Akron Women's Basketball Closes Out Homestand Hosting Youngstown State

Wednesday, November 20

Akron, OH

7 PM

University of Akron

Youngstown State

Akron Women's Basketball Closes Out Homestand Hosting Youngstown State

November 19 | Women's Basketball

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Akron vs. Youngstown State Gamenotes (PDF)

Akron (2-1) vs. Youngstown State (2-2)
Wednesday, Nov. 20
Akron, Ohio. • James A. Rhodes Arena • 7 p.m.
Live Stats: GoZips.com
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What's Ahead
The Akron women's basketball team closes its three-game homestand as the Zips play host to Youngstown State on Wednesday, Nov. 20. First tip between the Zips and Penguins is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside James A. Rhodes Arena. All the action from the JAR can be seen live on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jacki Windon on the call.

Scouting the Penguins
Four games into the young 2019-20 campaign, Youngstown State stands 2-2 heading into its contest against Akron. Following a season-opening victory over Canisius (87-59), the Penguins dropped two straight to Kent State (73-82) and Robert Morris (43-58). Most recently, YSU defeated Eastern Michigan, 79-77. Following a 22-10 record in 2018-19, the Penguins were selected to finish fourth in the Horizon League preseason poll.

Three Youngstown State players, Mary Dunn, Chelsea Olson, and Taylor Petit, direct the Penguins offensive attack through four games. Dunn, a senior forward who scored her 1,000 career point in YSU's previous contest, paces the Penguins offense scoring 17 points per game and has pulled down 19 rebounds. Olson, YSU's second-leading scorer averages a double-double pulling in 10.5 rebounds per match-up and averages 10.3 points per contest, while also owning a team-high 20 assists. On the year, Petit has scored 40 points (10 ppg), owns a team-best .552 shooting percentage (16-for-29), grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out eight assists.

In the NCAA, Youngstown State ranks 33rd in three-point field goals made, 45th in three-point field goals attempted, 46th in three-point field goals per game, 82nd in assists, 88th in field goal percentage, and 93rd in free throw percentage. Individually, Olson is just one of six players in the NCAA who have recorded a triple-double, ranks eighth in defensive rebounds per game, and 16th in double-doubles.

Probable Starters
YSU:Mary Dunn, Chelsea Olson, Taylor Petit, McKenah Peters, Ny'Dajah Jackson.

Akron: Shaunay Edmonds, Shayna Harmon, Alyssa Clay, Haliegh Reinoehl, Caitlin Vari.

Series History
The Zips and Penguins are scheduled to meet on the hardwood for the 59th time in each program's respective history. Youngstown State holds the all-time series advantage over Akron, 40-19. However, most recently, the Zips have defeated Penguins in four of the last five match-ups dating back to 2013.

Last Time Out
After a back-and-forth battle between the Akron women's basketball team and Youngstown State in the first half of the contest, the Penguins took control of the game in the third quarter en route to a 72-61 win over the Zips inside the Beeghly Center.

The Zips offense that was lights out in the first quarter of contest going 8-for-12, but ended the game shooting just 35.8-percent (19-for-53). After Akron knocked down four three-pointers in the first 10 minutes, the Zips made just three triples in the final three periods.

Akron turned 11 offensive rebounds into 15 second-chance points and cashed in 14 points off 14 YSU turnovers.

Three Akron players ended the contest in double-figures as juniors Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.), Shayna Harmon (Asheville, Ohio), and Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) finished the game with season-highs of 18, 12, and 10 points, respectively. Reinoehl's 18 points came courtesy of a trio of three-pointers and seven free throws while adding six rebounds. Seven of Harmon's 12 points in the contest came in the third quarter alone and Vari registered her first career double-double adding a game-high 10 rebounds to go with her 10 points.

History Against the Horizon League
Akron is 61-100 against 10 current members of the Horizon League; Cleveland State (17-25), Detroit (1-4), Green Bay (2-9), IUPUI (2-0), Milwaukee (0-2), Northern Kentucky (3-1), Oakland (1-3), UIC (5-5), Wright State (12-11), and Youngstown State (18-40).

Coaches
YSU: John Barnes is in his seventh season at the helm of the Youngstown State women's basketball program. In his tenure, Barnes owns a 106-89 record with the Penguins, has recorded the second-most wins in program history, and has made two postseason appearances.

Akron: Melissa Jackson begins her second season at the helm of the Akron women's basketball program. In her debut season, Jackson led the Zips to an 18-15 overall record, a 7-11 MAC ledger, improved by seven wins overall and +4 in conference victories. Jackson's squad became just the eighth team in program history to win at least 16 games in a season.

Mid-American Conference Member
The Zips have been a member of the Mid-American Conference for the past 28 years after joining the league in 1992 from the North Star Conference.

With A Win Over Youngstown State Akron Would...

Earn its third victory of the 2019-20 season.
Give the Zips their 19th program win against the Penguins.
Capture its first win immediately following a loss for the first time this season.
Improves the Zips home record to 2-1.
Hand head coach Melissa Jackson her 19th career win.
Capture the Zips 471st program win.

