Rivalry Saturday as Akron Squares Off Versus Kent State

Saturday, March 1

Akron, Ohio

12:00 PM

University of Akron

Kent State

Photo by: Ashley Huss

Rivalry Saturday as Akron Squares Off Versus Kent State

February 28 | Women's Basketball

Akron (9-19, 3-12 MAC) vs Kent State (18-10, 10-5 MAC)
Saturday, March 1
James A. Rhodes Arena
Akron, Ohio

Series History: Kent State leads 60-18
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 (March 1), as the Zips face the Golden Flashes at James A. Rhodes Arena. The 12 p.m. tilt 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 Golden Flashes 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
Kent State: Todd Starkey (Montreat, 1993), Overall Record: 326-204 (18th Season), Record at Kent State: 161-109 (Ninth Season)
Akron: Ryan Gensler (St. Joseph's, 2009), Overall Record: 20-37 (Second Season), Record at Akron: 20-37 (Second Season)

SCOUTING KENT STATE
Kent State comes into its showdown with Akron on Saturday (March 1) at 18-10 on the campaign, including 10-5 in the Mid-American Conference, following a 76-58 victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday (Feb. 26).

Senior Jenna Batsch leads a trio of Golden Flashes averaging double figures in scoring posting a team-high 16.4 points per game. Adding 12.1 and 11.2 points per contest are sophomores Mya Babbitt and Janae Tyler. As a team, Kent State is recording 74.9 points, 40.4 rebounds, 16.7 assists, 6.1 steals and 2.9 blocks per tilt.

Kent State is ranked eighth in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.789), while ranking 10th in defensive rebounding (29.5), 19th in rebounding margin (8.0), 26th in three-point percentage (.361), 32nd in rebounds per tilt (40.36) and in assists per outing (16.7), 33rd in free throws made per game (14.25), 37th in three-point defense (.277), 40th in triples per contest (8.0) and 47th in scoring offense (74.9).

Individually, Batch is rated 14th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.899), while senior Bridget Dunn is fifth in defensive rebounding (8.5), 19th in total rebounds (277) and 28th in rebounds per game (9.9). Additionally, Babbitt is 21st in three pointers (73), 29th in triple per tilt (2.61) and 35th in three-point percentage (.412).

SERIES HISTORY
Akron and Kent State are meeting for the 79th time in program history. The Golden Flashes lead the series, 60-18. Kent State earned a 73-51 victory past the Zips on Feb. 1, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.

IN OUR LAST MEETING (FEB. 1, 2025 – KENT, OHIO)
Akron fell short in a 73-51 loss to rival Kent State on the road on Feb. 1.

The Zips had three players score in double figures, led by redshirt Shelbee Brown (Memphis, Tenn.), who had 15 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Freshman Ni'Rah Clark (Toledo, Ohio) tacked on 10 points, two steals and two blocks, while senior Alexus Mobley (Indianapolis, Ind.) chipped in as well with 10 points.

Akron forced 17 Kent State turnovers and turned those takeaways into 17 points on the other end of the floor. Redshirt senior Emily Hall (Phoenix, N.Y.) led the way individually with four steals.

BRONCOS EDGE THE ZIPS, 77-66
Akron got a 19-point and nine-rebound showing from Shelbee Brown but fell 77-66 to Western Michigan on the road on Wednesday (Feb. 26).

The Zips had four players score in double figures, led by Brown, who had 19 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Alexus Mobley added 14 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench, while Ni'Rah Clark chipped in as well with 11 points and six rebounds. Junior Maddie Vejsicky (New Concord, Ohio) rounded out Akron's double-figure scorers with 10 points.

Akron out-rebounded Western Michigan 35-22, paced by Brown's nine boards. The Zips also pulled down 14 offensive rebounds and scored 19 second-chance points.

AKRON FALLS 70-62 TO OHIO
Ni'Rah Clark registered her first career double-double with a 13-point and 11-rebound effort, while Maddie Vejsicky led the Zips with 16 points, but Akron fell to Ohio, 70-62, at James A. Rhodes Arena on Feb. 22.

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 TO HONOR FIVE ZIPS ON SENIOR NIGHT
The Zips' contest versus Eastern Michigan on Wednesday (March 5) will mark Senior Night in the careers of seniors Shelbee Brown, Emily Hall, Ellen Kinnaird (Lewis Center, Ohio), Alexus Mobley and Zakia Rasheed (Avon, Ind.).

Brown has started 24 of 28 games for the Zips this season in her lone year at Akron en route to posting team-high marks in points (13.20), rebounds (8.6) and steals (2.3) along with 1.3 assists per contest.

Hall has appeared in 26 games as a Zip, including 15 starts, recording 3.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per outing.

Kinnaird joined the squad in January and has played in nine games after a decorated career on the Akron volleyball team.

Mobley has played in 53 career games at Akron, including 36 starts, recording 8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per outing.

