The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Hosts Ohio in Home Finale
March 05 | Women's Basketball
Akron (10-17, 5-11 MAC) vs. Ohio (10-17, 7-9 MAC)
Wednesday, March 6
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio
Series History: Ohio leads 48-23
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:Â www.GoZips.comÂ
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com
Â
WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team culminates its home campaign welcoming Ohio to James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday (March 6). The 6 p.m. tilt with the Bobcats will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Dave Bacon on the call as well as on WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.
HEAD COACHES
Ohio: Bob Boldon (Walsh, 1997), Overall Record: 293-228 (17th Season), Record at Ohio: 195-140 (11th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 10-17 (First Season), Record at Akron: 10-17 (First Season)
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters its showdown versus Akron on Wednesday (March 6) at 10-17 on the campaign, including 7-9 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 77-63 victory over Central Michigan on Saturday (March 2).
Â
The Bobcats are led by sophomore Jaya McClure, who is averaging a team-best 12.9 points per game, while freshman Laylay Fantroy is pulling down a team-high 4.1 rebounds per contest. As a team, Ohio is recording 63.9 points, 31.3 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 11.0 steals and 1.6 blocks per tilt.
Â
As a team, the Bobcats are rated ninth in the NCAA in forced turnovers (21.52), 19th in steals per game (11.0) and 24th in three pointers attempted (25.1). Individually, freshman Bailey Tabeling is ranked 25th in three-point percentage (.417).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ohio are meeting for the 72nd time in program history. The Bobcats lead the series, 48-23, after Ohio bettered the Zips, 67-58, on Jan. 3, 2024, in Athens, Ohio.
Â
IN OUR LAST MEETING (JAN. 3, 2024 – ATHENS, OHIO)
A second-half rally lifted Ohio past Akron, 67-58, in the Mid-American Conference opener for both schools on Jan. 3, 2024, in Athens, Ohio.
Â
The Zips had two players score in double figures, led by a 17-point and 17-rebound performance from junior Reagan Bass. Junior Kaia Woods added 13 points and three steals off the bench, while redshirt senior Morgan Haney contributed nine points and two blocks.
Â
AKRON TRIO HONORED ON SENIOR DAY
The Zips' contest versus Northern Illinois on Saturday (March 2) marked Senior Day in the careers of seniors Morgan Haney, Alexis Stewart and Tahmala Thorpe.
Â
Haney has started all 27 games for the Zips this season in her lone year at Akron en route to posting 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals and a team-best 2.9 assists per contest.
Â
Stewart has appeared in 72 career games as a Zip, recording 3.2 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per outing.
Â
Thorpe has played in 38 career games at Akron, including a pair of starts, recording 1.1 points per outing.
Â
BASS TURNING IN SPECIAL YEAR FOR AKRON
Reagan Bass is in the midst of a dominant campaign for the Zips this season as she comes into action against Ohio recording 16.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per outing. Her 14 doubles-doubles rank 24th nationally. She has posted a double-double in seven of Akron's 16 league games this season.
Â
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 49 of Akron's last 57 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 21 times over the same span. She moved into the top-10 in program history with an 11-rebound effort versus Northern Illinois (March 2).
Â
Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring 16.37 points to go along with a conference-high 10.11 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (7.33), while rating second in field goal percentage (.481) and offensive rebounding (2.78), third in scoring (16.37), fifth in minutes played (35.03), sixth in blocked shots (0.81) and seventh in free throw percentage (.776). In league-only affairs, she is rated first in the MAC in rebounding (9.75) and defensive rebounding (7.31), fourth in field goal percentage (.479), sixth in offensive rebounding (2.44), seventh in free throw percentage (.750), eighth in blocked shots (0.81) and ninth in minutes played (34.39).
Â
She is rated 19th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (7.3), 24th in double-doubles (14), 28th in rebounding (10.1) and free throws made (125), 35th in free throw attempts (161) and 37th in rebounds (273).
Â
ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Reagan Bass moved into the top-10 in career scoring at Akron with an eight-point effort at Kent State on Feb. 24 to move past Casey O'Connor (1979-83) for 10th on the all-time scoring list for the Zips. She will enter play versus Ohio with 1,267 career points, 75 tallies behind former teammate Jordyn Dawson (2019-2022) for ninth on the all-time scoring list.
• Over the last five games, Reagan Bass, Teniesha Clarke and Morgan Haney are averaging 12.6, 10.4 and 10.4 points per game, respectively, while Lanae Riley is shooting 55.2 percent from the field.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Ohio having amassed 1,267 career points, to go along with 659 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 49 of Akron's last 57 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 21 times over the same span.
• Reagan Bass is ranked second in the Akron career record book in field goal percentage (.513), third in free throw percentage (.774), fourth in points per game (15.3) and in free throws made (359), fifth in free throws attempted (464), sixth in rebounds per game (7.9) and in blocked shots (86).
