Road Test Awaits Akron at Bowling Green

Wednesday, January 20

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Bowling Green

January 19 | Women's Basketball

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GAME NO. 10 - AKRON AT BOWLING GREEN GAME NOTES (1/20)

Akron (4-5, 1-5 MAC) at Bowling Green (9-3, 5-2 MAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 20
Stroh Center
Bowling Green, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Bowling Green leads 54-11
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 is set to travel to Bowling Green for 7 p.m. tilt against the Falcons on Wednesday, Jan.20. The showdown with Bowling Green will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Bowling Green: Robyn Fralick (Winthrop, 2004), Overall Record: 132-48 (Sixth Season)/Bowling Green Record: 28-45 (Third Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall/Akron Record: 35-35 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Bowling Green are meeting for the 66th time in program history, with the Falcons owning a 54-11 series edge. Akron swept the season series versus Bowling Green a year ago as the Zips netted a 76-73 road triumph at the Stroh Center on Jan. 11, 2020, before edging Bowling Green, 70-61, on Senior Night at James A. Rhodes Arena on March 7, 2020.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
Bowling Green comes into play on Wednesday, Jan. 20, having snapped a two-game losing streak with a 69-57 road triumph over rival Toledo on Jan. 16. The Falcons own a league-best nine victories on the campaign and have won four of five this season at the Stroh Center.

Freshman G Lexi Fleming headlines a pair of Bowling Green players scoring in double figures averaging 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Contributing 12.1 points per night is freshman F Jasmine Clerkley, while sophomore G Elissa Brett posts 9.7 tallies per contest. As a team, the Falcons are registering 72.0 points, 35.2 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 11.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per outing.

Bowling Green is ranked seventh in the NCAA in turnover margin (7.67), 10th in steals (13.4), 17th in free throws made (196), 19th in turnovers forced (21.33), 21st in steals per game (11.2), 24th in free throws attempted (256), 28th in free throw percentage (.766), 36th in three pointers attempted (286), 46th in triples made (88) and 47th in turnovers per game (13.7). Individually, Fleming is rated seventh in steals (37), 21st in steals per game (3.08), 22nd in free throws made (57), 24th in total points (237), 29th in free throws attempted (71), 38th in scoring (19.8) and 48th in triples attempted (74).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MARCH 7, 2020 - AKRON, OHIO)
The Akron women's basketball five seniors seized the day in their final regular-season contest and led the Zips to a 70-61 win over the visiting Bowling Green Falcons on March 7, 2020 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

The five-person senior class of Haliegh Reinoehl, Alyssa Clay, Shaunay Edmonds, Shayna Harmon and Caitlin Vari combined for 46 points and 29 rebounds in the contest.

Behind their leadership as all five seniors started the game, Akron surged out to a large early led, never trailed and held off the Falcons for the win.

Clay led Akron with 16 points, senior G Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W. Va.) contributed 14 and Edmonds also reached double figures with 13 points. Vari snagged a game-high 14 rebounds to pace her team on the glass.

Defense was another high point in this contest as the Zips held the Falcons to nine points in the first quarter and used ball pressure along with solid defensive rebounding to keep control of the game. For the day, Akron outrebounded Bowling Green, 43-39, and held the Falcons to 36.4-percent shooting.

Despite their strong start, the Zips saw their lead dwindle over the course of the third quarter shooting just 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) for the period as the visitors turned what had been a 20-point Akron lead into a one-point game, 46-45, in favor of the Zips, heading to the fourth quarter.

The hosts responded with a strong start to the final period, going on a 7-0 run to build their lead back to eight points. A clutch three-pointer from junior G Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio) keyed the run and even after it ended, the Akron lead never dipped below four points again as the Zips held on to secure a first-round home tournament game.

LAST GAME
A season-low shooting afternoon proved too much for the University of Akron women's basketball team to overcome as Eastern Michigan posted a 64-46 Mid-American Conference victory over the Zips on Saturday, Jan. 16.

Jordyn Dawson and sophomore F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) registered team-high marks for the Zips scoring 13 points apiece, while Brewer and junior F Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) pulled down a team-best six rebounds each.

Ce'Nara Skanes led three Eastern Michigan scoring in double figures with a game-high 21 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Adding 19 and 14 points, respectively, was Areanna Combs and Jenna Annecchhiarico.

The Eagles garnered a 57-38 edge in rebounding on the afternoon, including a 14-7 advantage on the offensive glass. Eastern Michigan was unable to capitalize netting only nine second-chance points, while committing 17 turnovers.

The game proved to be a series of runs and cold-shooting spells for both sides, especially in the second half, where Akron and Eastern Michigan combined to shoot 18-of-62 from the field for a 29-percent shooting mark, while making just 2-of-14 shots from beyond the arc.

The Zips opened the game scoring the first four points of the contest before the Eagles answered with an 8-0 run of their own to assume an 8-6 lead at the 4:40 mark of the first quarter.

After back-to-back baskets from Dawson gave Akron an 11-8 lead, Eastern Michigan closed the quarter on a 13-4 run to assume a 21-15 advantage after the opening quarter.

The Zips scored the first two baskets of the second quarter on lay-ups from Dawson and Brewer before the Eagles went on a 9-2 run to take a 30-21 lead with 4:38 left before the half.

A lay-up from sophomore G Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) at the 4:11 mark ended the scoring run. Eastern Michigan scored six straight before Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell nailed a three pointer at the 1:23 mark to cut the deficit to 36-26.

The Zips shot 30.6 percent from the field, including a 2-for-13 mark from beyond the arc in the opening half, while the Eagles connected on nearly 39 percent (.389) from the field and led at the intermission, 38-26.

