 40-minute game."
Tokodi scored the first five points of the game and the first 14
for Akron as the Zips took a four-point lead, 14-10, eight minutes
into the contest. Tokodi connected on her first six shots from the
floor, including two from beyond the arc.
Kent State followed with a 5-0 run and took its first lead of the
day, 15-14, on a free throw from Stewart at the 10:32 mark.
Tokodi's third three ball of the first half pulled the Zips to
within one, 21-20, with 7:05 left but the Golden Flashes closed the
opening period with a 20-4 run and led 41-24 at the
intermission.
Akron scored the first five points of the second half trim the
lead to 12, but could get no closer.
Last Time Out...
A hot-shooting No. 17 Bowling Green (23-2, 12-0 MAC) put an end to
the Zips' (9-15, 2-10 MAC) winning ways with a dominant performance
in a 91-46 win Wednesday night at Anderson Arena in Bowling Green,
Ohio.
A higher-scoring affair than the Falcons' 61-32 win in early
January, Bowling Green was nearly unstoppable from the field
shooting 53 percent (31-59) for the game, including 56 percent
(14-25) in the second half.
Niki McCoy's (Sylvania,
Ohio/Northview) string of nine-straight games scoring in double
digits was snapped as she was limited to just nine points. McCoy
was also held under 10 in the last outing vs. the Falcons, also
finishing the Jan. 3 contest with nine points.
Riana Miller (Sylvania,
Ohio/Northview) was the team's leading scorer with 12, all of which
came in the first half.
BGSU opened up a 28-point lead to start the second half, taking
command at 55-27, capped off by a three-pointer from Megan
Thorburn, her third of the night. Taking advantage of the Zips
inability to generate anything consistently on the offensive end,
Bowling Green would lead by as many as 48 as Akron managed just one
field goal in the first seven minutes of the second half.
The Falcons ran out to an early 13-0 lead as the Zips did not get
on the board until McCoy's floater at 16:31. That set off an 8-0
run by the Zips, highlighted by six-straight points from Miller.
She finished the first half with 12 points to lead Akron, shooting
5 of 9 from the field.
Bowling Green was back up by double digits at 25-15 with 7:45 to
play, forcing Kest to call her second timeout of the half. The
Falcons continued to pull away, taking a 17-point lead at 38-21 on
a pair of free throws from Jasmine McCall with just over two
minutes on the clock. Bowling Green's largest lead of the half came
at the buzzer as Tara Breske hit a three from the right wing with
five seconds left to give the Falcons a 46-25 advantage at the
break. Achter had 10 points in the half, along with nine from Carin
Horne.
The Zips handled the ball well in the first half, committing just
seven turnovers, but shot just 39 percent (11-28) from the field.
Bowling Green connected on 50 percent (17-34) of its attempts.
Two In-A-Row...
Entering this season, Akron had defeated Toledo just five times in
38 meetings since the two teams started playing each other in
1974-75. That number now stands at six after a 63-62 win over the
Rockets on Feb. 11. But even more impressive is the fact that Akron
has now won two straight against the Rockets.
The Zips got a very large monkey off their collective backs on
Feb. 8, 2006 with a 69-66 win at Toledo. The victory snapped a
30-game losing streak to the Rockets that dated back to the 1980-81
season. It also marked Akron's first win on the road in the series
since the 1975-76 season. Prior to the win at Toledo in 2006, Akron
had never defeated the Rockets in a Mid-American Conference
game.
Toeing the Line...
Niki McCoy has become a
fixture at the free throw line, ranking second in the MAC in free
throws made (146) and attempted (177). Her .825 free throw
percentage ranks fifth in the MAC and 76th nationally.
One-Woman Show...
University of Akron freshman
Sarah Tokodi took matters
into her own hands vs. Kent State on Jan. 6, matching her career
high with 26 points in the 79-47 loss. Tokodi was responsible for
Akron's first 14 points, with no other UA player getting on the
scoreboard until
Niki McCoy's free throw
shot at 8:56. Tokodi was unstoppable in the opening minutes, going
7-for-7 before her first miss with :20 to play.
Tokodi was 9-of-14 (.643) from the field while the rest of the
team went a combined 4-of-37 (.135).
Career Night...
Toledo-area native
Niki McCoy put on a show
for the visiting Rockets on Feb. 11, recording a career-high 28
points in the Zips' 63-62 win. McCoy was a blistering 10 of 13 from
the field, including 2-for-2 from three-point land and 6 of 7 from
the charity stripe. It was McCoy's three-point play with a layup
and a free throw that gave Akron a 61-60 lead with 49 seconds left
as Akron held on for the win.
