OXFORD, Ohio - Sophomore Mallorie Griffith (Lexington, Ohio/Lexington) displayed some late-game heroics and Melissa DeGrate (Sr., Amarillo, Texas, South Plains) scored 14 second half points as the Kent State womens basketball team (18-8, 11-4) came back from a 10-point second half deficit to defeat the Miami RedHawks, 60-56, today at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.
With a Marshall loss today at Eastern Michigan, Kent State can move into a tie for first place in the MAC East.
With Kent State clinging to a one-point lead with under a minute to go, Griffith grabbed an offensive rebound and putback to put the Flashes up three and then took a charge on the other end, all in a matter of 13 seconds, before adding another free throw to ice it and extend Kent States winning streak to six games. The loss snaps Miamis (14-12, 8-7) five-game win streak.
Griffith tied a career-high with 10 points and set a new career-high with 11 rebounds for the Flashes who can solidify a first round bye in this years MAC tournament with a win Tuesday against Buffalo.
Miami took a 10-point lead with 12:34 left in the second half on Amanda Jacksons three-pointer. But all that did was light a spark in the Golden Flashes as they went on 12-3 run over the next two minutes to cut Miamis lead to one. Miami then responded with a Laura Markwood field goal and a deep three-pointer by Nicki Motto to give Miami a 51-45 lead with 8:53 left.
Unfortunately for Miami, Kent State would hold the RedHawks to just one field goal in the final 8:53 and outscore Miami, 15-5, to end the game.
DeGrate gave Kent State its first lead of the second half, 52-51, with a three form the left wing. Then, after Jackson gave Miami a one-point lead on the next possession, DeGrate answered right back again with her fourth three-point field goal of the half to put KSU back up by two with just over four minutes left. The RedHawks would cut the lead to one twice more but came no closer.
In the first half, DeGrate picked up two ticky-tacky fouls early in the game and had to sit the final 18 minutes. Enter Lakia Stewart (So., Philadelphia, Pa./Central) and Griffith who came off the bench to score 10 of Kent States 22 first half points.
Kent States bench, armed by Griffith and Stewart who combined for 18 points overall, outscored Miamis bench, 21-4. Stewart finished with eight points, four rebounds and four assists. Shearer hit double-figures for the 25th time this season with 13 points and five boards.
Malika Willoughby (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis./Washington/UW-Milwaukee)added six points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Jackson led three Miami players in double figures with 19 points. Cindi Merrill added 13 and 10 boards with Kim Smith also grabbing 10 boards.
Game Notes: Head coach Bob Lindsay is now 52-8 in games played in the month of February in the last eight years ... Kent State has now won the last three meetings with Miami and six of the last seven ... neither team shot particularly well from the foul line as KSU was 4-of-10 and Miami 11-of-17 ... Kent State is now 16-3 this year when scoring 60 points and have now held opponents under 60 points 16 times this year ... Kent State recorded 11 steals, marking the 17th time KSU has recorded at least 10 steals in a game ... with four three-pointers, Melissa DeGrate moves into seventh place on the KSU all-time list for career three-pointers and is tied for fourth on the single-season record list with 55.
