Akron Women's Basketball Battles No. 6/8 Michigan

Saturday, December 13

Ann Arbor, Mich.

12:00 PM

University of Akron

Michigan

Akron Women's Basketball Battles No. 6/8 Michigan

December 12 | Women's Basketball

Akron (1-7) at No. 6/8 Michigan (8-1)
Saturday, Dec. 13
Crisler Center
Ann Arbor, Mich.

Series History: Michigan leads 6-1
Live Stream: B1G+ (Subscription Required)
Television: B1G+ (Subscription Required)
Live Stats: www.GoZips.com
Live Radio: www.GoZips.com

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team battles No. 6/8 Michigan on Saturday (Dec. 13). The 12 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on B1G+ as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Jim Clark on the radio call.

HEAD COACHES
Michigan: Kim Barnes Arico (Montclair State, 1993), Overall Record: 562-351 (30th Season), Record at Michigan: 292-145 (14th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (Saint Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 22-46 (Third Season), Record at Akron: 22-46 (Third Season)

SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan comes into play versus Akron on Saturday (Dec. 13) at 8-1 on the campaign, including 1-0 in the Big Ten Conference following a 104-56 victory over Purdue on Dec. 7.

Sophomore Olivia Olson directs four Wolverines averaging in double figures in scoring netting a team-high 18.2 points to go along with 6.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Joining her posting double figures per contest at 13.4, 13.3 and 11.4 tallies a night, respectively, are sophomores Mila Holloway, Syla Swords and Te'yala Delfosse. As a team, Michigan is recording 92.8 points, 44.7 rebounds, 18.6 assists, 13.9 steals and 4.3 blocks per tilt.

The Wolverines are rated second in the NCAA in scoring margin (40.0), sixth in scoring offense (92.8), seventh in turnover margin (10.44), eighth in field goal percentage defense (.314) and rebounding margin (13.8), 10th in field goal percentage (.502), 11th in offensive rebounding (17.2), 14th in scoring defense (52.8), 15th in steals (13.9), 16th in rebounding (44.67), 21st in free throws attempted (23.11), 22nd in assists per tilt (18.6), 24th in free throws made (16.33), 28th in winning percentage (.889), 33rd in assist/turnover ratio (1.24) and 48th in three-point percentage (.359). Individually, Olson is ranked 42nd in scoring (18.2), while Holloway is rated 29th in assist/turnover ratio (2.80).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Michigan are meeting for the eighth in program history with the Wolverines owning a 6-1 series lead. In the last meeting between the two schools, Michigan earned a 96-55 triumph past the Zips on Dec. 20, 2024, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (DEC. 20, 2024 – AKRON, OHIO)
Akron fell 96-55 to the No. 20 Michigan Wolverines at James A. Rhodes Arena on Dec. 20, 2024, as Shelbee Brown scored 14 points to lead the Zips.

Alexus Mobley and Zakia Rasheed added eight points apiece, while senior Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.) chipped in six points.

Senior Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) added with six points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds with three blocked shots as the Wolverines narrowly claimed the battle of the boards 37-33.

Akron forced 14 Michigan turnovers with Brown, Mobley and Rhodes recording one steal each. The Zips turned those takeaways into 11 points.

The Akron bench came alive by adding 20 points to its scoring output. Akron cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 11 offensive boards in the game.

ZIPS TRIUMPH OVER HEIDELBERG
Sophomore Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) registered a career-high 36 points while the Akron defense held Heidelberg to just 15.6 percent shooting from the field as the Zips rolled to a 117-34 victory on Education Day at James A. Rhodes Arena on Dec. 3.

Callaway shot 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the field, including a 72.7 percent (8-of-11) effort from downtown and a perfect 2-of-2 from the free throw line en route to the career-high performance. The last Zip to have a 36-point performance was Anita Brown in 2015 in a 102-101 win over Toledo on Jan. 14, 2015.

The Zips had five players score in double figures as Callaway led the way followed by freshman Shaena Brew (Rialto, Calif.), who recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore Liz Murphy (Yackandandah, Australia) added 16 points and two steals from the bench. Rounding out the double-digit scorers were senior Natalie Johnson (Waldorf, Md.) and freshman Monique Mitchell (South Bend, Ind.) with 13 points each. Mitchell added eight rebounds and Johnson collected six.

Akron collected 47 rebounds in Wednesday's game compared to Heidelberg's 25, led by Brew's 10 boards. The Zips also cleaned up the offensive glass, turning 17 rebounds into 14 second chance points.

Akron's defense held Heidelberg to only 15 percent shooting from beyond the arc and 15.6 percent from the field. The Zips also limited Malia Mizeres to 1-of-11 shooting from downtown and nine points. The Berg finished with eight offensive rebounds and managed two second chance points while Akron cleared 30 defensive rebounds.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE EDGES AKRON
Akron got a 23-point showing from the bench but fell 90-63 to the Youngstown State at James A. Rhodes Arena on Nov. 30.

The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by senior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio), who had 11 points and seven rebounds. Izzy Callaway tacked on 11 points from the bench and freshman Corinne Reed (Chicago, Ill.) chipped in as well with 10 points.

