Zips Travel to Face Western Michigan

Saturday, February 4

Kalamazoo, Mich.

12:00 PM

University of Akron

Western Michigan

February 03 | Women's Basketball

Akron (14-6, 5-4 MAC) at Western Michigan (9-11, 4-5 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 4
University Arena
Kalamazoo, Mich. • 12:00 p.m.

Series History: Western Michigan leads 35-13
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a matinee affair against Western Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 4 at University Arena. The 12 p.m. showdown with the Broncos will be broadcast on ESPN3 as well as WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Western Michigan: Shane Clipfell (Eastern Michigan, 2006), Overall Record: 170-179 (12th Season), Record at WMU: 157-167 (11th Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall Record: 69-62 (Fifth Season), Record at Akron: 69-62 (Fifth Season)

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan enters play versus Akron on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 9-11 on the campaign, including a 4-5 record in the Mid-American Conference, following a 74-56 setback against Bowling Green on Feb. 1.

The Broncos are led redshirt junior F Taylor Williams, who is averaging 14.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. As a unit, Western Michigan is recording 64.5 points, 32.2 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 10.3 steals and 2.6 blocks per game.

The Broncos are ranked 12th in the NCAA in three point attempts per game (26.8) and 34th in steals per contest (10.2). Individually, Williams is 33rd in the nation in blocks per contest (1.89), 38th in rebounds per tilt (9.3) and 43rd in blocks (36).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Western Michigan are meeting for the 49th time in program history. The Broncos lead the series, 35-13. The two schools split the season series a year ago with Western Michigan besting the Zips, 57-53, on Feb. 2, 2022 at James A. Rhodes Arena, before Akron downed the Broncos, 86-70, on Feb. 9, 2022 in Kalamazoo, Mich.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 9, 2022 - KALAMAZOO, MICH.)
Akron avenged their loss to the Western Michigan a week earlier with a dominant offensive performance en route to an 86-70 victory on Feb. 9, 2022 in Kalamazoo, Mich.

After the Zips built a 26-point lead midway through the third quarter, the Broncos closed within nine in the final quarter, but Akron put the foot on the gas and claimed the victory thanks to a three-pointer by senior G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and clutch free-throw shooting from sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) to put the Zips back up by double-digits. In between, the Akron defense limited Western Michigan to 4-of-12 (33.3) percent shooting and held the Broncos to a 2:12 scoring drought in the final minutes of the game en route to the 86-70 victory.

Jordyn Dawson paced the Zips' efforts recording her ninth double-double of the season with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Bass recorded 20 points, six rebounds, and dished out two assists.

The Zips 'offense succeeded largely because of their hot shooting, going 33-of-53 (62.3 percent) from the floor, and 52.9 percent (9-of-17), but also the entire lineup dished out dimes all night long, assisting on an impressive 21-of-34 baskets.

ZIPS FALL TO RIVAL GOLDEN FLASHES
In a rivalry showdown that went down to the wire, Kent State escaped with a 57-55 decision past Akron on Wednesday evening at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Reagan Bass posted a double-double to lead the Zips, finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) also recorded a double-double with a 12-point and 11-rebound performance, while junior G Alexis Stewart (Hamilton, Ontario) scored 12 points, including a clutch three pointer with 8.2 seconds remaining to bring her team within two, 55-53.

The Zips finished the game shooting 38 percent from the field, while limiting Kent State to a .309 shooting mark. Akron outrebounded the Golden Flashes, 43-30, including 32-21 on the defensive glass.

Hannah Young led Kent with 16 points and Katie Shumate contributed 11 in the win.

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 20 contests on the campaign and 60 points or less in nine games.

Akron leads the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage defense (.366), defensive rebounding (30.2) and three point defense (.288), while ranking second in blocked shots (4.80), rebounding (39.2), and in scoring defense (62.3).

Reagan Bass and senior F Molly Neitzel (Rocky River, Ohio) are fifth (7.8) and ninth (6.8) in the MAC in overall rebounding, while Bass and Neitzel are ranked sixth (8.6) and eighth (7.6) in conference-only rebounding.

