Women's Basketball Hosts Buffalo Saturday as Lindsay Looks for 200
1/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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The Kent State University womens basketball team looks for its second straight victory when it hosts the University at Buffalo on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. inside the M.A.C. Center on Take a Kid to the Game Day and Akron Zoo Experience day.
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UP NEXT
Kent State travels to Yspilanti, Mich. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, to face MAC West Division-leading Eastern Michigan University. Gametime is set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
SCOUTING KENT STATE
The Flashes are the third highest scoring team in the MAC, averaging 68.5 points per game. Defensively, KSU leads the league in field goal percentage defense, steals, defensive rebounds and turnovers forced.
Individually, senior All-MAC forward and All-America candidate Lindsay Shearer tops the league in scoring at 19.0 points per game and also leads the team in rebounding and all four shooting categories.
Classmate and fellow All-MAC performer Malika Willoughby (6.5 ppg.) tops the conference in assists (91) and steals (49). Junior forward Lakia Stewart, who made her first career start at Miami, shares the team lead in rebounding with Shearer at 6.3 rpg. and is scoring at a 7.6 ppg. clip. Junior guard Sarah Burgess is second in scoring at 8.0 ppg. and adds 4.1 rpg.
The Flashes have also been getting solid contributions from starter Kerrie James (5.9 ppg., 40% three-pointers) and reserves Rachel Bennett (7.5 ppg., 21 threes) and Mallorie Griffith (4.3 ppg., 4.3 rpg.). Junior center Tiffany LaFleur ranks among the MAC leaders with 18 blocked shots.
FLASHES REACH 500 VICTORIES
Tuesday nights victory over Miami was the 500th in Kent State womens basketball history, becoming just the fourth league school to accomplish the feat. Since the 1975-76 season, the Golden Flashes have posted a 500-389 record. Among MAC schools, only Northern Illinois (540), Bowling Green (510) and Toledo (505) have won more games.
LAST TIME OUT FOR KENT STATE
Just as they did in last Saturdays loss to Bowling Green, the Flashes fell behind big at halftime at Miami before rallying to tie the game. This time however KSU completed the comeback and won in overtime, 83-78. Lindsay Shearer scored 21 of her 23 points in the second half and Lakia Stewart recorded a double-double (17 pts., 13 reb.) for the second straight game to offset a game-high 29 points and 14 rebounds by Miamis Cindi Merrill. After Merrill hit a desperation three with five seconds left in regulation, the Flashes took the game over from the foul line in overtime, hitting 11-of-13 from the stripe during the extra period. Mallorie Griffith came off the bench to score a career-high 15 points for the Flashes who won for the fourth straight time at Millett Hall.
SCOUTING BUFFALO
After posting just a 4-24 overall record (2-14 MAC) last season, the Bulls have exceeded expectations this year under first-year head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. Last years MAC Freshman of the Year, forward Heather Turner leads UB in scoring (13.9 ppg.), rebounding (8.3) and shooting (league-best 64.3%). In Wednesdays win over Akron, guard Brooke Meunier scored 20 and backcourt mate Stephanie Bennett, cousin of KSU freshman Rachel Bennett, scored 17 for the Bulls.
SERIES STUFF
Since the series began in 1998-99, the Golden Flashes have dominated, winning all 15 meetings, including two postseason match-ups. There have been a few close calls however, as the Flashes have pulled out one, three, six and eight point wins against the Bulls.
THE LAST MEETING:Kent State 87, Buffalo 33
Kent State limited Buffalo to just 14 first-half points and got a huge game from Melissa DeGrate to clinch a share of the MAC East Division title with an 87-33 win. DeGrate scored 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Lindsay Shearer added 13 points for the Flashes who led 40-14 at the break and then went on a 22-0 run in the second half.
KENT STATE CONNECTIONS
Freshman guard Rachel Bennett and Buffalo sophomore guard Stephanie Bennett are cousins... junior guard Sarah Burgess played for UB head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald for parts of two seasons at South Carolina when Hill-MacDonald was an assistant there... Burgess was also a teammate of UB assistant Kelly Morrone at South Carolina... KSU sophomore Asheley Harkins and UBs Brooke Meunier and Jamie Schiebner are all from Saginaw, Mich.
