Zips Close Out Series with Ohio on Saturday

Saturday, February 26

Athens, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

February 25 | Women's Basketball

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AKRON GAME NOTES (PDF) | OHIO GAME NOTES (PDF)

AKRON, Ohio- The Akron women's basketball team will hit the road and travel to Athens to close out the series with Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 26. Tip time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

THE GAME
Akron (14-9, 11-6 MAC) vs. Ohio (14-11, 8-8 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 26 | Convocation Center| 1:00 PM

BROADCAST
ESPN3: https://es.pn/3IsGkyP
Radio: Dave Skoczen (pbp), 640 WHLO AM
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3slBA8H

OHIO HEAD COACH
Bob Boldon
Overall Record: 276-184 (15th Season)
Record at Ohio: 178-96 (9th Season)

AKRON HEAD COACH
Melissa Jackson
Overall Record: 52-53 (4^th Season)
Record at Akron: 52-53 (4^th Season)

ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron and Ohio are meeting for the 69th time in program history, with the Bobcats owning a 47-21 series edge. Four days ago the Zips dropped a heartbreaker to the Bobcats at the JAR dropping a 69-66 decision.

Redshirt senior forward Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W Va.) led the Zips with 22 points and 15 rebounds, notching her 11th double-double of the season and scoring in double scoring in double figures for the 16th straight game while surpassing 20 points for the ninth consecutive outing. Dawson added seven assists to further stuff the stat sheet.

Bass delivered another solid outing as well, with the freshman forward recording 17 points and eight rebounds.

LAST TIME OUT
The Zips improved to 14-9 overall and 11-6 MAC after Jordyn Dawson's last-second shot propelled the Zips to a 72-70 victory over Bowling Green for the season sweep. After a three-pointer from junior Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) clanked off the side-iron, the ball fell into Dawson's hands for the put-back with 1.2 seconds remaining, securing the victory.

Dawson, one of the top candidates for MAC Player of the Year recorded her 12th double-double of the season with a game-high 30 points, 12 rebounds, while also dishing out seven assists. Martindale added 12 points all coming from three-pointers as she went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.

ZIPS PUNCH TICKET TO CLEVELAND
After the win over Bowling Green on Wednesday night, the Zips punched their ticket to Cleveland for the 2022 MAC Women's Basketball Tournament.

ZIP TIPS
- The 2021-22 season marks the 48th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
- As a team, Akron ranks 27th in the NCAA and lead the conference in fewest turnovers (326), 43^rd in fewest fouls (365).
- Akron ranks second in the conference in Blocked shots per game (3.8).
-The Zips perimeter defense is third in conference play (30.2), while ranking third in three-point percentage (33.8)
- 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 22.2 points and 9.9 rebounds and leads the team with 64 steals.
- In conference play, Dawson is averaging a double-double with 24.1 points per game, and 11.0 rebounds, while gathering 52 steals and nine blocks. She has scored in double-figures in 17 straight games, 16 being 20+ points.
- Jordyn Dawson is rated 9^th in the nation in points per game (22.8), 8th in steals per game (3.05), and 18^th in defensive rebounds per game (7.9), and 39th in rebounds per game (9.9)
- Dawson ranks 26^th in double-doubles (12) and ranks second in league stats.
- In conference play, freshman Reagan Bass is second on the team in points per game (13.0. Bass has scored in double-figures in 13 of the last 17 games, reaching a career-high mark of 23 points (EMU).
- Bass ranks 8th in MAC stats in blocked shots per game (1.05).
- Akron owns a 38-20 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 12-4 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 28-16 mark, including a 7-3 record this season.
- The Akron bench is shooting more than 38 percent (38.9) from the field and at a 32.4 percent 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 19 contests this year. She is joined by Reagan Bass (13) and Lonasia Brewer (7), Layne Ferrell (5), Annika Corcoran (3), Kendall Miller (2).
- Akron has connected on five or more three-pointers in 17 games this season, and 48 of its last 54 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 48.4 percent of its point in the paint this season, averaging 31.1 percent points in the paint per game.
- Akron is a 7-3 at home and is averaging 73.4 points when playing at the JAR.
- The Zips are shooting 42.7 percent (571-1138) from the field and 149-441 percent (33.8) from beyond the arc. Akron has been outrebounded by its opponents, 872-835for a -1.6 margin. Akron has 326 turnovers averaging (14.2) turnovers per game) and has 162 steals (7.0 steals 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.

LEADING MAC PLAYER OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE- JORDYN DAWSON
Jordyn Dawson has put up incredible numbers this season. Dawson ranks 9^th in the nation in points per game (22.2) ranking 3^rd in the conference, 8^th in NCAA in steals per game (3.05) first in the MAC, 38^th in NCAA in FG Made (178), 18^th in NCAA in defensive rebounds per game (7.9) first in the MAC, 38^th in NCAA in rebounds per game (9.9) third. She is currently the only player in the MAC to rank top-5 in scoring and in rebounding. In conference play, Dawson averages a double-double with 24.1 points per game, and 11.0 rebounds per game, while gathering a conference-high 52 steals. She has scored in double-figures in 17 straight games, 16 being 20+ points.

SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats, stand 14-11 overall and 8-8 in conference play under the direction of 15th-year head coach Bob Boldon after falling to Buffalo, 79-69 on Wednesday. Ohio was led by Gabby Burris with 16 points, while both Burris and Cece Hooks grabbed seven rebounds to lead the effort on the boards. The Bobcats trailed by single-digits after a Felder layup with 4:17 to play and an Erica Johnson three-pointer with 3:37 remaining, but the Bulls were able to respond both times to keep their lead at 10 points or more. Ohio continued their offensive surge, cutting it to a seven-point game, 67-60. The Bulls answered quickly with back-to-back three-pointers though, making it a 73-60 contest with two minutes left in the game. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the game, as the Bulls wrapped up the 79-65 win.

Ohio is averaging 75.0 points per game on 41.1percent shooting (659-1605) from the floor and 227-678 shooting (33.5 percent) from long range, ranking second in the MAC. The Bobcats have a trio of averaging in double-figures. Cece Hooks leads the team and ranks second in the league with 22.5 points per game, while Erica Johnson and Gabby Burris are averaging 16.3 and 11.7, respectively.

Defensively, the Bobcats have held their opponents to 70.8 points per game on 41.9 percent shooting from the floor and 34.3 percent from beyond the arc. OU has 338 turnovers (13.5 turnovers per game) while collecting 255 steals (10.2 steals per game). On the glass, the Bobcats have been out-rebounded their opponents, 1012-943 for a -2.8 margin.

UP NEXT
The Zips will return home and host Buffalo on Wednesday, March 2 at James A.