Akron Hosts League-Leading Ball State

Akron (5-6, 0-1 MAC) vs. Ball State (11-2, 1-0 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 6
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio • 2 p.m.

Series History: Ball State Leads 28-19
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team commences the home portion of its Mid-American Conference slate hosting Ball State on Saturday (Jan. 6) at James A. Rhodes Arena. The 2 p.m. tilt 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
Ball State: Brady Sallee (Thomas More, 1993), Overall Record: 356-253 (20th Season), Record at Ball State: 220-143 (12th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 5-6 (First Season), Record at Akron: 5-6 (First Season)

SCOUTING BALL STATE
Ball State enters its showdown versus Akron on Saturday (Jan. 6) at 11-2 on the campaign following a 78-56 victory at Western Michigan on Wednesday (Jan. 3).

The Cardinals are led by junior Madelyn Bischoff, who is averaging a team-best 13.5 points per game, while junior Marie Kiefer is pulling down a team-high 5.2 rebounds per contest. As a team, Ball State is recording 74.5 points, 31.0 rebounds, 16.2 assists, 11.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per tilt.

As a team, the Cardinals are rated 27th in the NCAA in triples per game (8.6), 29th in steals per contest (11.2), 33rd in winning percentage (.846), 44th in turnovers forced (20.54), 45th in three point attempts per tilt (24.8) and 50th in turnover margin (4.46).

Individually, Bischoff is ranked 11th in the NCAA in triples per game (3.36), 16th in three point percentage (.470) and 17th in three pointers (39), while junior Nyla Hampton is rated third in steals (48), and fifth in steals per tilt (3.69) and junior Ally Becki is 31st in assists per contest (5.5).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ball State are meeting for the 48th time in program history. The Cardinals lead the series, 28-19, after besting the Zips, 92-68 in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament a year ago. Earlier in the campaign, Ball State registered an 89-66 triumph on Jan. 25, 2023 in Muncie, Ind., and a 61-56 decision on Feb. 11, 2023 at James A. Rhodes Arena.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MARCH 8, 2023 – CLEVELAND, OHIO)
Sixth-seeded Akron fell to third-seeded Ball State, 92-68, in the quarterfinal round of the 2023 Mid-American Conference Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on March 8, 2023.

Junior Reagan Bass scored 16 of her game-high 24 points in the second half to lead the Zips' offensive efforts, while pulling down a team-best seven rebounds. The first-team All-MAC honoree shot 9-of-12 from the floor and was perfect from the charity stripe, converting six bonus buckets. Joining Bass with double-figure scoring performances were Dominique Camp and Rachel Martindale with 18 and 10 points, respectively.

The Zips shot nearly 49.0 percent (25-of-51) from the field and 86.7 percent (13-of-15) from the free throw line, but the third-seeded Cardinals shot a scorching 54.1 percent (33-of-61) from the field, including a 39.1 percent showing from deep (9-of-23).

BASS REACHES MILESTONE SCORING AND REBOUNDING MARKS
Reagan Bass 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 at Ohio (Jan. 3). She has scored in doubles figures in 37 of Akron's last 41 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 14 times over the same span.

ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Reagan Bass is averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in four career games against Ball State.
• Akron recorded four career-high marks at Ohio.
• 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.
• Reagan Bass is the lone player in NCAA Division I women's basketball to average 20.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game this season as she comes into action against Ohio recording 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per outing. Her seven doubles-doubles rank 15th nationally.
• Reagan Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring 20.2 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 (36.8) and offensive rebounding (3.8), while rating second in scoring (20.2), third in field goal percentage (.480), fourth in blocked shots (0.9) and seventh in free throw percentage (.818).
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Ball State having amassed 1,047 career points, to go along with 516 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 37 of Akron's last 41 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 14 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 (.520) and free throw percentage (.783), fourth in points per game (15.6), fifth in free throws made (306), eighth in free throws attempted (391) and rebounds per game (7.7) and ninth in blocked shots (74).
• The Zips recorded a season-best 11 steals at Canisius, while matching a season-high total for blocks (5).
• Alexus Mobley posted a career-high totals in points (12), rebounds (6), blocks (3) and steals (2) at Canisius (Dec. 30).
• Akron posted season-high totals for points (88), field goals made (29), three pointers made (14) and offensive rebounds (19) against Bellarmine (Dec. 21).
• The Zips have recorded 45 career-high marks this season in point, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes played.
• Akron connected on a season-best 46 percent of its shots in back-to-back games versus Pittsburgh (29-63) and Wichita State (23-50), while making a season-high seven three pointers at a .438 clip against the Panthers.
• 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).
• Reagan Bass is rated fourth in the NCAA in rebounding (11.8), sixth in free throw attempts (88), minutes played (36.97) and defensive rebounding (8.0), seventh in free throws made (72), 15th in double-doubles (7), 21st in points per game (20.2) and 27th in rebounds (127).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (10), Morgan Haney (5), Alexus Mobley (4), Lanae Riley (3), Kaia Woods (3), Zakia Rasheed (2) and Teniesha Clarke (1).
• Reagan Bass, Alexis Stewart, Zakia Rasheed and Tahmala Thorpe have appeared in 67, 59, 54 and 35 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.6 points and 7.7 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 11 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), .408 (Oakland), .404 (Ohio-1), 30 percent: .381 (Robert Morris), .368 (Youngstown State), .339 (Cleveland State), .333 (Canisius), .320 (Tennessee State), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 11 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 (Cleveland State), 30 percent: .393 (Ohio-1), .393 (Tennessee State), .364 (Wichita State), .356 (Youngstown State), .345 (Canisius), .318 (Robert Morris), 20 percent: NA.

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron have once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 31.3 points per game for 344 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 130-81 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 2-1 in the JAR, averaging 76.7 points per tilt and connecting on 40 percent (.400) of their attempts from the field, while recording 43.3 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 6.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.

Individually, Reagan Bass and Morgan Haney are averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 29.3 and 14.0 points per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Central Michigan in a 7 p.m. tilt on Wednesday (Jan. 10) at James A. Rhodes Arena.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Dominique Camp

Teniesha Clarke

Morgan Haney

Rachel Martindale

Alexus Mobley

Zakia Rasheed

Lanae Riley

Alexis Stewart

Tahmala Thorpe

Kaia Woods

The University of Akron Athletics