Akron Continues Homestand Hosting Northern Kentucky

Tuesday, December 1

Akron, Ohio

6:00 PM

University of Akron

Northern Kentucky

Akron Continues Homestand Hosting Northern Kentucky

November 30 | Women's Basketball

GAME NO. 2 - AKRON VS. NORTHERN KENTUCKY GAME NOTES (12/1)

Akron (1-0) vs. Northern Kentucky (0-1)
Tuesday, Dec. 1
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 6 p.m.

Series History: Akron leads 3-1
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (Michael Reghi (pxp) and Jacki Windon (analyst) (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.GoZips.com (Michael Reghi (pxp) and Jacki Windon (analyst) (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Radio: 640 WHLO AM (Bill Morgan - pxp)

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team continues its 2020-21 campaign this Tuesday, Dec. 1, as the Zips welcome Northern Kentucky to James A. Rhodes Arena. The showdown with the Norse is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Michael Reghi and Jacki Windon on the call as well as 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Northern Kentucky: Camryn Whitaker (Western Kentucky, 2005), Overall/Northern Kentucky Record: 49-75 (Fifth Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall/Akron Record: 31-30 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Northern Kentucky have met four times in program history, with the Zips owning a 3-1 series edge following a 77-60 victory over the Norse on Nov. 18, 2018 as part of the Kent State Classic.

A WIN WOULD GIVE AKRON
• back-to-back victories for the first time this season
• Its second victory of the 2020-21 season
• Its second home win of the season

SCOUTING NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Northern Kentucky enters play this Tuesday following a 73-67 setback at Cincinnati on Nov. 25. The Norse were 20-12 a season ago.

In Northern Kentucky's season-opening loss versus the Bearcats, junior G Ally Niece paced the Norse attack with a 17-point effort, while redshirt junior G Lindsey Duvall and junior F Emmy Souder added 13 and 10 points, respectively. Northern Kentucky finished the contest connecting on 42.4 percent of its attempts, going 25-59 from the field, while outrebounding Cincinnati, 35-32.

Northern Kentucky is rated 60th in the NCAA in three-point defense (.222).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (NOV. 18, 2018 - KENT, OHIO)
Akron closed out the Kent State Classic in dominating fashion as the Zips shot an efficient 50.8-percent from the field to defeat Northern Kentucky, 77-60, inside the M.A.C. Center on Nov. 18, 2018.

The Zips offense was firing on all cylinders against the Norse as Akron went 31-for-61 (50.8-percent from the floor, including a game-high 62.5 percent (10-for-16) in the second quarter. Akron continued to shoot the ball well from distance notching its third-straight game with at least eight three-pointers made. The Zips drilled 12 triples against the Norse on 30 attempts (40 percent).

Not only did the Akron offense take advantage of their success on the perimeter, but the Zips also scored 28 points inside the paint and pushed the ball up the floor quickly scoring 24 points in fast-break situations.

All 10 players in the lineup for the Zips found the bottom of the net in the contest against Northern Kentucky scoring at least three points. Megan Sefcik paced the offensive attack scoring 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 6-for-10 from beyond the arc. Shaunay Edmonds turned in her finest game of the season scoring a season-high 12 points to go along with a game-high nine assists. Haliegh Reinoehl grabbed a game-high 11 boards and chipped in five points.

The Zips completely dominated the first half of the contest against Northern Kentucky on both ends of the floor and took a 39-21 lead into the halftime intermission. Akron was lights out on the offensive end of the floor shooting 51.6-percent (16-of-31) from the floor while hitting six-of-15 triples (40.0-percent). Defensively, Akron forced 11 turnovers that transitioned into nine points and held the Norse to just five first-half field goal.

Akron sprinted out to an 11-0 lead in the first 4:24 of the contest, which included Edmonds scoring the first five points and Sefcik with the next six.

After allowing the Norse back into the contest with an 8-2 run of their own to end the first quarter, the Zips came out of the quarter break and blitzed the NKU defense. Akron again went on to score 16 unanswered points in the first 4:53 of the second period and extended its lead to 32-11. The Zips shared the scoring wealth during the dominant stretch with Edmonds, Reinoehl, Sefcik, and junior G Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) and junior F Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) all finding the bottom of the net.

Northern Kentucky stepped its game up following the halftime break, but the Zips went toe-to-toe with the Norse as the third period ended even at 17-17.

