Akron Renews Rivalry With Kent State

Saturday, February 1

Kent, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Kent State

January 31 | Women's Basketball

Akron (9-12, 3-6 MAC) at Kent State (14-7, 7-2 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 1
MAC Center
Kent, Ohio

Series History: Kent State leads 59-18
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 resumes its rivalry with Kent State on Saturday (Feb. 1), as the Zips face the Golden Flashes at the M.A.C. Center. The 1 p.m. tilt will be broadcast on ESPN+ as well as on GoZips.com with Jim Clark on the radio call.

HEAD COACHES
Kent State: Todd Starkey (Montreat, 1993), Overall Record: 322-201 (18th Season), Record at Kent State: 157-106 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 20-30 (Second Season), Record at Akron: 20-30 (Second Season)

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State comes into its showdown with Akron on Saturday (Feb. 1) at 14-7 on the campaign, including 7-2 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 79-59 victory over Eastern Michigan on Wednesday (Jan. 29).

Senior Jenna Batsch leads a pair of Golden Flashes averaging double figures in scoring posting a team-high 16.1 points per game. Adding 11.9 points per contest is sophomore Mya Babbitt. As a team, Kent State is recording 76.3 points, 41.3 rebounds, 17.0 assists, 5.7 steals and 2.9 blocks per tilt.

Kent State leads the NCAA in free throw percentage (.829), while ranking eighth in defensive rebounding (30.3), 14th in rebounding margin (9.0), 21st in rebounds per tilt (41.29), 27th in three-point percentage (.358) and free throws made per game (14.81), 28th in three-point defense (.267), 31st in assists per outing (17.0), 39th in field goal percentage defense (.373), 41st in triples per contest (8.1) and scoring offense (76.3) and 49th in scoring margin (13.5).

Individually, Batch is rated sixth in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.939), while senior Bridget Dunn is fourth in defensive rebounding (8.8) and 22nd in total rebounds (212).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Kent State are meeting for the 78th time in program history. The Golden Flashes lead the series, 59-18. Kent State earned a 69-60 victory past the Zips on Jan. 20, 2024, at James A. Rhodes Arena before besting Akron, 73-51, on Feb. 24, 2024, in Kent, Ohio.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 24, 2024 – KENT, OHIO)
Akron fell short in a 73-51 loss to Kent State on the road on Feb. 24, 2024. Reagan Bass scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore Teniesha Clarke led the Zips' offensive efforts with nine points. Clarke went 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep with three assists, one block and a rebound.

BROWN SCORES CAREER-HIGH 22 POINTS AT BOWLING GREEN
Sparked by a career-high 22 points from redshirt senior Shelbee Brown (Memphis, Tenn.), Akron shot 53.3 percent from beyond the arc, but fell at Bowling Green, 82-69, on Wednesday (Jan. 29).

The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by Brown, who notched her team-leading sixth double-double of the season with a 22-point and 12-rebound performance. Senior Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.) tacked on 14 points, including four three pointers, off the bench, while junior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) added 11 points.

The Akron offense was very productive from beyond the arc, making eight threes on 15 attempts. Rasheed was the most prolific shooter for the Zips, draining four treys in the contest.

BUFFALO TRIUMPHS OVER AKRON
The Akron trio of Shelbee Brown, Maddie Vejsicky and senior Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.) 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.

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.

Redshirt senior Emily Hall (Phoenix, N.Y.) led the way individually for the Zips with two steals.

SIMMONS GARNERS TOPCONNECT GALA HONORS
Kelly Simmons of the Akron women's basketball program was among 21 graduate assistants who participated in the TopConnect Graduate Assistant Leadership Academy with coach Josh Pastner.

Simmons completed eight sessions and is among the future leaders in college basketball.

This academy identifies up-and-coming coached in the country and provides them the necessary skills and relationships to assist them on their career path.

