The University of Akron Athletics
Women's Basketball To Host Chicago State Monday
November 23 | Women's Basketball
Akron Zips (1-1) vs. Chicago State Cougars (1-3)
James A. Rhodes Arena (5,500) • Akron, Ohio • Mon., Nov. 24, 2008 • 7 p.m. (EST)
The Opening Tip
After splitting the first two games of the season, the
University of Akron women's basketball team will look to get back
on track Monday night when Chicago State comes to Rhodes Arena for
a 7 p.m. tip.
On The Dial
WARF (Sports Radio 1350 AM) will carry the broadcast
locally in Akron. Rob Gidel, who is in his first season with the
Zips, will have the call.
On The Web
The broadcast will also be available on the Internet via
streaming audio on www.GoZips.com.
Series Breakdown
Series: 0-0
UA Series Streak: N/A
Last 10 Meetings: 0-0
Last Meeting: First meeting.
Notes: Akron and Chicago State will square off for the first time
in school history Monday.
Coaches
• Jodi Kest (Slippery Rock, '84) begins her third
season at Akron where she is 18-44 (.290). Kest has a career mark
of 244-197 (.553), spanning more than 16 seasons as a head coach
overall. Kest led the Zips to a 7-24 record, including 2-14 in the
MAC, last winter.
• Angela Jackson (Old Dominion, '91) is in her sixth year at
Chicago State where she has a record of 59-87 (.404). Jackson also
was a head coach at Saginaw Valley State for one season and an
associate head coach at the University of Michigan for two seasons.
Jackson led the Cougars to their first winning season in program
history last year with a 16-13 mark.
Zips Reset
Behind a career day from Kara
Murphy, the Zips nearly erased a 17-point, second half deficit
in a 71-67 defeat to St. Bonaventure last Saturday afternoon at
Rhodes Arena.
Murphy, who scored 21 of her career-high 32 points in the second
half, led a furious 17-2 UA rally that cut the Bonnies' lead to
just two, 63-61, with 1:15 to play. But an Akron turnover and four
SBU free throws on the next three possessions proved to be the
difference as St. Bonaventure escaped with the four-point win.
Murphy, who was held to just four points in UA's season-opening
victory over Michigan Monday, eclipsed her previous high of 31 (vs.
Miami on Mar. 1, 2008) behind 8-for-17 shooting from the floor and
a near perfect 16-for-17 from the free throw line.
Her 32 points represent the fourth-highest total ever recorded by
an Akron player and her 16 free throws are the most in school
history. Murphy, who is a preseason All-MAC honoree, was 11-for-11
from the charity stripe in the second half alone and also finished
the game with six rebounds.
Amber Witt and Kyle
Baumgartner joined Murphy in double figures with 12 and 10
points, respectively. With eight boards apiece from Baumgartner and
Victoria Arndt, the Zips won the battle of the
boards, 38-36, but were out-scored in the paint, 22-14.
For the game, St. Bonaventure connected on 41.7 percent (20-for-48)
of its field goal attempts while Akron struggled to find its
stroke, hitting just 34.0 percent (18-for-53) of its shots from the
floor. Both teams shot well from the free throw line however, with
UA owning a slight edge, 81.8 percent (27-for-33), compared to
SBU's mark of 81.1 percent (30-for-37).
About Chicago State
Chicago State posted the highest win total in program
history last winter while recording its first winning season with a
16-13 record. Overall, it was the second-best turnaround in school
history as the Cougars were just 9-20 the previous season despite a
roster that included just on senior and one junior.
The Cougars (1-3) are led by independent player of the year
runner-up Jasmin Dixon, who enters play averaging 22.3 points, 5.3
rebounds and 4.0 assists after the first four games of the 2008-09
campaign from her guard position.
Chicago State opened the season with a 76-69 victory over
Northwestern on its home floor but has dropped its last three
contests to Eastern Kentucky (71-61), Green Bay (66-48) and Loyola
(74-59). The Cougars are 0-1 on the road this season.
Murphy Makes Her Mark
In addition to recording the fourth-highest single-game
scoring total in school history Saturday, Kara
Murphy's 32 points against St. Bonaventure represented the
highest total recorded by an Akron player since Cheryl Bowles
connected for 33 against Cleveland State during the 1998
season.
Murphy, who was getting into the lane at will against the Bonnies,
connected on her final 12 free throw attempts – including all
11 tries in the second half – while registering the
ninth-highest, single-game free throw total in Mid-American
Conference history.
Miami's Kim Lancaster (vs. Ball State, Mar. 6, 2001) and Kent
State's Liz Beggs (vs. St. Bonaventure, Nov. 19, 2000) share the
league's standard with 20 successful free throws.
Early Returns
Through the first two games of the season, the Zips have
rebounded well and taken care of the basketball – two areas in
which they struggled mightily a year ago.
Akron owns a rebounding margin of +4.0 after winning the battle of
the boards 43-37 vs. Michigan and 38-36 vs. St. Bonaventure. The
Zips currently have two players on their roster averaging better
than 7.0 rebounds a game, led by freshman Kyle
Baumgartner (9.0), who pulled down eight in just 23 minutes
Saturday, and junior Victoria Arndt (7.0).
To put this into perspective, the Zips were out-rebounded in all
but five games last year and had just one player average better
than five boards a game (Kara Murphy, 5.6) for the season.
Akron has also posted a turnover margin of +3.0 through the first
two games this year. UA was on the short end of the turnover battle
17 times in 31 games last winter and was 1-16 in that scenario.
Defense Leading the Way
Despite allowing 71 points to St. Bonaventure Saturday (it
is fair to point out however, that 30 points – or 42.2 percent
– came from the free throw line), the Zips have displayed a
much better defensive focus in the early goings this year.
The Zips held Michigan to just 28.8 percent shooting (15-for-52)
from the floor and 49 points in the season opener. It was the
lowest field goal percentage registered by an Akron opponent since
the Zips held Niagara to a 28.2 clip (20-for-71) on Nov. 29,
2007.
UA's defense was again at the forefront during the team's late
rally against the Bonnies Saturday. The Zips held St. Bonaventure
without a field goal over the final 6:22 of the game and scored 18
points off 19 SBU turnovers to allow for its frantic 17-2 run.
The run was reminiscent of the Zips' late 17-5 surge to put away
Michigan. During that surge, Akron held the Wolverines scoreless
for six minutes and 37 seconds, forced nine turnovers and held U-M
to 1-for-9 shooting from the field.
Michigan's 49 points for the game was the lowest total recorded by
an Akron opponent since Niagara scored 42 last November.
Witt Finds Stroke
After being shut out (0-for-1 from the floor) in the
season opener against the Wolverines, sophomore guard Amber
Witt played a large role in Saturday's game.
The local product (North Canton Hoover High School) helped the Zips
keep pace in the first half with eight points before the
intermission on 4-for-6 shooting from the floor – mostly
coming on mid-range jumpers. Witt finished with 12 points for the
game while also adding an assist and a steal in 22 minutes on the
floor.
Baumgartner Seeing Double
After posting a double-double in her Akron debut, true freshman Kyle
Baumgartner fell just short from accomplishing the feat again
against the Bonnies. The center scored 10 points on 3-for-5
shooting, including 2-for-2 from 3-point land – and grabbed
eight boards, including three off the offensive glass, in just 23
minutes. She has led the team in rebounding in both of Akron's
games this season.
