Akron Set to Host Ball State in Home League Opener

Sunday, December 20

Akron, Ohio

2:00 PM

University of Akron

Ball State

Akron Set to Host Ball State in Home League Opener

December 19 | Women's Basketball

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GAME NO. 5 - AKRON VS. BALL STATE GAME NOTES (12/20)

Akron (3-1, 0-1 MAC) vs. Ball State (2-3, 0-1 MAC)
Sunday, Dec. 20
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 2 p.m.

Series History: Ball State leads 24-17
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.GoZips.com (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 Mid-American Conference play this Sunday, Dec. 20, as the Zips battle Ball State. The showdown with the Cardinals is set for 2 p.m. at James A. Rhodes Arena and will be broadcast on ESPN+ with David Bacon and Jacki Windon on the call as well as 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Ball State: Brady Sallee (Thomas More, 1993), Overall Record: 287-221 (17th Season)/Ball State Record: 151-111 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall/Akron Record: 34-31 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ball State are meeting for the 42nd time in program history, with the Cardinals owning a 24-17 series edge. Ball State posted a 60-52 triumph over the Zips on Feb. 8, 2020, in Muncie, Ind.

A WIN WOULD GIVE AKRON
• Its first MAC win of the year.
• Its second consecutive home triumph past Ball State.
• Its fourth victory of the 2020-21 season.
• Its third home win of the season.

SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State enters play this Sunday following a 98-42 victory at Bellarmine on Monday, Dec. 14. The Cardinals have won back-to-back games since dropping a 77-58 decision to Eastern Michigan in their Mid-American Conference opener on Dec. 2.

Junior G Essense Booker paces a pair of Ball State players scoring in double figures averaging 13.2 points, and 3.0 rebounds per game. Contributing 12.6 points per night is junior F Thelma Dis Agustdottir. As a team, the Cardinals are registering 63.8 points, 37.0 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.2 blocks per outing.

Ball State is rated 15th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.809) and 31st in three-point defense (.222). Individually, Dis Agustdottir is rated 31st in minutes played (38.04), while sophomore F Annie Rauch is 31st in double-doubles (2) and Booker 49th in free throw percentage (.929).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 8, 2020 - MUNCIE, IND.)
After an efficient start to the contest that saw the Zips outscore Ball State 22-12, the Cardinals outscored Akron, 48-30, in the ensuing three periods to defeat the Zips, 60-52, on Feb. 8, 2020, inside Worthen Arena.

The Zips used a balanced scoring attack against the Cardinals as nine Akron players tallied at least two points in the scoring column. Haliegh Reinoehl scored a game-high 13 points, hit three triples, and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Junior G Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) matched a career-high 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting to go along with a team-high four assists and three rebounds. Akron's bench contributed 23 points led by Miller and Alyssa Clay, who pitched in eight points.

While Akron got off to a good start on the offensive end of the floor shooting 52.9-percent (9-17) and 60-percent (3-for-5) from long range.

Hindering the Zips' success against the Cardinals were 25 turnovers and struggles from the free-throw line (41.2-percent). Ball State turned Akron's miscues into 18 points.

Akron cruised to an early +10 advantage at the first quarter break as an all-around performance by the Zips saw seven different players in the scoring column including Reinoehl (8), Miller (4), Clay (3), Caitlin Vari (2), sophomore G Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) (2), sophomore F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) (2), and Shaunay Edmonds (1).

The Zips extended a 7-5 lead at the media break into a 22-12 lead courtesy of a 15-7 overall run that included a 9-1 offensive outburst that saw Reinoehl and Clay knock down a three-pointer and Miller connect on a pair of mid-range jumpers.

Defensively, the Zips shutdown the Cardinals forcing nine turnovers and limited Ball State to a low 36.4-percent from the floor.

Again, Akron started the opening minutes of the second quarter up 7-5 and extended its lead to +12 (29-17) with just under five minutes remaining the first half.

From that point on until the final minute of the first half, Akron's offensive flow went stagnate as the Zips shot 0-for-2 and turned the ball over seven times which turned into nine of Ball State's 12 unanswered points.