Bench Play...
In a one-point game, every play makes a difference and the Zips
bench played a large role in the 63-62 win over Toledo on Feb. 11.
Playing 31 minutes, senior
Jessie Crooks finished with
16 points, shooting 50 percent (6-12) overall, 66 percent (2-3)
from three-point range. Crooks hit a pair of free throws with 11
seconds remaining that proved to be the difference in the win. Also
coming in off the bench, freshman
Riana Miller contributed
nine points and a pair of rebounds. Overall, Akron's bench
accounted for 29 points compared to 12 for Toledo.
Seeing Double...
Niki McCoy recorded her
second-straight double double and her sixth of the season with 16
points and 10 rebounds at Central Michgan on Feb. 7. In
Mid-American Conference play she is averaging 17.4 points per game
(fourth in MAC) and 6.9 rebounds per game (15th in MAC).
Slow Start, Strong Finish...
Central Michigan held freshman
Sarah Tokodi to zero points
in the first half of the game on Feb. 7. However, entering the game
with a 12.7 ppg scoring average, she would not be denied, going
6-of-7 from the field for 13 points in the second half. She also
finished with six rebounds and five assists.
Spotlight is On...
Sophomore
Niki McCoy put on a show
for a national TV audience, scoring a then-career-high 27 points in
the Zips win over Eastern Michigan on Feb 3. The game was broadcast
as part of the MAC Game of the Week package. In 38 minutes of
action, McCoy was 9-of-17 from the field and recorded her fifth
double-double of the season with 10 rebounds.
Niki McCoy Two-Time MAC
Player of the Week...
Niki McCoy was named the
Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week, the
league office announced Monday, Feb. 5. It was the second player of
the week honor for McCoy this season.
The Zips picked up their first MAC win of the season on Feb. 3
with a 69-53 triumph over Eastern Michigan at Rhodes Arena. McCoy
led the way for Akron, finishing with a career-high 27 points and
10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.
McCoy had 11 points in the first half as the two teams entered the
break tied at 31, adding another 16 in the second half as the Zips
opened with a 16-6 run. She finished the game 9-of-17 from the
field (53 percent) and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe (.888). Her
10 rebounds was also a team high, going along with a blocked shot
and a steal in 38 minutes of action.
McCoy's first honor of the season came on Dec. 26. She had a
season-high 21 points in the Zips' 71-54 win over St. Francis on
Dec. 19. In the first half of play, McCoy accounted for 15 of
Akron's 27 points as the Zips took a 27-22 halftime lead. She
finished the game 8-for-8 from the free throw line and 6-of-15 from
the field while also adding four rebounds, two blocked shots, and
three steals in 39 minutes of play.
All-Around Effort...
Akron played arguably its most complete game of the year in a
69-53 win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 3. The Zips shot 46 percent
(26-56) from the field and held the Eagles to just 35 percent
(21-60). Akron also won the rebounding battle, 38-32, and turned
the ball over just 13 times, well below its average. The victory
marked
Jodi Kest's first
Mid-American Conference win at Akron.
No Thanks...
Freshman
Riana Miller wasn't about
to let Ball State score over her in the first half on Jan. 23,
posting a career-high five blocked shots in the first 20 minutes.
For the season Miller has 26 blocks, ranking tied for sixth in the
MAC with an average of 1.08 per game.
Seeing Double...
Sophomore forward
Niki McCoy recorded her
fourth double-double of the year (seventh career) with 22 points
and 11 rebounds vs. Ball State on Jan. 23.
On the Assist...
Freshman
Sarah Tokodi had a career
afternoon handing off the ball on Jan. 20 at Northern Illinois
where she finished with eight assists. For the season, Tokodi had
dished off the ball a team-high 92 times, an average of 3.8 per
game.
Career Best...
Sophomore
Lauren Stephenson also set
a new career mark on Jan. 20 at Northern Illinois with eight
rebounds. She tied that on Feb. 7 at Central Michigan.
Passing the Boards...
Senior
Mandy Holzer tied her
career high with 10 rebounds vs. Ohio on Jan. 16. The Zips finished
the game with a 37-33 rebounding advantage. Holzer just narrowly
missed her first career double-double, finishing with seven
points.
What Happened?...
