Zips Host Ball State in Akron for Nakon Game

Saturday, February 11

Akron, Ohio

2:00 PM

University of Akron

Ball State

February 10 | Women's Basketball

Akron (14-8, 5-6 MAC) vs. Ball State (20-4, 10-1 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 11
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 2:00 p.m.

Series History: Ball State leads 26-19
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team welcomes league-leading Ball State to James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday, Feb. 11 for the fifth annual Akron for Nakon game. The 2 p.m. showdown with the Cardinals will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps on the call as well as WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Ball State: Brady Sallee (Thomas More, 1993), Overall Record: 339-246 (19th Season), Record at Ball State: 203-136 (11th Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall Record: 69-64 (Fifth Season), Record at Akron: 69-64 (Fifth Season)

SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State comes into action against Akron on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 20-4 on the campaign, including a 10-1 record in the Mid-American Conference, following a 68-50 win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 8.

The Cardinals are led by sophomore F Ally Becki, who is averaging team-high marks in rebounding (6.1), assists (6.1) and steals (1.8), while redshirt senior G Anna Clephane leads Ball State in scoring at 14.6 points per contest. As a unit, the Cardinals are recording 78.7 points, 37.1 rebounds, 17.0 assists, 8.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game.

As a team, Ball State is ranked 13th in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.469), 16th in assist/turnover ratio (1.24), 18th in scoring offense (78.7), 19th in triples per game (8.4) and winning percentage (.833), 20th in assists per contest (17.0), 30th in scoring margin (13.5), 44th in three pointers attempted per tilt (24.3) and 48th in turnover margin (3.71).

Individually, Becki is rated 11th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio (2.67), 23rd in assists per game (5.3) and 24th in assists (123), while senior G Thelma Dis Agustsdottir is ranked eighth in three pointers (72), ninth in triples per game (3.00), 17th in three point attempts (180) and 41st in three point percentage (.400)..

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ball State are meeting for the 46th time in program history. The Cardinals lead the series, 26-19, following an 89-66 triumph on Jan. 25 in Muncie, Ind. Akron has won three of the last six overall in the series.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (JAN. 25, 2023 - MUNCIE, IND.)
Akron was unable to overcome a hot start by league-leading Ball State as the Cardinals garnered an 89-66 decision past the Zips on Jan. 25 at Worthen Arena.

Sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) led three Akron players scoring in double figures with a team-high 13 points, while senior G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and freshman F Faith Stinson (Thornville, Ohio) each added 12 points. Madelyn Bischoff directed five Ball State players posting double-digit scoring efforts with a game-high 20 points.

Sparked by a .571 shooting mark over the final period, the Zips finished the contest shooting 37.3 percent from the field, while the Cardinals connected on nearly 52 percent (.517) of their attempts.

Led by 12 points from Stinson and seven from junior G Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario), Akron tallied 32 bench points.

The Zips connected on nine three pointers in the affair, their second-highest total from beyond the arc this season and most in a conference showdown.

AKRON FOR NAKON GAME
For the fifth consecutive season, Akron women's basketball team is partnering with the Nakon Foundation to host the 'Akron for Nakon' game, taking place on Saturday, Feb. 11, as Akron hosts Ball State at 2 p.m. at James A. Rhodes Arena. Doors open at 12:30 p.m.

A silent auction will be held at the game where survivors, and those suffering from breast cancer, are invited as VIPs to the game, which will also include a silent auction that will run through noon on Sunday, Feb. 12. T-shirts will be sold with all the proceeds benefiting the Nakon Foundation. You can also show your support by donating to 'Akron for Nakon.'

SECOND-HALF SURGE PROPELS NORTHERN ILLINOIS OVER THE ZIPS
A dominant second-half performance propelled Northern Illinois past Akron, 88-63, in Mid-American action on Feb. 8.

Rachel Martindale led the Zips in scoring for the second consecutive contest netting a team-high 17 points, including hitting five of her nine shots from beyond the arc. Reagan Bass added a 12-point and team-best five-rebound performance, while redshirt junior G Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) dished out a career- and game-high seven assists.

Akron finished the evening shooting 48.1 percent from the field, while Northern Illinois connected at a 50-percent clip from the floor, including draining 13 three pointers.

The Zips overcame a double-digit deficit in the opening quarter to assume a 21-19 lead after the initial stanza. The two teams battled back-and-forth in the second quarter before entering the intermission tied at 37.

The Huskies shot 58 percent from the field in the second half, while hitting eight triples over the final 20 minutes to secure the victory.

DEFENSE HAS BEEN OUR CALLING CARD
Defense has been the key to Akron's success this season as the Zips have held opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the floor in 13 of 22 contests and 60 points or less in nine games.

Akron leads the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage defense (.378) and defensive rebounding (29.4), while ranking second in three point defense (.297) and blocked shots (4.59), third in rebounding (38.1) and fourth in scoring defense (64.1).

Reagan Bass and senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) are fifth (7.9) and 10th (6.5) in the MAC in overall rebounding, while Bass and Neitzel are ranked fifth (8.6) and ninth (6.9) in conference-only rebounding.

In conference-only games, Akron is rated first in the league in blocked shots (4.27) and defensive rebounding (28.8), while ranking second in field goal percentage defense (.396) and fourth in overall rebounding (37.0) and three point defense (.294).

Akron is ranked 21st in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (29.4) and 31st in blocks per game (4.6).

