Box ScoreBUFFALO, N.Y. The Golden Flashes are ready for the postseason. Behind the 22nd career double-double by senior Mid-American Conference Player of the Year candidate Lindsay Shearer, the Kent State University womens basketball team won its regular season finale tonight (Feb. 28) 73-59 over the University at Buffalo in upstate New York, extending its perfect record against the Bulls to 16-0 all-time.
Shearer, who earlier in the day was named the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Womens Basketball Academic All-American of the Year, scored 20 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. She also posted a game-high 13 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the year, including her second against the Bulls (10-17, 5-11 MAC). Her 24 points moved her into fourth place on the schools career scoring list with 1,731.
Leading by just one point midway through the first half, Kent State (19-8, 12-4 MAC) broke the game open with a 15-0 run over the next three minutes. Buffalo recovered to get within nine points, but the Flashes answered with back-to-back baskets by junior guard Sarah Burgess to push the advantage back to 13. Kent State led by 11 at the break, 34-23.
The Flashes, who shot 44.1 percent in the first half, opened the second half with a 10-0 run and eventually opened up as much as a 23-point lead in the opening moments of the period following two straight fast break hoops by junior forward La'kia Stewart. Buffalo made a late 8-0 run behind all-conference forward Heather Turner to get the deficit down to 10 points, but would get no closer.
Turner also recorded a double-double, leading Buffalo with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Shearer finished 11-of-19 from the floor and two-of-three from the line for her 24 points. As a team, the Flashes hit 47.6% of their shots in the game, including 51.7% in the second half. Burgess added 10 points off the bench while Stewart just missed her second straight double-double, scoring nine points and pulling down nine rebounds. The Flashes outrebounded Buffalo 42-36. Senior point guard Malika Willoughby added nine points, six assists and three steals.
Turner was the only player in double figures for Buffalo. One game after scoring 28 points, senior Brooke Meunier had was held to nine points- all in the second half- on just three-of-13 shooting. As a team, the Bulls shot 36.4% (20-of-55) and committed 18 turnovers.
Kent State opens postseason play on Wednesday, Mar. 8, in the 2006 Kraft MAC Tournament quarterfinals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The Golden Flashes have a first round bye.
GAME NOTES: Shearer has scored 20 or more points in the last seven games, 13-of-14 and 18 times overall this season. She passed Ann Forbes (1,728) on the career scoring list... Willoughby moved into seventh place on the KSU all-time steals list (255)... Kent State is a perfect 13-0 when holding its opponent under 60 points... the Flashes are also 13-1 when outrebounding their opponent... tonights starting lineup of Shearer, Willoughby, Rachel Bennett, Kerrie James and Mallorie Griffith is 4-0 this season... KSU is 10-0 all-time in Alumni Arena.... head coach Bob Lindsay is 103-31 all-time in the month of February, including a 59-9 mark the last nine years... the Flashes are 3-0 on Tuesdays this season... Kent State is 14-1 when holding its opponent under 40% shooting.
