Akron Opens Two-Game Road Trip at Ball State

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

GAME NO. 15 - AKRON AT BALL STATE NOTES (2/6)

Akron (4-10, 1-10 MAC) at Ball State (9-5, 7-3 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 6
Worthen Arena
Muncie, Ind. • 4 p.m.

Series History: Ball State leads 25-17
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 is set to open a two-game road swing on Saturday, Feb. 6, as the Zips face a road test at Ball State. The 4 p.m. showdown with the Cardinals will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Ball State: Brady Sallee (Thomas More, 1993), Overall Record: 294-223 (17th Season)/Ball State Record: 158-113 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall/Akron Record: 35-40 (Third Season)

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ball State are meeting for the 43rd time in program history, with the Cardinals owning a 25-17 series edge. Earlier this season, Ball State posted a 67-60 triumph past the Zips on Dec. 20, 2020 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State enters play this Saturday on the strength of a five-game winning streak following the Cardinals' 69-66 victory at Central Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Senior F Oshlynn Brown paces a quintet of Ball State players scoring in double figures averaging 17.5 points, and 11.5 rebounds per game. Contributing 12.2, 11.6, 11.6 and 10.9 points per night is sophomore G Sydney Freeman, junior G Essense Booker, junior F Thelma Dis Agustdottir and redshirt sophomore G Anna Clephane. As a team, the Cardinals are registering 70.2 points, 38.5 rebounds, 12.1 assists, 7.4 steals and 2.7 blocks per outing.

Ball State is rated 23rd in the NCAA in free throw attempts (324) and 36th in free throws made (220). Individually, Brown is rated 25th in free throws attempted (94) and 27th in double-doubles (7).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (DEC. 20, 2020 - AKRON, OHIO)
Senior F Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W.Va.) led four Zips scoring in double figures with a 15-point, eight-rebound and six-assist performance, but the effort was not enough, as Ball State registered a 67-60 triumph past Akron in Mid-American Conference action on Dec. 20, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Dawson paced the Zips with 15 points, while redshirt freshman G Emma Tecca (Tallmadge, Ohio) added a career-high 12 point on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Sophomore F Lonasia Brewer (Akron, Ohio) and junior G Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio) rounded out Akron's double-figure scoring efforts with 10 points apiece.

Sydney Freeman sparked a trio of Cardinals scoring in double figures with a game-high 19-point game, while Oshlynn Brown and Essence Booker contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The Zips finished the afternoon connecting on 38.5 percent of their shots, including making nine three-pointers, while Ball State rounded out the game shooting 39.7 percent from the floor.

A key deciding factor in the contest was rebounds as the Cardinals garnered a 45-34 overall edge, including a 9-4 margin on the offensive glass, which Ball State converted into a 12-4 edge in second-chance points.

The Cardinals sealed the tilt away at the free-throw line where Ball State was 14-of-22, while Akron went to the charity stripe only twice on the afternoon.

The game saw a frenetic finish as Akron rallied from a nine-point third-quarter deficit to close to within one, 57-56, on a lay-up by Brewer with 8:07 left in the contest.

The Cardinals responding with a 9-2 run over the next 4:33 to assume a 66-58 lead with 3:34 remaining.

The Zips had scoring opportunities down the stretch, but were unable to capitalize, as Akron was held without a point for 4:38 en route to Ball State earning a 67-60 final score.

The first half saw the two teams trade runs and leads as each sought its first MAC win of the season. With seven ties and five lead changes in the first 20 minutes, defense often swung the momentum as the Zips and Cardinals found themselves even or nearly even in a myriad of statistical categories as they entered halftime with Ball State leading Akron, 35-32.

Akron benefited from the boost provided off the bench by Tecca and fellow reserve sophomore G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who each drained a key three-pointers during the second stanza.

The duo helped pace the Akron attack to five triples before intermission.

Ball State attempted to turn the tide in its favor with full-court pressure, but the Zips were able to withstand the pressure, tying the contest on a jumper from junior G Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) with 43 seconds left in the second quarter.

LAST GAME
The University of Akron women's basketball team started strong and battled from the opening tip, but in the end, Buffalo overcame a nine-point first-quarter deficit to hand the Zips a 77-55 setback on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Jordyn Dawson led the offensive charge for Akron registering a team-high 16-point, seven-rebound, seven-assist and three-steal performance. Sophomore F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) reached double figures with a 10-point and seven-rebound effort, while Kendall Miller and Emma Tecca contributed nine points apiece.

Dyaisha Fair directed three Bulls scoring in double figures with a game-high 24 points, while Elea Gaba and Zena Elias added 15 and 11 tallies, respectively.

The Zips finished the evening shooting 32.8 percent from the field, including connecting on six three pointers, three coming off the shooting touch of Tecca. After shooting just 18.8 percent from the floor in the opening quarter, Buffalo capped their evening shooting 41 percent from the floor overall.

The Bulls parlayed a 49-45 rebounding advantage into a 38-26 edge in points in the paint, while Buffalo also garnered a 32-12 margin in bench points.

It was an offensive avalanche for Akron in the opening period as the Zips rained down triples on the offensive end and hit eight of their first 14 shots en route to a 20-4 edge less than seven minutes into the contest. Included in that onslaught were four three-pointers – three by Tecca – and a 14-10 rebounding edge. Three forced turnovers on the defensive end allowed the Zips to build and sustain their double-digit lead.