ZIP TIDBITS
• Shelbee Brown recorded a career-high 22 points at Bowling Green to post a career-best scoring mark for the second consecutive game. She has netted back-to-back 20-point outings.
• Shelbee Brown has scored in double figures in five straight games and 11 of 13 overall.
• Maddie Vejsicky has made a team-high 45 three pointers this season, including one in all but one contest on the campaign.
• Shelbee Brown has connected on 40 percent or better from the field in 16 of Akron's 21 games this season, including seven straight.
• Led by 11 and seven rebounds from Shelbee Brown and Alexus Mobley, Akron outrebounded Miami (Jan. 12) by nine, 36-27, including a 10-5 advantage on the offensive glass.
• Shelbee Brown equaled a season-high steals at Miami (Jan. 22), while Maddie Vejsicky dished out a team- and season-best three assists.
• Freshman Liz Murphy (Yackandandah, Australia) scored her first collegiate points connecting on a fourth quarter three pointer at Miami (Jan. 22).
• Freshman Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) has posted two or more blocks in five games this season, including in four of nine league contests.
• Senior Ellen Kinnaird (Lewis Center, Ohio) registered her first career points with a pair of made free throws against Ball State (Jan. 18).
• Junior Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) recorded her second career double-figure rebounding game at Ball State (Jan. 18) pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds.
• Liz Murphy joined the Akron roster and made her Zips' debut against Central Michigan (Jan. 15).
• Emily Hall recorded a season-high 17 points at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 11) as she led the Zips in scoring.
• A five-year member of the Akron volleyball team, Ellen Kinnaird joined the Zips' squad in time for the squad's game at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 11).
• Zakia Rasheed connected on a career-high 21 points on seven three pointers versus Northern Illinois (Jan. 8). Her seven triples stand as the fourth-best single-game effort in program history.
• Alexus Mobley recorded an Akron season-high five steals against Toledo (Jan. 4).
• Alexus Mobley was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced on Dec. 31.
• Liisa Taponen dished out a career-high two assists to go along with a career-best 17-point effort at Ohio (Jan. 1).
• Ni'Rah 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 shined in the classroom during the fall semester as Akron recorded a 3.04 team GPA, including three Zips turning in a perfect 4.0 GPA.
• Liisa Taponen recorded her first career double-digit rebounding game pulling down a career-best 11 rebounds against No. 20 Michigan (Dec. 20), while also posting a career-high three blocks.
• Akron is rated second in the Mid-American Conference in blocked shots (3.33), fifth in free throw percentage (.732), defensive rebounds (25.90) and offensive rebounds (11.57).
• Individually, Shelbee Brown is fourth in rebounding (8.19) and in defensive rebounds (5.90), seventh in offensive rebounds (2.29) and eighth in steals (2.00), Liisa Taponen is sixth in blocked shots (0.86) and eighth in offensive rebounds (2.19), while Ni'Rah Clark is third in blocked shots (1.10).
• In league-only games, Akron is ranked second in the MAC in offensive rebounding (11.56), third in blocked shots (2.89) and fourth in rebounding margin (4.78).
• In conference-only tilts, Ni'Rah Clark is rated third in the league in blocked shots (1.44). Additionally, Liisa Taponen is ninth in offensive rebounding (2.00), Emily Hall is fourth in minutes played (34.81), Zakia Rasheed is ninth in three-point percentage (.388) and Shelbee Brown is fourth in defensive rebounding (6.00) and in rebounding (8.56) and fifth in offensive rebounding (2.56).
• The Zips have posted seven 20+ scoring games this season. Shelbee Brown tallied 22, 21 and 20 points, respectively, versus Bowling Green (Jan. 29), Buffalo (Jan. 25) and Central Michigan (Jan. 15). Sophomore Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario) poured in 20 against both Ohio (Jan. 1) and Cleveland State (Nov. 16), while Alexus Mobley added 30 and 23 versus Miami Hamilton (Dec. 28) and Toledo (Jan. 4). Zakia Rasheed posted 21 against Northern Illinois (Jan. 8) and junior Kam'Ren Rhodes (Chandler, Ariz.) tallied 26 points against Georgia State (Nov. 4).
• The 2024-25 season marks the 51st season of competition for the Akron women's basketball program.
• The Zips own season-high marks in scoring (88-GSU), field goals made (32-CSU), triples (10-SRU), offensive rebounds (19-SRU | OHIO-1), defensive rebounds (39-MIAH), rebounds (51-MIAH), assists (22-CAN), steals (9-CAN) and blocks (10-TSU | MIAH).
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led Shelbee Brown (14), Alexus Mobley (13), Maddie Vejsicky (9), Teniesha Clarke (8), Zakia Rasheed (7), Kam'Ren Rhodes (4), Liisa Taponen (4), Ni'Rah Clark (3) and Emily Hall (1).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 108 of its last 141 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 10 triples in an 79-43 victory over Slippery Rock (Dec. 4).