Scouting The Zips
After going 16-15 a year ago, the Zips return a bulk of its squad as UA preps for another postseason run. The Akron roster consists of 14 student-athletes, eight returners, and six newcomers, made up of five seniors, one junior, three sophomores, and five freshmen.

The senior leadership from Alyssa Clay (Indianapolis, Ind.), Shaunay Edmonds (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Shayna Harmon (Ashville, Ohio), Haliegh Reinoehl (Westfield, Ind.), and Caitlin Vari (Richfield, Ohio) will be key for the Zips in the upcoming season as the core group has played a combined to play 9,376 minutes and have scored 2,765 points in the first three seasons of their respective careers.

Ready to make an impact on the court in 2019-20 is junior college transfer, Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.). Dawson spent last season at Wabash Valley College, the #1 nationally ranked team at the JC Division I level, and averaged 9.8 points per game while shooting at a 56.5-percent clip from the field and 72.1-percent from the charity stripe.

A trio of sophomores in Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio), Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio), and Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) return for their second seasons in an Akron uniform and will look to take the experience they gained on the court last season and take their games to the next level.

Coach Jackson's first recruiting class, 'the Jackson Five', consisting of Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio), Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio), Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio), and Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio), is a talented group can have an immediate impact on the court in their respective rookie campaigns.

Jackson named Reinoehl and Vari as captains for the 2019-20 season.

Zips Tidbits

The 2019-20 season marks the 46th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
Junior Jordyn Dawson and two freshmen, Rachel Martindale and Lonasia Brewer, made their respective collegiate debuts against St. Bonaventure. Martindale played 15 minutes and scored two points while Brewers saw more minutes of action.
Dawson provided a big spark for the Zips in her Akron debut. JD scored 10 points, grabbed five rebounds, and was +25 in +/- when on the court.
Akron picked up its first victory of the season against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 63-54. The win marked the sixth time since 2012-13 that Akron captured a win in the season opener.
Shaunay Edmonds recorded the first double-double of her career scoring 20 points and tallying a career-high 10 steals, including 5 steals in the fourth quarter alone.
Haliegh Reineohl posted her team-leading 25th career double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds).
Forward Caitlin Vari eclipsed the 500 career point mark against St. Bonaventure with her 13 point effort.
In the fourth quarter against St. Bonaventure, Akron outscored the Bonnies 20-4 and scored 17 unanswered points in the final six minutes of the game.
The Zips went to the free-throw line 31 times against St. Bonaventure and connected on 25 attempts. Akron fell two made free throws shy of tying the 10th most free throws made in a single-game.
Defensively, UA limited St. Bonaventure to a game-low four points in the quarter as the Bonnies shot 1-for-13, committed seven turnovers, and Edmonds single-handedly ripped five steals.
Jordyn Dawson registered her first career double-double in an Akron uniform against Fort Wayne while Haliegh Reinoehl notched back-to-back double-doubles to start the season.
UA grabbed a season-high 41 team rebounds, including 14 offensive boards. Dawson and Reinoehl accounted for 24 of the Zips rebounds.
Against the Mastodons, UA scored 34 points in the paint, 20 points in the paint, and the Zips contributed 23 points.
The Zips led for 30:40 of the game against Purdue Fort Wayne and led by as many as +11.
Akron captured two straight wins to begin the season in back-to-back campaigns.
Against Michigan, four Akron players scored in double figures including Haliegh Reinoehl (14), Jordyn Dawson (13), Shayna Harmon (13), Rachel Martindale (12).
Martindale scored a career-high 12 points and knocked down four triples against UM.
As a team, UA shot a season-high 45.9-percent from the floor and 40.7-percent from long range.
The Zips led then No. 24 Michigan for a total of 2:43 and led by as many as four.
UA outscored the Wolverines 22-16 in the second quarter and 24-14 in the third quarter.
The Zips have had four players score in double figures in two of three games while a minimum of two Akron players have notched double digits in the scoring column in all three contests.
The Zips in the NCAA (stats as of 11/19): Fewest turnovers (70th, 44), free-throw percentage (58th, .750), turnovers per game (92nd, 14.7), turnover margin (92nd, 4.0).
Zips players in the NCAA (stats as of 11/19): Haliegh Reinoehl - 16th double-doubles (2), 52nd rebounds per game (10.0), 142nd rebounds (30). Jordyn Dawson - 152nd field goal percentage (.516). Shaunay Edmonds - 12th steals (4.0), 31st steals (12).

500 Point Club and Counting
In their final seasons, the trio of Shaunay Edmonds, Haliegh Reineohl, and Caitlin Vari are the Zips active leading scorers. Edmonds owns a team-high 877 career points in 88 career contests and is just 123 points away from becoming the 16th player in program history to reach the 1,000 career point milestone. Following a career-high 309 points as a junior, Reinoehl eclipsed the 600 career point mark. Just four games into her senior season, Reinoehl has now eclipsed the 700 career point mark and owns 709 career points. In her first contest as a senior, Vari broke the threshold into the 500 point club scoring 13 points against St. Bonaventure and now owns 513 career points.

Up Next
Akron takes to the road after its three-game homestand that spanned just under two weeks. The Zips begin a two-game road swing starting in Detroit, Mich., on Saturday, Nov. 23, as UA takes on Detroit Mercy at 12 p.m.