• Akron is tied with Marist and 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 20 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 have recorded 53 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 (24 ASU), defensive rebounds (34-OAK), rebounds (49-OAK | RMU), assists (18-OAK | PITT | BG-2 | NIU-2), steals (11-CAN) and blocks (6-NIU-2).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (22), Morgan Haney (14), Lanae Riley (11), Kaia Woods (9), Teniesha Clarke (5), Zakia Rasheed (4) and Alexus Mobley (4).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 93 of its last 120 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 83, 72 and 70 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.3 points and 7.9 rebounds.
Â
ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 27 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), .443 (Northern Illinois-2), .439 (Southern Miss), .426 (Bowling Green-2), .421 (Northern Illinois-1), .417 (Buffalo-2), .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), .362 (Kent State-2), .361 (Central Michigan-1), .358 (Arkansas State), .345 (Buffalo-1), .339 (Cleveland State), .333 (Western Michigan), .333 (Canisius), .320 (Tennessee State), .314 (Ball State-2), 20 percent: NA
Â
ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 27 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .586 (Toledo), .533 (Arkansas State), .531 (Kent State-2), .512 (Kent State-1), .500 (Bowling Green-2), .500 (Pittsburgh), 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .474 (Ball State-2), .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), .328 (Northern Illinois-2), .318 (Robert Morris), .316 (Buffalo-2), 20 percent: NA.
Â
INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 29.0 points per game for 782 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 44 points in the paint in a 91-87 setback to Oakland (Nov. 6).
Â
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.
Â
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.
Â
The Zips were just one of five Mid-American Conference teams to earn the recognition.
Â
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).
                      Â
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 133-87 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.
Â
This season, the Zips are 5-7 in the JAR, averaging 67.3 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 40 percent (.399) of their attempts from the field, while recording 38.8 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 5.8 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. Individually, Reagan Bass is averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 18.3 points per game.
Â
UP NEXT
Akron wraps up the regular season campaign with a 1 p.m. game at Central Michigan on Saturday (March 9).
Â
Â
Â
Wednesday, March 6
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio
Series History: Ohio leads 48-23
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:Â www.GoZips.comÂ
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com
Â
WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team culminates its home campaign welcoming Ohio to James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday (March 6). The 6 p.m. tilt with the Bobcats will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Dave Bacon on the call as well as on WHLO 640 AM with Bill Morgan calling the action.
HEAD COACHES
Ohio: Bob Boldon (Walsh, 1997), Overall Record: 293-228 (17th Season), Record at Ohio: 195-140 (11th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 10-17 (First Season), Record at Akron: 10-17 (First Season)
SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters its showdown versus Akron on Wednesday (March 6) at 10-17 on the campaign, including 7-9 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 77-63 victory over Central Michigan on Saturday (March 2).
Â
The Bobcats are led by sophomore Jaya McClure, who is averaging a team-best 12.9 points per game, while freshman Laylay Fantroy is pulling down a team-high 4.1 rebounds per contest. As a team, Ohio is recording 63.9 points, 31.3 rebounds, 11.4 assists, 11.0 steals and 1.6 blocks per tilt.
Â
As a team, the Bobcats are rated ninth in the NCAA in forced turnovers (21.52), 19th in steals per game (11.0) and 24th in three pointers attempted (25.1). Individually, freshman Bailey Tabeling is ranked 25th in three-point percentage (.417).
SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ohio are meeting for the 72nd time in program history. The Bobcats lead the series, 48-23, after Ohio bettered the Zips, 67-58, on Jan. 3, 2024, in Athens, Ohio.
Â
IN OUR LAST MEETING (JAN. 3, 2024 – ATHENS, OHIO)
A second-half rally lifted Ohio past Akron, 67-58, in the Mid-American Conference opener for both schools on Jan. 3, 2024, in Athens, Ohio.
Â
The Zips had two players score in double figures, led by a 17-point and 17-rebound performance from junior Reagan Bass. Junior Kaia Woods added 13 points and three steals off the bench, while redshirt senior Morgan Haney contributed nine points and two blocks.
Â
AKRON TRIO HONORED ON SENIOR DAY
The Zips' contest versus Northern Illinois on Saturday (March 2) marked Senior Day in the careers of seniors Morgan Haney, Alexis Stewart and Tahmala Thorpe.
Â
Haney has started all 27 games for the Zips this season in her lone year at Akron en route to posting 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 steals and a team-best 2.9 assists per contest.
Â
Stewart has appeared in 72 career games as a Zip, recording 3.2 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists per outing.
Â
Thorpe has played in 38 career games at Akron, including a pair of starts, recording 1.1 points per outing.
Â
BASS TURNING IN SPECIAL YEAR FOR AKRON
Reagan Bass is in the midst of a dominant campaign for the Zips this season as she comes into action against Ohio recording 16.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per outing. Her 14 doubles-doubles rank 24th nationally. She has posted a double-double in seven of Akron's 16 league games this season.