In conference-only games, Akron is rated first in the league in field goal percentage defense (.373), overall rebounding (39.0), defensive rebounding (30.3) and blocked shots (4.67), while ranking second in three point defense (.273) and third in scoring defense (64.2).

Akron is ranked 18th in the NCAA in 16th in defensive rebounds (30.2) and 23rd in blocks per game (4.8).

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is off to the second-best start in program history through 20 games at 14-6 on the campaign entering the Zips' league showdown versus Western Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 4. Akron's best overall open to a campaign through 19 contests came during the 2014-15 season with a 16-4 mark.
• The Zips are looking to improve to 4-4 versus Western Michigan under head coach Melissa Jackson when the two squads square off on Saturday, Feb. 8. Akron is averaging 66.9 points in seven encounters with the Broncos under Jackson.
• Akron is receiving votes in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top-25 poll as five Mid-American Conference teams are ranked or receiving votes. That list includes No. 6 Bowling Green, No. 7 Ball State, No. 8 Toledo, No. 19 Kent State 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 69-62 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.
• Reagan Bass and Molly Neitzel each posted a double-double against Kent State. Bass posted a 15-point and 13-rebound effort, while Neitzel netted 12 points to go along with a career-high 11 rebounds.
• Alexis Stewart recorded a career-high 12 points versus Kent State on Feb. 1.
• 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 Western Michigan having amassed 662 career points, to go along with 310 career rebounds.
• Layne Ferrell surpassed the 500-point plateau with a five-point effort against Buffalo on Jan. 28 and has amassed 506 career points, while Rachel Martindale enters play against Western Michigan having recorded 489 points.
• Dominique Camp surpassed 200 career assists at Toledo on Jan. 21 after dropping seven dimes and she comes into action against Western Michigan having registered 211 assists in her career.
• Akron is ranked 16th in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (30.2), 17th in free throws made per contest (15.70), 23rd in blocks per game (4.8), 27th in free throw percentage (.773), 36th in field goal percentage defense (.3686), 43rd in assists per outing (16.0) and 45th in free throw attempts per tilt (20.30). Individually, Dominique Camp ranks 10th in steals per game (3.15) and 15th in steals (63), while Reagan Bass is 11th in free throw attempts (143) and 15th in free throws made (110) and Layne Ferrell is 13th in free throw percentage (.893).
• Rachel Martindale has recorded 137 career three pointers. She enters action against Western Michigan seventh on the all-time career list at Akron. She is two triples shy of Leigh Burdette (139 | 19889-93) for sixth place. All but 16 of her 153 career field goals have come from beyond the arc.
• Rachel Martindale is sixth in program history with 420 career three-point attempts. She is 65 attempts shy of surpassing Hanna Luburgh (484 | 2010-14) for fifth place.
• Rachel Martindale's .326 shooting percentage (137-420) from beyond the arc is the ninth-best mark in program history.
• The Zips are averaging 65.6 points per game in eight road/neutral contests this season with Akron shooting nearly 40 percent (.396) from the field, including a .274 mark from beyond the arc. The trio of Reagan Bass, Dominique Camp and Layne Ferrell are averaging 17.6, 11.5 and 10.1 points per tilt.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass tallying 10 or more points in 18 contests this year. She was joined by Dominique Camp (12), Layne Ferrell (11), Molly Neitzel (11), Rachel Martindale (4), 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 55-24 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 10-2 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 32-19 mark, including an 3-1 ledger this season.
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 15 of its 20 games this season, and 68 of its last 83 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 84, 84, 70, 46, 46 and 34 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 14.4 points and 6.7 rebounds. Ferrell is the Zips' active leader in three-point shooting connecting on 33.0 percent of her attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 20 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: .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' 20 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .517 (Ball State-1), 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 was once proved to be strong in the paint through 20 games this season averaging 30.9 points per contest for 618 total points. The Zips posted a season-best 66 points in the paint in a 101-46 victory over Point Park on Dec. 2.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to DeKalb, Ill., to square off against Northern Illinois in a 7 p.m. ET tip on Wednesday, Feb. 8