Akron Battles Nationally Ranked Notre Dame

Wednesday, November 12

South Bend, Ind.

7:00 PM

University of Akron

Notre Dame

November 11 | Women's Basketball

Akron (0-2) at No. 13/18 Notre Dame (2-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 12
Purcell Pavilion
Notre Dame, Ind.

Series History: Notre Dame leads 1-0
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 travels to Notre Dame, Ind., to square off against No. 13/18 Notre Dame on Wednesday (Nov. 12). The 7 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra as well as on GoZips.com with Jim Clark on the radio call.

HEAD COACHES
Notre Dame: Niele Ivey (Notre Dame, 2000), Overall Record: 119-38 (Sixth Season), Record at Notre Dame: 119-38 (Sixth Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (Saint Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 21-41 (Third Season), Record at Akron: 21-41 (Third Season)

SCOUTING NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame comes into play versus Akron on Wednesday (Nov. 12) at 2-0 on the campaign following a 116-58 victory over Chicago State on Sunday (Nov. 9).

Junior Hannah Hidalgo is the leading the Fighting Irish in scoring (29.5) and assists (5.5) on the strength of shooting more than 51 percent (.511) from the field, while ranking second on the squad in steals (3.5) and third in rebounding (7.0). Senior Cassandre Prosper, redshirt senior Vanessa de Jesus, senior KK Bransford and redshirt senior Gisela Sanchez also average double figures in scoring netting 21.5, 18.5, 17.0 and 12.5 points per contest. As a team, Notre Dame is recording 107.0 points, 44.0 rebounds, 19.0 assists, 15.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per tilt.

As a team, Notre Dame is rated first in the NCAA in winning percentage (1.000), fourth in free throws made (23.00), seventh in scoring offense (107.0), 13th in field goal percentage (.539), 16th in free throws attempted (28.00), 17th in assist/turnover ratio (1.90), 18th in scoring margin (52.0), 20th in turnover margin (14.50), 22nd in rebounding margin (19.5) and free throw percentage (.821), 25th in three point percentage (.421), 35th in steals per tilt (15.0), 42nd in offensive rebounding (17.5) and 48th in assists per game (19.0). Individually, Hidalgo is ranked third in scoring (29.5), fifth in field goals made (23), 13th in total points (59) and 14th in field goals attempted (45), while Prosper is first in free throw percentage (100.0), 12th in steals per contest (5.00) and total steals (10) and 42nd in points per game (21.5).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Notre Dame are meeting for the second time in program history, and first since the Fighting Irish bested the Zips, 81-61, as part of the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament, on Nov. 11, 2011, in Notre Dame, Ind.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (NOV. 11, 2011 – NOTRE DAME, IND.)
In the season opener for Akron during the 2011-12 campaign the Zips traveled to Notre Dame as part of the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament and dropped an 81-61 decision to the Fighting Irish. Rachel Tecca led Akron with a 13-point and eight-rebound performance, while Carly Young added 10 points. The Zips finished the contest shooting more than 41 percent from the floor, including making eight three pointers. Skylar Diggins paced the Fighting Irish with a game-high 21-point effort.

ROBERT MORRIS EDGES THE ZIPS, 71-60
Akron went into the half tied 29-29 with Robert Morris but could not take control in the second half and fell 70-61 to the Colonials on the road Friday (Nov. 7).

Sophomore Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) led the Zips with a career-high 22 points to go along with seven rebounds. Freshman Monique Mitchell (South Bend, Ind.) added 12 points and two steals, and sophomore Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) helped out with six points and four assists from the bench.

Akron forced 18 Robert Morris turnovers converting those takeaways into 16 points on the other end of the floor. Mitchell's two steals led the way for Akron.

Akron struggled out of the gate, falling behind 15-10 at the end of the first quarter. Robert Morris added to its advantage building a 29-22 advantage before Akron went on a 7-0 run, highlighted by a three from Clark, to tie the game at 29, a score that held until halftime. Akron was strong from deep in the period, knocking down three three-point shots to account for nine of its 19 points.

Robert Morris proceeded to take over in the third quarter, and the Zips entered the fourth trailing 42-36. Akron knocked down one three-pointer in the quarter to score three of its seven total points.

Robert Morris widened its lead in the fourth, constructing a 50-38 advantage before Akron went on a 7-0 run, finished off by senior Natalie Johnson's (Waldorf, Md.) layup, to shrink the deficit to 50-45 with 7:00 to go in the contest. Robert Morris responded and outscored the Zips the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 70-61. Akron took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 14 of its 25 points in the paint.

ZIPS FALL AT SOUTH ALABAMA IN SEASON OPENER
Monique Mitchell scored a career-high 21 point, but Akron dropped an 87-63 decision to a hot-shooting South Alabama squad in the season opener for both squads on Nov. 3 as part of the Mid-American Conference-Sub Belt Conference Challenge.

The Jaguars jumped out to an early lead in the contest outscoring the Zips in the opening stanza 29-13 en route to shooting 46.3 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes to maintain a 45-19 halftime advantage.

Akron came out strong in the second half and shot more than 51 percent from the field, led by 15 and eight points, respectively, from Mitchell and freshman Corinne Reed (Chicago, Ill.).

The Zips finished the evening shooting more than 41 percent (.414) from the field, including connecting on six three pointers, while South Alabama shot 47.4 percent from the floor in the game.

