Akron Hosts Rival Kent State

Akron (6-9, 1-4 MAC) vs. Kent State (10-5, 4-1 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 20
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio

Series History: Kent State Leads 57-18
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team resumes its rivalry with Kent State on Saturday, Jan. 20, as the Zips face the Golden Flashes at James A. Rhodes Arena. The 2 p.m. showdown with Kent State will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps on the call as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Bill Morgan.

HEAD COACHES
Kent State: Todd Starkey (Montreat, 1993), Overall Record: 297-188 (17th Season), Record at Kent State: 132-93 (Eighth Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 6-9 (First Season), Record at Akron: 6-9 (First Season)

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State comes into play versus Akron on Saturday (Jan. 20) at 10-5 on the campaign, including 4-1 in the Mid-American Conference, following an 87-76 setback versus Toledo on Wednesday (Jan. 17).

The Golden Flashes are led by redshirt senior Katie Shumate, who is averaging team-high marks in scoring (12.9) and rebounding (7.1). As a team, Kent State is recording 74.1 points, 42.0 rebounds, 15.8 assists, 9.2 steals and 3.7 blocks per tilt.

As a team, the Golden Flashes are ranked 34th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (42.00), 39th in assist/turnover ratio (1.18), 43rd in three-point defense (.272), 44th in triples attempted per contest (24.3), 47th in field goal percentage defense (.367) and 49th in turnover margin (4.13).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Kent State are meeting for the 76th time in program history. The Golden Flashes lead the series, 57-18. A year ago, the Golden Flashes escaped with a 57-55 triumph past the Zips on Feb. 1, 2023 at James A. Rhodes Arena before dispatching Akron, 87-46, on Feb. 18, 2023 in Kent, Ohio.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 18, 2023 – KENT, OHIO)
Akron fell behind early in its showdown with rival Kent State and couldn't overcome a strong performance by the Golden Flashes dropping an 87-46 decision on Feb. 18, 2023.

Molly Neitzel led the Zips in scoring with a team-high 14-point and seven-rebound performance. Junior Reagan Bass added a 11-point and three-assist effort.

The Golden Flashes finished the contest connecting on nearly 54 percent (.537) en route to securing the victory. The Zips concluded the afternoon shooting 31.7 percent from the field

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 four players in NCAA Division I women's basketball to average 19.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per games and comes into action against Kent State recording 19.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per outing. Her 10 doubles-doubles rank 13th nationally. She has posted a double-double in four of Akron's five league games this season.

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 41 of Akron's last 45 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 17 times over the same span.

Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring 19.1 points to go along with a conference-high 11.97 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (8.07) and offensive rebounding (3.60), while rating second in scoring (19.07) and minutes played (36.88), third in field goal percentage (.480), fourth in free throw percentage (.823) and fifth in blocked shots (0.87). In league-only affairs, she is rated first in the MAC in rebounding (12.40), defensive rebounding (8.80) and in offensive rebounding (3.60), third in minutes played (36.46), fifth in scoring (16.20), sixth in free throw percentage (.833) and eighth in field goal percentage (.481).

She is rated fifth in the NCAA in rebounding (11.7) and in free throws made (93), sixth in defensive rebounding (8.1), seventh in free throw attempts (113), 11th in minutes played (36.87), 13th in double-doubles (10), 24th in rebounds (175) and 34th in points per game (19.1).

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 15.7 points and 9.7 rebounds in three career games against Kent State, while senior Alexis Stewart is registering 8.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in a trio of career contests versus the Golden Flashes.
• Over the last five games, Reagan Bass, Lanae Riley and Morgan Haney are averaging 16.2, 11.8 and 11.6 points, respectively. Riley is shooting nearly 60 percent (.595) from the field and a team-best .533 (8-of-15) from beyond the arc during the span, while Alexis Stewart owns a 3-to-1 assist/turnover ratio.
• 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 48 career-high marks this season in point, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes played.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Kent State having amassed 1,111 career points, to go along with 561 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 41 of Akron's last 45 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 17 times over the same span.
• Reagan Bass is ranked second in the Akron career record book in field goal percentage (.517) and in free throw percentage (.786), fourth in points per game (15.6), fifth in free throws made (327), sixth in free throws attempted (416) and in rebounds per game (7.9) and seventh in blocked shots (77).
• 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 | BUFF-1).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (14), Morgan Haney (8), Lanae Riley (7), Kaia Woods (5), Alexus Mobley (4), Zakia Rasheed (2) and Teniesha Clarke (1).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 83 of its last 108 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 14 triples in an 88-65 victory over Bellarmine (Dec. 21, 2023).
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and senior Tahmala Thorpe (Mississauga, Ontario) have appeared in 71, 63, 58 and 36 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 15 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), .365 (Bowling Green-1), .361 (Central Michigan-1), .345 (Buffalo-1), .339 (Cleveland State), .333 (Canisius), .320 (Tennessee State), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 15 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .500 (Pittsburgh), 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .468 (Oakland), .429 (Bowling Green-1), .424 (Bellarmine), .410 (Central Michigan-1), .410 (Cleveland State), .404 (Buffalo-1), 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 30.9 points per game for 464 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 Western Michigan for a 7 p.m. contest against the Broncos on Wednesday (Jan. 24).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Teniesha Clarke

Morgan Haney

Alexus Mobley

Molly Neitzel

Zakia Rasheed

Lanae Riley

Alexis Stewart

Tahmala Thorpe

Kaia Woods

The University of Akron Athletics