Out of the halftime break, Akron put the second quarter behind them and looked forward to the third period. In the first six minutes of the stanza, Akron went on an 11-4 run again courtesy of long ball as Reinoehl, Clay, and Harmon each connected from deep to hand the Zips a 40-33 lead.

The Zips' offensive momentum halted in the final four minutes of the quarter as Akron shot just 1-for-4 that allowed Ball State to flip a seven-point deficit into a tie game at 40.

At the 9:24 mark of the fourth quarter, the Zips led 44-43. It would be the final time Akron led in the contest as Ball State outscored the Zips, 20-10, in the final stanza to pull away with the cross-divisional MAC victory.

LAST GAME
A second-half rally proved too much for the University of Akron women's basketball team to overcome as Buffalo opened Mid-American Conference play for both teams with an 85-77 victory over the Zips on Sunday, Dec. 13 at Alumni Arena.

In a battle of a pair of ranked teams in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll, the No. 14 Bulls shot nearly 49 percent (.485) percent in the second half to erase a double-digit deficit and hand 23rd-rated Akron its first loss of the season.

The Zips finished the contest shooting 43.5 percent from the field connecting on 30-of-69 attempts, including making nine three pointers. Buffalo capped the afternoon going 28-of-65 from the floor for a 43.1 percent shooting mark. The Bulls were 24-of-36 at the charity stripe, while Akron went to the line only 15 times on the afternoon.

Buffalo was able to capitalize on a 49-37 rebounding edge, including a 15-9 margin on the offensive glass, which the Bulls turned into a 20-7 difference in second-chance points.

Senior F Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) led three Zips scoring in double figures with a 22-point and eight-rebound performance. Joining her with double-figure outings were Lonasia Brewer and Molly Neitzel. Brewer netted a career-high 20 points, while Neitzel narrowly missing her first career double-double with a career-best 10-point and nine-rebound game.

Dyaisha Fair scored 25 of her game-high 28 points in the second half for the Bulls en route to posting a triple double with a 28-point, 12-rebound and 10-assist effort. Joining her with double-figure scoring games with 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively, was Adebola Adeyeye, Elea Gaba and Hanna Hall.

Adding nine and eight points, respectively, for Akron was junior F Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) and redshirt freshman G Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio).

Both sides struggled to find their offensive rhythms in the opening stanza in a quarter that featured four lead changes and three ties. The two teams combined to shoot 36.3 percent (12-for-33) in the first 10 minutes and entered the second period all squared at 14.

The Zips came alive in the second quarter shooting nearly 53 percent (.526) from the field, including connecting on a trio of three pointers.

In just over a two-minute span, Akron went on a 10-1 run keyed by eight points from Tecca, including back-to-back three pointers, to snap a 23-all tie and assume a 33-24 edge with 3:05 left before halftime.

The two sides exchanged baskets down the stretch, including a triple from Colleen Neitzel, to enter the halftime breaking maintaining a 38-29 lead.

The Zips shot 44.4 percent from the field in the opening half, including connecting on four three pointers. Brewer paced Akron with nine first-half points, while Dawson, Molly Neitzel and Tecca added eight points each. The Bulls were led by seven tallies from Gaba.

Buffalo was limited to a 36.7 percent shooting mark and only one triple in the first 20 minutes of action. The Zips posted a 24-18 edge in points in the paint.

The Bulls cut Akron's advantage to seven, 47-40, on a layup by Fair at the 4:51 mark of the third quarter, before the Zips went on a 10-2 run over the next 1:48 to assume their largest lead of the game, 57-42, with 3:03 left in the period. Fueling the scoring surge was three pointers from freshman Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) and Dawson.

The Bulls responded with a run of their own outscoring the Zips 17-3, before Colleen Neitzel hit a jumper as time expired in the third quarter, to give Akron a 62-59 edge entering the final period.

Dawson and Stewart opened the fourth quarter drilling three pointers to extend the Zips' lead to 68-61 with 8:43 left in regulation.