After five-straight games of nearly-perfect free throw shooting,
the Zips hit a stumbling block vs. Ball State on Jan. 23. In the
three games prior to the contest with the Cardinals, the Zips had
converted 56 of 65 attempts (86 percent). In the game vs. Ball
State, Akron hit just 13 of 20 attempts (65 percent). The only UA
player to hit all her attempts was
Riana Miller who was a
perfect 4-for-4.
Welcome Back, Crooks...
Coming off one of her worst performances in a blue and gold
uniform at Miami on Jan. 10 where she was 0-for-7 from the field
and finished with 0 points, senior forward
Jessie Crooks bounced back
three days later with a career afternoon. At Buffalo on Jan. 13,
Crooks had a career-high 26 points, going 8-of-15 from the field
and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. From the three-point arc,
Crooks connected on 6 of 9 attempts. She also led the team with
seven rebounds.
She had her second-straight double-digit effort with 14 points vs.
Ohio on Jan. 16.
Hang On...
If looking for a reason for the Zips' 0-8 start in Mid-American
Conference play, one has to look no further than the turnover
column. In its first eight MAC games, the Zips gave away the ball
184 times, an average of 23.0 times per game. The 24 turnovers at
Buffalo on Jan. 13 resulted in 24 points. In contrast, Akron turned
16 Bulls miscues into just nine points. The Zips' season high of 29
turnovers came vs. Ball State (Jan. 23), resulting in 25 points for
the Cardinals. Against Ohio on Jan. 16, Akron gave up the ball 22
times which turned into 25 points for the Bobcats. The Zips cut
their turnover number to 17 at Northern Illinois on Jan. 20, but
those 17 miscues still resulted in 24 points for the Huskies.
Make It Four...
This is the fourth-straight season that Akron opened Mid-American
Conference play with four losses. In 2005-06, Akron did not pick up
its first MAC win until game 10 (at Toledo). In 2004-05, the first
win came in game five (vs. Buffalo). In 2003-04, it came in the
ninth MAC game of the season (vs. Northern Illinois). The Zips
matched that mark this season with their first conference victory
coming in game nine vs. Eastern Michigan (Feb. 3).
Solid Half...
After seeing her seven-game streak of a spot in the starting
lineup come to an end at Miami on Jan. 10, freshman
Riana Miller responded with
her best half of play to date, scoring 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting
from the field. Miller finished 7-of-11 on the night and was just
two points shy of tying her career high. She also added six
rebounds.
Back on Track...
After a dismal three games at the free throw line where the Zips
had just 34 makes on 60 attempts (.566), their shooting touch
seemed to return at Miami on Jan. 10. Against the RedHawks, Akron
went to the line 25 times, converting 22 (.880).
Niki McCoy took a
season-high 14 free throw shots, making 13.
Sarah Tokodi was 9-of-10.
For the season the Zips are 343-of-483 (.710) and rank sixth in the
league.
Snapped...
Akron's loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 3 snapped a six-game win
streak. It was the program's longest win streak since the 1995-96
season. The Zips are now 3-12 in MAC openers.
Good, Bad or Ugly?...
Depends on your point of view. Akron shot 46 percent (5-11) from
the three-point line in the first half of its 69-42 win over
Niagara on Dec. 29. The ugly part? Akron shot an identical 46
percent (5-11) from the free throw line in the half.
Single Digits...
The combination of Akron's defensive effort and a poor shooting
performance by Duquesne resulted in just nine first-half points for
the Dukes on Dec. 5 as the Zips took a 23-9 lead into the
lockerroom. It was six points more of the NCAA record of three
points allowed, set by Florida State in 2003.
Double Digits...
Akron's 17-point margin of victory in the win over St. Francis was
its largest since an 88-63 win over Bowling Green on Feb. 10, 2001
(+25). That is until the Zips came away with a 27-point win over
Niagara on Dec. 29 (69-42), making it the largest margin of victory
since a 39-point win over Canisius (80-41) on Feb. 20, 1988.
Akron's 16-point win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 3 was its
largest margin of victory in a MAC game since that Bowling Green
contest in 2001.
Defensive Effort...
Akron's defense played a huge role in its 69-42 win over Niagara
on Dec. 29. Entering the game the Purple Eagles were averaging more
than 65 points per game. The Zips limited them to just 18 points in
the first half on 6-of-28 shooting. The 42 total points was the
second-fewest scored by Niagara on the season (41 vs.
Duquesne).
Fantastic Frosh...
