Zips Face Bowling Green in MAC Tournament Quarterfinals

Wednesday, March 9

Cleveland, Ohio

Begins 30 Min After Game 3 Ends

University of Akron

Bowling Green

Zips Face Bowling Green in MAC Tournament Quarterfinals

March 08 | Women's Basketball

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Akron Game Notes (PDF) | Bowling Green Game Notes (PDF) | MAC Tournament Bracket (PDF)

AKRON, Ohio- The Akron women's basketball team will face #6 Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday night. It is the third time the two programs will face off in the MAC Tournament with the last meeting coming in 2010 at the MAC quarterfinals. Wednesday's game will tip off 30 minutes after the conclusion of the third game.

THE GAME
#3 Akron (16-10, 13-7 MAC) vs. #6 Bowling Green (15-14, 10-10 MAC)
Wednesday, March 9| Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse | approx. 7:00 PM

BROADCAST
ESPN+: https://es.pn/3pKBi9p
Radio: Jim Clark (pbp), 640 WHLO AM
Live Stats: https://bit.ly/3KtG17G

BOWLING GREEN HEAD COACH
Robyn Fralick
Overall Record: 159-67 (7th Season)
Record at Bowling Green: 55-66 (4^th Season)

AKRON HEAD COACH
Melissa Jackson
Overall Record: 55-53 (4^th Season)
Record at Akron: 55-53 (4^th Season)

ALL-TIME SERIES
Akron and Bowling Green are meeting for the 70th time in program history, with the Falcons owning a 56-13 series edge. The Zips swept the Falcons during the regular season with a 79-69 in the series opener, followed by a 72-70 win on Feb. 23.

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 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.

LAST TIME OUT
With the Zips (16-10, 13-7 Mid-American Conference) trailing by two in the closing moments, junior guard Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Ohio) drained a clutch 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:20 remaining to stake her team to a 71-70 lead. Two big free throws by redshirt sophomore guard Layne Ferrell ( Franklin, Ohio) provided the winning margin as Akron survived a missed Miami field goal attempt at the buzzer.

Redshirt senior forward Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W Va.) led all scorers with 26 points and tallied six rebounds and five assists in the final home game of her storied Akron career. She and fellow seniors Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell (Solon, Ohio) Kendall Miller (Akron, Ohio) and Colleen Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) were honored prior to the game.

JORDYN DAWSON NAMED MAC PLAYER AND DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
For the first time since 2015, the Mid-American Conference Player of the Year is a Zip. Redshirt senior Jordyn Dawson (Huntington, W Va.) was named MAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced on Tuesday. Dawson was named First-Team All-MAC and on the all-defensive team. Dawson becomes the third-ever Zip to garner the league's top honor joining Sina King (2014-15) and Rachel Tecca (2012-13) and first-ever to be named Defensive Player of the year.

She produced one of the best individual seasons in Akron women's basketball history. A first-team All-MAC honoree, Dawson started 25 games for the Zips this season, ranking seventh in the country in scoring (22.4 ppg), eighth in the NCAA in steals per game (3.04), 21st in defensive rebounds (7.4), and 35th in double-doubles (12).

BASS AND DAWSON EARN ALL-MAC ACCOLADES
Dawson garnered first-team All-MAC accolades and named to the all-defensive team, while Bass was tabbed honorable mention and selected to the all-freshman team.

Bass was tabbed honorable mention All-MAC and selected to the all-freshman team. The freshman played in 23 games and led the Zips' offensive attack in the paint averaging 12.6 points per game. In league games, Bass led the team with a 59.1 percent shooting percentage and shot a team-best 75.3 percent from the charity stripe. Her 1.00 blocks per game ranked 10^th in the MAC.

Bass scored a career-best 23-points against Eastern Michigan, while bringing down a career-high nine rebounds against Youngstown State and Northern Illinois. Bass recorded a career-high four blocks against Western Michigan, while having six games where she recorded two or more blocks. Bass finished the season with 14 double figure games.

ZIPS HISTORY IN THE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The Akron women's basketball team is scheduled to compete in its 35th all-time Mid-American Conference Tournament contest on Wednesday, March 9. The third-seeded Zips will take on the sixth-seeded Falcons. Akron is 1-1 against Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament, and 0-1 in the quarter finals against BG.

