Akron Set to Battle Bellarmine in Non-Conference Showdown

Thursday, December 21

Akron, Ohio

4:00 PM

University of Akron

Bellarmine

Akron Set to Battle Bellarmine in Non-Conference Showdown

December 20 | Women's Basketball

Akron (3-5) vs. Bellarmine (4-6)
Thursday, Dec. 21
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 4 p.m.

Series History: First Meeting
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team welcomes Bellarmine to James A. Rhodes Arena for a non-conference clash on Thursday (Dec. 21). The 4 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps on the call as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan.

HEAD COACHES
Bellarmine: Chancellor Dugan (Eastern Kentucky, 1982), Overall Record: 485-434 (33rd Season), Record at Bellarmine: 165-154 (12th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 3-5 (First Season), Record at Akron: 3-5 (First Season)

SCOUTING BELLARMINE
Bellarmine enters its showdown versus Akron on Thursday (Dec. 21) at 4-6 on the campaign following an 59-49 setback versus Detroit on Monday (Dec. 18).

The Knights are led by redshirt junior Hayley Harrison, who is averaging a team-best 12.8 points per game. Sophomore Paetynn Gray is pulling down a team-high 6.6 rebounds per contest. As a team, Bellarmine is recording 64.5 points, 36.5 rebounds, 14.4 assists, 8.6 steals and 2.5 blocks per tilt.

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

BASS NEARING 1,000 POINTS AND 500 REBOUNDS
Akron women's basketball junior F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) enters action versus Bellarmine having amassed 994 career points, to go along with 481 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 34 of Akron's last 38 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 12 times over the same span.

When she reaches the 1,000-point plateau, Bass will become the 21st Zip to reach the milestone and first since Jordyn Dawson during the 2021-22 campaign.

ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Akron leads D1 in overtime games having played in three this season.
• Reagan Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring a league-best 21.1 points to go along with a conference-high 11.9 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (8.13), minutes played (37.8) and offensive rebounding (3.75), while rating third in field goal percentage (.467).
• The Zips posted 10 career-high marks at Cleveland State.
• In her first career start, Liisa Taponen recorded a career-high mark for scoring at Cleveland State (Dec. 10) tallying eight points, while freshman Leila Jones (Westerville, Ohio) added career-best marks in points (3) and rebounds (5).
• Teniesha Clarke and Zakia Rasheed each posted career-high totals of 12 and 11 points, respectively, at Youngstown State (Dec. 6).
• The Zips have recorded 43 career-high marks this season in point, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes played.
• Reagan Bass is the lone player in NCAA Division I women's basketball to average 21.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game this season as she comes into action against Bellarmine recording 21.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per outing. Her five doubles-doubles rank 20th nationally.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (87-OAK), field goals made (29-OAK | PITT), triples (7-PITT), offensive rebounds (19-RMU), defensive rebounds (34-OAK), rebounds (49-OAK | RMU), assists (18-OAK | PITT), steals (10-TSU) and blocks (5-RMU | CSU).
• Reagan Bass is rated fourth in the NCAA in minutes played (37.8), fifth in rebounding (11.9), eighth in defensive rebounding (8.1), 16th in points per game (21.1), 19th in free throws made (54), 20th in double-doubles (5), 24th in free throw attempts (66) and 30th in offensive rebounding (3.8).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (7), Morgan Haney (4), Alexus Mobley (3), Lanae Riley (3), Zakia Rasheed (2), Teniesha Clarke (1) and Kaia Woods (1)..
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and Tahmala Thorpe have appeared in 64, 56, 51 and 34 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's eight games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .460 (Pittsburgh), .460 (Wichita State), .439 (Southern Miss), .408 (Oakland), 30 percent: .381 (Robert Morris), .368 (Youngstown State), .339 (Cleveland State), .320 (Tennessee State), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' eight games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .500 (Pittsburgh), 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .468 (Oakland), .410 (Cleveland State), 30 percent: .393 (Tennessee State), .364 (Wichita State), .356 (Youngstown State), .318 (Robert Morris), 20 percent: NA.

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron have once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 31.3 points per game for 250 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 129-81 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 1-1 in the JAR, averaging 71.0 points per tilt and connecting on more than 37 percent (.372) of their attempts from the field, while recording 43.0 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 7.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass and Morgan Haney are averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 33.0 and 13.5 points per game.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Buffalo, N.Y., to square off against Canisius on Dec. 30 at 1 p.m.