The Bulls regained the lead 71-70 with 6:28 remaining in the game, before the two sides exchanged the next six baskets with Buffalo going ahead to stay on a layup by Gaba at the 2:50 mark.

The Bulls finished the quarter going 9-for-18 overall from the field, including a 9-0 run to close the contest to secure the victory.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Five different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Jordyn Dawson and Lonasia Brewer tallying 10 or more points in each of the Zips' four contests this year. The duo is joined by Colleen Neitzel (2), Rachel Martindale (1) and Molly Neitzel (1).
• As a team, Akron is rated 16th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (1.42), 26th in three-point percentage (.394) and three pointers per contest (9.2), 29th in turnovers per game (12.5), 35th in assists per game (17.8) and 47th in scoring offense (79.8).
• Jordyn Dawson is rated 10th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (8.5) and 36th in scoring (21.0), while Colleen Neitzel is 10th in three-point percentage (.667) and Kendall Miller is 24th in assist/turnover ratio (4.00).
• Lonasia Brewer has connected on 22 of her 38 shots this season for a league-best 57.9 percent shooting mark.
• Kendall Miller leads the MAC in assist/turnover ratio this season at 4.0 having dished out a team-best 12 assists against only three turnovers.
• Jordyn Dawson is averaging a league-best 8.5 defensive rebounds as part of a team-high 9.3 overall rebounds this season. Her 9.3 caroms per game is rated second in the MAC.
• The Zips pace the MAC in assists (17.75), assist/turnover ratio (1.42), defensive rebounding (29.0), scoring margin (+9.8), scoring offense (79.8) and three-point percentage (.398), while ranking second in field goal percentage (.450) and field goal percentage defense (.375).
• Molly Neitzel registered career-high marks in scoring (10), rebounds (9), assists (3), blocks (3) and minutes played (23:42) versus Buffalo on Dec. 13.
• Jordyn Dawson has scored in double figures in 11 consecutive games, including all four contests this season.
• Akron garnered recognition for its early-season play as CollegeInsider.com tabbed the Zips at No. 23 in its Mid-Major Women's Top-25 Poll released on Dec. 8.
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 12 consecutive games, including all four this season, and 16 of its last 17 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 13 triples in a 77-74 win at Dayton on Dec. 6, the best single-game effort for Akron since making 16 three pointers in the opening round of the 2018 Mid-American Conference Tournament on March 5, 2018.
• 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 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 (24) and rebounding (9) contests and in scoring 15 or more points in a game (15).
• Dawson corralled seven or more rebounds in 14 home games a season ago and had a positive assist/turnover ratio nine times.
• Kendall Miller, Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell, Colleen Neitzel, Jordyn Dawson and Lonasia Brewer have appeared in 64, 55, 52, 33 and 32 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Dawson is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 14.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Rachel Martindale and Dawson are the Zips' active leaders in three-point shooting connecting on 42.0 and 36.3 percent of their attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's four games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .474 (Dayton), .447 (Bluefield State), .446 (Northern Kentucky), 435 (Buffalo-1), 30 percent: NA.

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' four games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .431 (Buffalo-1), .406 (Dayton), 30 percent: .367 (Northern Kentucky), .306 (Bluefield State), 20 percent: NA.

HOME COOKING
Inside the friendly confines of James A. Rhodes Arena, the Zips have seen a lot of success over the course of the past 17 seasons. When playing on its home court, Akron owns a 107-67 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

In 2020-21, Akron is 2-0 at the JAR, scoring 82.5 points per game, shooting nearly 45-percent (.447) from the floor, averaging 40.0 rebounds per game, with assists on 32 baskets and owning a 1.6 assist/turnover ratio.

Individually, Jordyn Dawson, Lonasia Brewer and Rachel Martindale have enjoyed playing on their home court this season as the trio averages double-figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena. Dawson owns a team-best 18.0 points per game, while Brewer and Neitzel have scored 13.5 and 13.0 points per contest.

UP NEXT
Akron is scheduled to continue its league slate traveling to Toledo for a 2 p.m. tilt on Saturday, Jan. 2. The game will be broadcast on the Akron Radio Network 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.