League Test Ahead as Akron Visits Buffalo

Akron (6-7, 1-2 MAC) at Buffalo (7-6, 1-2 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 13
Alumni Arena
Buffalo, N.Y.

Series History: Buffalo Leads 34-25
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team opens a two-game road trip visiting Buffalo to square off against the Bulls on Saturday (Jan. 13). The 2 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan.

HEAD COACHES
Buffalo: Becky Burke (Louisville, 2012), Overall Record: 132-77 (Eighth Season), Record at Buffalo: 19-22 (Second Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 6-7 (First Season), Record at Akron: 6-7 (First Season)

SCOUTING BUFFALO
Buffalo enters action against Akron on Saturday (Jan. 13) at 7-6 on the campaign, including 1-2 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 67-62 setback versus Ball State on Wednesday (Jan. 10).

The Bulls are led by redshirt senior Chellia Watson, who is averaging a team-best 22.8 points per game, while freshman Alexis Davis is pulling down a team-high 6.4 rebounds per contest. As a team, Buffalo is recording 67.5 points, 36.5 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 6.5 steals and 2.2 blocks per tilt.

Individually, Watson is rated seventh in the NCAA in scoring (22.8), 12th in three point percentage (.469), 22nd in field goals (118), 30th in field goal attempts (246) and 33rd in points (296).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Buffalo are meeting for the 60th time in program history. The Bulls lead the series, 34-25, after the two team split the season series a year ago as the Zips triumphed, 69-47, on Jan. 28, 2023 at James A. Rhodes Arena before falling 64-50 at Buffalo on March 1, 2023.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MARCH 1, 2023 – BUFFALO, N.Y.)
A strong opening quarter proved too much for Akron to overcome as Buffalo registered a 64-50 Mid-American Conference victory on March 1, 2023.

Molly Neitzel recorded a team-high 14 points, while pulling down seven rebounds. Rachel Martindale added 11 points, including a trio of three pointers, while junior Reagan Bass pulled down a then career-high 15 rebounds.

The Zips finished the contest shooting 33.3 percent from the field, including draining eight three pointers, while the Bulls shot 38.3 percent.

BASS TURNING IN SPECIAL YEAR FOR AKRON
Reagan Bass is in the midst of a dominant campaign for the Zips this season as she is one of two players in NCAA Division I women's basketball to average 19.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per games and comes into action against Buffalo recording 19.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per outing. Her nine doubles-doubles rank 13th nationally.

She became the 21st Zip to reach the 1,000-point plateau with a 22-point effort versus Bellarmine (Dec. 21). She then collected her 500th career rebound versus Ohio (Jan. 3). She has scored in doubles figures in 39 of Akron's last 43 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 16 times over the same span.

Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring 19.9 points to go along with a conference-high 11.8 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (8.0), minutes played (37.08) and offensive rebounding (3.77), while rating second in scoring (19.92), fourth in field goal percentage (.478) and in free throw percentage (.816) and sixth in blocked shots (0.85). In league-only affairs, she is rated first in the MAC in rebounding (13.33) and defensive rebounding (9.0), second in offensive rebounding (4.33) fourth in scoring (18.0) and ninth in field goal percentage (.471) and free throw percentage (.808).

She is rated third in the NCAA in rebounding (11.8), fourth in free throw attempts (103) and in free throws made (84), sixth in minutes played (37.08), seventh in defensive rebounding (8.0), 13th in double-doubles (9), 22nd in points per game (19.9), 24th in offensive rebounding (3.8) and 26th in rebounds (153).

ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Akron is tied with San Diego State for the D1 lead in overtime games having played in four this season. The four overtime contests are tied with Akron's 2015-16 team for most in a single season in program history. The NCAA record for overtime games in a season is seven, as Houston played in seven during the 2018-19 campaign.
• Reagan Bass is averaging 13.4 points and 8.6 rebounds in five career games against Buffalo, while junior Zakia Rasheed is posting 3.4 points per tilt in five contests versus the Bulls.
• Akron recorded four career-high marks against Central Michigan (Jan. 10), Ball State (Jan. 6) and Ohio (Jan. 3).
• The Zips shined in the classroom during the fall semester as Akron recorded a 3.343 team GPA, including three Zips turning in a perfect 4.0 GPA.
• The Zips have recorded 47 career-high marks this season in point, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes played.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Buffalo having amassed 1,084 career points, to go along with 539 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 39 of Akron's last 43 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 16 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).
• Reagan Bass is ranked second in the Akron career record book in field goal percentage (.518) and in free throw percentage (.783), fourth in points per game (15.7), fifth in free throws made (318), sixth in free throws attempted (406), seventh in rebounds per game (7.8) and in blocked shots (75).
• 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 (11-CAN) and blocks (5-RMU | CSU | CAN).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (12), Morgan Haney (7), Lanae Riley (5), Alexus Mobley (4), Kaia Woods (4), Zakia Rasheed (2) and Teniesha Clarke (1).
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and senior Tahmala Thorpe (Mississauga, Ontario) have appeared in 69, 61, 56 and 35 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.7 points and 7.8 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 13 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), .414 (Ball State-1), .408 (Oakland), .404 (Ohio-1), 30 percent: .381 (Robert Morris), .368 (Youngstown State), .361 (Central Michigan-1), .339 (Cleveland State), .333 (Canisius), .320 (Tennessee State), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 13 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 (Central Michigan-1), .410 (Cleveland State), 30 percent: .393 (Ohio-1), .393 (Tennessee State), .387 (Ball State-1), .364 (Wichita State), .356 (Youngstown State), .345 (Canisius), .318 (Robert Morris), 20 percent: NA.

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 31.2 points per game for 418 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 131-82 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 3-2 in the JAR, averaging 72.8 points per tilt and connecting on 39 percent (.394) of their attempts from the field, while recording 43.0 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. Individually, Reagan Bass and Morgan Haney are averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 25.0 and 14.2 points per game.

UP NEXT
Akron visits Bowling Green for a 7 p.m. tilt on Wednesday (Jan. 17).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Teniesha Clarke

Morgan Haney

Rachel Martindale

Alexus Mobley

Molly Neitzel

Zakia Rasheed

Lanae Riley

Alexis Stewart

Tahmala Thorpe

Kaia Woods

The University of Akron Athletics