AKRON UNVEILS TALENTED SEVEN-MEMBER NEWCOMER CLASS
Akron under the leadership of second-year head coach Ryan Gensler, boast a talented seven-member newcomer class for 2024.

Donning the Akron uniform this season will be freshmen Kyara Bakker (Leiderdorp, Netherlands) and Ni'Rah Clark, Emily Hall, junior Caroline Lyles (Argyle, Texas), Kam'Ren Rhodes, Maddie Vejsicky and sophomore Ella Wigal (Granville, Ohio).

ZIPS' OFFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In Akron's 21 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: NA, 40 percent: .492 (Cleveland State), .483 (Canisius), .481 (Northern Illinois), .469 (Bowling Green), .464 (Bellarmine), .463 (Miami Hamilton), .444 (Ohio-1), .439 (Iona), .436 (Buffalo), .420 (Toledo-1), .420 (Slippery Rock), .417 (Eastern Michigan-1), 30 percent: .396 (Michigan), .389 (Ball State), .388 (Colgate), .379 (Tennessee State), .377 (Georgia State), .361 (Robert Morris), .357 (Miami-1), .333 (Binghamton), .292 (Central Michigan-1).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 21 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .538 (Ball State), .500 (Miami-1), 40 percent: .491 (Cleveland State), .485 (Michigan), .483 (Northern Illinois), .469 (Robert Morris), .466 (Bowling Green ), .463 (Bellarmine), .459 (Toledo-1), .453 (Buffalo), .444 (Eastern Michigan-1), .433 (Central Michigan-1), .414 (Binghamton), .403 (Tennessee State), 30 percent: .393 (Colgate), .368 (Ohio-1), .361 (Georgia State), .310 (Miami Hamilton), .310 (Iona), 20 percent: .298 (Canisius), .278 (Slippery Rock).

MAC PRESEASON POLL
The Zips under second-year head coach Ryan Gensler, were picked to finish ninth as a team behind preseason league and tournament favorite preseason favorite Ball State (10 first-place votes and 120 points). The Cardinals were followed by Kent State (2 first-place votes and 104 points), Buffalo (98), Bowling Green (96), Toledo (82), Northern Illinois (64), Ohio (64), Miami (44), Akron (43), Western Michigan (34), Eastern Michigan (23) and Central Michigan (20).

OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES
Led by 18.2 points per game from Shelbee Brown, a pair of Zips are averaging double-figures in scoring over the last five games. Joining Brown with 10.2 points per outing is Alexus Mobley. Brown is pulling down a team-best 8.6 rebounds per contest, while Ni'Rah Clark is shooting a team-high 61.1 percent from the field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 32.0 points per game for 672 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 46 points in the paint in a 84-74 victory over Cleveland State (Nov. 16) as well as an 80-52 triumph past Miami Hamilton (Dec. 28). Additional inside the numbers for the Zips this season are below.

Points in Paint – 32.0 ppg (672) | Season-High - 46 vs. Cleveland State | Miami Hamilton
Points off Turnovers – 14.2 ppg (298) | Season-High - 24 vs. Cleveland State
Second-Chance Points – 10.7 ppg (225) | Season-High - 20 vs. Slippery Rock
Fast-Break Points – 6.9 ppg (144) | Season-High - 15 vs. Miami Hamilton
Bench Points – 17.1 ppg (360) | Season-High - 36 vs. Canisius

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 19 seasons. When playing on its home court, Akron owns a 139-92 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 6-5 in the JAR, averaging 69.8 points per tilt and connecting on 42 percent (.420) of their attempts from the field, while recording 38.5 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.9 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Western Michigan in a 6 p.m. contest on Wednesday (Feb. 5) at James A. Rhodes Arena.