Akron Opens League Play Hosting Ohio

Wednesday, January 4

Akron, Ohio

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

January 03 | Women's Basketball

Akron (9-2, 0-0 MAC) vs. Ohio (2-9, 0-0 MAC)
Wednesday, Jan. 4
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 7 p.m.

Series History: Ohio leads 47-22
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team commences Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 4 as the Zips welcome Ohio to James A. Rhodes Arena. The 7 p.m. tilt with the Bobcats will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps on the call as well as WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Ohio: Bob Boldon (Walsh, 1997), Overall Record: 279-197 (16th Season), Record at Ohio: 181-109 (10th Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall Record: 64-58 (Fifth Season), Record at Akron: 64-58 (Fifth Season)

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio opens Mid-American Conference play versus Akron on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 2-9 on the campaign following a 81-59 setback at Columbia on Dec. 28.

The Bobcats are led by sophomore G Yaya Felder, who averages team-high marks in scoring (18.9), steals (2.2) and assists (2.1). Redshirt senior G Caitlyn Kroll adds 9.9 points and a team-best 5.3 rebounds per contest. As a unit, Ohio is recording 63.7 points, 29.0 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.1 blocks per game.

As a team, the Bobcats are ranked 23rd in the NCAA in three point attempts (25.9) per game. Individually, Felder is rated 30th in the NCAA in scoring (18.9).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ohio are meeting for the 70th time in program history. The Bobcats lead the series, 47-22, after the two team split the season series a year ago. Ohio bettered the Zips, 69-66, on Feb. 21, 2022 at James A. Rhodes Arena, before Akron dealt the Bobcats a 88-77 setback on Feb. 26, 2022 in Athens, Ohio.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 26, 2022 - ATHENS, OHIO)
Akron had four players score in double figures as the Zips registered an 88-77 victory over the Bobcats on Feb. 26, 2022 at the Convocation Center.

It was a career-scoring day for a duo of Akron players as Lonasia Brewer recorded a career-best 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while Alanna Carter scored a career-best 11 points and brought down six boards. Senior Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was a threat beyond the arc knocking down four three-pointers, and ending the game with 18 points and six rebounds.

Jordyn Dawson scored a team-high 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out six assists, and had three steals.

The Akron offense succeeded largely because the entire lineup dished out dimes all afternoon long, assisting on an impressive 22 of the Zips' 29 field goals. Additionally, a 24-15 score edge from three point range and 22-of-26 shooting at the foul line was central to the win.

Cece Hooks led the Bobcats with 35 points, while Erica Johnson added 19.

AKRON EARNS OVERTIME VICTORY OVER COPPIN STATE
A slow start didn't keep Akron from closing out 2022 in style as the Zips rallied past the visiting Coppin State, 85-76, in overtime in their final non-conference contest of the year on Dec. 29.

Sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) led all scorers with a career-best 30-point and nine-rebound performance, while senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) added a season-high 21 points. Senior G Dominique Camp (Dayton, Ohio) and redshirt junior G Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) contributed double-figure scoring efforts with 15 and 12 points, respectively, in the win. Additionally, Camp added seven assists and three steals to help spark the Zips on both ends of the court.

Akron finished the affair shooting 40.3 percent from the field, while Coppin State connected on 43.5 percent of it attempts. The Zips won the battle of the boards outrebounding the Eagles, 43-41.

Consecutive put-back baskets by Bass in the final three minutes of overtime were the tipping point for Akron, building a one-point lead to five, 78-73, with 1:44 remaining in the extra period. Two technical fouls on Coppin State with 38.6 seconds remaining allowed the Zips to close out the game at the foul line.

It was a hard-fought triumph for the Zips in a game that saw 18 ties and 16 lead changes. The contest was also Akron's first overtime win of the campaign.

The Zips weathered early hot shooting by the visiting Eagles, who entered shooting just 34 percent from the field this season. After falling behind by nine early in the second quarter, Akron tied the game at 34 midway through the period and rode a scoring burst by Neitzel (11 points in the quarter) and Ferrell (nine) to maintain a 45-42 halftime edge.

A 9-2 run to close the quarter gave the Zips momentum heading into the second half. Pinpoint passing fueled the surge and Akron assisted on 14 of its 17 made baskets in the opening half. That trend continued throughout the game, with 21 assists on 29 made field goals for the Zips.

