Akron Set for Showdown with Cleveland State

Sunday, December 11

Akron, Ohio

5:00 PM

University of Akron

Cleveland State

December 10 | Women's Basketball

Akron (5-1) vs. Cleveland State (8-1)
Sunday, Dec. 11
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 5 p.m.

Series History: Cleveland State leads 26-17
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
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team welcomes Cleveland State to James A. Rhodes Arena on Sunday, Dec. 11. The 5 p.m. tilt with the Vikings will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Dave Bacon on the call as well as WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Cleveland State: Chris Kielsmeier (Iowa State, 1998), Overall Record: 490-166 (23rd Season), Record at Cleveland State: 74-50 (Fifth Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall Record: 60-57 (Fifth Season), Record at Akron: 60-57 (Fifth Season)

SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE
Cleveland State enters its contest at Akron this Sunday, Dec. 11, at 8-1 on the campaign on the heels of a 86-55 road victory at Central Michigan on Dec. 8. The Vikings are rated 10th in the latest CollegeInsider.Com Mid Major Top 25 poll, while Akron is receiving votes.

Junior G Destiny Leo headlines Cleveland State's efforts averaging 17.6 points, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while senior F Brittni Moore is registering 12.4 points per outing. As a unit, the Vikings are recording 72.4 points, 42.0 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 9.9 steals and 5.9 blocks per game.

Cleveland State is ranked ninth in the NCAA in blocks per tilt (5.9), 14th in field goal percentage defense (.331), 17th in three point defense (.234), 22nd in winning percentage (.889), 31st in free throws made per contest (15.56), 33rd in three throws attempted per game (22.33), 45th in scoring margin (16.1) and 46th in scoring defense (56.3).

Individually, Leo is rated 17th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.939), 21st in three point attempts (70), 22nd in three pointers (27) and 23rd in triples per game (3.00).

IN OUR LAST MEETING (NOV. 27, 2019 - CLEVELAND, OHIO)
In a game that Akron led for 33 minutes, the Zips were unable to pull away with the contest down the stretch as a late fourth-quarter run by Cleveland State handed the Vikings a 66-62 win on Nov. 27, 2019.

The backcourt duo of Haliegh Reinoehl and Caitlin Vari put up big numbers down low for the Zips. Reinoehl recorded a double double leading the Zips in scoring by way of 16 points and 10 rebounds, while adding three assists, two blocks, and one steal. Vari added 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, including a team-high four offensive boards.

Jordyn Dawson came alive late in the game scoring seven of her nine points in the fourth quarter, pulled in six rebounds, ripped a game-high four steals, and dished out two assists. Shayna Harmon was a workhorse for Akron despite not recording a field goal scoring eight points (eight made free throws), posting seven rebounds, a team-high four assists, and three steals.

As a unit, Akron shot just 33.3-percent from the floor (22-for-66) in the contest but was efficient at the free-throw line connecting on 16-of-19 attempts. The Zips two best quarters offensively came in the second and fourth periods where Akron shot a combined 13-for-30 and tallied 36 of its 62 total points.

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Cleveland State are meeting for the 44th time in program history since the inaugural meeting in 1975. In 43 contests between the Zips and Vikings, Cleveland State holds a 26-17 all-time series record against Akron. The Zips have secured three victories in the past six meetings.

ZIPS EARNS 101-46 VICTORY OVER POINT PARK
Akron led wire-to-wire en route to posting the Zips' fifth straight victory with a 101-46 triumph past Point Park on Dec. 2 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) scored a career-high 30 points, while adding nine rebounds to lead the offensive efforts for the Zips, who surpassed the 100-point plateau for the first time since scoring 103 points in a win over Rochester College on Dec. 2, 2015.

Joining Bass with double-digit scoring efforts for Akron (5-1) was senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio), freshman F Faith Stinson (Thornville, Ohio), freshman F Annie Watson (Akron, Ohio) and junior G Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) with 12, 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively.

In her collegiate debut, Watson added five rebounds and four assists to her career-high 11 points, while Stinson pulled down a career- and game-best 14 rebounds.

Emma Pavelek and Izzy Strickland paced Point Park with a team-high 10 points apiece.

The Zips finished the game shooting 52.6 percent from the field, including connecting on five three pointers, while limiting the Pioneers to a .250 shooting mark.

Akron dominated points in the paint with a 66-16 edge, while defensively forcing 23 Point Park turnovers into a 28-4 margin in points off turnovers. The Zips garnered a 51-29 rebounding edge.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is ranked seventh in the NCAA in assists per game (19.5), 17th in defensive rebounds (30.7), 18th in assist/turnover ratio (1.31), 21st in blocks per outing (5.2), 22nd in field goal percentage (.470), 27th in field goal percentage defense (.345), 41st in scoring margin (16.7) and 47th in winning percentage (.833). Individually, Reagan Bass is rated 35th in field goal percentage (.584). Layne Ferrell is 25th in blocks per tilt (2.00), while Dominique Camp ranks seventh in steals per game (3.67).
• Five Zips scored in double figures against Point Park as Reagan Bass, Molly Neitzel, Faith Stinson, Annie Watson and Alexis Stewart tallied 30, 12, 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively.
• Faith Stinson garnered her first career double double with a 12-point and 14-rebound performance versus Point Park on Dec. 2. Her 14 rebounds represent a single-game high for Akron this season.
• Seven different Akron players recorded career-high marks against Point Park on Dec. 2, including Reagan Bass, sophomore G Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.), Alexis Stewart, Faith Stinson, junior G Tahmala Thorpe (Mississauga, Ontario) and Annie Watson.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass tallying 10 or more points in five contests this year. She was joined by Layne Ferrell (4), Molly Neitzel (3), Dominique Camp (2), Rachel Martindale (1), Aila Miller (1), Alexis Stewart (1), Faith Stinson (1) and Annie Watson (1).
• The 2022-23 season marks the 49th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Akron owns a 49-23 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 4-1 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 31-18 mark, including an 2-0 ledger this season.
• Rachel Martindale, Molly Neitzel, Layne Ferrell, Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart and Zakia Rasheed have appeared in 70, 70, 56, 32, 32 and 29 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds. Ferrell is the Zips' active leader in three-point shooting connecting on 36.3 percent of her attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's six games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .528 (Dayton), .526 (Point Park), .509 (Oakland), 40 percent: .442 (Robert Morris), .420 (Youngstown State), 30 percent: .388 (Northern Kentucky), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' six games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .431 (Northern Kentucky), 30 percent: .386 (Dayton), .379 (Oakland), .313 (Robert Morris), .311 (Youngstown State), 20 percent: .250 (Point Park).

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron was once proved to be strong in the paint through six games this season averaging 38.3 points per contest for 230 total points. The Zips posted a season-best 66 points in the paint in a 101-46 victory over Point Park on Dec. 2.

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 18 seasons. When playing on its home court, Akron owns a 121-76 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 4-0 in the JAR, averaging 78.8 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 49 percent (.485) of their attempts from the field, while recording 40.5 rebounds, 19.8 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.0 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass, Layne Ferrell, Aila Miller, Annie Watson and Molly Neitzel are enjoying playing on their home court this season averaging double-figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena owning a 19.5, 12.3, 12.0, 11.0 and 10.0 points per game, respectively.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Notre Dame College on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m.