The University of Akron Athletics
Women's Basketball Takes Winning Streak to Ball State
February 07 | Women's Basketball
Akron Zips (7-15, 2-6 MAC) vs. Ball State Cardinals (9-12, 5-3 MAC)
John E. Worthen Arena (11,500) • Muncie, Ind.
Sat., Feb. 9, 2008 • 3 p.m. (EST)
Television
None.
On The Dial
WARF (Sports Radio 1350 AM) will carry the broadcast locally in
Akron. Bill Morgan, who is in his second 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: Akron trails 8-15 since 1986.
UA Series Streak: L9
Last 10 Meetings: 1-9
Last Meeting: L, 49-71 at UA on 1/23/07
Notes: Akron is 5-6 all-time against Ball State at Worthen
Arena ... UA last defeated BSU on Feb. 20, 2000 (71-65) ... the
Zips won three straight games against the Cardinals from 1998-00
but have lost nine straight since then ... UA is 0-2 vs. BSU at the
MAC Tournament with both games played within the last three years
(71-46, Mar. 4, 2006; 77-51, Mar. 5, 2005).
Coaches
• Jodi Kest (Slippery Rock, '84) is in her second
season at Akron with a career record of 243-187 (.565) spanning 16
seasons. The Zips were 10-19 overall and 3-13 in the MAC in Kest's
inaugural campaign.
• Tracy Roller (Eastern Illinois, '92) is in
her seventh season at Ball State with a career record of 124-78
(.614), all with the Cardinals.
The Opening Tip
The University of Akron women's basketball team looks to
continue its winning ways when it heads to Muncie, Ind. for a
match-up with Ball State Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. EST.
About Ball State
The preseason West Division favorite Cardinals (9-12, 5-3)
have dropped two straight league matches for the first time since
the 2004-05 campaign following a 73-62 setback at home to Buffalo
last weekend. They suffered an 88-82 loss in overtime at Ohio on
Jan. 30 in their previous contest that ended a two-game win streak.
BSU is 3-5 overall this year on their home floor, but 3-1 in MAC
play with wins over Bowling Green (68-47), Central Michigan (82-57)
and Eastern Michigan (71-64).
The Cardinals are led in scoring by a trio of double-digit
performers in all-conference preseason selections Porchia Green
(12.7 ppg) and Julie DeMuth (12.3) and Lisa Rusche (10.5).
Ball State is currently tied for second place in the West Division
with UA's next opponent, Eastern Michigan.
Team Notes
• Akron is the only MAC school to have two freshmen
ranked in the top 10 in the league in scoring in first-year players
Keyla Snowden (8th/13.1 ppg) and Kara
Murphy (10th/12.8 ppg). Individually speaking, only Bowling
Green's Lauren Prochaska (14.6/5th) averages more points per game
as a first-year player.
• Moreover, with a combined scoring average of 25.9 points per
game, Snowden and Murphy comprise the third-highest scoring duo of
all players in the conference.
• It is clear second-year head coach Jodi Kest
has the Zips going into the right direction. Kest has produced 17
wins in 51 games (.333) since taking over for the 2006-07 season,
matching the program's win total over a four-year span prior to her
arrival. From 2002-2006, the UA program posted a record of 17-112
(.152).
• By going 2-0 last week, Akron won back-to-back conference
games for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The Zips also
won consecutive MAC contests on their home floor for the first time
since 1999-00.
• After failing to break the 70-point mark in 16 of its first
20 games, the Zips have accomplished that feat in each of the last
two. UA is 5-1 when it scores 70 or more points and 2-14 when it
does not.
• A breakaway layup by Kristina
Rosén to close out the first half gave Akron a 30-29
lead at the break against Northern Illinois. It was the first time
UA had taken a lead into the locker room since its win against
Saint Francis on Dec. 5. The Zips are 4-2 when leading at the
intermission.
• UA's win against the Huskies was truly a team effort as five
players reached double figures in scoring. The last time Akron had
five players reach double figures was in a defeat to Kent State
(97-74) at Rhodes Arena on Feb. 23, 2002.
• Akron shot 47.4 percent (27-fo-57) against NIU, its
third-highest shooting percentage of the season. The Zips
established a high mark of 50.9 percent (28-for-55) in a romp of
Niagara on Nov. 29.
• UA was also deadly from the free throw line where it
connected on 17-of-18 attempts for a season-best 94.4 percent.
• The Zips feature one of the youngest starting lineups in the
league with their projected starting five of Amanda
Sedlack (Fr.), Keyla Snowden (Fr.), Kara
Murphy (Fr.), Rachel Green (Jr.) and Riana
Miller (So.). The group has appeared in 178 career games and
has started a total of 90 contests. Of those numbers 110 games
(61.8 percent) and 77 starts (85.6 percent) have come this
season.
• All three of UA's freshmen – Murphy (31.0), Sedlack
(33.5) and Snowden (33.5) – are averaging better than 30
minutes a game in MAC play.
• Despite having just three players on the roster at 6-feet or
taller and averaging more than 15 minutes per game, the Zips lead
the MAC with an average of 3.41 blocks per contest.
• After being out-rebounded in 14 of their first 15 contests
of the season, the Zips have posted a +12 rebounding margin over
their last seven games.
• Akron has used a balanced offensive attack for much of the
season as five different players have led the team in scoring.
Player Notes
• Freshman Keyla Snowden tied the school record for
most 3-point field goals in a single season with her third triple
Sunday against Northern Illinois. Snowden's 63 threes on the year
matches Michelle Chavanne's record, which was set during the
1996-97 campaign. Important to note is that Snowden matched the
milestone in three less games than did Chavanne.
• Snowden is ranked 8th in the nation and tops in the
conference with an average of 2.9 3-point field goals per contest
and has recorded at least one 3-pointer in all but one game this
year.
• It was also another big week for sophomore Riana
Miller, who continued to perform at a higher level in
conference play. In her last four games, Miller is averaging 14.3
points, 7.3 rebounds and an amazing 2.3 blocks per contest.
• Miller's average of 1.5 rejections per game leads the MAC
and is ranked 92nd in the nation.
• Furthermore, with four blocked shots against the Huskies,
Miller moved into a tie for eighth place on the school's all-time
rejections list with 63 for her career.
• Miller has also made a dramatic improvement at the free
throw line in her sophomore campaign. Miller, a 68.6 percent
shooter as a first-year player is ranked 7th in the conference with
an 80.5 (70-for-87) shooting percentage this year. Moreover, she
has missed just one attempt (18-for-19) over her last three games,
including a perfect 8-for-8 performance against NIU.
• Freshman Kara Murphy, who is the only UA player to have
started every game this year, posted her team-leading 17th
double-digit scoring game with 12 points against Northern Illinois.
She is averaging team-highs of 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in her
last six contests.
