Akron Faces Road Test at Canisius

Akron (4-5) at Canisius (7-3)
Saturday, Dec. 30
Koessler Athletic Center
Buffalo, N.Y. • 1 p.m.

Series History: Akron Leads 5-2
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 is set to close out the month traveling to Buffalo, N.Y., to battle Canisius on Saturday (Dec. 30). The 1 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Jim Clark.

HEAD COACHES
Canisius: Sahar Nusseibeh (American, 2009), Overall Record: 22-49 (Third Season), Record at Canisius: 22-49 (Third Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 4-5 (First Season), Record at Akron: 4-5 (First Season)

SCOUTING CANISIUS
Canisius enters its showdown versus Akron on Saturday (Dec. 30) at 7-3 on the campaign following an 65-59 victory at Youngstown State on Thursday (Dec. 21).

The Golden Griffins are led by sophomore Sisi Eleko, who is averaging a team-best 16.3 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. As a team, Canisius is recording 64.9 points, 35.4 rebounds, 13.9 assists, 6.3 steals and 2.7 blocks per tilt.

As a team, the Golden Griffins are rated 17th in the NCAA in three point percentage (.381) and 22nd in triples per game (9.0). Individually, Eleko is ranked fifth in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (8.0), seventh in rebounding (11.4), 10th in double-doubles (7) and 28th in rebounds (114).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Canisius are meeting for the eighth in program history with the Zips owning a 5-2 series lead. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 62-53 triumph past the Golden Griffins on Dec. 16, 2018 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (DEC. 16, 2018 – AKRON, OHIO)
Akron shook off a sluggish start and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 62-53 non-conference win over Canisius at James A. Rhodes Arena on Dec. 16, 2018.

Megan Sefcik led all scorers with 24 points, along with four rebounds and three assists, while Caitlin Vari tallied a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Shayna Harmon added 12 points to give Akron three players in double figures.

The Akron defense forced 15 turnovers and the offense cashed in 11 points off turnovers. Akron while usually potent from around the perimeter made just five triples in the contest but countered with 28 points in the paint.

The Zips used a 12-2 run late in the fourth quarter to take charge which including a dominating performance on the glass all game long, holding a 40-25 rebounding edge.

BASS JOINS 1,000-POINT CLUB
Akron women's basketball junior F Reagan Bass became the 21st Zip to reach the 1,000-point plateau with a 22-point effort versus Bellarmine (Dec. 21). She enters action at Canisius having amassed 491 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 35 of Akron's last 39 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 13 times over the same span.

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.
• The Zips posted season-high totals for points (88), field goals made (29), three pointers made (14) and offensive rebounds (19) against Bellarmine (Dec. 21).
• A game after netting a then career-high 14 points at Cleveland State (Dec. 10), Kaia Woods tallied a career-best 15 points versus Bellarmine (Dec. 21).
• Reagan Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring a league-best 21.2 points to go along with a conference-high 11.7 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (7.78), minutes played (37.1) and offensive rebounding (3.89), while rating third in field goal percentage (.492) and free throw percentage (.819) and fifth in blocked shots (0.89).
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Canisius having amassed 1,016 career points, to go along with 491 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 35 of Akron's last 39 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 13 times over the same span.
• Reagan Bass became the 21st Zip to reach the 1,000-point milestone and first since Jordyn Dawson during the 2021-22 campaign with a 22-point performance versus Bellarmine (Dec. 21).
• The Zips posted six career-high marks versus Bellarmine.
• Reagan Bass has honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Women's Basketball Player of the Week four times this season.
• 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 Canisius recording 21.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per outing. Her six doubles-doubles rank 18th nationally.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (88-BELL), field goals made (29-OAK | PITT | BELL), triples (14-BELL), offensive rebounds (19-RMU | BELL), defensive rebounds (34-OAK), rebounds (49-OAK | RMU), assists (18-OAK | PITT), steals (10-TSU) and blocks (5-RMU | CSU).
• Reagan Bass is rated fifth in the NCAA in rebounding (11.7), sixth in minutes played (37.05), ninth in defensive rebounding (7.8), 14th in points per game (21.2), 18th in double-doubles (6), 21st in free throws made (59), 23rd in offensive rebounding (3.9) and in free throw attempts (72) and 50th in total rebounds (105).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (8), Morgan Haney (5), Alexus Mobley (3), Lanae Riley (3), Zakia Rasheed (2) and Kaia Woods (2) and Teniesha Clarke (1).
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and Tahmala Thorpe have appeared in 65, 57, 52 and 35 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's nine games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .460 (Pittsburgh), .460 (Wichita State), .453 (Bellarmine), .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' nine games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .500 (Pittsburgh), 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .468 (Oakland), .424 (Bellarmine), .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 30.7 points per game for 276 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 130-81 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 2-1 in the JAR, averaging 76.7 points per tilt and connecting on 40 percent (.400) of their attempts from the field, while recording 43.3 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 6.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass and Morgan Haney are averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 29.3 and 14.0 points per game.

UP NEXT
Akron opens Mid-American Conference play traveling to Ohio for a 7 p.m. tilt on Jan. 3.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Teniesha Clarke

Morgan Haney

Alexus Mobley

Zakia Rasheed

Lanae Riley

Alexis Stewart

Tahmala Thorpe

Kaia Woods

The University of Akron Athletics