The Akron lead never dropped below 15 points as the Zips closed the contest out in the fourth quarter despite NKU taking the +1-point differential (21-20) in the final period of play.

LAST GAME
The University of Akron women's basketball team opened its season with a resounding 95-61 home win over visiting Bluefield State (0-2) on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 29, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Senior F Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) led the Zips on the day, posting a 19-point and a team-best 12-rebound performance, while sophomore F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) added 16 and Colleen Neitzel reaching double figures with 10-point effort. Dawson also contributed four steals and three assists.

Akron (1-0) finished the contest shooting nearly 45 percent (.447) from the field, while limiting the Big Blue to a 30.6-percent shooting effort. The Zips also won the battle of the boards, 53-45, including a 41-34 edge on the defensive glass.

Akron outscored Bluefield State in the paint, 44-22, while also registering an edge in fast-break points (18-2).

The Zips were directed by nine, seven, six and six points, respectively, off the bench from sophomore G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.), sophomore G Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio), redshirt freshman G Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio) and freshman G Kate Garry (Loveland, Ohio).

The Zips led for the entire contest, racing out to an early lead behind strong defensive pressure and red-hot shooting. Brewer had 10 in the first half alone and was joined in the scoring frenzy by Martindale, who had nine points before the break to propel Akron to a 57-27 halftime lead.

With 12 players seeing action and all 12 scoring, third-year head coach Melissa Jackson saw her squad turn in a balanced effort less than a week after its scheduled season opener against Ohio State was canceled. That balance gave Akron a 37-27 edge in bench points, with the Zips' second unit continuing to add to the team's lead throughout the evening.

Capitalizing on a decided size and speed advantage, Akron routinely battled its way through the Bluefield State defense for good looks at the basket and scored on second-chance hoops as they snared 12 offensive rebounds.

Undeterred by the delayed start of their season, the Zips shot a scorching 51.4 percent from the field in the opening half – including 57.1 percent from 3-point range - and racked up 31-first-quarter points to put the Big Blue on their heels early.

The onslaught continued in the second quarter as Tecca drained a 3-pointer and assisted on another to help fuel a 14-0 run for the hosts to open the period.

Thanks to a suffocating defensive effort, Akron was able to prevent the Big Blue from significantly cutting into its lead, as the visitors couldn't get any closer than 28 after intermission. The strong defensive effort limited Bluefield State to 30.6-percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers, helping Akron to a 21-4 margin in points off turnovers.

The Zips' dominance at the foul line helped power their offense as well, with the hosts shooting 18-of-25 from the charity stripe and outscoring Bluefield State 18-9 in that category.

Jia Coppola led Bluefield State with 10 points in defeat and Katrina Davis added nine for the Big Blue.

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.
• As a team, Akron is rated fourth in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (41.0), ninth in fewest turnovers (9) and turnovers per game (9.0), 11th in scoring offense (95.0), 16th in assist/turnover ratio (1.67) and rebounding (53.0), 22nd in scoring margin (34.0), 31st in three-point percentage (.400), 35th in turnover margin (7.00), 38th in field goal percentage defense (30.6), 45th in three pointers per contest (8.0) and 48th in steals per game (11.0).
• 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 is rated fourth in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (12.0), 13th in double-doubles (1), 22nd in steals (4.0), 27th in rebounding (12.0) and 28th in three-point percentage (.667).
• Dawson registered her double-double of the season against Bluefield State with a 19-point, 12-rebound effort. A year ago, she finished the campaign with seven double-doubles, behind only Haliegh Reinoehl, who posted nine.
• Making their Akron debuts against Bluefield State were redshirt freshmen F Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) and G Emma Tecca, along with true freshmen G Kate Garry (Loveland, Ohio), G Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) and F Sabhbh Edwards Murphy (County Clare, Ireland). Garry, Tecca, Stewart, Edwards Murphy and Ferrell recorded six, six, five, two and two points, respectively.
• 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), Colleen Neitzel, Jordyn Dawson and Lonasia Brewer have appeared in 61, 52, 49, 30 and 29 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Dawson is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 13.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Rachel Martindale and Dawson are the Zips' active leaders in three-point shooting connecting on 39.5 and 36.9 percent of their attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's one game this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .447 (Bluefield State), 30 percent: NA.

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' one game this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: NA, 30 percent: .306 (Bluefield State), 20 percent: NA.

UP NEXT
Akron is scheduled to open Mid-American Conference play at Buffalo on Dec. 13.