Akron Hosts Arkansas State as Part of MAC-SBC Challenge

Akron (8-13) vs. Arkansas State (12-10)
Saturday, Feb. 10
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio

Series History: First Meeting
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team welcomes Arkansas State to James A. Rhodes Arena for the second leg of the Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge on Saturday (Feb. 10). The 2 p.m. tilt with the Red Wolves 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
Arkansas State: Destinee Rogers (Central Arkansas, 2012), Overall Record: 33-39 (Third Season), Record at Arkansas State: 33-39 (Third Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 8-13 (First Season), Record at Akron: 8-13 (First Season)

SCOUTING ARKANSAS STATE
Arkansas State enters action against Akron on Saturday (Feb. 10) at 12-10 on the campaign, including 6-6 in the Sun Belt Conference, following an 58-56 setback at Georgia State on Wednesday (Feb. 7).

The Red Wolves are led by junior Izzy Higginbottom, who is averaging a team-high 23.3 points per game, while redshirt sophomore Wynter Rogers is pulling down a team-best 7.1 rebounds per night. As a team, Arkansas State is recording 69.7 points, 37.0 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 8.0 steals and 2.4 blocks per tilt.

As a team, the Red Wolves are ranked 34th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.771) and 45th in free throws made per contest (14.50). Individually, Higginbottom is rated first in the NCAA in free throws (154), third in free throw percentage (.928) and free throw attempts (166), fifth in minutes (37.48), sixth in points per game (23.3), seventh in points (513) and 47th in field goal attempts (335).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Arkansas State are meeting for the first time in program history.

AKRON FOR NAKON GAME
For the sixth consecutive season, the Akron women's basketball team will partner with the Nakon Foundation to host the 'Akron for Nakon' game, on Saturday (Feb. 10), as the Zips host Arkansas State.

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 six players in NCAA Division I women's basketball to average 17.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per games and comes into action against Arkansas State recording 17.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per outing. Her 12 doubles-doubles rank 16th nationally. She has posted a double-double in five of Akron's 11 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 46 of Akron's last 51 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 19 times over the same span. She is 46 rebounds shy of cracking into the top-10 in program history.

Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring 17.67 points to go along with a conference-high 10.81 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (7.76) and offensive rebounding (3.05), while rating second in minutes played (35.77) and in field goal percentage (.479), third in scoring (17.67), seventh in free throw percentage (.773) and ninth in blocked shots (0.71). In league-only affairs, she is rated first in the MAC in rebounding (10.36) and defensive rebounding (7.82), sixth in offensive rebounding (2.55) and seventh in scoring (15.09) and minutes played (34.56).

She is rated seventh in the NCAA free throw attempts (150), 10th in free throws made (116), 12th in rebounding (10.8) and in defensive rebounding (7.8), 16th in double-doubles (12), 17th in rebounds (227) and 28th in minutes played (35.77).

ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Over the last five games, Reagan Bass is averaging 14.0 points per game. Bass is shooting more than 52 percent (.523) from the field.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Arkansas State having amassed 1,195 career points, to go along with 613 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 46 of Akron's last 51 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 19 times over the same span.
• Reagan Bass needs 33 points to surpass Casey O'Connor (1979-83) for 10th on the all-time scoring list at Akron.
• Reagan Bass is ranked second in the Akron career record book in field goal percentage (.514), third in free throw percentage (.773), fourth in points per game (15.5) and in free throws made (350), fifth in rebounds per game (8.0) and in free throws attempted (453) and seventh in blocked shots (79).
• Akron is tied with Tennessee State for the D1 lead in overtime games having played in five this season. The five overtime contests are the 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.
• The Zips have recorded two or more blocks in 16 games on the campaign.
• 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 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 (19), Morgan Haney (11), Lanae Riley (9), Kaia Woods (8), Zakia Rasheed (4), Alexus Mobley (4) and Teniesha Clarke (2).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 88 of its last 114 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 and Zakia Rasheed have appeared in 77, 67 and 64 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 21 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), .421 (Northern Illinois-1), .414 (Ball State-1), .408 (Oakland), .407 (Miami), .404 (Ohio-1), .400 (Eastern Michigan-1), 30 percent: .393 (Kent State-1), 381 (Robert Morris), .370 (Miami), .368 (Youngstown State), .365 (Bowling Green-1), .361 (Central Michigan-1), .345 (Buffalo-1), .339 (Cleveland State), .333 (Western Michigan), .333 (Canisius), .320 (Tennessee State), 20 percent: NA

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 21 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .586 (Toledo), .512 (Kent State-1), .500 (Pittsburgh), 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .468 (Oakland), .429 (Western Michigan), .429 (Bowling Green-1), .426 (Eastern Michigan-1), .424 (Bellarmine), .410 (Central Michigan-1), .410 (Cleveland State), .404 (Buffalo-1), 30 percent: .396 (Miami), .393 (Ohio-1), .393 (Tennessee State), .387 (Ball State-1), .364 (Wichita State), .356 (Youngstown State), .345 (Canisius), .333 (Northern Illinois-1), .318 (Robert Morris), 20 percent: NA.

INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 29.1 points per game for 612 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 131-85 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 3-5 in the JAR, averaging 67.3 points per tilt and connecting on more than 39 percent (.393) of their attempts from the field, while recording 38.1 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 6.0 steals and 1.9 blocks per game. Individually, Reagan Bass and Morgan Haney are averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 21.0 and 10.1 points per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Buffalo at James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday (Feb. 17).

Akron Hosts Arkansas State as Part of MAC-SBC Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Reagan Bass

Teniesha Clarke

Morgan Haney

Alexus Mobley

Zakia Rasheed

Lanae Riley

Alexis Stewart

Kaia Woods

The University of Akron Athletics