Despite the long season ahead, the most important matchup the women’s basketball team may face will be Wednesday against MAC East leading Akron.

The Falcons sit just behind the Zips in the east with a 16-8 (7-4) record while Akron boasts a 17-7 (8-3) record. The winner of the game will take over first in the East.

The stakes are high but Akron is not an easy foe. The Zips are currently on a five-game win streak and are 11th in the nation in scoring offense with 75.7 points per game. Akron also defeated the Falcons in January 65-63.

If the Wednesday game isn’t enough pressure on the Falcons, BG will have to face Miami, who sits just behind it in the East.

“The next two games will feel like MAC Tournament play,” coach Jennifer Roos said. “With Akron with the one game lead and Miami one game behind us … there are a variety of different scenarios that could unfold”

The Falcons are coming off a game where they defeated Northern Illinois with high-percentage shooting. However, the Falcons previously lost to Western Michigan due to the lowest-percentage shooting of the season. BG will need to be consistent in all areas against the Zips because Akron has been all season.

Aside from the national ranking in points per game, the Zips rank 27th nationally in field-goal percentage and 25th in three-point field goals made per game.

To combat this, the Falcons are ranked 26th in scoring defense and 48th in three-point FG defense.

BG will be home for the first time in three games and has won eight times at home in 12 games. In the overall series between the schools, BG leads 48-3 in all games played including a 25-0 at home record against the Zips.

The game will tip-off at 7 p.m. at the Stroh.