Freshman guard
Sarah Tokodi has made an
immediate impact in her first season at Akron. The converted
shooting guard is playing the point for the Zips, averaging 12.1
points per game, including 24 points at Florida Atlantic on Nov.
17. She had 15 points in her first career start at Saint Louis on
Nov. 10. In Akron's home opener on Nov. 22 vs. Valparaiso, Tokodi
led the team with 19 points, along with four assists.
Against Dayton, Tokodi matched her career best with seven rebounds
in the first half and went on to set a new mark with nine for the
game. She also topped her old assist season high with six against
the Flyers. She matched that mark in the win over Youngstown State
on Dec. 16, while also adding a season best six steals.
That number was again broken with a new season high of eight
assists at Northern Illinois on Jan. 20, where she also added 17
points.
It was her basket with :02 remaining that gave Akron a 61-59 win
at Cleveland State on Dec. 10.
In the 69-42 win over Niagara on Dec. 29 she exploded for 26
points on 11-of-15 shooting. Tokodi had 15 of her 26 points in the
first half where she was 6-of-7 from the field. She also had six
assists while pulling down four rebounds.
She made a statement in the MAC by matching her career mark with
26 points vs. Kent State on Jan. 6. Tokodi was responsible for 17
of Akron's 24 first-half points, including the first 14 of the
game. She finished 9-of-14 from the field. She followed that with a
20-point performance at Miami on Jan. 10.
Tokodi was named to the all-tournament team at the FAU Tip-Off
Classic after averaging 17.0 ppg over the two games.
MAC Leaders...
Freshman guard
Sarah Tokodi currently
ranks second among Mid-American Conference freshmen in scoring at
12.1 ppg. She is 20th overall.
New Highs...
Akron set new season marks for assists (17) in the win over
Niagara on Dec. 29. Against Buffalo on Jan. 13 the Zips set a new
single-game season mark with nine three-point baskets. That ranks
tied for 10th on Akron's all-time single-game list. A season high
of nine blocked shots was accomplished at Central Michigan on Feb.
7.
And New Lows...
The Zips turned the ball over a season-high 29 times in a 71-49
loss to Ball State on Jan. 23. The Cardinals turned the 29 miscues
into 25 points.
Thanks, Santa...
The month of December was very kind to Akron as the Zips were a
perfect 6-0 during the holiday season.
Glad to See January End...
On the flip side, the Zips were not sad to see the month of
January come to an end as they were 0-8.
A Good February?...
Akron is 2-2 so far in the month of February.
Super Soph...
Sophomore
Niki McCoy has picked up
right where she left off after a MAC All-Freshman team season in
2005-06. McCoy is averaging a team-high 16.0 points per game (7th
in the MAC), including her fourth career double-double with 14
points and 10 rebounds in an 55-44 win over Binghamton (Nov. 18).
With her second double-double of the season vs. Duquesne (Dec. 5),
McCoy tied her career mark with 12 rebounds to go along with 17
points.
Her third double-double of the year and sixth career mark came at
Miami on Jan. 10 when she had 24 points and matched her career high
with 12 rebounds.
She doubled up for the fourth time in 2006-07 vs. Ball State on
Jan. 23 with a team-best 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Her fifth double-double of the year came in Akron's 69-53 win over
Eastern Michigan. Against the Eagles McCoy had 27 points, along
with 10 rebounds. She added another double one game later with 16
points and 10 boards at Central Michigan on Feb. 7.
McCoy was key to Akron's 66-58 win at Youngstown State on Dec. 16,
scoring 16 of her 20 points in the second half, while also
finishing with nine rebounds. She topped that mark one game later
with 21 points in the victory over St. Francis on Dec. 19, 15 of
those coming in the first half.
At Northern Illinois on Jan. 20, McCoy led Akron with 21 points,
19 of which came in the second half in a valiant comeback attempt
by the Zips that just fell short in an 81-70 loss.
McCoy has scored in double figures in 16 of the last 19 games,
including a career-high 28 in a 63-62 win over Toledo on Feb.
11.
She holds the team's top rebounding spot with an average of 6.7
per game, including 10 in the win over Niagara on Dec. 29. She is
also averaging a team-high 35.4 minutes per game.
Third Time's a Charm...
Akron has given its fans their money's worth this year with four
of its games decided by one point. Akron was finally on the winning
end of one of those games vs. Lehigh on Dec. 3 as they held off a
late Mountain Hawks rally for a 62-61 win. The Zips also held on
for a 63-62 win over Toledo on Feb.11. In 22 games this year, Akron
has had 12 games decided by 11 points or fewer and is 5-7 in those
games.
