Women's Hoops Squares Off Against Wisconsin-Green Bay Monday Night
11/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio - Coming off a 19-point win over American University Friday night, the Kent State womens basketball team will face an even tougher test Monday night when they welcome the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix to the M.A.C. Center at 7 p.m. The Flashes will be looking to avenge a 23-point defeat to UWGB last season in Green Bay.
A Look at UWGB
Head coach Kevin Borseth is in his seventh season as the head coach in Green Bay. The Phoenix return all five starters and 10 letterwinners from last years squad that went 23-8, captured the Horizon League title and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
The Phoenix kicked off the season with wins over Auburn (64-56) and Vermont (67-52) at the Banknorth Classic in Burlington, Vt. Friday and Saturday. Senior Abby Scharlow is averaging 14.0 points and 7.0 caroms per game thus far. Tiffany Mor (12.5 ppg), Mary Kulenkamp (11.0) and Nicole Soulis (11.0) all average in double figures to give the Phoenix a balanced scoring threat. UWGB is receiving six votes in the latest USA Today/ESPN Top 25 poll.
The Series
Wisconsin-Green Bay has won the only two meetings with the Flashes in the all-time series. Last season the Flashes could not overcome UWGBs hot shooting as the Phoenix shot the lights out, connecting on 60 percent of their shots in the second half including 6-of-10 from behind the arc and 10-of-17 for the game. Five Phoenix players scored in double-figures who were led by Tricia Grassells 16 points. Lindsay Shearer led the Flashes with 11 points and seven boards.
Flashes Post 72-53 Win Over American
Lindsay Shearer, Malika Willoughby and Melissa DeGrate combined for 57 points as Kent State defeated American, 72-53, Friday night.
Shearer finished with a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds, DeGrate had 18 and six boards and Willoughby finished with 16, five assists and five steals for the Flashes who are now 12-4 in home openers under head coach Bob Lindsay.
The Golden Flashes up-tempo, full-court style of play forced 27 American turnovers, forcing the Eagles (0-1) into more turnovers than they had field goals in both halves.
Kent State quickly put the game away in the second half. Leading 31-28 at the break, Kent State went on a 20-6 run to start the second half, fueled by nine points from DeGrate and putting the Flashes up, 51-35, just over five minutes into the period. Then, 3-pointers from Shearer and DeGrate and a layup by freshman Asheley Harkins gave the Flashes a 24-point lead with just over eight minutes left.
Willoughbys aggressive play kept the Eagles from making a run as she attacked the basket almost at will and got to the free throw line 11 times. She made a career-high 9-of-11 free throws for the game including 6-of-8 in the final five minutes.
Shearer Off To Solid Start
Make no mistake about it. If the Golden Flashes are going to make another run at a MAC championship, All-MAC forward Lindsay Shearer will need to have another all-conference year. Knowing that, Shearer scored 56 points in two exhibition contests vs. OGBM and Ashland and scored 23 in the season-opening win vs. American. She also had eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Lindsay Looking To Set Coaching Milestone
This season, Bob Lindsay has a chance to become the first MAC womens head coach and the third MAC coach overall to reach the 300-career win plateau in addition to recording his 10th 20-win season. Lindsay fell just one win shy of accomplishing that feat in 2003-04 after finishing the season 19-10 and earning the programs first bid to the postseason WNIT. Lindsay currently has 288 career wins and needs 12 to reach the 300 mark.
On the Air
For the third year in a row, all Kent State womens basketball regular-season games will be broadcast live on WHLO-AM 640 out of Akron. Play-by-play broadcaster Tom Linder will call all the action. Broadcast time is 15 minutes before the opening tip.
On Deck
Kent State will hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to Bozeman, Mt. for a date with the Montana State Bobcats at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27.
