Akron Hosts Ohio in Saturday Matinee Affair

Saturday, February 22

Akron, Ohio

2:00 PM

University of Akron

Ohio

February 21 | Women's Basketball

Akron (9-17, 3-10 MAC) vs. Ohio (5-19, 3-10 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 22
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio

Series History: Ohio leads 49-24
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 welcomes Ohio to James A. Rhodes Arena on Saturday (Feb. 22). The 2 p.m. tilt with the Bobcats will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Michael Reghi and Jeff Phelps on the call as well as on GoZips.com with Bill Morgan on the radio call.

Tickets for the contest against the Bobcats 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
Ohio: Bob Boldon (Walsh, 1997), Overall Record: 299-249 (18th Season), Record at Ohio: 201-161 (12th Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 20-35 (Second Season), Record at Akron: 20-35 (Second Season)

SCOUTING OHIO
Ohio enters action against Akron on Saturday (Feb. 22) at 5-19 on the campaign, including 3-10 in the Mid-American Conference, following 74-70 victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday (Feb. 19).

Senior Kennedi Watkins leads a pair of Bobcats scoring in double figures averaging a team-best 15.2 points per game, while sophomore Bailey Tabeling is adding 12.2 points per night. As a team, Ohio is recording 58.0 points, 31.8 rebounds, 10.4 assists, 8.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per tilt.

The Bobcats are rated 16th in the NCAA in three-point attempts per game (26.4), while Tabeling is ranked 11th in three-point attempts (194).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Ohio are meeting for the 74th time in program history. The Bobcats lead the series, 49-24, after the Zips bettered Ohio, 74-61, on Jan. 1, 2025, in Athens, Ohio.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (JAN. 1, 2025 – ATHENS, OHIO)
Sophomore Teniesha Clarke (Burlington, Ontario) scored a career-high 20 points to help lead Akron past Ohio, 74-61, in the Mid-American Conference opener for both schools on Jan. 1 in Athens, Ohio.

The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by Clarke, who had 20 points. Junior Liisa Taponen (Tampere, Finland) tacked on a career-best 17 points, including 14 in the decisive second half, while senior Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.) added 15 points and seven rebounds.

Led by freshman Ni'Rah Clark's (Toledo, Ohio) five offensive rebounds, Akron did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down a season-high 19 boards that resulted in 19 second-chance points.

Akron did a great job disrupting Ohio shots in the contest, coming away with five blocks. Clark's three rejections led the way individually for the Zips.

BROWN'S 24 POINTS NOT ENOUGH AGAINST MIAMI
Akron redshirt senior Shelbee Brown (Memphis, Tenn.), junior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) and redshirt senior Emily Hall (Phoenix, N.Y.) combined to score 44 of Akron's 58 total points, but the Zips fell to the Miami, 70-58, at James A. Rhodes Arena on Wednesday (Feb. 19).

Brown led the Zips with 24 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Vejsicky added 10 points and Hall chipped in as well with 10 points and a season-best eight rebounds.

Brown pulled down three offensive rebounds to lead an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Akron, grabbing 10 boards and turning them into eight second-chance points.

ROCKETS RALLY PAST ZIPS
Akron went into halftime tied 27-27 with Toledo but could not take control in the second half and fell 75-54 to the Rockets on the road on Feb. 15.

The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by Ni'Rah Clark, who had a career-high 16 points. Senior Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.) added 11 points and Alexus Mobley chipped in as well with 10 points from the bench.

Liisa Taponen pulled down three offensive rebounds to lead an offense that racked up second-chance opportunities for Akron, grabbing 13 boards and turning them into 11 second-chance points.

