Zips to Face Toledo on New Year’s Day

Saturday, January 1

Toledo, Ohio

2:00 PM

University of Akron

Toledo

December 31 | Women's Basketball

AKRON, Ohio- The Akron women's basketball team will open Mid-American Conference play as the Zips travel to Toledo on Saturday, Jan. 1 for a 2 p.m. tip off at Savage Arena.

THE GAME
Akron (3-3, 0-0 MAC) vs. Toledo (7-3, 1-0 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 1| Savage Arena | 2:00 PM

BROADCAST
ESPN3: https://es.pn/32F0B4z
Radio: Bill Morgan (pbp), 99.7 Canton's Country
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3sNS8qr

TOLEDO HEAD COACH
Tricia Cullop
Overall Record: 397-265 (22^nd Season)
Record at Toledo: 274-155 (14t^h Season)

AKRON HEAD COACH
Melissa Jackson
Overall Record: 41-47 (4^th Season)
Record at Akron: 41-47 (4^th Season)

ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron and Toledo are meeting for the 61st time in program history, with the Rockets owning a 46-14 series edge. Toledo swept the Zips last season.

LAST TIME OUT
The Zips dropped to 3-3 overall after falling to No. 12 Michigan, 93-54 in Ann Arbor. Redshirt sophomore Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) led the Zips' offense with a team-high 13 points connecting on 5-of-11 from the floor. Senior Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) finished with seven points and two boards, while juniors Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) each added six points.
Freshman Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) and senior Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) paced Akron on the boards collecting four rebounds.

ZIP TIPS
- The 2021-22 season marks the 48th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
- As a team, Akron ranks 6^h in the NCAA in fewest turnovers (95), 28^th in FG% defense (33.6), 8th in fewest fouls (109).
- The Zips rank 89th in blocked shots per game (4.0)
- Jordyn Dawson led the Zips a year ago averaging a team-high 15.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game en route to a third-team All-MAC accolade. She leads the team averaging 15.6 points and 7.5 rebounds, and leads the team with 14 steals.
- Jordyn Dawson is rated 139th in the NCAA in points per game (15.6), 41^st in free throw percentage (86.7) and 21st in steals per game (3.00).
- Akron owns a 31-17 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 3-0 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 21-14 mark, including a 0-1 record this season.
- The Akron bench is shooting more than 35 percent (36.5) from the field and at a .312 clip beyond the arc this season.
- Three different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Jordyn Dawson tallying 10 or more points in 3 contests this year. She is joined by Reagan Bass (2) and Lonasia Brewer (1).
- Akron has connected on five or more three-pointers in all six games this season, and 36 of its last 38 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 13 triples in a 97-54 win over Slippery Rock, 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.
- Akron is scoring 47.2 percent of its point in the paint this season, averaging 30.8 percent points in the paint per game.
- The Zips are shooting 40.8 percent (140-of-343) from the field and 29.9 percent (41-of-137) from beyond the arc. Akron has been out-rebounded by its opponents, 232-212 for a -3.3 margin. Akron has 95 turnovers averaging (15.8 turnovers per game) and has 47 steals (7.8 per game).
- Akron is returning nearly its entire 2020-21 roster including seniors Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio)(4.2 ppg), Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio)(5.5 ppg, 2.33 apg) and Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio)(5.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg), junior Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) (10.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and redshirt sophomore Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio) (5.4 ppg), who all started in double-figure contests for the Zips. Juniors Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.)(5.8 ppg) and Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio)(6.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg), redshirt sophomore Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio)(5.5 ppg) and sophomore Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) (2.9 ppg) added valuable contributions for Akron appearing in double-digit games last season.
- Making their Akron debuts against Slippery Rock were redshirt freshman Alana Carter (Mason, Ohio), freshmen Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio), Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.), and sophomore Annika Corcoran (Painesville, Ohio).

SCOUTING TOLEDO
The Rockers, stand 7-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play under the direction of 14^th-year head coach Tricia Cullop after claiming a 69-60 win over Kent State on Wednesday. Nan Garcia led the balanced attack with 14 points. Quinesha Lockett scored 11 points, while three Rockets scored 10 points apiece: Khera Goss, Sammi Mikonowicz, and Hannah Noveroske. Noveroske had her best game as a Rocket, scoring a career-high 10 points while tallying five rebounds and five blocks.

Toledo is averaging 70.1 points per game on 43.2 percent shooting (262-607) from the floor and 31.1 percent shooting (65-209) from long range. The Rockets have a duo of players averaging in double-figures in Wiard (10.4 ppg) and Lockett (10.4 ppg).

Defensively, the Rockets have held their opponents to 58.6 points per game on 35.6 percent shooting from the floor and 26.6 percent from beyond the arc. Toledo has 155 turnovers (15.5) turnovers per game) while collecting 59 steals (5.9 steals per game). On the glass, the Rockets have out-rebounded their opponents, 381-379 for a +0.2 margin.

UP NEXT
The Zips return home on Wednesday, Jan. 5 as the Zips host Ohio at James A. Rhodes Arena for a 7 p.m. tip off.