Akron Set to Open Campaign Hosting Bluefield State

Sunday, November 29

Akron, Ohio

5:00 PM

University of Akron

Bluefield State

Akron Set to Open Campaign Hosting Bluefield State

November 28 | Women's Basketball

Follow Akron Women's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
Follow Coach Jackson on Twitter

GAME NO. 1 - AKRON VS. BLUEFIELD STATE GAME NOTES (11/29)

Akron (0-0) vs. Bluefield State (0-1)
Sunday, Nov. 29
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 5 p.m.

Series History: First Meeting
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Radio: 640 WHLO AM (Bill Morgan - pxp)

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team is set to open its 2020-21 campaign this Sunday, Nov. 29, as the Zips welcome Bluefield State to James A. Rhodes Arena. The showdown with the Big Blue is set for 5 p.m. and will be broadcast on 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Bluefield State: Ryan Bailey (Ohio, 1999), Overall Record: 30-53 (Fourth Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall/Akron Record: 31-30 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron is meeting Bluefield State for the first time in program history.

A WIN WOULD GIVE AKRON
• Its first victory of the 2020-21 season
• Its first home win of the season

SCOUTING BLUEFIELD STATE
Bluefield State enters play this Sunday following a 60-52 setback against West Virginia Tech on Nov. 21. The Big Blue were 16-11 a season ago.

In Bluefield State's season-opening loss versus West Virginia Tech, junior G Dani Janutolo paced the Bib Blue attack with a 10-rebound, nine-rebound effort, while freshman F Londen Coleman and senior G Ameera McClain added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Bluefield State finished the contest connecting on 32.7 percent of its attempts, going 18-of-55 from the field, while being outrebounded, 44-37. Bluefield State made 28 percent (7of-25) of its shots from beyond the arc in the contest.

LAST GAME
Playing at home with its season on the line, the eighth-seeded Akron women's basketball team used grit, hustle, toughness and defense to battle the ninth-seeded Toledo Rockets from opening tip to the final buzzer, before falling 63-59 in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on March 9, 2020 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Haliegh Reinoehl led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds for Akron, while Shaunay Edmonds scored 11 points, senior G Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.) chipped in 10, junior G Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) added nine and Caitlin Vari contributed five points and five rebounds for the Zips.

The fourth quarter proved to be the difference maker in the contest as the Zips saw their offense struggle for the early portion of the frame, allowing Toledo to build a nine-point lead with just under three minutes remaining. Although there was no quit in Akron cutting its deficit down to four, the Rockets were able to make the necessary plays down the stretch to hold on for the win.

Both sides showed evidence of being amped up for the start of the postseason, as turnovers and missed shots plagued the Zips and Rockets in the early going. In the first quarter, the two teams combined for just 20 points on 8-of-30 shooting (26.7 percent), including 2-of-10 marksmanship from three-point range as Toledo missed all six of its triple tries. Fourteen combined turnovers underscored the nerves on both sides.

Akron was finally able to establish something of an offensive rhythm in the second period by limiting itself to three turnovers and getting nine points combined by Miller and Edmonds in the frame to build a lead of as many as eight points, though Toledo chipped it down to six with a buzzer-beating jumper heading to the locker room at halftime. The 23-17 score at the break represented the fewest first-half points Akron has allowed this season.

ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2020-21 season marks the 47th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Akron enters play this season with a very youthful roster, one that has 10 players with two years or less experience at the Division I level.
• Jordyn Dawson led the Zips a year ago in assists (2.8) and steals (1.8) per game, while ranking second in scoring (13.4) and rebounding (7.2).
• Dawson registered her first career double-double in an Akron uniform against Fort Wayne, she finished the campaign with seven double-doubles, behind only Haliegh Reinoehl, who posted nine.
• Dawson led the Zips in rebound, assists and scoring nine, nine and seven times, respectively, a season ago. She also paces Akron returners in double-figure scoring (20) and rebounding (8) contests and in scoring 15 or more points in a game (11).
• Dawson corralled seven or more rebounds in 14 home games a season ago and had a positive assist/turnover ratio nine times.
• Kendall Miller, junior G Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio), junior F Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio), Jordyn Dawson and sophomore F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) have appeared in 60, 51, 48, 29 and 28 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Dawson is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 13.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Sophomore G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Ohio) and Dawson as the Zips' active leaders in three-point shooting connecting on 42.1 and 35.5 percent of their attempts.

AKRON IN SEASON OPENERS
The Zips enter their 2020-21 campaign owning a 16-30 all-time mark in season lidlifters. Under head coach Melissa Jackson, Akron has recorded a 2-0 ledger, including back-to-back season-opening triumphs. The Zips are opening home for the first time since battling Walsh on Nov. 12, 2016.

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Zips under third-year head coach Melissa Jackson, were picked to finish 10th as a team behind preseason league and tournament favorite Central Michigan (142 points) in the 2020-21 Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches poll. The Chippewas were followed by Ohio (128), Ball State (119), Buffalo (108), Eastern Michigan (94), Kent State (88), Toledo (71), Northern Illinois (42), Miami (41), Akron (39), Bowling Green (38) and Western Michigan (28).

Also voted on by the coaches was the predicted 2021 MAC Regular Season Champion. Central Michigan received 10 of the 12 first-place votes, while Ball State (one) and Buffalo (one) collected the remaining championships tallies.

In a tabulation of the MAC Championship winner, Central Michigan was selected as the favorite earning six first-place tallies. The Chippewas were followed again by Ohio with three votes, while Buffalo, Ball State and Eastern Michigan rounded out the poll with one final tally apiece.

DAWSON GARNERS PRESEASON MAC HONORS
University of Akron women's basketball senior Jordyn Dawson was named to the All-Mid-American Conference Preseason team in a poll of 12 conference coaches, the league office announced on Nov. 19. Dawson averaged 13.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest a year ago to lead the returners this season for Akron.

ZIPS IN THE CLASSROOM
Academic success has been a staple for the Zips under head coach Melissa Jackson. Akron registered a 3.23 team GPA for the fall 2019 term, with Alyssa Clay, Shayna Harmon, Kendall Miller and Caitlin Vari garnering Academic All-MAC accolades. With the conclusion of the spring semester, the Zips turned in a 3.59 team GPA. Overall, the Zips maintain a 3.338 cumulative team GPA.

UP NEXT
Akron continues its season-opening homestand entertaining Northern Kentucky on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m.