Â
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 49 of Akron's last 57 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 21 times over the same span. She moved into the top-10 in program history with an 11-rebound effort versus Northern Illinois (March 2).
Â
Bass is the only player in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double scoring 16.37 points to go along with a conference-high 10.11 rebounds per contest. She also headlines the MAC in defensive rebounding (7.33), while rating second in field goal percentage (.481) and offensive rebounding (2.78), third in scoring (16.37), fifth in minutes played (35.03), sixth in blocked shots (0.81) and seventh in free throw percentage (.776). In league-only affairs, she is rated first in the MAC in rebounding (9.75) and defensive rebounding (7.31), fourth in field goal percentage (.479), sixth in offensive rebounding (2.44), seventh in free throw percentage (.750), eighth in blocked shots (0.81) and ninth in minutes played (34.39).
Â
She is rated 19th in the NCAA in defensive rebounding (7.3), 24th in double-doubles (14), 28th in rebounding (10.1) and free throws made (125), 35th in free throw attempts (161) and 37th in rebounds (273).
Â
ZIP TIDBITS
• The 2023-24 season marks the 50th season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Reagan Bass moved into the top-10 in career scoring at Akron with an eight-point effort at Kent State on Feb. 24 to move past Casey O'Connor (1979-83) for 10th on the all-time scoring list for the Zips. She will enter play versus Ohio with 1,267 career points, 75 tallies behind former teammate Jordyn Dawson (2019-2022) for ninth on the all-time scoring list.
• Over the last five games, Reagan Bass, Teniesha Clarke and Morgan Haney are averaging 12.6, 10.4 and 10.4 points per game, respectively, while Lanae Riley is shooting 55.2 percent from the field.
• Reagan Bass enters action versus Ohio having amassed 1,267 career points, to go along with 659 career rebounds. She has scored in doubles figures in 49 of Akron's last 57 games, while recording double-digit rebounds 21 times over the same span.
• Reagan Bass is ranked second in the Akron career record book in field goal percentage (.513), third in free throw percentage (.774), fourth in points per game (15.3) and in free throws made (359), fifth in free throws attempted (464), sixth in rebounds per game (7.9) and in blocked shots (86).
• Akron is tied with Marist and 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 20 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 have recorded 53 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 (24 ASU), defensive rebounds (34-OAK), rebounds (49-OAK | RMU), assists (18-OAK | PITT | BG-2 | NIU-2), steals (11-CAN) and blocks (6-NIU-2).
• Seven different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Reagan Bass (22), Morgan Haney (14), Lanae Riley (11), Kaia Woods (9), Teniesha Clarke (5), Zakia Rasheed (4) and Alexus Mobley (4).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 93 of its last 120 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 83, 72 and 70 career games, respectively, for the Zips. Bass is Akron's leading active scorer averaging 15.3 points and 7.9 rebounds.
Â
ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 27 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), .443 (Northern Illinois-2), .439 (Southern Miss), .426 (Bowling Green-2), .421 (Northern Illinois-1), .417 (Buffalo-2), .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), .362 (Kent State-2), .361 (Central Michigan-1), .358 (Arkansas State), .345 (Buffalo-1), .339 (Cleveland State), .333 (Western Michigan), .333 (Canisius), .320 (Tennessee State), .314 (Ball State-2), 20 percent: NA
Â
ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 27 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .586 (Toledo), .533 (Arkansas State), .531 (Kent State-2), .512 (Kent State-1), .500 (Bowling Green-2), .500 (Pittsburgh), 40 percent: .478 (Southern Miss), .474 (Ball State-2), .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), .328 (Northern Illinois-2), .318 (Robert Morris), .316 (Buffalo-2), 20 percent: NA.
Â
INSIDE THE PAINT
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 29.0 points per game for 782 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 44 points in the paint in a 91-87 setback to Oakland (Nov. 6).
Â
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.
Â
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.
Â
The Zips were just one of five Mid-American Conference teams to earn the recognition.
Â
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).
                      Â
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 133-87 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.
Â
This season, the Zips are 5-7 in the JAR, averaging 67.3 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 40 percent (.399) of their attempts from the field, while recording 38.8 rebounds, 13.7 assists, 5.8 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. Individually, Reagan Bass is averaging double figures inside James A. Rhodes Arena recording 18.3 points per game.
Â
UP NEXT
Akron wraps up the regular season campaign with a 1 p.m. game at Central Michigan on Saturday (March 9).
Â
Â
Â
Players Mentioned
2024-25 Akron Zips Women's Basketball Post-Game Press Conference vs. Kent State - 3/1/2025
Saturday, March 01
2024-25 Akron Zips Women's Basketball Post-Game Press Conference vs. Ohio - 2/22/2025
Sunday, February 23
2024-25 Akron Zips Women's Basketball Post-Game Press Conference vs. Miami - 2/19/2025
Thursday, February 20
2024-25 Akron Zips Women's Basketball Post-Game Press Conference vs. Western Michigan - 2/5/2025
Thursday, February 06