Women's Basketball Looks to Extend Winning Streak in Saturday's MAC TV Game of the Week at Akron
2/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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KENT, Ohio--The Kent State University womens basketball team will look to extend its winning streak to four games on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 18) when they take the short trip down I-76 to face the University of Akron for the Mid-American Conference TV Game of the Week at Rhodes Arena.
QUICK FLASHES
The Golden Flashes (16-7, 9-3 MAC), currently second in the MAC East, have won three in a row and secured a first round bye in the upcoming 2006 Kraft MAC Tournament with a 73-66 overtime victory at home Wednesday night against Ohio University.
The sixth-place Zips (4-19, 1-11 MAC) have lost two straight and 11-of-12 overall. Akron fell to MAC leader and 25th-ranked Bowling Green State University on Wednesday, 80-48.
BROADCAST INFORMATIONRadio: WHLO AM-640 (Tom Linder, play-by-play). Also simulcast live at www.oldfiles via TEAMLINE.TV: MAC TV Game of the Week: FSN Ohio, Comcast Local (Mich.), Comcast Sports Net (Chicago), Adelphia 13 (Buffalo); Jeff Phelps (play-by-play) and Debbie Leonard (color analyst)
Livestats: GameTracker is available at Akron's website, www.gozips.com
UP NEXT
The Flashes are on the road again on Wednesday, traveling to Bowling Green for a late-season matchup of the top two teams in the East Division. Tip-off against the Falcons is set for 7 p.m.
SCOUTING KENT STATE
As a team, the Golden Flashes pressure defense leads the league in turnovers forced (22.4 tpg) and steals (11.5) and KSU allows the fourth fewest points (60.7) while holding opponents to just 37.5% shooting (second lowest in league). Offensively, Kent State is third in the MAC in scoring (68.3) despite the second lowest field goal percentage in the conference (.391).
Individually, senior MAC Player of the Year and All-America candidate Lindsay Shearer tops the league in scoring at 20.1 points per game and also leads the team in rebounding (7.0) and all four shooting categories. Last years MAC Defensive Player of the Year Malika Willoughby (6.4 ppg.) tops the conference in steals (72) and assists (120). Junior guard Sarah Burgess is second in scoring at 10.6 ppg. and adds 4.1 rpg. and has double figures in six of the last seven games she has played in. Off the bench, junior forward Lakia Stewart is third in scoring at 8.1 ppg. and second with 6.0 rpg., including a career-high 15 boards Feb. 8 vs. Ball State. The Flashes have also been getting solid contributions from starters Kerrie James (5.8 ppg., 32 assists), Mallorie Griffith (4.1 ppg., 4.0 rpg.) and Rachel Bennett (6.5 ppg., 26 threes). Junior center Tiffany LaFleur ranks among the MAC leaders with 23 blocked shots.
Head Coach Bob Lindsay, now in his 17th year at the helm at Kent State, is the winningest coach in MAC womens basketball history with a 324-168 record. (More info. on Lindsay on Page 9)
LAST TIME OUT FOR KENT STATE
Kent State overcame a lethargic start and eventually pulled out a 73-66 overtime victory at home on Wednesday night against an undermanned Ohio squad. The Golden Flashes shot just 34.4% in the first half and dropped to 22.6% in the second before hitting on 60% from the field and 11-of-13 from the line in the overtime. Sarah Burgess, just 1-of-12 in the first 40 minutes, hit two straight threes to open the extra session and the Flashes never trailed in OT. Lindsay Shearer scored a game-high 25 points and matched Burgess with nine boards to lead KSU. Burgess and Malika Willoughby each scored 10 points and Lakia Stewart added 11 off the bench for the Flashes. Ohio, which dressed just eight players for the game because of injuries and finished the last minute of the contest with just four because of fouls, was led by Domenica Silvas double-double (20 pts., 10 reb.). Rachel Frederick scored 13 and Quintana Ward added 11 despite combining to go just 3-of-17 from the floor.
NOTES FROM THE OHIO GAME
KSU has won four straight overall and 14 straight at home against Ohio... Sarah Burgess nine rebounds are a career-high... Lindsay Shearer scored at least 20 points for the ninth time in 10 games and the 14th time this season... Malika Willoughby recorded her 400th career rebound... Kent State was 25-of-30 from the foul line... the Flashes attempted 25 three-pointers, the most since hoisting that same number at Akron Feb. 9, 2002.
SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips have lost two straight games since picking up their first league win of the season and are just 1-11 in their last dozen games. Akron has yet to post back-to-back victories this season and appear headed for their fifth last-place finish in six years.
Despite the disappointing season, the trio of senior Courtney Stewart, junior Jessie Crooks and freshman Nikki McCoy have had solid years. Stewart is third on the team in scoring (10.1 ppg.)and ranks second in the MAC in steals (2.8), third in three-pointers made (43) and fourth in three-point percentage (37.4%). Crooks tops the squad in scoring (13.4) and has reached double figures in 11 of the last 14 games. McCoy is second in scoring (11.1) and is the teams leading rebounder (5.8). As a team, the Zips rank last in the league in rebounding, averaging just over 30 boards a game.
SERIES STUFF
Kent State has won 13 straight over Akron and leads the all-time series by a dominating 38-4 count. The Flashes are 18-3 all-time in Akron and have won their last six trips to Rhodes Arena. Akrons last series win was a 67-62 home victory Jan. 16, 1999.
THE LAST MEETING: Kent State 62, Akron 38 (Jan. 10, 2006)
Kent State held Akron under 30% from the field and forced 28 turnovers in beating the Zips for the 13th straight time, 62-38, back on Jan. 10. Lindsay Shearer was a perfect 10-of-10 from the foul line and led KSU with 16 points. Lakia Stewart just missed a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds and Rachel Bennett hit three three-pointers for the Flashes. Jessie Crooks led Akron with a game-high 17 points. The Zips were just 1-of-14 from beyond the arc in the loss.
ALL-TIME AGAINST AKRON
Senior forward Lindsay Shearer has faced Akron seven times in her career, averaging 15.3 points and 7.6 rebounds against the Zips. In three of those games she has recorded a double-double and she has reached double figures in scoring in every contest. Junior Lakia Stewart averages 6.8 ppg. and 7.8 reb. vs. Akron, going for 13 and nine in this seasons first meeting. while senior guard Malika Willoughby has averages over five assists and three steals in her career against the Zips.
