Women's Basketball Return to M.A.C. Center to Host Radford Wednesday Night
12/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Download free Adobe Acrobat Reader
KENT, Ohio-- The Kent State University womens basketball team returns to the M.A.C. Center to host nonconference foe Radford University on Wednesday night, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. The game is the final home contest of the 2005 calendar year for the Golden Flashes.
The Golden Flashes (6-2), undefeated in three home games this season, are coming off a second-place finish at the Flint Hills Resources Islanders Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas last weekend (Dec. 17-18). The Flashes defeated Alcorn State, 82-59, in the opening game before falling to host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 68-48, in the championship game, snapping a four-game winning streak.
Radford (4-3) is coming off back-to-back victories including a 71-67 win at home on Monday night (Dec. 19) against Belmont.
QUICK FLASHES
The keys for Kent State during its recent four-game winning streak were forcing turnovers, converting easy scoring opportunities on the other end and holding the opposition to a low shooting percentage. Those have also been the keys in KSUs two losses as the Flashes average 20 turnovers and shoot less than 37% in those defeats.
Individually, senior All-American candidate Lindsay Shearer leads the team- and the MAC- in scoring, averaging 20.1 points per game. She also leads the team in rebounding and all three shooting categories. Classmate and fellow All-MAC pick Malika Willoughby has 45 assists and 24 steals while averaging 6.9 points per contest. Freshman guard Rachel Bennett (7.1 ppg. ,14 steals), senior guard Kacie Vavrek (5.5 ppg., 16 assists) and junior center Tiffany LaFleur (5.4 ppg. ,11 blocks) round out the starting lineup.
Junior Lakia Stewart (7.3 ppg., 5.3 rpg.) is the top performer off the bench while fellow reserves Kerrie James, Mallorie Griffith, Samantha Scull and Michelle Hamblin all average over 10 minutes a game.
LAST TIME OUT FOR KENT STATE
The Golden Flashes went 1-1 at the Islanders Classic to place second. Kent State shot 50% from the floor and forced 25 turnovers in easily defeating Alcorn State, 82-59, in the opening game. Three Flashes reached double figures, including career highs by Lakia Stewart (19) and Rachel Bennett (16).
Unfortunately for Kent State, a complete role reversal occurred the following night as the Flashes committed 24 turnovers and shot a season-low 32% in a 68-48 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Malika Willoughby had nine points to lead KSU while Mallorie Griffith battled flu-like symptoms to score 8 points and grab 9 rebounds off the bench.
THE FLASHES 500
With five wins this season, Kent State now has an all-time record of 496-346 (.588) since 1975-76. With just 4 more victories, the program will reach the historic 500-win plateau. Among MAC schools, only Northern Illinois (538), Bowling Green (507) and Toledo (504) have won more games.
SCOUTING RADFORD
Fourth-year coach Jeri Porters Highlanders are led by juniors Shavon Earp (12.6 ppg., 4.4 rpg.) and Sarah Stephens (9.9 ppg., 5.9 rpg.) and 2005 Big South Freshman of the Year Corrie Fertitta (11.7 ppg., 7.6 rpg.). Overall, Radford boasts six players averaging 8.8 points or more per contest. After alternating wins and losses through the first six games, the Highlanders have won two straight following a 71-67 victory over Belmont on Monday night. Last season, Radford finished 12-16 overall and sixth in the Big South conference with a 6-8 league mark.
SERIES STUFF
This will be just the second meeting between the two schools. Kent State won the inaugural contest, 66-57 last year at Radford. It is the only meeting for KSU against a team from the Big South. The Highlanders are 1-3 all-time vs. MAC foes.
THE LAST MEETING
Kent State never trailed in the game and led by as many as 18 points in the first contest between the two schools. Lindsay Shearer scored a game-high 30 points- hitting 10-of-11 free throws- and added four steals to lead Kent State, which built a 14-point halftime lead. Both teams shot an identical 22-of-56 (39.3%) from the field and 4-of-17 (23.5%) from three-point range. However, the difference was at the free throw line, where Kent State went 18-of-26 and Radford was just 9-of-13. Corrie Fertitta led Radford with 13 points and a game-high seven rebounds off the bench.
