Akron Visits Toledo in Key MAC Showdown

Saturday, January 21

Toledo, Ohio

2:00 PM

University of Akron

Toledo

January 20 | Women's Basketball

Akron (13-3, 4-1 MAC) at Toledo (12-4, 3-2 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 21
Savage Arena
Toledo, Ohio • 2 p.m.

Series History: Toledo leads 48-14
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team travels to Toledo, Ohio for a showdown with Toledo on Saturday, Jan. 21. The 2 p.m. tilt with the Rockets will be broadcast on ESPN3 as well as 99.7 Canton's New Country with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Toledo: Tricia Cullop (Purdue, 1993), Overall Record: 431-272 (23rd Season), Record at Toledo: 308-162 (15th Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall Record: 68-59 (Fifth Season), Record at Akron: 68-59 (Fifth Season)

SCOUTING TOLEDO
Toledo enters play versus Akron on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 12-4 on the campaign, including a 3-2 record in the Mid-American Conference, following an 88-76 setback at Bowling Green on Jan. 18.

The Rockets are led by senior G Quinesha Lockett, who is averaging 17.6 points per game, with junior F Sammi Mikonowicz pulling down a team-best 7.4 rebounds per contest. As a unit, Toledo is recording 72.7 points, 36.4 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 6.3 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.

As a team, the Rockets are ranked eighth in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.785), 22nd in free throws made per contest (15.56), 30th in assist/turnover ratio (1.16) and 44th in field goal percentage (.448). Individually, Wiard is rated 12th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (2.62) and 48th in assists per game (4.8).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Toledo are meeting for the 63rd time in program history. The Rockets lead the series, 48-14, after Toledo swept the season series a year ago. The Rockets bested the Zips, 64-58, on Jan. 1, 2022 at Savage Arena, before Toledo dealt Akron a 73-70 setback on Feb. 5, 2022 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 5, 2022 - AKRON, OHIO)
Akron dropped a tough 73-70 decision to Toledo on Feb. 5, 2022 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

The game came down to the final buzzer as a three pointer from the left wing by Jordyn Dawson caromed off the front of the rim as time ran out.

Dawson delivered a heroic effort on the afternoon, scoring a game-high 26 points and adding nine rebounds, five assists and two steals. She received plenty of support from sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio), who notched 11 points and two steals.

Toledo sealed the win with a pair of free throws by Sophia Wiard with seven seconds remaining, leading to Dawson's attempt at the buzzer.

ZIPS STORM BACK TO NET 80-65 TRIUMPH OVER CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Akron overcame a 13-point first quarter deficit and closed the contest with a fury, racing past Central Michigan, 80-65, for a comeback Mid-American Conference win on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

An early deficit was erased behind a dominant effort by senior G Dominique Camp (Dayton, Ohio), who led the Zips with a game-high 24 points. Reagan Bass also reached double figures with 15 points and five rebounds, while the interior play of senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio), who recorded her first double double of the campaign with a 12-point, 11-rebound and three-block performance, was key in the Zips' comeback.

The third quarter was decisive, with Akron outscoring the visitors 27-12 in the frame and building its lead to as many as 14 at the end of the period. Unable to sustain their offensive success, the Chippewas never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
For the game, Akron limited Central Michigan to 37.3-percent shooting and forced 13 turnovers, leading to a 20-13 advantage in points off turnovers. The foul line was another area where the Zips dominated, outscoring the Chippewas 27-8 from the charity stripe.

