Akron Hosts Canisius

Saturday, December 7

Akron, Ohio

12:00 PM

University of Akron

Canisius

December 06 | Women's Basketball

Akron (4-5) vs. Canisius (1-6)
Saturday, Dec. 7
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio

Series History: Akron leads 6-2
Live Stream: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Television: www.GoZips.com (subscription may be required) and ESPN App
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team welcomes Canisius to James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday (Dec. 7). The noon tilt with the Golden Griffins will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Jeff Phelps and Jim Clark on the call as well as on GoZips.com with Bill Morgan on the radio call.

Tickets for the contest against the Golden Griffins are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 1 (Parking Deck) at corner of Carroll and Spicer Streets. For complete parking information click here.

HEAD COACHES
Canisius: Tiffany Swoffard (Austin Peay, 2002), Overall Record: 1-6 (First Season), Record at Canisius: 1-6 (First Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 15-23 (Second Season), Record at Akron: 15-23 (Second Season)

SCOUTING CANISIUS
Canisius enters action against Akron on Saturday (Dec. 7) at 1-6 on the campaign following a 68-55 setback versus No. 21 Illinois on Monday (Dec. 2).

Redshirt senior Jaela Johnson leads the Golden Griffins averaging a team-best 10.6 points per game, while recording team-high marks in assists (3.7), steals (1.4) and three-point percentage (.371). Sophomore Shariah Gailes is Canisius' leading rebounder pulling down 8.1 caroms a night. As a team, the Golden Griffins are recording 52.4 points, 31.4 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 6.6 steals and 2.6 blocks per tilt.

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Canisius are meeting for the ninth in program history with the Zips owning a 6-2 series lead. In the last meeting between the two schools, Akron earned a 53-48 triumph past the Golden Griffins on Dec. 30, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (DEC. 30, 2023 – BUFFALO, N.Y.)
Akron outscored Canisius by five over the final quarter to break open a 37-all tie en route to defeating the Golden Griffins, 53-48, on Dec. 30, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Zips had two players score in double figures, led by Reagan Bass, who posted a game-high 14 points to go along with a team-best eight rebounds. Senior Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.) tacked on 12 points, six rebounds, two steals and three blocks, while Morgan Haney added nine points, four assists and three steals.

Led by junior Liisa Taponen's (Tampere, Finland) three offensive rebounds, Akron crashed the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in five second-chance points.

Akron did a great job disrupting Canisius shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Mobley's three rejections led the way individually for the Zips.

AKRON OVERPOWER SLIPPERY ROCK, 79-43
Five Zips put up double-digit points as Akron defeated Slippery Rock, 79-43, at James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday (Dec. 4).

Junior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio), equaled a career-best 15-point and six-rebound effort to lead the Zips. Alexus Mobley tacked on 14 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario) chipped in as well with 13 points. Additionally, redshirt senior Shelbee Brown (Memphis, Tenn.) and Liisa Taponen added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Akron shared the ball well racking up a season-best 18 assists on 29 made field goals. Individually, senior Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.) led the way for the Zips with a career-high six assists and junior Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.) also chipped in with five assists of her own.

Akron's defense held Slippery Rock to only 27.8 percent shooting from the field, including 23.5 percent from beyond the arc.

COLGATE EDGES ZIPS, 62-45
Akron dropped a 62-45 decision to Colgate in the title game of the Colgate Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 30.

Kam'Ren Rhodes directed the Zips' attack with a game-high 12 points to earn All-Tournament accolades, while Alexus Mobley added a six-point and six-rebound performance. Liisa Taponen also tacked on five points and six rebounds to go along with an eight-point effort from Maddie Vejsicky.