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
• Emily Hall equaled a season-best pulling down eight rebounds against Miami (Feb. 19).
• Ni'Rah Clark scored a career-high 16 points against her hometown Rockets on Saturday (Feb. 15).
• Shelbee Brown has turned in double-doubles in four of Akron's last seven games and eight times overall on the campaign.
• After Ni'Rah Clark dished out a career-best three assists versus Western Michigan (Feb. 5), nine different Zips have led Akron in dishing out assists in a game this season.
• Shelbee Brown posted the 10th-best single-game rebounding effort in program history pulling down a career-high 19 rebounds versus Western Michigan (Feb. 5). Her effort stands as the top single-game mark in the Mid-American Conference this season.
• Shelbee Brown's 32-point performance against Western Michigan (Feb. 5) is the highest-scoring output for a Zip since Reagan Bass netted 33 versus Tennessee State on Dec. 3, 2023. It represents the second-highest scoring effort in the MAC this season behind.
• Freshman Liz Murphy (Yackandandah, Australia) scored a career-high eight points at Kent State (Feb. 1).
• Shelbee Brown has scored in double figures in nine of Akron's last 10 games and 15 of 18 overall.
• Maddie Vejsicky has made a team-high 45 three pointers this season, including one in all but three contests on the campaign.
• Shelbee Brown has connected on 40 percent or better from the field in 20 of Akron's 26 games.
• Liz Murphy scored her first collegiate points connecting on a fourth quarter three pointer at Miami (Jan. 22).
• Ni'Rah Clark has posted two or more blocks in seven games this season, including in five of 13 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). A five-year member of the Akron volleyball team, she joined the Zips' squad in time for the squad's game at Eastern Michigan (Jan. 11)
• Liisa Taponen recorded her second career double-figure rebounding game at Ball State (Jan. 18) pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds.
• Emily Hall recorded a season-high 17 points 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 was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Women's Basketball Player of the Week, the league announced on Dec. 31.
• Liisa Taponen recorded 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 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 (3.04) and fourth in offensive rebounds (11.62).
• Individually, Shelbee Brown is fourth in rebounding (8.54), defensive rebounds (5.92) and offensive rebounds (2.62) and seventh in steals (2.12), Liisa Taponen is eighth in offensive rebounds (2.12) and 10th in blocked shots (0.69), while Ni'Rah Clark is second in blocked shots (1.12).
• In league-only games, Akron is ranked second in the MAC in offensive rebounding (11.62), fourth in rebounding margin (3.69) and fifth in blocked shots (2.54).
• In conference-only tilts, Ni'Rah Clark is rated third in the league in blocked shots (1.31*). Additionally, Emily Hall is third in minutes played (35.25) and Shelbee Brown is third in offensive rebounding (3.00) and in rebounding (9.00), fourth in defensive rebounding (6.00) and eighth in scoring (15.92).
• The Zips have posted eight 20+ scoring games this season. Shelbee Brown tallied 32, 24, 22, 21 and 20 points, respectively, versus Western Michigan (Feb. 5), Miami (Feb. 19), 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 (18), Alexus Mobley (16), Maddie Vejsicky (10), Teniesha Clarke (8), Zakia Rasheed (8), Ni'Rah Clark (5), Kam'Ren Rhodes (4), Liisa Taponen (4) and Emily Hall (2).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 108 of its last 146 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 26 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), .404 (Western Michigan-1), 30 percent: .396 (Michigan), .389 (Ball State), .388 (Miami-2), .388 (Colgate), .379 (Tennessee State), .377 (Georgia State), .361 (Robert Morris), .360 (Toledo-2), .357 (Miami-1), .340 (Kent State-1), .333 (Binghamton), .292 (Central Michigan-1), .244 (Georgia Southern).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 26 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .538 (Ball State), .532 (Kent State-1), .522 (Western Michigan-1), .509 (Miami-2), .500 (Miami-1), 40 percent: .491 (Cleveland State), .485 (Michigan), .483 (Northern Illinois), .469 (Robert Morris), .466 (Bowling Green ), .463 (Bellarmine), .459 (Toledo-1), .455 (Toledo-2), .453 (Buffalo), .444 (Eastern Michigan-1), .433 (Central Michigan-1), .414 (Binghamton), .403 (Tennessee State), 30 percent: .393 (Colgate), .383 (Georgia Southern), .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 19.6 points per game from Shelbee Brown, a pair of Zips are averaging double-figures in scoring over the last five games. Joining Brown with 10.0 points per outing is Alexus Mobley. Brown is pulling down a team-best 10.0 rebounds per contest, while Brown is shooting a team-high 47.3 percent from the field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 31.2 points per game for 812 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 – 31.2 ppg (812) | Season-High - 46 vs. Cleveland State | Miami Hamilton
Points off Turnovers – 14.2 ppg (370) | Season-High - 24 vs. Cleveland State
Second-Chance Points – 10.3 ppg (268) | Season-High - 20 vs. Slippery Rock
Fast-Break Points – 6.6 ppg (172) | Season-High - 15 vs. Miami Hamilton
Bench Points – 15.2 ppg (394) | 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 139-94 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 6-7 in the JAR, averaging 68.5 points per tilt and connecting on nearly 42 percent (.417) of their attempts from the field, while recording 37.8 rebounds, 12.5 assists, 6.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron travels to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a 7 p.m. tilt versus the Broncos on Wednesday (Feb. 26).

AKRON ATHLETICS NOW CASHLESS
The University of Akron Athletics Department announced its transition to cashless payments for all ticketing, concessions, and merchandise purchases at all Akron athletic venues, concession stands, and gear shops, beginning with the start of the 2024-25 sports seasons. For more information click here.