Flashes Visit East Rival Ohio Wednesday Night
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
In a rivalry game that has produced a number of thrilling finishes in recent years, Kent State will visit Ohio Wednesday night (Feb. 25) at the Convocation Center in Athens. The Golden Flashes (17-7, 6-6 MAC) currently hold a one-game lead over the Bobcats (10-15, 5-7 MAC) for second place in the East Division standings.
• The Golden Flashes grabbed sole possession of second place with a 79-62 win over Miami Sunday at the M.A.C. Center. Jena Stutzman buried five three-pointers and eight field goals on her way to a game-high 21 points. It was the fourth time this season the freshman guard has made at least five three-pointers in a game.
• The Golden Flashes have dropped their last four road games, with three of those setbacks coming by seven points or less. The Bobcats are 4-5 at home this season.
• Following a 10-of-19 performance from behind the arc against Miami, KSU ranks second in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.408). It was the seventh time this season the Flashes have shot 50 percent or better from long range.
• The Flashes also got inside scoring from Anna Kowalska, who finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 5-of-5 shooting from the line. She also led KSU with seven rebounds and three blocks against the RedHawks.
• In its last road game, Kent State held Toledo to 54 points, forcing 28 Rocket turnovers. However, the Flashes shot just 31.7% from the field in a three-point loss, its worst shooting performance of the season. Kowalska recorded her eight double-double of the year.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Radio & Live Stats: Radio- WHLO AM-640 (Ty Linder, play-by-play). Online radio simulcast will be available on the Kent State website at www.kentstatesports.com. Live stats available on Ohio's website at www.ohiobobcats.com
THE NATION'S TOP TURNAROUNDS
With 17 victories, the Golden Flashes have surpassed their 2007-08 win total by eight games. Kent State is currently tied for fourth among all Division I schools in increase in wins (8) from last season. Central Connecticut State holds the top spot with 13 more wins.
IT'S PAYBACK TIME
Further proof of the Flashes' strong turnaround is the number teams KSU fell to last season, but has defeated this year. On Sunday, Miami became the 11th different KSU opponent that the Flashes have repaid the favor to in 2008-09. Eastern Michigan, Robert Morris, Vermont, New Mexico State, Miami and UNC-Wilmington all defeated Kent State by double digits last season. Ohio and Northern Illinois split its series with KSU last season, while Buffalo and Miami defeated the Flashes twice.
15 & 20-WIN SEASONS
With a victory over Eastern Michigan, the Golden Flashes clinched a 15-win season for the 18th time in 19 years. With four games remaining on the regular season schedule, KSU is gunning for its 12th 20-win season in the last 17 years.
A QUICK LOOK AT OHIO
The Bobcats returned 10 letterwinners and three starters from a team whose 20 victories were the program's most in 13 years. In her first season at Ohio, Head Coach Semeka Randall wasted no time earning her first career victory in the season opener and her first MAC win in the conference opener.
Ohio has also won its last two games, both coming at home. Junior guard Jennifer Bushby was named MAC East Player of the Week Monday after averaging 19.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 3.5 steals against Utah Valley and Buffalo. Bushby leads the MAC in assists (5.5 apg). Her 1.65 assist/turnover ratio ranks 47th in the nation.
The Bobcats are second in the MAC in field goal percentage (.440) and lead the conference in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to .386 shooting from the floor. Ohio is second in the league with a +5.3 rebounding margin. Lauren Hmiel, Kamille Buckner and Thia Gholson are all averaging six or more boards per game in conference play. The Bobcats will be without Chandra Myers under the basket, who started the first 17 games at center before suffering an injury.
Buckner, a sophomore forward, leads the league in blocked shots (2.1 bpg). At 11.8 points per game, she is one of four Bobcats averaging double figures in conference play. Hmiel is scoring 15.8 points per game in MAC play, while shooting .522 from the field and .786 from the line. She went 8-for-9 from the field Saturday against Buffalo to lead Ohio with 20 points.
The Bobcats are 35th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.357). Junior guard Jenny Poff's 2.3 three-pointers per game rank 53rd in the nation. Bushby is shooting 41 percent from behind the arc, which ranks seventh in the MAC.