Akron claimed a 74-56 win over the Falcons in 1999 before the two teams met in 2010, with GB posting an 81-49 win in the semifinals, en route to a MAC title for the Falcons.

Akron holds a 12-23 tournament record since 1995. The last appearance for the Zips in the tournament was back during the 2019 with the Zips dropping a heartbreaker to Eastern Michigan in the first round of the MAC Tournament with a 61-59 decision.

Three Zips on the current roster saw playing time in Colleen Neitzel (1 reb, 2 assists), Kendall Miller, and Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell.

ZIP TIPS
- The 2021-22 season marks the 48th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
- As a team, Akron ranks 50th in the NCAA and leads the conference in fewest turnovers (387) ,47^th in fewest fouls (409).
- Akron ranks second in the conference in Blocked shots per game (3.7).
-The Zips perimeter defense is third in conference play (30.1), while ranking third in three-point percentage (32.6)
- Jordyn Dawson has been named this year's MAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, while also garnering a first team All-MAC selection and All-MAC Defensive Team. She leads the team averaging 22.4 points and 9.4 rebounds and leads the team with 76 steals.
- In conference play, Dawson is averaging a double-double with 24.2 points per game, and 10.3 rebounds, while gathering 61 steals and nine blocks. She has scored in double-figures in 20 straight games, 19 being 20+ points.
- Dawson is the only player in the MAC to rank top-5 in league stats in points, rebs, assists, and steals.
-Dawson is the only player in the MAC to record a triple-double against a Division I team
- Jordyn Dawson is rated 7^th in the nation in points per game (22.4), 8th in steals per game (3.05), and 20^th in defensive rebounds per game (7.4), and 46th in rebounds per game (9.4)
- Dawson ranks 30^th in double-doubles (12) and ranks second in league stats.
- Reagan Bass was named All-MAC Honorable Mention and selected to the All-MAC Freshman Team.
- In conference play, freshman Reagan Bass is second on the team in points per game (12.6) Bass has scored in double-figures in 16 of the last 21 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 40-21 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 13-5 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 30-16 mark, including a 9-3 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 21 contests this year. She is joined by Reagan Bass (18) 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 46.4 percent of its point in the paint this season, averaging 30 percent points in the paint per game.
- Akron finished the regular season 8-4 at home and is averaging 73.4 points when playing at the JAR.
- The Zips are shooting 43.1 percent (650-1507) from the field and 162-497 percent (32.6) from beyond the arc. Akron has been outrebounded by its opponents, 963-940 for a -0.9 margin. Akron has 387 turnovers averaging (14.9) turnovers per game) and has 185 steals (7.1 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.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN
The Falcons, stand 15-14 overall and 10-10 in conference play under the direction of 7th-year head coach Robyn Fralick after falling to Buffalo, 81-62 on Saturday. Senior Kadie Hempfling had 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Falcons while sophomore Nyla Hampton scored 12 points and tied for game honors with four steals. A trio of Falcons earned All-Conference honors, Kadie Hempfling was named to the All-MAC third team while Nyla Hampton and Amy Velasco earned MAC All-Defensive and All-MAC Freshman team honors.

BG has a trio of players averaging in double-figure scoring with Hemplfling leading the way with 11.6 points per game. Elissa Brett is averaging 10.7 points per game, while Amy Velasco rounds out the double-figure average with 10.5 points per game.

Bowling Green is averaging 72.9 points per game on 44.9 percent shooting (768-1711) from the floor and 228-605 shooting (37.7 percent) from long range.

Defensively, the Falcons have held their opponents to 68.7 points per game on 43.3 percent shooting from the floor and 31.1 percent from beyond the arc. Bowling Green has 446 turnovers (15.4 turnovers per game) while collecting 266 steals (9.2 steals per game). On the glass, the Falcons have been out-rebounded their opponents, 1024-1011 for a -0.4 margin.

UP NEXT
The Akron-Bowling Green winner will advance to Friday's (March 11) MAC Tournament semifinal round, and will face either second-seeded Buffalo or seventh-seeded Western Michigan. That semifinal-round contest is scheduled to start at approximately 12:30 p.m. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.