Akron Opens Homestand Hosting Buffalo

Saturday, January 31

Akron, Ohio

12:00 PM

University of Akron

Buffalo

Buy Tickets

January 30 | Women's Basketball

Akron (3-17, 0-8 MAC) vs Buffalo (2-18, 0-9 MAC)
Saturday, Jan. 31
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio

Series History: Buffalo leads 36-26
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
Purchase Tickets: www.GoZips.com/Tickets

WHAT'S AHEAD
The University of Akron women's basketball team opens a three-game homestand welcoming Buffalo to James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday (Jan. 31). The 12 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps on the call as well as on 640 WHLO AM with Jim Clark on the radio call.

Tickets for the contest against the Bulls are available for purchase at http://www.gozips.com/Tickets. Fans are asked to park in Lots 1 (Parking Deck) at corner of Carroll and Spicer Streets. For complete parking information click here.

HEAD COACHES
Buffalo: Kristen Sharkey (Buffalo, 2014), Overall Record: 2-18 (First Season), Record at Buffalo: 2-18 (First Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (Saint Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 24-56 (Third Season), Record at Akron: 24-56 (Third Season)

SCOUTING BUFFALO
Buffalo comes into action against Akron on Saturday (Jan. 31) at 2-18 on the campaign, including 0-9 in the Mid-American Conference, following an 71-51 setback versus Buffalo on Wednesday (Jan. 28).

Redshirt freshman Aniya Rowe averages a team-best 12.1 points per game for the Bulls, while freshman Meg Lucas is pulling down a team-high 9.9 rebounds per contest. As a team, Buffalo is recording 58.3 points, 38.5 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 9.3 steals and 3.1 blocks per tilt.

Lucas is rated 27th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (9.9) and 43rd in total rebounds (189).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Buffalo are meeting for the 63rd in program history with the Bulls leading the series by a 36-26 margin. A year ago, Buffalo posted an 80-71 triumph at James A. Rhodes Arena on Jan. 25, 2025.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (JAN. 25, 2025 – AKRON, OHIO)
Akron's Shelbee Brown, senior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) and Alexus Mobley combined to score 54 of Akron's 71 total points, but the Zips fell to Buffalo, 80-71, at James A. Rhodes Arena on Jan. 25, 2025.

The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by Brown, who had a career-high 21 points and six rebounds. Vejsicky added a career-best 17 points off the bench, while Mobley chipped in with 16 points, a season-high nine rebounds and two steals.

The Akron offense was very productive from downtown, pouring in nine threes on 28 attempts. Vejsicky was the most prolific shooter for the Zips, connecting on a career-best five treys in the contest.

ZIPS FALL AT BOWLING GREEN
Freshman Shaena Brew (Rialto, Calif.) paced Akron with a team-high 17-point effort, but the Zips fell 80-62 at Bowling Green on the road Wednesday (Jan. 28).

The Zips had two players score in double figures, led by Brew, who had 17 points. Sophomore Liz Murphy (Yackandandah, Australia) tacked on 10 points off the bench, while junior Keiryn McGuff (Dublin, Ohio) added eight points, six rebounds and two steals. Additionally, sophomore Izzy Callaway (Copley, Ohio) registered a nine-point evening for the Zips.

Akron's defense held Bowling Green to only 20 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Zips also limited Lauren Gerken to 1-of-7 shooting from downtown in the game.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN BESTS AKRON
Akron fell short in a 74-53 setback to Central Michigan at home at James A. Rhodes Arena on Jan. 21.

Shaena Brew led the Zips with a team-high 16 points. Keiryn McGuff also tacked on a nine-point, six-rebound and two-steal performance, while junior Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio) pulled down a team-high six rebounds to go along with three points off the bench.

Akron forced 17 Central Michigan turnovers turning those takeaways into 12 points on the offensive end of the floor. Sophomore Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) led the way individually with two steals.

OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Ni'Rah Clark and Shaena Brew lead Akron over the last five games averaging a 13.8 and 10.8 points per contest, respectively. Keiryn McGuff is pulling down a team-best 5.6 rebounds, while Clark is shooting a team-high 51.0 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 12 contests on the campaign.
• Maddie Vejsicky and junior Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario) are averaging 17.0 and 12.0 points per contest in their careers against Buffalo.
• Liz Murphy equaled a career high in rebounds pulling down three at Bowling Green, while Keiryn McGuff matched a career-best two steals versus the Falcons.
• 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.
• Shaena Brew has recorded three or more assists in 13 games this season.
• Freshman Corinne Reed (Chicago, Ill.) has pulled down four or more rebounds in 10 contests on the campaign, including eight of the last 11 games.
• Keiryn McGuff has registered four or more rebounds 16 times this season, including 12 straight games.
• Ni'Rah Clark has shot 40 percent or better in 14 games on the campaign en route to maintaining a team-best .510 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.
• The Zips netted six career-best marks against Le Moyne (Dec. 21).
• 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 freshman Monique Mitchell (South Bend, Ind.) pulled down a career-high nine rebounds.
• Akron is rated fifth in the Mid-American Conference in triples made (7.1), while in league-only affairs the Zips are ranked fourth in offensive rebounding (12.4).
• Individually, Shaena Brew is eighth in assists (3.5), Izzy Callaway is fifth in three-point percentage (.397) and Ni'Rah Clark is 10th in field goal percentage (.510).
• In league-only contests Corinne Reed is second in three-point percentage (.533), Keiryn McGuff is ninth in rebounding (6.8), Monique Mitchell is sixth in free throw percentage (.852) and Shaena Brew is eighth in assists (3.4) and 10th in assist/turnover ratio (0.9).
• Akron is 34th in the NCAA in bench scoring (26.0) and 49th in triples attempted (24.5).
• 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. 35 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 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 (10), Ni'Rah Clark (9), Monique Mitchell (7), Izzy Callaway (5), Keiryn McGuff (5), Corinne Reed (5), Liz Murphy (3), Natalie Johnson (2), redshirt senior Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.) (1) and Maddie Vejsicky (1).
• Seven different Zips have led the squad in scoring this season led by Ni'Rah Clark (7), Shaena Brew (4), Monique Mitchell (4), Keiryn McGuff (3), Izzy Callaway (2), Corinne Reed (1) and Maddie Vejsicky (1), while eight different Akron players have paced the team in rebounding headlined by McGuff (10), Clark (7), Brew (4), Reed (4), Ella Wigal (2), seniors Natalie Johnson (Waldorf, Md.) (1) and Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) (1) and Vejsicky (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 seven 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 Kent State (Jan. 17), 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 129 of its last 171 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 20 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), .443 (Kent State-1), .440 (Robert Morris), .438 (Michigan), .414 (South Alabama), .410 (Geneva), .400 (Ball State-1), 30 percent: .370 (Delaware), .367 (UMass-1), .356 (Youngstown State), .352 (Central Michigan-1), .321 (Cleveland State), .349 (Bowling Green-1), .315 (Miami-1), .309 (Ohio-1), 20 percent: .295 (Xavier), .249 (Western Michigan-1).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 20 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .593 (Kent State-1), .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), .452 (Central Michigan-1), .434 (Robert Morris), .429 (Bowling Green-1), .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 618 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 (618) | Season-High - 62 vs. Heidelberg
Points off Turnovers – 14.7 ppg (294) | Season-High - 39 vs. Heidelberg
Second-Chance Points – 10.4 ppg (207) | Season-High - 29 vs. Geneva
Fast-Break Points – 10.2 ppg (203) | Season-High - 36 vs. Heidelberg
Bench Points – 26.1 ppg (522) | 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 142-102 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign. This season, the Zips average 76.6 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 41 percent (.406) of their attempts from the field, while recording 40.6 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 7.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Toledo on Wednesday (Feb. 4) in a 6 p.m. tilt at James A. Rhodes Arena.