Ohio's five starters each played 31 or more minutes against Buffalo. The Bobcats have held opponents to 60 points or less in 11 games this season.
NUMEROUS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS
All eleven KSU players that took the floor Sunday against Miami made the scoring category. Two games earlier at Ball State, Chenel Harris became the third different KSU player to score 24 or more points in a game this season. She hit career-highs with nine field goals made and five three-pointers.
Six Golden Flashes reached double figures for the first time since December of 2000 when Kent State trounced Eastern Michigan 84-52. It marked the fourth different time at least five players have reached double figures this season. Yoshica Spears became the ninth different KSU player to score 12 or more points in a game this season.
KSU's 94 points at Central Michigan was the ninth time this season at least four Flashes reached double digits in one game. Five Flashes are averaging 8.5 points per game or better. Anna Kowalska, Jamilah Humes, Jena Stutzman and Rachel Bennett have all been among the MAC's top 30 in scoring.
5 or More in Double Digits
Eastern Michigan: Harkins, Bennett, Kowalska, Spears, Humes, Harris
Buffalo: Gibson, Bennett, Kowalska, Humes, Harris
Seattle: Gibson, Shields, Kowalska, Humes, Spears
Youngstown State: Harris, Bennett, Kowalska, Humes, Stutzman
VICTORIES START WITH DEFENSE
In each of Kent State's seven losses, opponents have shot at least 41 percent from the field. In 11 of KSU's 17 victories, the Flashes have held opponent shooting to 39 percent or less. Kent State has forced at least 18 turnovers in all 17 of its wins.
• On Feb. 7, KSU held Northern Illinois to 50 points, the lowest total by a MAC opponent this season. The Huskies were also held to just 28.6% shooting from the field, the lowest percentage by any Kent State opponent since 2007.
• In a win over Eastern Michigan, the Flashes forced a season-high 28 turnovers. KSU's 32-point margin of victory was the team's largest since the season opener. The Eagles shot just 28.6 percent for the game on two-point field goal attempts.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Each of Kent State's last nine games have been won by the home team.
LAST TIME AGAINST OHIO
KENT, Ohio
- Kent State and Ohio found themselves in another nail-biter (Jan. 17) resulting in a 78-74 Golden Flashes' overtime win at the M.A.C. Center. A strong second half fueled by Jamilah Humes, helped the Golden Flashes overcome a halftime deficit.
Coming off a 21-point performance at Buffalo, Chenel Harris went just 2-of-12 from the field and the team's leading scorer, Anna Kowalska, went just 1-of-10 from the field.
Doing her share of scoring was Humes, who led three Flashes in double figures, with 20 points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. She totaled 14 points in the second half on 6-of-9 shooting.
The Bobcats led by as many as 14 (42-28) in the second half before Kent State followed with a 19-4 run capped off by a three-pointer from Stephanie Gibson. It was one of seven second half threes by the Flashes, who took a 47-46 lead on Gibson's shot.
The Bobcats came right back with a three from Jennifer Bushby and the division rivals went back-and-forth for the rest of the half. Jena Stutzman buried a three-pointer with 54 seconds left in regulation from the top of the key to tie the game (68-68). Both sides came up empty on their next possessions, forcing the fourth overtime game between the two teams since 2006.
Ohio took the lead twice in overtime before Humes found an open Rachel Bennett on the left side for a game-changing three-pointer. Bennett hit a layup on the next possession and sank a free throw with four seconds left to seal the 78-74 victory.
Bennett finished with 14 points, going 3-of-4 from three point range. As a team the Flashes hit 12-of-22 from behind the arc.
The Flashes battled through their slowest start to a game this season, trailing 11-2 in the opening six minutes. The Bobcats also grabbed 14 of the game's first 20 rebounds.
Kamille Buckner paced Ohio with 19 points and 17 rebounds. Bushby and Lauren Hmiel each scored 18 points as the Bobcats shot 45 percent from the field.
Gibson was the third KSU player in double figures with 10 points. She went 2-of-3 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the line.
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