Akron Opens Daytona Beach Classic Battling Wichita State

Akron (1-2) vs. Wichita State (2-2)
Friday, Nov. 24
Ocean Center
Daytona Beach, Fla. • 11:00 a.m.

Series History: Wichita State leads 2-0
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team will travel to Daytona Beach, Fla., to participate in the two-game Daytona Beach Classic beginning on Friday (Nov. 24) versus Wichita State. The 11 a.m. tilt will be broadcast on FloSports as well as on 1350 AM with Bill Morgan.

HEAD COACHES
Wichita State: Terry Nooner (Kansas, 2000), Overall Record: 2-2 (First Season), Record at WSU: 2-2 (First Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 1-2 (First Season), Record at Akron: 1-2 (First Season)

SCOUTING WICHITA STATE
Wichita State enters its showdown versus Akron on Friday (Nov. 24) at 2-2 on the campaign following a 92-86 victory over Omaha on Monday (Nov. 20).

A quartet of Shockers are recording double-digit performances on the campaign as redshirt senior Tre'Zure Jobe, sophomore Daniela Abies, senior DJ McCarty and freshman Salese Blow are averaging 15.0, 12.0, 12.0 and 11.3 points per contest. Abies is pulling down a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game. As a unit, Wichita State is registering 71.8 points, 35.3 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 8.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per tilt.

As a team, Wichita State ranks 31st in the NCAA in three point defense (.217).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Wichita State are meeting for the third time in program history, with the Shockers owning a 2-0 series edge following a 67-61 victory past Akron on March 18, 2010 as part of the Women's Basketball Invitational.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MARCH 18, 2010 – WICHITA, KAN.)
The fifth-seeded University of Akron women's basketball team was defeated by fourth-seeded Wichita State, 67-61, on March 18, 2010 in the opening round of the Women's Basketball Invitational at Charles Koch Arena.

Jolene Tamboue recorded a double-double to pace the Zips with a 16-point and 12-rebound performance. The Shockers (18-14), who trailed by 11 points at halftime, opened the second period with a 22-6 run and held on late to eliminate Akron from postseason play.

Kara Murphy joined Tamboue in double figures with 14 points, while Jessica Diamond led four WSU players in double figures with 14 points.

BASS NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Akron's junior F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) was recognized by the Mid-American Conference for the second consecutive week as its Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Bass turned in a strong outing in the Zips' 63-58 overtime victory at Robert Morris on Nov. 15 registering a 22-point and career-high 19 rebound performance, while adding two blocks and a pair of assists. She posted 10 points and 10 rebounds in the second half and overtime to fuel Akron's victory. She scored nine of the Zips' final 15 points in regulation, including a pair of free throws with 20 second left in regulation to tie the game at 55. The outing marked her second double-double of the season.

She is averaging a team-high 20.3 and 14.3 rebounds per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and at a .818 clip from the free throw line.

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 Wichita State having amassed 886 career points, to go along with 429 career rebounds.
• Reagan Bass is rated second in the NCAA in rebounding (14.3), fourth in defensive rebounding (9.7), 15th in minutes played (37.57), 21st in offensive rebounding (4.7), 22nd in double-doubles (2), 35th in rebounds (43) and 38th in points per game (20.3).
• Sophomore Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) and freshman Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario) recorded career-high marks for scoring at Robert Morris (Nov. 15) tallying six and four points, respectively.
• Lanae Riley, Alexus Mobley, Zakia Rasheed and senior Tahmala Thorpe (Mississauga, Ontario) each posted a career-high mark for scoring against Southern Miss registering 13, 10, 8 and 8 points, respectively.
• The Zips posted 15 individual career-high marks at both Southern Miss (Nov. 11) and Robert Morris (Nov. 15).
• Four different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (2) Morgan Haney (2) and Alexus Mobley (2). They are joined by Lanae Riley (1).
• The 19-rebound effort from Reagan Bass against Robert Morris (Nov. 15) represented not only a career-high mark, but also the highest single-game effort for a Zip since Susan Dobson pulled down 19 rebounds versus Malone on Dec. 3, 1984.
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and Tahmala Thorpe have appeared in 59, 56, 46 and 32 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.0 points and 7.3 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's three games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .439 (Southern Miss), .408 (Oakland), 30 percent: .381 (Robert Morris), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' three games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .468 (Oakland), 30 percent: .318 (Robert Morris), 20 percent: NA.

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron have once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 38.7 points per game for 116 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).

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 battles Pittsburgh in the finale of the Daytona Beach Classic on Saturday (Nov. 25) at 1:15 p.m.

Akron Opens Daytona Beach Classic Battling Wichita State

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Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Teniesha Clarke

Morgan Haney

Alexus Mobley

Zakia Rasheed

Lanae Riley

Alexis Stewart

Liisa Taponen

Tahmala Thorpe

The University of Akron Athletics