Dawson's passing set up numerous scoring chances as she tallied four assists in the opening 10 minutes. The Bulls were able to close the gap in the second quarter, holding the hosts to six points in the stanza en route to taking a 28-26 lead into the intermission.

Akron was able to generate good looks in transition to keep its offense going, outscoring the Bulls 8-3 in transition points before intermission. For the game, the Zips held a 13-5 edge in fast-break scoring.

After Dawson squared the contest at 30-all with a lay-up at the 8:16 mark of the third quarter, the Bulls went on a 15-3 run over the next 5:53 to assume a 45-33 lead. The Zips finished the stanza on a 6-4 run of their own, but trailed after 30 minutes of play, 49-39.

Buffalo stretched their margin to as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter before exiting the contest with a 77-55 triumph.

AKRON FOR NAKON
Akron For Nakon, is the day the Akron women's basketball team and the Akron community comes together for a game of basketball but more importantly to help raise awareness and donations for all cancer survivors and fighters. The Zips will host its 2021 Akron for Nakon game on Feb. 13, 2021, as the Zips entertain Toledo in a 2 p.m. tilt.

The Zips held its annual Akron For Nakon day on Feb. 22, 2020, in conjunction with a MAC East showdown against divisional rival, Ohio. While Akron defeated the Bobcats on the court that day, the real winners are the people who will be affected by the generous donations that were made.

To date with the help of the Akron community, the Zips have raised just over $15,000 with all proceeds going to the Nakon Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is raise funds to support those suffering from breast cancer, honor the survivors of all cancers, and educate the community.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Colleen Neitzel pulled down a career-best 10 rebounds against Buffalo on Feb. 3, while playing in a career-high 30 minutes.
• Emma Tecca posted career-high marks in rebounds (5) and assists (3) versus Buffalo on Feb. 3, en route to scoring nine points, all on three pointers.
• Akron is in search of its first road win at Ball State since Hanna Luburgh scored a game- and team-high 22 points to lead five Zips scoring in double figures in an 87-64 triumph on Feb. 15, 2014. Joining Luburgh with double-figure scoring efforts with 15, 13, 13 and 13 points, respectively, was Hannah Plybon, Kacie Cassell, Rachel Tecca and Carly Young.
• Emma Tecca has connected on a trio of three pointers in five overall contests on the campaign, including making a career-high four three pointers against Ball State (Dec. 20).
• 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 (7 vs. Buffalo) and steals (4 vs. Bluefield State/Miami).
• Emma Tecca has made 44.6 percent of her three-pointers for her career having connected on 25-of-56 attempts from beyond the arc this season.
• Emma Tecca, Rachel Martindale and Molly Neitzel have led the efforts of the Zips' reserves this season averaging 6.8, 6.1 and 4.6 points, respectively. The Akron bench is shooting 37 percent (.371) from the field and at a .343 clip beyond the arc this season. Redshirt freshman G Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) Tecca and Molly Neitzel are connecting on 40 percent or better of their attempts as the trio owns field goal percentages of .500, 440 and .404, respectively.
• Eight different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Jordyn Dawson and tallying 10 or more points in 10 contests this year. They are joined by Lonasia Brewer (8), Kendall Miller (4), Rachel Martindale (4), Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (3), Colleen Neitzel (3), Molly Neitzel (3) and Emma Tecca (2).
• Lonasia Brewer has connected on 62 of her 128 shots this season for 48.4 percent shooting mark, the fourth-best mark in the Mid-American Conference.
• Jordyn Dawson is averaging 6.36 defensive rebounds as part of a team-high 7.29 overall rebounds this season. Her 7.29 caroms per game is rated sixth in the MAC.
• Jordyn Dawson has scored in double figures in 17 of Akron's last 21 games, including 10 of 14 contests this season.
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 12 of its 14 games this season, and 24 of its last 27 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.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 14 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .552 (Miami-1), 40 percent: .474 (Dayton), .473 (Ohio-1), .452 (Central Michigan-2), .447 (Bluefield State), .446 (Northern Kentucky), 435 (Buffalo-1), .400 (Toledo-1), 30 percent: .393 (Central Michigan-1), .385 (Ball State-1), .379 (Bowling Green-1), .333 (Ohio-1), .328 (Buffalo-2), .324 (Northern Illinois-2), 20 percent: .270 (Eastern Michigan-1).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 14 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .525 (Miami-1), .522 (Central Michigan-2), 40 percent: .469 (Central Michigan-2), .444 (Northern Illinois-1), .431 (Buffalo-1), .415 (Toledo-1), .406 (Dayton), 30 percent: .397 (Ball State-1), .373 (Bowling Green-1), .367 (Northern Kentucky), .364 (Eastern Michigan-1), .328 (Buffalo-2), .306 (Bluefield State), 20 percent: NA.

UP NEXT
Akron is scheduled to travel to face Western Michigan on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at University Arena. The 1 p.m. tilt with the Broncos will be broadcast on the Akron Radio Network 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lonasia Brewer

Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell

Jordyn Dawson

Layne Ferrell

Rachel Martindale

Kendall Miller

Colleen Neitzel

Molly Neitzel

Emma Tecca

The University of Akron Athletics