Akron Battles Rival Kent State

Saturday, January 17

Kent, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Kent State

January 16 | Women's Basketball

Akron (3-14, 0-5 MAC) at Kent State (7-10, 2-4 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 17
M.A.C. Center
Kent, Ohio

Series History: Kent State leads 63-18
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WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team is set for a rivalry showdown traveling to Kent State on Saturday (Jan. 17). The 1 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on 99.7 FM Canton's New Country with Jim Clark on the radio call.

HEAD COACHES
Kent State: Todd Starkey (Montreat, 1993), Overall Record: 336-216 (19th Season), Record at Kent State: 171-121 (10th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (Saint Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 24-53 (Third Season), Record at Akron: 24-53 (Third Season)

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State enters play versus Akron on Saturday (Jan. 17) at 7-10 on the campaign, including 2-4 in the Mid-American Conference, following an 71-68 victory over Ohio on Wednesday (Jan. 14).

Junior Mya Babbitt is averaging a team-best 15.8 points per game for the Golden Flashes, while junior Riley Rismiller is pulling down a team-high 6.8 rebounds per contest. As a team, Kent State is recording 68.9 points, 41.2 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 8.6 steals and 2.5 blocks per tilt.

As a unit, the Golden Flashes rated 24th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.775), 29th in offensive rebounding (15.2), 37th in free throws made (15.00) and 45th in rebounding (41.18). Individually, Babbitt is 16th in free throw percentage (.900) and 25th in field goal attempts (265), while senior Dionna Gray is 38th in assists per game (5.0) and 44th in total assists (85).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Kent State are meeting for the 82nd in program history with the Golden Flashes leading the series by a 63-18 margin. A year ago, the Golden Flashes posted an 64-44 triumph at James A. Rhodes Arena on March 1 after besting the Zips by a 73-51 score on Feb. 1 in Kent, Ohio.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (MARCH 1, 2025 – AKRON, OHIO)
Alexus Mobley and Shelbee Brown combined to score 28 total points, but Akron fell to Kent State, 64-44, at James A. Rhodes Arena on March 1, 2025.

Mobley registered 16 points with two rebounds, a block and a steal, while Brown posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Zips. Senior Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) and sophomore Liz Murphy (Yackandandah, Australia) added five points and one assist each, while grabbing five and three rebounds, respectively.

Brown pulled down six offensive rebounds to lead an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Akron, grabbing 15 boards and turning them into nine second-chance points.

AKRON FALLS AT MASSACHUSETTS
Akron sophomore Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) scored a career-high 25 points, but the Zips fell to Massachusetts, 82-68, on the road on Wednesday (Jan. 14).

Clark added seven rebounds to her 25-point game to lead the Zips. Freshman Monique Mitchell (South Bend, Ind.) helped out with 11 points and two steals and junior Keiryn McGuff (Dublin, Ohio) chipped in with seven points, four assists and two steals. Liz Murphy tallied an eight-point effort off the bench for the Zips.

Akron out-rebounded UMass 39-36 in Wednesday's game, led by Clark's seven boards. The Zips also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored 11 second-chance points.

MIAMI EDGES ZIPS
Akron got a trio of double-figure scoring efforts, including a team-high 13-point effort from Keiryn McGuff, but fell 79-56 to Miami in Mid-American Conference action at James A. Rhodes Arena on Jan. 10.

The Zips were led by McGuff, who had 13 points and six rebounds. Ni'Rah Clark added 11 points and redshirt senior Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.) helped out with a season-high 11 points off the bench.

Akron out-rebounded Miami, 38-30, in Saturday's game, paced by McGuff's six boards. The Zips also grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and scored 12 second-chance points.

OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Ni'Rah Clark leads Akron over the last five games averaging a 11.4 points per contest. Keiryn McGuff is pulling down a team-best 7.2 rebounds, while Clark is shooting a team-high 43.1 percent from the field.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Akron's starting line-up is the youngest in the Mid-American Conference this season with the Zips having started a trio of freshman in nine contests on the campaign.
• Ni'Rah Clark poured in a career-high 25 points at Massachusetts (Jan. 14) on 11-of-16 shooting, while Keiryn McGuff dished out a career-best four assists.
• Freshman Shaena Brew (Rialto, Calif.) has recorded three or more assists in 11 games this season.
• Freshman Corinne Reed (Chicago, Ill.) has pulled down four or more rebounds in nine contests on the campaign, including seven of the last eight games.
• Keiryn McGuff has registered four or more rebounds 13 times this season, including nine straight games.
• Ni'Rah Clark has shot 40 percent or better in 11 games on the campaign en route to maintaining a team-best .511 shooting mark from the field.
• Keiryn McGuff pulled down a career-best 12 rebounds at Western Michigan (Jan. 7), while also recording a career-high four blocked shots. Her four blocks stand as the 11th-best single-game effort in program history matching a four-block performance from Ni'Rah Clark versus Miami Hamilton (Dec. 28, 2024).
• Akron posted seven career-high marks at Ohio (Jan. 3), including a career-best 14-point effort from Corinne Reed, while also equaling a career- and season-high five assists.
• The Zips shot a season-best 58.8 percent from the field versus Le Moyne (Dec. 21), including shooting 75 percent in the third quarter on 9-of-12 shooting.
• On the strength of Akron's 100-65 victory over Geneva (Dec. 16), the Zips have scored 100 or more points twice in a season for the first time since the 2014-15 campaign.
• Akron got double-doubles from both Ni'Rah Clark and Keiryn McGuff marking the first pair of double-doubles in a game from Zips since Reagan Bass (15 points & 13 rebounds) and Molly Neitzel (12 points and 11 rebounds) did so versus Kent State on Feb. 1, 2023.
• The Akron bench came alive against Geneva adding 65 points to its scoring output, en route to five Akron players scored 10 or more points, including a trio off the bench.
• The Zips posted 11 career-best totals versus Geneva (Dec. 16), including 17- and 13-point efforts from Liz Murphy and Corinne Reed, while Monique Mitchell pulled down a career-high nine rebounds.
• Akron is rated third in the Mid-American Conference in triples made (7.5), while in league-only affairs the Zips are ranked fourth in offensive rebounding (14.6) and fifth in rebounding (38.8), defensive rebounding (24.2) and three pointers made (7.8).
• Individually, Shaena Brew is eighth in assists (3.6) and 10th in assist/turnover ratio (1.2) and sophomore Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) is third in three-point percentage (.452) and ninth in triples made (1.6).
• In league-only contests Corinne Reed is fifth in three-point percentage (.600), Keiryn McGuff is seventh in rebounding (7.2), Monique Mitchell is seventh in free throw percentage (.842) and Shaena Brew is eighth in assists (3.8).
• Akron is 28th in the NCAA in bench scoring (27.4) and 47th in triples attempted (24.9).
• 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 against Heidelberg (Dec. 3) 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. 24 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.
• Izzy Callaway connected on a league-best 13 field goals and eight three pointers against Heidelberg (Dec. 3).
• 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), senior Natalie Johnson (Waldorf, Md.) (13) and Monique Mitchell (13) scored in double-figures against Heidelberg (Dec. 3). Additionally, Brew and junior Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio) pulled down a career-high 10 and nine rebounds, respectively.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Ni'Rah Clark (8), Shaena Brew (7), Monique Mitchell (7), Izzy Callaway (5), Keiryn McGuff (5), Corinne Reed (5), Natalie Johnson (2), Liz Murphy (2), Kam'Ren Rhodes (1) and Maddie Vejsicky (1).
• Seven different Zips have led the squad in scoring this season led by Ni'Rah Clark (6), Monique Mitchell (4), Keiryn McGuff (3), Shaena Brew (2), Izzy Callaway (2), Corinne Reed (1) and Maddie Vejsicky (1), while eight different Akron players have paced the team in rebounding headlined by McGuff (7), Clark (6), Brew (4), Reed (4), Natalie Johnson (1), senior Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) (1), Vejsicky (1) and Ella Wigal (1).
• 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.
• The Zips have posted six 20+ scoring games this season. Keiryn McGuff tallied 20 points versus Le Moyne (Dec. 21). Izzy Callaway and Shaena Brew netted 36 and 20, respectively, against Heidelberg (Dec. 3). Ni'Rah Clark scored 25 points at Massachusetts (Jan. 14), 22 points at Robert Morris (Nov. 7) and 21 points versus Geneva (Dec. 16), while Monique Mitchell tallied 21 points against South Alabama (Nov. 3) and 20 versus Le Moyne (Dec. 21).
• The 2025-26 season marks the 52nd season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (117-HEID), field goals made (44-HEID), triples (13-HEID), offensive rebounds (28-GEN), defensive rebounds (34-GEN), rebounds (62-GEN), assists (22-LEMO), steals (14-HEID) and blocks (5-HEID).
• Akron has connected on five or more three pointers in 127 of its last 168 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 17 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .588 (Le Moyne), .587 (Heidelberg), .511 (Notre Dame), 40 percent: .469 (Binghamton), .440 (Robert Morris), .438 (Michigan), .414 (South Alabama), .410 (Geneva), .400 (Ball State-1), 30 percent: .370 (Delaware), .367 (UMass-1), .356 (Youngstown State), .321 (Cleveland State), .315 (MIami-1), .309 (Ohio-1), 20 percent: .295 (Xavier), .249 (Western Michigan-1).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 17 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .559 (Youngstown State), .558 (Miami-1), .500 (Ohio-1), .500 (Ball State-1), 40 percent: .493 (UMass-1), .485 (Michigan), .474 (Delaware), .474 (South Alabama), .472 (Le Moyne), .472 (Cleveland State), .470 (Notre Dame), .434 (Robert Morris), .407 (Xavier), 30 percent: .395 (Binghamton), .373 (Western Michigan-1), .338 (Geneva), 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 30.9 points per game for 526 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 – 30.9 ppg (526) | Season-High - 62 vs. Heidelberg
Points off Turnovers – 14.9 ppg (254) | Season-High - 39 vs. Heidelberg
Second-Chance Points – 10.2 ppg (173) | Season-High - 29 vs. Geneva
Fast-Break Points – 10.9 ppg (185) | Season-High - 36 vs. Heidelberg
Bench Points – 27.5 ppg (467) | 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 142-101 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign. This season, the Zips average 80.0 points per tilt and connecting on more than 41 percent (.412) of their attempts from the field, while recording 41.9 rebounds, 13.4 assists, 7.0 steals and 2.1 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron welcomes Central Michigan to James A. Rhodes Arena for a 6 p.m. showdown on Wednesday (Jan. 21).