Zips to Face Central Michigan on Saturday Afternoon

Saturday, January 29

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Central Michigan

Zips to Face Central Michigan on Saturday Afternoon

January 28 | Women's Basketball

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

Akron Game Notes (PDF)

AKRON, Ohio- The Akron women's basketball team hits the road as the Zips travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to face Central Michigan on Saturday, Jan 29. Tip time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

THE GAME
Akron (8-6, 5-3 MAC) vs. Central Michigan (4-14, 2-7 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 29 | McGuirk Arena| 1:00 PM

BROADCAST
ESPN3: https://es.pn/3g37fEQ
Radio: Bill Morgan (pbp), 640 WHLO AM
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3r6OKFY

CENTRAL MICHIGAN HEAD COACH
Heather Oesterle
Overall Record: 45-30 (3rd Season)
Record at CMU: 45-30 (3rd Season)

AKRON HEAD COACH
Melissa Jackson
Overall Record: 46-50 (4^th Season)
Record at Akron: 46-50 (4^th Season)

ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron and Central Michigan are meeting for the 44^th time in program history, with the Chippewas owning a 27-16 series edge. Last season, CMU swept the Zips with an 83-58 victory, followed by a 92-62 win.

LAST TIME OUT
The Zips improved to 8-6 overall and 5-3 MAC after the Zips held off Eastern Michigan on Wednesday night. Freshman forward Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) played a starring role in the win, giving the Zips a career-high 23 points, six rebounds and two blocks in a solid all-around performance. The effort surpassed her previous career high of 18, set just one week earlier in a road game against Buffalo. Jordyn Dawson was close behind, notching a monster double-double with 22 points and 18 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double thanks to her seven assists.

After the Zips built a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter, the Eagles closed to within one in the final moments of the contest, but Akron dug in and claimed the win thanks to a clutch 3-pointer by redshirt sophomore guard Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) with 3:54 remaining and two big free throws by redshirt senior guard Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W Va.) with 12 seconds left.

ZIP TIPS
- The 2021-22 season marks the 48th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
- As a team, Akron ranks 16^th in defensive rebounds per game (7.8), 18^th in the NCAA and lead the conference in fewest turnovers (213), 42^nd in fewest fouls (239).
- Akron ranks 76th in the NCAA and second in the conference in Blocked shots per game (3.8).
- 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 19.3 points and 9.4 rebounds, and leads the team with 35 steals.
- In conference play, Dawson is averaging a double-double with 21.6 points and 11.4 rebounds. She has score in double-figures in eight straight games, five being 20+ points.
- Jordyn Dawson is rated 67^th in NCAA and second in conference stats in free-throw percentage (80.8), 31^st in points per game (19.3), 29th in steals per game (2.69), and 48^th in rebounds per game (9.4).
- Dawson ranks 39^th in double-doubles (67 and ranks second in league stats.
- In conference play, freshman Reagan Bass is second on the team in points per game (15.7). Bass has scored in double-figures in all conference games, reaching a career-high mark of 23 points (EMU).
- Bass ranks 70^th in the country in free-throw percentage (82.9).
- Akron owns a 34-19 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 6-2record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 23-15 mark, including a 2-2 record this season.
- The Akron bench is shooting more than 34 percent (34.6) from the field and at a .29 clip beyond the arc this season.
- Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Jordyn Dawson tallying 10 or more points in 12 contests this year. She is joined by Reagan Bass (8) and Lonasia Brewer (5), Layne Ferrell (4), Annika Corcoran (3), Kendall Miller (2).
- Akron has connected on five or more three-pointers in 10 games this season, and 41 of its last 45 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 42.0 percent of its point in the paint this season, averaging 27.4 percent points in the paint per game.
- The Zips are shooting 41.8 percent (315-754) from the field and 85-264 percent (32.2) from beyond the arc. Akron has been out-rebounded by its opponents, 503-447 for a -4.3 margin. Akron has 198 turnovers averaging (15.2 turnovers per game) and has 92 steals (7.1 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.

SCOUTING CMU
The Chippewas, stand 4-14 overall and 2-7 in conference play under the direction of 3rd-year head coach Heather Oesterle after a 70-59 win against Miami on Wednesday. Redshirt senior guard Areanna Combs led the Eagles (4-10, 1-6 MAC) with 21 points and a pair of assists. Redshirt sophomore forward Ce'Nara Skanes added nine points while redshirt senior Danielle Rainey chipped in with eight points of her own to go along with two assists.

CMU is averaging 57.7 points per game on 35.9 percent shooting (373-1040) from the floor and 126-of-475 shooting (26.5 percent) from long range. The Chippewas have a duo of players averaging in double-figures. Molly Davis leads the Chippewas in scoring at 19.2 points per game, while Jahari Smith is averaging a double-double with 11.2 points and 10.8 boards. Davis ranks 84^th in NCAA stats and leads the MAC in assists (84).

Defensively, the Chippewas have held their opponents to 71.4 points per game on 43.1percent shooting from the floor and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc. CMU has 310 turnovers (17.2 turnovers per game) while collecting 99 steals (5.5 steals per game). On the glass, the Chippewas have been out-rebounded their opponents, 695-672 for a +0.1 margin.

UP NEXT
The Zips will return home on Wednesday, Feb. 2 as Akron hosts Western Michigan at James A. Rhodes Arena for a 7 p.m. tip off.