Akron Squares Off Versus Ohio

Saturday, January 3

Athens, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

January 02 | Women's Basketball

Akron (3-10, 0-1 MAC) at Ohio (7-4, 1-0 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 3
Convocation Center
Athens, Ohio

Series History: Ohio leads 50-24
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 continues Mid-American Conference play traveling to Athens, Ohio, to battle Ohio on Saturday (Jan. 3). The 1 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Jim Clark on the radio call.

HEAD COACHES
Ohio: Bob Boldon (Walsh, 1997), Overall Record: 307-257 (19th Season), Record at Ohio: 209-169 (13th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (Saint Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 24-49 (Third Season), Record at Akron: 24-49 (Third Season)

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio comes into action against Akron on Saturday (Jan. 3) at 7-4 on the campaign, including 1-0 in the Mid-American Conference, following an 85-83 overtime victory at Central Michigan on Wednesday (Dec. 31).

Junior Bailey Tabeling leads the Bobcats averaging a team-best 12.8 points, 3.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while redshirt sophomore Bella Ranallo is registering 12.1 points per contest. As a team, Ohio is recording 73.9 points, 39.4 rebounds, 13.2 assists, 12.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per tilt.

As a team, the Bobcats are ranked third in the NCAA in three pointers attempted (32.0), seventh in free throws attempted (25.27), 16th in triples per contest (9.5), 20th in free throws made (16.36), 25th in steals (12.6), 28th in forced turnovers (21.91) and 40th in turnover margin (5.55). Individually, Tabeling is rated 35th in three pointers attempted (99).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ohio are meeting for the 75th time in program history with the Bobcats owning a 50-24 series lead. In the last meeting between the two schools, Ohio earned a 70-62 victory past the Zips on Feb. 22, 2025, at James A. Rhodes Arena.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 22, 2025 – AKRON, OHIO)
Akron sophomore Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) registered her first career double-double with a 13-point and 11-rebound effort, while senior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) led the Zips with 16 points, but Akron fell to Ohio, 70-62, at James A. Rhodes Arena on Feb. 22, 2025.

Emily Hall posted her second consecutive double-figure scoring performance chipping in 11 points. Shelbee Brown pulled down 10 rebounds to go along with seven points and a season-best five steals.

Led by Clark's six offensive rebounds, Akron did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 17 boards that resulted in 15 second-chance points.

Akron forced 19 Ohio turnovers. The Zips turned those takeaways into 17 points on the other end of the floor. Brown's five steals led the way for Akron.

AKRON FALLS TO BALL STATE IN LEAGUE OPENER
Akron received a 25-point performance from the bench, but fell 102-73 to Ball State in its Mid-American Conference opener at James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday (Dec. 31).

The Zips had two players score in double figures, led by freshman Monique Mitchell (South Bend, Ind.), who had 15 points on 50-percent shooting form the floor (5-of-10) and beyond the arc (2-of-4). Mitchell added four rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot. Freshman Shaena Brew (Rialto, Calif.) followed in scoring with 12 points, five assists and four rebounds. Ni'Rah Clark added nine points and five rebounds, while senior Natalie Johnson (Waldorf, Md.) notched eight points and a steal.

Junior Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio) pulled down four offensive rebounds to pace an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Akron, grabbing 11 boards and turning them into seven second-chance points. Wigal recorded six total rebounds.

ZIPS SOAR PAST LE MOYNE, 94-68
Akron garnered four double-digit scoring performances led by 20 points apiece from junior Keiryn McGuff (Dublin, Ohio) and Monique Mitchell to register a 94-68 triumph past Le Moyne at the 30th Annual Hawk Classic hosted by Saint Joseph's on Dec. 21 in Philadelphia, Pa.

The Zips were led by Mitchell, who had 20 points. McGuff added a career-high 20 points, while sophomore Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) helped out with 14 points from the bench. Shaena Brew chipped in with 11 points.

Akron shared the ball well racking up a season-best 22 assists. Individually, Maddie Vejsicky dished out five assists, while freshman Corinne Reed (Chicago, Ill.) chipped in with five assists of her own.

Akron forced 16 Le Moyne turnovers and turned those takeaways into 18 points. Ni'Rah Clark led the way individually with two steals.

OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Monique Mitchell leads Akron over the last five games averaging a team-best 11.0 points per contest, while Ni'Rah Clark has added 10.8 points per night. Keiryn McGuff is pulling down a team-best 5.6 rebounds, while Clark is shooting a team-high 59.4 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 five contests on the campaign.
• 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.
• The Zips netted six career-best marks against Le Moyne (Dec. 21).
• Maddie Vejsicky, Teniesha Clarke and Ni'Rah Clark are averaging 16.0, 11.0 and 10.5 points per contest in their careers against Ohio.
• 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 fourth in the Mid-American Conference in field goal percentage (.431), in scoring (73.1), three-point percentage (.312) and triples made (7.5).
• Individually, Ni'Rah Clark is fourth in field goal percentage (.570), Shaena Brew is ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.2) and in assists (3.7) and Izzy Callaway is first in three-point percentage (.455) and sixth in triples made (1.9).
• Akron is 17th in the NCAA in bench scoring (30.5), 48th in free throw attempts (20.62) and 50th in free throws made (14.54).
• 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. 17 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), Natalie Johnson (13) and Monique Mitchell (13) scored in double-figures against Heidelberg (Dec. 3). Additionally, Brew and Ella Wigal pulled down a career-high 10 and nine rebounds, respectively.
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led by Shaena Brew (7), Ni'Rah Clark (6), Izzy Callaway (5), Monique Mitchell (5), Corinne Reed (4), Keiryn McGuff (4), Natalie Johnson (2), Liz Murphy (2) and Maddie Vejsicky (1).
• Six different Zips have led the squad in scoring this season led by Ni'Rah Clark (5), Monique Mitchell (3), Shaena Brew (2), Izzy Callaway (2), Keiryn McGuff (2) and Maddie Vejsicky (1), while eight different Akron players have paced the team in rebounding headlined by Clark (5), Brew (4),McGuff (4), Corinne Reed (2), 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 five 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 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 123 of its last 164 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 13 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), .356 (Youngstown State), .321 (Cleveland State), 20 percent: .295 (Xavier).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 13 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .559 (Youngstown State), .500 (Ball State-1), 40 percent: .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), .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 34.2 points per game for 444 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 – 34.2 ppg (444) | Season-High - 62 vs. Heidelberg
Points off Turnovers – 16.2 ppg (210) | Season-High - 39 vs. Heidelberg
Second-Chance Points – 9.6 ppg (125) | Season-High - 29 vs. Geneva
Fast-Break Points – 12.6 ppg (164) | Season-High - 36 vs. Heidelberg
Bench Points – 30.5 ppg (397) | 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 142-100 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign. This season, the Zips average 84.0 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 43 percent (.425) of their attempts from the field, while recording 42.5 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 6.8 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron visits Kalamazoo, Mich., to battle Western Michigan in a 7 p.m. tilt on Wednesday (Jan. 7).