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is off to the fourth-best start in program history through 22 games at 14-8 on the campaign entering the Zips' league showdown versus Ball State on Saturday, Feb. 11. Akron's best overall open to a campaign through 22 contests came during the 2014-15 and 2013-14 seasons with a 17-5 mark.
• The Zips are 3-3 versus Ball State under fifth-year Akron head coach Melissa Jackson with the Zips averaging 73.5 per contest, while holding the Cardinals to 72.8 tallies per tilt.
• Reagan Bass against Northern Illinois on Feb. 8 joined Jordyn Dawson (2X) as the only Zips players since 2009-10 to earn 10+ Points, 5+ Rebounds, 5+ Assists, and 5+ Steals in a single game. Her five assists and five steals represented career-high marks.
• Akron is receiving votes in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll as six Mid-American Conference teams are ranked or receiving votes. That list includes No. 6 Bowling Green, No. 7 Ball State, No. 8 Toledo, No. 23 Kent State, Northern Illinois (RV) and Akron (RV).
• Akron is one of two teams in the Mid-American Conference to hold a pair of league opponents under 50 points in a game this season. The Zips limited Eastern Michigan to 43 points in a 60-43 triumph on Jan. 11 before holding Buffalo to 47 points in a 69-47 win on Jan. 28.
• Akron head coach Melissa Jackson owns a 69-64 overall record in her fifth season on the Zips' bench. She has reached that victory total faster than any coach in program history, while sitting 11 wins shy of surpassing John Street (1982-89) for the second-highest win total by a head coach at Akron.
• Akron has overcome double-digit deficits to record a victory in five games this 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) and Stetson (-10 | W, 58-50 | Dec. 18).
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Ball State having amassed 697 career points, to go along with 328 career rebounds.
• Layne Ferrell surpassed the 500-point plateau with a five-point effort against Buffalo on Jan. 28 and has amassed 514 career points, while Rachel Martindale reached the 500-point mark versus Western Michigan on Feb. 4 and enters play against Ball State having recorded 529 points.
• Senior G Dominique Camp (Dayton, Ohio) surpassed 200 career assists at Toledo on Jan. 21 after dropping seven dimes and she comes into action against Ball State having registered 216 career assists.
• Akron is ranked 21st in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (29.4), 24th in free throws made per contest (15.09), 31st in blocks per game (4.6) and 37th in assists per outing (16.2) and free throw percentage (.765). Individually, Dominique Camp ranks 17th in steals per game (2.91) and 20th in steals (64), while Reagan Bass is 11th in free throw attempts (158) and 13th in free throws made (121).
• Rachel Martindale has recorded 149 career three pointers. She enters action against Ball State sixth on the all-time career list at Akron. She is 26 triples shy of Hanna Luburgh (175 | 2010-14) for fifth place. All but 18 of her 167 career field goals have come from beyond the arc.
• Rachel Martindale is sixth in program history with 437 career three-point attempts. She is 48 attempts shy of surpassing Hanna Luburgh (484 | 2010-14) for fifth place.
• Rachel Martindale's .341 shooting percentage (149-437) from beyond the arc is the seventh-best mark in program history.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass tallying 10 or more points in 20 contests this year. She was joined by Dominique Camp (12), Layne Ferrell (11), Molly Neitzel (11), Rachel Martindale (6), Alexis Stewart (2), Faith Stinson (2), freshman F Aila Miller (Berlin, Ohio) (1) and freshman F Annie Watson (Akron, Ohio) (1).
• The 2022-23 season marks the 49th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Akron owns a 55-26 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 10-4 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 32-21 mark, including an 3-3 ledger this season.
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 17 of its 22 games this season, and 70 of its last 85 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 86, 86, 72, 48, 48 and 36 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 14.5 points and 6.8 rebounds. Martindale is the Zips' active leader in three-point shooting connecting on 34.1 percent of her attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 22 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .528 (Dayton), .526 (Point Park), .509 (Buffalo-1), .509 (Oakland), 40 percent: .481 (Northern Illinois), .462 (Western Michigan), .445 (Notre Dame College), .442 (Miami-1), .442 (Robert Morris), .436 (Central Michigan-1), .420 (Youngstown State), .407 (Bowling Green), .407 (Ohio), .403 (Coppin State), 30 percent: .388 (Northern Kentucky), .386 (Bethune-Cookman), .382 (Stetson), .380 (Kent State-1), .377 (Toledo-1), .373 (Ball State-1), .365 (Cleveland State), .315 (Eastern Michigan-1), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 22 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .517 (Ball State-1), .508 (Western Michigan), .500 (Northern Illinois), 40 percent: .456 (Toledo-1), .435 (Coppin State), .431 (Northern Kentucky), .400 (Cleveland State), 30 percent: .391 (Miami-1), .388 (Ohio), .386 (Dayton), .379 (Oakland), .373 (Central Michigan-1), .364 (Bowling Green), .357 (Notre Dame College), .354 (Stetson), .329 (Bethune-Cookman) .313 (Robert Morris), .311 (Youngstown State), .309 (Kent State-1), 20 percent: .293 (Eastern Michigan-1), .266 (Buffalo-1), .250 (Point Park).

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint through 22 games this season averaging 30.5 points per contest for 670 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 126-79 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 9-3 in the JAR, averaging 73.4 points per tilt and connecting on more than 44 percent (.443) of their attempts from the field, while recording 40.3 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 8.5 steals and 4.6 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass, Molly Neitzel, Dominique Camp and Layne Ferrell are enjoying playing on their home court this season averaging double-figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena owning a 17.5, 12.0, 11.2 and 10.0 points per game, respectively.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Eastern Michigan in a 7 p.m. tilt on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at James A. Rhodes Arena.