Bridget Utberg topped the Chippewas with 16 points, while Rochelle Norris added 14 points and 13 rebounds to go along with 14 points from Sydney Harris.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is off to the second-best start in program history at 13-3 on the campaign entering the Zips' league showdown versus Toledo on Saturday, Jan. 21. Akron's best overall open to a campaign came during the 2014-15 season with a 14-2 mark.
• For the third time in program history the Zips have matched their best start to league play at 4-1. Akron has equaled the efforts of the 2014-15 and 1998-99 squads.
• Akron is seeking its first road victory over Toledo since an epic 102-101 decision during the 2014-15 campaign.
• Akron head coach Melissa Jackson owns a 68-59 overall record in her fifth season on the Zips' bench. She has reached that victory total faster than any coach in program history, while sitting 12 wins shy of surpassing John Street (1982-89) for the second-highest win total by a head coach at Akron.
• Molly Neitzel posted her first career double double with a 12-point and 11-rebound performance against Central Michigan on Jan. 18.
• Reagan Bass led Akron in assists in a game for the first time in her Zips' career in an 80-65 triumph past Central Michigan on Jan. 18.
• Akron has overcome double-digit deficits to record a victory in five games this season, including Eastern Michigan (-18 | W, 60-43 | Jan. 11), Youngstown State (-17 | W, 61-44 | Nov. 18), Central Michigan (-13 | W, 80-65 | Jan. 18), Miami (-11 | W, 77-66 | Jan. 7) and Stetson (-10 | W, 58-50 | Dec. 18).
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Toledo having amassed 590 career points, to go along with 276 career rebounds.
• Layne Ferrell and Rachel Martindale are both nearing the 500-point career point plateau as the duo enters play against the Rockets have recorded 485 and 459 points, respectively.
• Dominique Camp is approaching 200 career assists as she has registered 195 assists in her career.
• Akron is ranked sixth in the NCAA in free throws made per contest (16.40), ninth in blocks per game (5.5), 16th in free throw percentage (.782), 22nd in defensive rebounds (29.9), 30th in free throw attempts per tilt (21.81), 33rd in field goal percentage defense (36.1), 35th in winning percentage (.812), 39th in assists per outing (16.4) and 41st in three point percentage defense (.275). Individually, Dominique Camp ranks sixth in steals per game (3.38) and 15th in steals (54), while Reagan Bass is 16th in free throws made (91), 17th in free throw attempts (117) and 43rd in blocks per tilt (1.69), Layne Ferrell is 34th in free throw percentage (.887) and Molly Neitzel is 43rd in blocks per tilt (1.69).
• Rachel Martindale has recorded 127 career three pointers. She enters action against Toledo seventh on the all-time career list at Akron. She is 12 triples shy of Leigh Burdette (139 | 19889-93) for sixth place. All but 16 of her 143 career field goals have come from beyond the arc.
• Rachel Martindale is eighth in program history with 396 career three-point attempts. She is one attempt shy of surpassing Jessie Crooks (396 | 2003-07) for sixth place.
• Rachel Martindale's .321 shooting percentage (127-396) from beyond the arc is the 11th-best mark in program history.
• The Zips are averaging 66.0 points per game in six road/neutral contests this season with Akron shooting 40 percent (.403) from the field, including a .258 mark from beyond the arc. The quartet of Reagan Bass, Dominique Camp, Layne Ferrell and Molly Neitzel are averaging 17.3, 13.2, 11.7 and 11.0 points per tilt.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass tallying 10 or more points in 14 contests this year. She was joined by Dominique Camp (11), Layne Ferrell (11), Molly Neitzel (9), Rachel Martindale (3), freshman F Aila Miller (Berlin, Ohio) (1), junior G Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) (1), Faith Stinson (1) and freshman F Annie Watson (Akron, Ohio) (1).
• The 2022-23 season marks the 49th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Akron owns a 54-24 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 9-2 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 31-19 mark, including an 2-1 ledger this season.
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 11 of its 16 games this season, and 64 of its last 79 contests overall. A year ago, the Zips hit on a season-high 13 triples in a 76-35 win over Slippery Rock on Nov. 9, 2021.
• Rachel Martindale, Molly Neitzel, Layne Ferrell, Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart and Zakia Rasheed have appeared in 80, 80, 66, 42, 42 and 31 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 14.0 points and 6.6 rebounds. Ferrell is the Zips' active leader in three-point shooting connecting on 34.5 percent of her attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 16 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .528 (Dayton), .526 (Point Park), .509 (Oakland), 40 percent: .445 (Notre Dame College), .442 (Miami-1), .442 (Robert Morris), .436 (Central Michigan-1), .420 (Youngstown State), .407 (Bowling Green), .407 (Ohio), .403 (Coppin State), 30 percent: .388 (Northern Kentucky), .386 (Bethune-Cookman), .382 (Stetson), .365 (Cleveland State), .315 (Eastern Michigan-1), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 16 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .435 (Coppin State), .431 (Northern Kentucky), .400 (Cleveland State), 30 percent: .391 (Miami-1), .388 (Ohio), .386 (Dayton), .379 (Oakland), .373 (Central Michigan-1), .364 (Bowling Green), .357 (Notre Dame College), .354 (Stetson), .329 (Bethune-Cookman) .313 (Robert Morris), .311 (Youngstown State), 20 percent: .293 (Eastern Michigan-1), .250 (Point Park).

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron was once proved to be strong in the paint through 16 games this season averaging 32.1 points per contest for 514 total points. The Zips posted a season-best 66 points in the paint in a 101-46 victory over Point Park on Dec. 2.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Muncie, Ind., to square off with Ball State in a 6:30 p.m. tilt on Wednesday, Jan. 25.