Akron Concludes Road Trip at Northern Illinois

Wednesday, February 8

DeKalb, Ill.

7:00 PM ET

University of Akron

Northern Illinois

February 07 | Women's Basketball

Akron (14-7, 5-5 MAC) at Northern Illinois (11-10, 3-7 MAC)
Wednesday, Feb. 8
NIU Convocation Center
DeKalb, Ill. • 7:00 p.m. ET

Series History: Northern Illinois leads 25-11
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team closes out its two-game road swing visiting Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Feb. 8. The 7 p.m. ET showdown with the Huskies will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.

HEAD COACHES
Northern Illinois: Lisa Carlsen (Northwest Missouri State, 1992), Overall Record: 298-278 (20th Season), Record at NIU: 114-115 (Eighth Season)
Akron: Melissa Jackson (Richmond, 2004), Overall Record: 69-63 (Fifth Season), Record at Akron: 69-63 (Fifth Season)

SCOUTING NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Illinois enters play versus Akron on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 11-10 on the campaign, including a 3-7 record in the Mid-American Conference, following a 72-62 victory at Buffalo on Feb. 4.

The Huskies are led by the trio of senior G Chelby Koker, senior F A'Jah Davis and senior G Janae Poisson, who are averaging 15.5, 15.2 and 10.3 points per game. As a unit, Northern Illinois is recording 68.7 points, 38.9 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 8.0 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.

The Huskies are ranked 29th in the NCAA in three point attempts per game (25.1) and 34th in triples per contest (8.2). Individually, Davis is sixth in the nation in double doubles (14), rebounding (11.9) and offensive rebounding (4.8), 11th in rebounds (238), 27th in defensive rebounding (7.2) and 36th in field goal percentage (.548).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Northern Illinois are meeting for the 37th time in program history. The Huskies lead the series, 25-11. Northern Illinois earned a 79-67 victory over the Zips on Jan. 24, 2022 in DeKalb, Ill.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (JAN. 24, 2022 - DEKALB, ILL.)
The Akron women's basketball team dropped a 79-67 setback on Jan. 24, 2022 to Northern Illinois at the NIU Convocation Center.

The Zips had four players score in double-figures with Jordyn Dawson leading the way with a 19-point and 11-rebound performance. Dawson also added four assists and three steals. Lonasia Brewer scored 16 points, while sophomore F Reagan Bass (Strongsville, Ohio) and redshirt junior F Layne Ferrell (Franklin, Ohio) finished with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

WESTERN MICHIGAN RALLIES PAST AKRON
A second-half rally proved too much for Akron to overcome as Western Michigan rallied to post a 76-71 triumph past the Zips on Saturday, Feb. 4 in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Akron was directed by a career-high 23 points from senior G Rachel Martindale (Pittsburgh, Pa.), including going 7-for-8 from beyond the arc. Her seven three pointers rank as the No. 4 single-game performance in program history. Reagan Bass matched Martindale with a team-high 23 points, while pulling down a career-best 13 rebounds for the second consecutive game.

The Zips finished the affair shooting 46.2 percent from the field, while connecting on a season-high 58.8 percent of their attempts from distance, 10-17.

Western Michigan overcame an eight-point halftime deficit on the strength of shooting 55.2 percent from the field in the second half and a .508 mark for the game.

The Zips and Broncos battled back-and-forth all afternoon as the tilt featured nine ties and 10 lead changes before Western Michigan went ahead to stay with basket with 3:07 left the game.

Akron registered a 35-26 advantage in rebounding, including a 26-20 edge on the defensive glass.

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

Akron leads the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage defense (.372), rebounding (39.0), defensive rebounding (30.0) and three point defense (.287), while ranking second in blocked shots (4.67) and third in scoring defense (63.0).

Reagan Bass and Molly Neitzel are fifth (8.0) and ninth (6.8) in the MAC in overall rebounding, while Bass and Neitzel are ranked fourth (9.0) and eighth (7.5) in conference-only rebounding.

In conference-only games, Akron is rated first in the league in field goal percentage defense (.386), defensive rebounding (29.9) and blocked shots (4.40), while ranking second in overall rebounding (38.6) and three point defense (.273) and third in scoring defense (65.4).

Akron is ranked 18th in the NCAA in defensive rebounds (30.0) and 30th in blocks per game (4.7).

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is off to the second-best start in program history through 21 games at 14-7 on the campaign entering the Zips' league showdown versus Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Akron's best overall open to a campaign through 21 contests came during the 2014-15 season with a 17-4 mark.
• The Zips are looking to record its first victory over Northern Illinois under head coach Melissa Jackson when the two squads square off on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
• Reagan Bass has posted back-to-back doubles doubles with a 22-point and 13-rebound effort against Western Michigan on Feb. 4 and a 15-point and 13-point performance versus Kent State on Feb. 1.
• Rachel Martindale poured in a career-high 23 points at Western Michigan on Feb. 4, including going 7-for-8 from beyond the arc. Her seven three pointers rank as the No. 4 single-game performance in program history.
• 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 69-63 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 685 career points, to go along with 323 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 and enters play against Northern Illinois having recorded 512 points.
• Dominique Camp surpassed 200 career assists at Toledo on Jan. 21 after dropping seven dimes and she comes into action against Northern Illinois having registered 215 assists in her career.
• Akron is ranked 17th in the NCAA in free throws made per contest (15.57), 18th in defensive rebounds (30.0), 23rd in free throw percentage (.777), 30th in blocks per game (4.7), 37th in assists per outing (16.1) and 47th in free throw attempts per tilt (20.05). Individually, Dominique Camp ranks 13th in steals per game (3.00) and 19th in steals (63), while Reagan Bass is 11th in free throw attempts (154) and in free throws made (119).
• Rachel Martindale has recorded 144 career three pointers. She enters action against Northern Illinois sixth on the all-time career list at Akron. She is 31 triples shy of Hanna Luburgh (175 | 2010-14) for fifth place. All but 17 of her 161 career field goals have come from beyond the arc.
• Rachel Martindale is sixth in program history with 428 career three-point attempts. She is 57 attempts shy of surpassing Hanna Luburgh (484 | 2010-14) for fifth place.
• Rachel Martindale's .336 shooting percentage (144-428) from beyond the arc is the ninth-best mark in program history.
• The Zips are averaging 66.2 points per game in nine road/neutral contests this season with Akron shooting more than 40 percent (.402) from the field, including a .303 mark from beyond the arc. The duo of Reagan Bass and Dominique Camp are averaging 18.2 and 10.7 points per tilt.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass tallying 10 or more points in 19 contests this year. She was joined by Dominique Camp (12), Layne Ferrell (11), Molly Neitzel (11), Rachel Martindale (5), 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 55-25 mark under head coach Melissa Jackson when shooting 40 percent or better from the field, including a 10-3 record this season. When hitting at a 35-percent clip or better from beyond the arc, the Zips maintain a 32-20 mark, including an 3-2 ledger this season.
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 16 of its 21 games this season, and 69 of its last 84 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 85, 85, 71, 47, 47 and 35 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 14.6 points and 6.9 rebounds. Martindale is the Zips' active leader in three-point shooting connecting on 33.6 percent of her attempts.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 21 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: .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' 21 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .517 (Ball State-1), .508 (Western Michigan)m 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 21 games this season averaging 30.7 points per contest for 644 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 hosts Ball State in a 2 p.m. matinee affair on Saturday, Feb. 11 at James A. Rhodes Arena.