Dawson led the Zips with 11 first-half points. Each team committed nine turnovers in the opening 20 minutes of play, with the Eagles posting a 29-19 edge in first-half rebounds.

Eastern Michigan went cold from the field in third quarter going 5:18 without field goal, including shooting 0-4 in the span. Akron outscored the Eagles, 8-3, during the shooting drought, to cut the deficit to six, 44-38, following a lay-up and made free throw by Brewer at the 2:26 mark. Eastern Michigan responded closing the quarter on an 8-2 run to lead after three periods, 52-40.

The Zips were unable to find any rhythm offensively over the final 10 minutes of play as Akron was just 3-of-17 from the field, including 0-for-6 beyond the arc. The Eagles fared only slightly better going 6-for-18 in the final quarter, but it proved to be enough to secure a 64-46 triumph.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Jordyn Dawson is one of two players in the Mid-American Conference to rank among the top-10 of league leaders in scoring (18.22), rebounding (7.89) and assists (3.3). She joins Chelby Koker of Northern Illinois. Additionally, Dawson ranks 11th in the conference in steals (1.89).
• Jordyn Dawson's career-high 30-point effort against Miami (Jan. 9) marked the first 30-point performance by a Zip since Shaunay Edmonds posted 33 points in a 83-73 victory over Bowling Green on Feb. 27, 2019.
• Jordyn Dawson, Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell and redshirt freshman G Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) registered career-high marks in scoring against Miami (Jan. 9) as the Zips' trio posted 30, 13 and five points, respectively.
• Jordyn Dawson surpassed the 500-point plateau for her Akron career with a first-quarter jumper at Central Michigan on Jan. 6. Dawson has recorded 541 points, 275 rebounds and 103 career assists as a Zip.
• Akron connected on a season-best 88.9 percent of its attempts at the charity stripe against Central Michigan hitting 8-of-9 attempts. The Zips are rated fourth in the MAC in free throw percentage making 72.1 percent of their attempts.
• Jordyn Dawson owns Akron season-best single-game marks in points (30 vs. Miami), field goals made (11 vs. Miami), field goals attempted (19 at Central Michigan/at Buffalo), rebounds (12 vs. Bluefield State), assists (6 vs. Ball State/Miami) and steals (4 vs. Bluefield State/Miami).
• Freshman G Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio) has made 55.6 percent of her three-pointers for her career having connected on 15-of-27 attempts from beyond the arc this season.
• Akron owns a 25-14 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 4-2 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 20-12 mark, including a 4-0 ledger this season.
• Emma Tecca, Molly Neitzel and sophomore G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) have led the efforts of the Zips' reserves this season averaging 6.3, 4.8 and 4.2 points, respectively. The Akron bench is shooting nearly 39 percent (.387) from the field and at a .354 clip beyond the arc this season. Layne Ferrell, Tecca and Neitzel are all connecting on 40 percent or better of their attempts as the trio owns field goal percentages of .467, .444 and .409, respectively.
• Eight different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Jordyn Dawson tallying 10 or more points in eight contests this year. She is joined by Lonasia Brewer (7), Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (2), junior G Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) (2), Colleen Neitzel (2), Emma Tecca (2), Rachel Martindale (1) and Molly Neitzel (1).
• Lonasia Brewer has connected on 47 of her 95 shots this season for 49.5 percent shooting mark, the third-best mark in the Mid-American Conference.
• Kendall Miller leads the Zips in assist/turnover ratio this season at 2.0 having dished out 22 assists against 11 turnovers.
• Jordyn Dawson is averaging a league-best 7.00 defensive rebounds as part of a team-high 7.89 overall rebounds this season. Her 7.89 caroms per game is rated fifth in the MAC.
• Jordyn Dawson has scored in double figures in 15 of Akron's last 16 games, including eight of nine contests this season.

AKRON HOSTS EIGHTH-ANNUAL EDUCATION DAY
The University of Akron Women's Basketball team will hold its eighth-annual Education Day on Wednesday, Jan. 27, as the Zips host Northern Illinois. Game time at James A. Rhodes Arena is set for noon.

The inaugural Education Day in 2013 drew approximately 400 students and teachers. Unfortunately this season due COVID-19 restrictions, the Zips have reinvented their Education Day into a virtual version, one that will include students from the IPromise School in Akron.

Students will have pre-, in-, and post-game "homework" that they will complete based on the outcome of the game. Questions have been integrated into the assignments relating to the game of basketball for example: score at halftime, leading scorer, scoring percentages, etc. as well as a portion about promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.

The students will watch the game from their virtual classrooms and play basketball BINGO. The winners will be put into a raffle with names drawn to receive post-game prizes.

During halftime of the game, students will get to watch a video that describes "A Day in the Life of an Akron Zip."

The importance of staying active and eating healthy is the overriding theme of the event as teachers will share a nutrition sheet that talks about the Zips' pre-game meals.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's nine games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .552 (Miami-1), 40 percent: .474 (Dayton), .447 (Bluefield State), .446 (Northern Kentucky), 435 (Buffalo-1), .400 (Toledo-1), 30 percent: .393 (Central Michigan-1), .385 (Ball State-1), 20 percent: .270 (Eastern Michigan-1).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' nine games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .525 (Miami-1), 40 percent: .469 (Central Michigan-2), .431 (Buffalo-1), .415 (Toledo-1), .406 (Dayton), 30 percent: .397 (Ball State-1), .367 (Northern Kentucky), .364 (Eastern Michigan-1), .306 (Bluefield State), 20 percent: NA.

UP NEXT
Akron is scheduled to host Central Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 23, at James A. Rhodes Arena. The 2 p.m. tilt with the Chippewas will be broadcast on the Akron Radio Network 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.