Junior Keiryn McGuff (Dublin, Ohio) added nine points for the Zips, while Reed contributed eight points and a team-high five rebounds. Ni'Rah Clark pulled down five rebounds, while freshman Shaena Brew (Rialto, Calif.) recorded seven points and dished out a game-high five assists.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron is playing Notre Dame for the second time in program history.
• The Zips will encounter a squad from the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time since registering a 75-72 overtime triumph past Pittsburgh on Nov. 25, 2023, as part of the Daytona Beach Classic.
• The game will be a match-up between sisters for Akron freshmen Kailee Bransford (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Notre Dame's KK Bransford.
• Five Akron players posted career-high marks at Robert Morris (Nov. 7), including a career-best 22-point effort from Ni'Rah Clark.
• Freshmen Monique Mitchell, Corinne Reed and Shaena Brew registered career-high scoring efforts of 21, eight and seven points, respectively, at South Alabama (Nov. 3).
• Ni'Rah Clark is rated 11th in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.786).
• The Zips garnered 12 career-high marks at South Alabama, with Brew dishing out a career- and game-high five assists, while junior Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio) posted a season-best two steals.
• The 2024-25 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll included Akron, who under head coach Ryan Gensler earned special mention nods for having a 3.225 overall team GPA for the 2024-25 academic year.
• Akron is rated fourth in the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage (.426) and sixth in three-point percentage (.282).
• Individually, Monique Mitchell is second in three-point percentage (.714) and triples per game (2.5), third in scoring (16.5) and seventh in field goal percentage (.684), while Ni'Rah Clark is second in field goal percentage (.786) and sixth in scoring (14.0) and Shaena Brew is fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.8), eighth in assists (3.5)
• In league-only games a year ago, Akron ranked second in the MAC in offensive rebounding (12.7) and third in rebounding margin (5.76) and in rebounding (36.7).
• In conference-only tilts, Clark rated fourth in the league in blocked shots (1.0). Additionally, Emily Hall was fifth in minutes played (35.4) and Shelbee Brown was third in offensive rebounding (3.4), steals (2.3) and in rebounding (9.4), sixth in defensive rebounding (6.1) and seventh in scoring (16.4).
• The Zips have posted 2 20+ scoring games this season. Ni'Rah Clark scored 22 points at Robert Morris (Nov. 7), while Monique Mitchell tallied 21 points versus South Alabama (Nov. 3).
• The 2025-26 season marks the 52nd season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• Clark's four blocked shots versus Miami Hamilton (Dec. 28) stand as the 11th-best single-game effort in program history matching a four-block performance from Shelbee Brown at Colgate (Nov. 30).
• Taponen recorded a career-best 11 rebounds against No. 20 Michigan (Dec. 20), while also posting a career-high three blocks.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (63-USA), field goals made (24-USA), triples (6-USA), offensive rebounds (11-USA), defensive rebounds (22-USA | RMU), rebounds (33-USA), assists (14-RMU), steals (7-RMU) and blocks (2-RMU).
• Two different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led Monique Mitchell (2) and Ni'Rah Clark (1).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 112 of its last 153 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high six triples in an 87-63 setback at South Alabama (Nov. 3).

AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED SEVEN-MEMBER NEWCOMER CLASS
Akron under the leadership of third-year head coach Ryan Gensler, boast a talented seven-member newcomer class for 2025-26.

Donning the Akron uniform this season will be senior Natalie Johnson (Waldorf, Md.), Keiryn McGuff, sophomore Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) and freshmen Kailee Bransford, Shaena Brew, Corinne Reed and Monique Mitchell.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's two games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .NA, 40 percent: .440 (Robert Morris), .414 (South Alabama), 30 percent: NA, 20 percent: NA.

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' two games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .NA, 40 percent: .474 (South Alabama), .434 (Robert Morris), 30 percent: .NA, 20 percent: NA.

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Zips under third-year head coach Ryan Gensler, were picked to finish eighth as a team behind preseason league and tournament favorite preseason favorite Kent State (5 first-place votes and 133 points). The Golden Flashes were followed by Toledo (2 votes, 118 points), UMass (3 votes, 115), Ball State (3 votes, 112), Central Michigan (105), Bowling Green (101), Miami (86), Akron (51), Western Michigan (48), Ohio (44), Buffalo (42), Eastern Michigan (36) and Northern Illinois (23).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 32.0 points per game for 64 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 32 points in the paint at Robert Morris (Nov. 7) and South Alabama (Nov. 3). Additional inside the numbers for the Zips this season are below.

Points in Paint – 32.0 ppg (64) | Season-High - 32 at South Alabama | at Robert Morris
Points off Turnovers – 15.0 ppg (30) | Season-High -16 at Robert Morris
Second-Chance Points – 3.0 ppg (6) | Season-High - 4 at South Alabama
Fast-Break Points – 8.5 ppg (17) | Season-High - 12 at Robert Morris
Bench Points – 21.0 ppg (42) | Season-High - 24 at South Alabama

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 20 seasons. When playing on its home court, Akron owns a 140-96 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

Last season, the Zips averaged 66.6 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 41 percent (.406) of their attempts from the field, while recording 39.0 rebounds, 11.9 assists, 6.6 steals and 3.3 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron visits Cleveland State for a 2 p.m. tilt on Sunday (Nov. 16).