It's Miller Time...
Freshman forward
Riana Miller was a force on
the inside for Akron in the game against Dayton (Nov. 26), posting
three blocks to go along with 10 points. Miller also added three
rebounds and a steal to her tally, all in the span of 18 minutes
played.
Against the physical, athletic Pittsburgh Panthers, Miller gave 22
solid minutes off the bench with 13 points. Miller was 5 of 7 from
the free throw line and also had four rebounds, an assist, a
blocked shot and two steals.
Proving she isn't a one-hit wonder, Miller had 14 points and seven
rebounds in the win over Lehigh (Dec. 3). Coming in off the bench,
Miller was 5-of-9 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 at the
charity stripe. She also added one block and leads the team with
26. That performance earned her a start against Duquesne (Dec. 5),
where she finished with eight points and six rebounds.
In the win over Youngstown State, Miller was a season-best 5-of-6
from the field for 10 points. She set a new season high with 16
points in the victory over St. Francis (Dec. 19), going 4-of-6 from
the field and 8-of-11 from the charity stripe.
At Miami on Jan. 10, Miller was unstoppable with 14 points,
hitting on 7-of-9 shot attempts. She has 12 first-half points on 5
of 9 shooting at Bowling Green on Feb. 14.
Miller currently ranks tied for sixth in the MAC in blocked shots
with an average of 1.08 per game.
They're Free? We'll Take Them...
After struggling at the charity stripe early in the season, Akron
found the right time to regain its shooting touch, going 20-of-22
against Lehigh in a 62-61 win on Dec. 3. Prior to the game vs. the
Mountain Hawks, the Zips were hitting the freebies at a .656
(84-128) clip. That number jumped to .693 (104-150) after the game
vs. the Mountain Hawks.
Akron went to the line a season-high 32 times in the win over St.
Francis (Dec. 19), converting 28 for an 87.5 percent average.
Hang On To The Ball...
The Zips lucked out in the win over Lehigh (Dec. 3), managing to
overcome a 21-turnover performance. Ball handling is an area that
has been emphasized by the coaching staff and it has shown so far
this season. Seven games into last season, the Zips had accumulated
145 turnovers. That number dropped to 117 in the first seven games
of 2006-07, including a season-low of 10 in the win over
Binghamton.
Did You Know?...
- Akron had its first six-game win streak since the 1995-96 season
(Dec. 3-Dec. 29).
- The Zips have surpassed their 2005-06 season win total with nine
victories in 24 games so far this season.
- One more victory would give Akron its first double-digit win
total since the 1999-00 season (11-17).
- Akron set new seasons highs for field goal percentage (.522) and
steals (12) at Youngstown State.
- Akron is 3-1 in games tied at the half.
- Akron had a season-high nine blocked shots at Central Michigan on
Feb. 7, including a career mark of four by
Niki McCoy.
-
Niki McCoy has been Akron's
leading scorer in 15 of the last 20 games.
- McCoy has made 70 of her last 79 free throws dating back to the
Miami game on Jan. 10.
- Akron had seven nonconference victories, its most since the
1986-87 season (seven).
- Akron is 2-1 in its last three visits to Cleveland State.
- Akron's win over Duquesne was its first in three meetings.
- Akron did not have a three-point basket in the win over Duquesne
on Dec. 3, snapping a string of 125-straight games with a three.
The last time the Zips did not make a long-range bucket was on Feb.
6, 2002 vs. Central Michigan (0-4).
- The Zips win in game three this year is its earliest victory
since a season-opening 58-51 win at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Nov.
17, 2000.
- Freshman guard
Sarah Tokodi has scored in
double figures in 15 of 24 games this season.
- The Zips' 47 rebounds vs. Duquesne was a season high.
- Akron is 7-6 when winning the rebounding battle.
- The win over Lehigh on Dec. 3 snapped an 11-game home losing
streak.
- Akron has had at least two players score in double figures in 20
of 24 games this year.
-
Niki McCoy has nine career
double doubles; three in her freshman season and six so far this
year.
- Akron has been held under 50 points five times this year after
failing to meet the mark eight times in 2005-06.
- Both of Akron's victories in Mid-American Conference play last
season came on the road (at Toledo, at Miami).
- Both of Akron's MAC wins this season have come at home.