A four-year member of the Akron squad, Rasheed has appeared in 100 career games, including earning 38 starts, and has recorded 4.2 points, 1.6 assists and 1.4 rebounds per contest.

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
• Akron shot a season-best 50 percent from the field at Western Michigan (Feb. 26).
• Zakia Rasheed played in her 100th career game as a Zip at Western Michigan (Feb. 25) and needs a trio of three pointers to reach the century mark in her Akron career.
• Shelbee Brown and Emily Hall enter play versus Kent State having each recorded 630 career points, while Alexus Mobley needs 28 points to reach the 500-point plateau for her career as a Zip.
• Shelbee Brown comes into action against Kent State 31 rebounds shy of collecting 500 for her career.
• Alexus Mobley matched a career-high mark with five assists at Western Michigan (Feb. 26), while Maddie Vejsicky recorded a career-best three steals versus the Broncos.
• Akron posted season-high marks in three pointers (10) and steals (11) versus Ohio (Feb. 22).
• Shelbee Brown recorded a season-best five steals, while Emily Hall dished out a season-high five assists against Ohio (Feb. 22).
• 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 Feb. 15.
• Shelbee Brown has turned in double-doubles in four of Akron's last nine 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 10 of Akron's last 12 games and 16 of 20 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 21 of Akron's 28 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.
• Ellen Kinnaird 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)
• 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.
• 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 offensive rebounds (11.89), third in blocked shots (2.89) and fourth in rebounding margin (3.71).
• Individually, Shelbee Brown is fourth in offensive rebounds (2.68), fifth in rebounding (8.61) and defensive rebounds (5.93) and seventh in steals (2.21), Liisa Taponen is eighth in offensive rebounds (2.00), while Ni'Rah Clark is fourth in blocked shots (1.04).
• In league-only games, Akron is ranked second in the MAC in offensive rebounding (12.13) and fourth in rebounding margin (5.00).
• In conference-only tilts, Ni'Rah Clark is rated fourth in the league in blocked shots (1.13). Additionally, Emily Hall is third in minutes played (35.29) and Shelbee Brown is fourth in offensive rebounding (3.07), fifth in rebounding (9.07), sixth in defensive rebounding (6.00), seventh in scoring (15.53) and ninth in steals (2.07).
• 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 | OHIO-2), offensive rebounds (19-SRU | OHIO-1), defensive rebounds (39-MIAH), rebounds (51-MIAH), assists (22-CAN), steals (11-OHIO-2) and blocks (10-TSU | MIAH).
• Nine different Akron players have scored in double figures this season led Shelbee Brown (19), Alexus Mobley (17), Maddie Vejsicky (12), Teniesha Clarke (8), Zakia Rasheed (8), Ni'Rah Clark (7), Kam'Ren Rhodes (4), Liisa Taponen (4) and Emily Hall (3).
• Akron connected on five or more three pointers in 109 of its last 148 contests overall. The Zips hit on a season-high 10 triples in an 79-43 victory over Slippery Rock (Dec. 4) and in a 70-62 setback against Ohio (Feb. 22).

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 28 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared from the field: 50 percent: .500 (Western Michigan-2), 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), .345 (Ohio-2), .340 (Kent State-1), .333 (Binghamton), .292 (Central Michigan-1), .244 (Georgia Southern).

ZIPS' DEFENSIVE PROGRESS REPORT
In the Zips' 28 games this season, this is how the Zips have fared defensively: 50 percent: .551 (Western Michigan-2), .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), .417 (Ohio-2), .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
Shelbee Brown leads Akron over the last five games averaging a team-best 15.4 points per contest, while Ni'Rah Clark has added 10.2 points per night. Brown is pulling down a team-best 8.6 rebounds and is shooting a team-high 46.7 percent from the field.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Akron has once proved to be strong in the paint averaging 31.4 points per game for 878 total points. This season, the Zips posted a season-best 46 points in the paint in a 77-66 setback at Western Michigan (Feb. 26), as well as 84-74 victory over Cleveland State (Nov. 16) and an 80-52 triumph past Miami Hamilton (Dec. 28). Additional inside the numbers for the Zips this season are below.

Points in Paint – 31.4 ppg (878) | Season-High - 46 vs. Cleveland State | Miami Hamilton | W. Michigan
Points off Turnovers – 14.3 ppg (399) | Season-High - 24 vs. Cleveland State
Second-Chance Points – 10.8 ppg (302) | Season-High - 20 vs. Slippery Rock
Fast-Break Points – 6.5 ppg (181) | Season-High - 15 vs. Miami Hamilton
Bench Points – 15.3 ppg (428) | 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 139-95 record dating back to the 2004-05 campaign.

This season, the Zips are 6-8 in the JAR, averaging 68.0 points per tilt and connecting on more than 41 percent (.412) of their attempts from the field, while recording 38.3 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.4 blocks per game.

UP NEXT
Akron hosts Eastern Michigan on Senior Night on Wednesday (March 5) at 6 p.m.

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.