The Akron offense was strong from three-point land, pouring in eight threes on 20 attempts. Callaway hit three treys for the Zips in the contest.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Led by career-high 36-, 20- and 16-point scoring performances from Izzy Callaway, Shaena Brew and Liz Murphy, the Zips posted 14 career-high marks against Heidelberg (Dec. 3).
• Akron's 117 points represented its highest scoring game since earning a 118-71 triumph past Tennessee Tech on Nov. 12, 2013.
• Izzy Callaway's 36-point effort against Heidelberg stands as the top scoring performance in the Mid-American Conference this season and rates No. 12 in the NCAA. It also ranks sixth on the all-time single-game scoring list in program history last accomplished by Anita Brown on Jan. 14, 2015, at Toledo.
• The eight three pointers for Izzy Callaway versus Heidelberg are the third-best single-game total in program history matching eight drained by Taylor Ruper against Ball State on Feb. 12, 2011.
• Akron's 44 made field goals against Heidelberg is the fourth-best single-game effort in program history, while the 13 triples represent the eighth highest single-game mark.
• A season-best five Zips in Izzy Callaway (36), Shaena Brew (20), Liz Murphy (16), Natalie Johnson (13) and Monique Mitchell (13) scored in double-figures against Heidelberg (Dec. 3)
• Shaena Brew, junior Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio) and Monique Mitchell pulled down a career-high 10, nine and eight rebounds, respectively, versus Heidelberg (Dec. 3).
• Akron is meeting Michigan for the eighth time in program history.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led Ni'Rah Clark (4), Shaena Brew (4), Izzy Callaway (3), Monique Mitchell (3), Natalie Johnson (2), Keiryn McGuff (2), Corinne Reed (2), Maddie Vejsicky (1) and Liz Murphy (1).
• Six different Zips have led the squad in scoring this season led by Ni'Rah Clark (3), Izzy Callaway (2), Shaena Brew (1), Keiryn McGuff (1), Monique Mitchell (1) and Maddie Vejsicky (1), while six different Akron players have paced the team in rebounding headlined by Clark (3), Brew (3), McGuff (2), Natalie Johnson (1), Corinne Reed (1) and Vejsicky (1).
• The Zips shot a then season-best 51.1 percent from the field versus the Fighting Irish (Nov. 12), including shooting more than 69 percent (.691) in the second quarter on 9-of-13 shooting.
• 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 third in the Mid-American Conference third in field goal percentage (.428), three-point defense (.253) and triples made (7.4) and fourth in scoring (71.0) and three-point percentage (.321).
• Individually, Ni'Rah Clark is fourth in field goal percentage (.556), Keiryn McGuff is ninth in blocks (0.9), Shaena Brew is first in three-point percentage (.471), eighth in assists (3.9) and 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.1) and Izzy Callaway second in three-point percentage (.441) and sixth in triples made (1.9).
• The Zips have posted four 20+ scoring games this season. Izzy Callaway and Shaena Brew netted 36 and 20, respectively, against Heidelberg (Dec. 3). 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).
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (117-HEID), field goals made (44-HEID), triples (13-HEID), offensive rebounds (17-HEID), defensive rebounds (31-BING), rebounds (47-HEID), assists (17-HEID), steals (14-HEID) and blocks (5-HEID).
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 118 of its last 159 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 13 triples in an 117-34 victory versus Heidelberg (Dec. 3).

AKRON BOASTS 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 Natalie Johnson, Keiryn McGuff, Izzy Callaway and freshmen Kailee Bransford (Cincinnati, Ohio), Shaena Brew, Corinne Reed and Monique Mitchell.

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's eight games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .587 (Heidelberg), .511 (Notre Dame), 40 percent: .469 (Binghamton), .440 (Robert Morris), .414 (South Alabama), 30 percent: .356 (Youngstown State), .321 (Cleveland State), 20 percent: .295 (Xavier).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' eight games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .559 (Youngstown State), 40 percent: .474 (South Alabama), .472 (Cleveland State), .470 (Notre Dame), .434 (Robert Morris), .407 (Xavier), 30 percent: .395 (Binghamton), 20 percent: .156 (Heidelberg).

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 33.5 points per game for 268 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 62 points in the paint versus Heidelberg (Dec. 3). Additional inside the numbers for the Zips this season are below.

Points in Paint – 33.5 ppg (268) | Season-High - 62 vs. Heidelberg
Points off Turnovers – 17.0 ppg (136) | Season-High - 39 vs. Heidelberg
Second-Chance Points – 8.8 ppg (70) | Season-High - 17 vs Binghamton
Fast-Break Points – 13.0 ppg (104) | Season-High - 36 vs. Heidelberg
Bench Points – 29.8 ppg (238) | Season-High - 81 vs. Heidelberg

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 141-99 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips average 82.8 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 44 percent (.436) of their attempts from the field, while recording 39.5 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 6.8 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Geneva on Tuesday (Dec. 16) at 6 p.m. at James A. Rhodes Arena.