The Akron defense held Colgate shooters to just 39.3 percent from the field, including 16.7 percent from three-point range.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Freshman Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) posted career-best marks in points (7), rebounds (6), blocks (1) and minutes played (17) versus Slippery Rock (Dec. 4).
• Akron registered nine career-high and 17 season-best totals against Slippery Rock (Dec. 4).
• The Zips recorded season-high marks in triples (10) rebounds (50) and assists (18) versus Slippery Rock (Dec. 4), while Maddie Vejsicky connected on a team season-best five three pointers and Zakia Rasheed dished out a team season-high six assists.
• Akron is rated first in the Mid-American Conference in blocked shots (3.11), fourth in turnover margin (-1.11) and in scoring defense (63.6) and fifth in offensive rebounding (11.8), scoring margin (2.0) and three-point percentage (.307).
• Individually, Kam'Ren Rhodes is first in the league in steals (2.6), eighth in assist/turnover ratio (1.1) and minutes played (33.3) and ninth in free throw percentage (.808) and in assists (3.1), Shelbee Brown is fifth in rebounding (8.1), Maddie Vejsicky is second in triples per night (2.9) and third in three-point percentage (.448), while Liisa Taponen is seventh in blocked shots (0.8).
• Individually, Maddie Vejsicky is ranked 15th in the NCAA in total triples (26), 22nd in three pointers per game (2.89) and 46th in three-point percentage (.448), while Shelbee Brown is rated 35th in steals (23).
• Kam'Ren Rhodes was an All-Tournament selection at the Colgate Thanksgiving Tournament.
• The 2024-25 season marks the 51st season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (88-GSU), field goals made (32-CSU), triples (9-CSU), offensive rebounds (19-SRU), defensive rebounds (34-IONA), rebounds (50-SRU), assists (18-SRU), steals (8 COLG | BELL) and blocks (6-TSU).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led Alexus Mobley (7), Teniesha Clarke (5), Maddie Vejsicky (5), Shelbee Brown (4), Kam'Ren Rhodes (4), Liisa Taponen (2)and Zakia Rasheed (2).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 100 of its last 130 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 10 triples in an 79-43 victory over Slippery Rock (Dec. 4).

AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED SEVEN-MEMBER NEWCOMER CLASS
Akron under the leadership of second-year head coach Ryan Gensler, boast a talented seven-member newcomer class for 2024.

Donning the Akron uniform this fall will be freshmen Kyara Bakker (Leiderdorp, Netherlands) and Ni'Rah Clark, redshirt senior Emily Hall (Phoenix, N.Y.), junior Caroline Lyles (Argyle, Texas), Kam'Ren Rhodes, Maddie Vejsicky and sophomore Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio).

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's nine games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .492 (Cleveland State), .464 (Bellarmine), .439 (Iona), .420 (Slippery Rock), 30 percent: .388 (Colgate), .379 (Tennessee State), .377 (Georgia State), .361 (Robert Morris), .333 (Binghamton).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' nine games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .NA, 40 percent: .491 Cleveland State, .469 (Robert Morris), .463 (Bellarmine), .414 (Binghamton), .403 (Tennessee State), 30 percent: .393 (Colgate), .361 (Georgia State), .310 (Iona), 20 percent: .278 (Slippery Rock).

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Zips under second-year head coach Ryan Gensler, were picked to finish ninth as a team behind preseason league and tournament favorite preseason favorite Ball State (10 first-place votes and 120 points). The Cardinals were followed by Kent State (2 first-place votes and 104 points), Buffalo (98), Bowling Green (96), Toledo (82), Northern Illinois (64), Ohio (64), Miami (44), Akron (43), Western Michigan (34), Eastern Michigan (23) and Central Michigan (20).

OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Led by 12.8 points per game from Alexus Mobley, a pair of Zips are averaging double-figures in scoring over the last five games. Joining Mobley with 11.6 points per outing is Maddie Vejsicky. Shelbee Brown is pulling down a team-best 6.2 rebounds per contest, while Liisa Taponen is shooting a team-high 81.0 percent from the field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 32.7 points per game for 294 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 46 points in the paint in a 84-74 victory over Cleveland State (Nov. 16). Additional inside the numbers for the Zips this season are below.

Points in Paint – 32.7 ppg (294) | Season-High - 46 vs. Cleveland State
Points off Turnovers – 15.2 ppg (137) | Season-High - 24 vs. Cleveland State
Second-Chance Points – 11.0 ppg (99) | Season-High - 20 vs. Slippery Rock
Fast-Break Points – 6.2 ppg (56) | Season-High - 11 vs. Cleveland State
Bench Points – 17.2 ppg (155) | Season-High - 25 vs. Cleveland State

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 19 seasons. When playing on its home court, Akron owns a 136-89 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 3-1 in the JAR, averaging 74.5 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 42 percent (.415) of their attempts from the field, while recording 39.8 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.5 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Michigan on Friday (Dec. 20) in a 12 p.m. tilt at James A. Rhodes Arena.

AKRON ATHLETICS NOW CASHLESS
The University of Akron Athletics Department announced its transition to cashless payments for all ticketing, concessions, and merchandise purchases at all Akron athletic venues, concession stands, and gear shops, beginning with the start of the 2024-25 sports seasons. For more information click here.