Combined with a 21-6 scoring edge at the foul line and 19 forced turnovers by its defense, that proved to be enough to propel Akron to the win.

Jewel Watkins led Coppin State with 20 points and Hope Evans chipped in with 19 points in the loss.

BASS NAMED MAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Reagan Bass was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday.

Bass turned in a career game for the Zips scoring a career-high 30 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead her squad to a 85-76 victory over Coppin State on Dec. 29. She finished the contest connecting on nearly 53 percent from the field (10-19), while registering a game-high nine rebounds and two blocks, to go along with a pair of assists and steals.

Bass converted a pair of free throws with under a minute to play in regulation to send the game into overtime, including one with six seconds left on the clock. Her next-to-last free throw in regulation represented her 500th career point at Akron.

On the season, Bass averages a team-best 17.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is off to the second-best start in program history at 9-2 on the campaign entering the Zips' league opener versus Ohio on Wednesday, Jan. 4. Akron's best open to a campaign came during the 2014-15 season with a 10-1 mark.
• The Zips also posted 9-2 records to kick off a season during the 2018-19 and 1995-96 campaigns.
• Akron owns a 2-2 record against Ohio at James A. Rhodes Arena with head coach Melissa Jackson on the Zips' sideline, while going 3-5 overall versus the Bobcats.
• The Zips are 16-19 all-time in 35 home games against Ohio.
• Under Jackson, Akron averages 69.6 points in eight contests against Ohio, while allowing the Bobcats to register 77.1 points per tilt.
• With its win over Coppin State, the Zips matched the 2018-19 Akron squad for the most non-conference victories (9) under fifth-year head coach Melissa Jackson.
• Reagan Bass is tied for the league lead with a pair of 30-point games this season.
• Dominique Camp's seven steals against Northern Kentucky (Nov. 28) is a single-game MAC leading mark this season, while the 12 made field goals from Reagan Bass against Point Park (Dec. 2) in a league-best mark.
• Rachel Martindale has recorded 119 career three pointers. She enters action against Ohio three triples shy of surpassing former teammate Haliegh Reinoehl (121 | 2017-20) for ninth on the all-time career list at Akron. All but 15 of her 134 career field goals have come from beyond the arc.
• Rachel Martindale is 11th in program history with 362 career three-point attempts. She is 22 attempts shy of Abby Hoy (383 | 1995-00) for 10th place.
• Rachel Martindale's .329 shooting percentage (119-362) from beyond the arc is the ninth-best mark in program history.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Ohio having amassed 508 career points.
• Akron is ranked 17th in the NCAA in assists per game (18.3), 23rd in defensive rebounds (30.0), 27th in blocks per outing (4.9), 33rd in assist/turnover ratio (1.20), 37th in winning percentage (.818) and 42nd in field goal percentage defense (.360). Individually, Dominique Camp ranks fifth in steals per game (3.55) and 19th in steals (39), while Reagan Bass is 41st in blocks per contest (1.73) and 49th in scoring (17.9).
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass tallying 10 or more points in nine contests this year. She was joined by Layne Ferrell (7), Molly Neitzel (6), Dominique Camp (6), Rachel Martindale (2), freshman F Aila Miller (Berlin, Ohio) (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 51-23 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 6-1 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 nine of its 11 games this season, and 62 of its last 74 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 75, 75, 61, 37, 37 and 30 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 13.7 points and 6.3 rebounds. Ferrell is the Zips' active leader in three-point shooting connecting on 36.5 percent of her attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 11 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 (Robert Morris), .420 (Youngstown State), .403 (Coppin State), 30 percent: .388 (Northern Kentucky), .386 (Bethune-Cookman), .382 (Stetson), .365 (Cleveland State), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 11 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: .386 (Dayton), .379 (Oakland), .357 (Notre Dame College), .354 (Stetson), .329 (Bethune-Cookman) .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 nine games this season averaging 34.7 points per contest for 382 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 123-77 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 6-1 in the JAR, averaging 76.9 points per tilt and connecting on more than 45 percent (.451) of their attempts from the field, while recording 40.0 rebounds, 18.9 assists, 9.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass, Layne Ferrell and Molly Neitzel are enjoying playing on their home court this season averaging double-figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena owning a 18.9, 11.6 and 10.7 points per game, respectively.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Oxford, Ohio for a 1 p.m. tilt versus Miami on Saturday, Jan. 7.