Akron Travels to Southern Miss as Part of MAC-SBC Challenge

Akron (0-1) at Southern Miss (1-0)
Saturday, Nov. 11
Reed Green Coliseum
Hattiesburg, Miss. • 3:00 p.m. ET

Series History: First Meeting
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team will travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., for the opening leg of the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge on Saturday (Nov. 11). The 3 p.m. ET tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan.

HEAD COACHES
Southern Miss: Joye Lee-McNelis (Southern Miss, 1984), Overall Record: 539-429 (33rd Season), Record at Southern Miss: 310-273 (20th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 0-1 (First Season), Record at Akron: 0-1 (First Season)

SCOUTING SOUTHERN MISS
Southern Miss enters its showdown versus Akron on Saturday (Nov. 11) at 1-0 on the campaign following an 88-46 triumph past William Carey on Monday (Nov. 6).

A trio of Lady Eagles registered double-digit performances in their season opener as senior Domonique Davis, redshirt junior Melyia Grayson and junior Noelani Cornfield tallied 23, 12 and 10 points, respectively. Freshman Morgan Sieper and junior Asjha Leake each corraled six rebounds against William Carey. As a unit, Southern Miss is registering 88.0 points, 45.0 rebounds, 20.0 assists, 12.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game.

As a team, Southern Miss ranks first in the NCAA in winning percentage (1.000), ninth in free throw percentage (.929), 36th in field goal percentage (.516), 38th in scoring margin (42.0), 43rd in assists per contest (20.0), 45th in rebounding margin (20.0), 48th in scoring offense (88.0) and triples per game (9.0).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Southern Miss are meeting for the first time in program history.

BASS GARNERS PRESEASON ALL-MAC ACCOLADES
Akron's Reagan Bass was among those honored when the Mid-American Conference unveiled its preseason women's basketball teams and coaches poll on Nov. 2.

Bass was tabbed a First-Team All-MAC preseason selection, while as a unit, the Zips were picked to place sixth the preseason coaches poll.

Bass, a 2022-23 MAC First-Team honoree, averaged 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest a year ago, both team-high marks.

ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Southern Miss having amassed 858 career points, to go along with 402 career rebounds.
• Akron is ranked sixth in the NCAA in free throws made per game (25.00), 14th in free throws attempted (32.00), 35th in defensive rebounding (34.0), 45th in rebounds per tilt (49.00) and 47th in scoring offense (87.0).
• Reagan Bass is rated first in the NCAA minutes played (49.48), fourth in scoring (33.0), seventh in rebounding (16.0), eighth in double-doubles (1) and 18th in defensive rebounding (10.0) and offensive rebounding (6.0).
• Three different Akron players scored in double figures against Oakland led by Reagan Bass tallying a career-high 33 points. She was joined by Morgan Haney (21) and Alexus Mobley (10).
• Akron overcame double-digit deficits to record a victory in six games last 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), Central Michigan (-10 | W, 61-54) and Stetson (-10 | W, 58-50 | Dec. 18).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 22 of its 30 games last season, and 75 of its last 94 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 14 triples in an 80-76 setback versus Toledo on Feb. 22, 2023.
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and senior Tahmala Thorpe (Mississauga, Ontario) have appeared in 57, 56, 44 and 30 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.1 points and 7.1 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's one game this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .408 (Oakland), 30 percent: NA, 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' one game this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .468 (Oakland), 30 percent: NA, 20 percent: NA.

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron have once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 44.0 points per game for 44 total points. A year ago, in 30 games the Zips averaged 29.2 points per contest for 876 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 44 points in the paint in a 91-87 setback to Oakland (Nov. 6).

BASS EARNS ALL-MAC HONORS
Led by Reagan Bass, who garnered First-Team All-Mid-American Conference women's basketball accolades, a pair of University of Akron players earned All-MAC honors when the league unveiled its 2022-23 award winners on March 7, 2023.

Dominique Camp rounded out the Zips' recipients pulling in All-Defensive team laurels.

Bass started all 30 of the Zips' games last season en route to earning First-Team All-MAC accolades for the initial time on the strength of posting team-high marks in scoring (17.1), rebounding (7.7), field goal percentage (.515), free throws made (153) and free throws attempted (196), while ranking second in blocks (33), fourth in steals (25) and fifth in assists (44). She scored in double figures in 27 of 30 contests this season, including tallying 15 or more points in 21 games, and led the Zips in scoring and rebounding 17 times apiece. In league-only affairs, she averaged 16.3 points and 8.1 rebounds, while shooting 49 percent from the field.

Bass was the eighth Zip to earn first-team honors and first sophomore to do so since Rachel Tecca collected first-team laurels during the 2010-11 campaign. She joins Cheryl Bowles (1999-2000), Kara Murphy (2008-09), Tecca (2010-11 | 2012-13), Hanna Luburgh (2013-14), Sina King (2014-15), Anita Brown (2015-16) and Jordyn Dawson (2021-22) among Akron first-team honorees.

ZIPS EARN WBCA ALL-ACADEMIC SPECIAL MENTION ACCOLADES
The 2022-23 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll was announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, and the Akron women's basketball team earned special mention nods for having a 3.503 overall team GPA for the 2022-23 academic year.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2022-23 season was the 28th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

The Zips were just one of five Mid-American Conference teams to earn the recognition.

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Zips under first-year head coach Ryan Gensler, were picked to finish sixth as a team behind preseason league and tournament favorite preseason favorite Toledo (11 first-place votes and 121 points). The Rockets were followed by Ball State (1 first-place votes/110 points), Kent State (102), Bowling Green (77), Northern Illinois (72), Akron (69), Eastern Michigan (66), Buffalo (50), Ohio (40), Western Michigan (38), Central Michigan (24) and Miami (23).

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 128-81 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

Last season, the Zips were 11-5 in the JAR, averaging 73.3 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 45 percent (.447) of their attempts from the field, while recording 39.2 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.1 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass averaged double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena averaging 17.6 points per game.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Moon Township, Pa., for an 11 a.m. tilt at Robert Morris on Wednesday (Nov. 15).

Akron Travels to Southern Miss as Part of MAC-SBC Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Dominique Camp

Morgan Haney

Alexus Mobley

Zakia Rasheed

Alexis Stewart

Tahmala Thorpe

The University of Akron Athletics