Game Day Preview: MAC West play concludes Wednesday at Central Michigan
2/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
|
AM 640 WHLO in Kent |
|
|
|
Subscription
|
|
|
PDF format |
The Kent State women's basketball team (16-6, 7-3) concludes the second portion of their Mid-American Conference schedule Saturday when the Golden Flashes travel to Central Michigan for a 4 p.m. contest. The game with the Chippewas marks the final MAC-West contest for Kent State.
Saturday's contest will be aired live on terrestrial radio in the Kent area on AM 640 WHLO with Dave Wilson providing play-by-play commentary. Wilson's audio broadcast can also be heard online at kentstatesports.com.
Live stats and streamed video (subscription required) are available through the Central Michigan athletics website. The provided links will activate at the start of each game.
In A Flash: Kent State has shot better than 70 percent at the free throw line in 12 games this season, with 10 of those games at home.
Flash Forward: Kent State begins the final swing of MAC-East play Thursday, Feb. 17 at Miami for a 7 p.m. tilt.
Scouting the Flashes
Kent State made good on a season-high 35 free throws, including a 15-of-16 effort by senior Taisja Jones as the Golden Flashes held off Western Michigan Feb. 5 at the M.A.C. Center, 79-68. Jones finished with a game-high 29 points, while senior Jamilah Humes added 15 points. Senior Stephanie Gibson, a 94 percent free throw shooter this season, went 8-of-8 at the line to finish with 11 points.
In Kent State's last three home games, the Golden Flashes have been not only blistering at the free throw line, but have had plenty of chances to tally points. As a team, the Flashes went 82-of-98 at the free throw stripe in their last three home games for 83.7 percent while averaging almost 33 trips to the line per game. Stephanie Gibson is 14-of-14 in those games while Taisja Jones went 46-of-53 for 86.8 percent and Jamilah Humes was 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) at the charity stripe.
When Kent State wasn't making trips to the free throw line Feb. 5 against Western Michigan, the Golden Flashes were helping each other out. Kent State had 16 assists on the team's 19 field goals; 84.2 percent of the team's baskets had an assist, the highest percentage for the Golden Flashes this season. Stephanie Gibson led the team with six helpers, while Chenel Harris handed out four assists with no turnovers in 38 minutes.
Scouting the Opponent
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (15-7, 7-3)
All-time series: Kent State leads, 30-21
Lindsay vs. Western Michigan: 26-8
Current Kent State streak: W2
• Ranked one spot ahead of Kent State in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, Central Michigan is coming off an 82-64 win at Ohio Feb. 5. Five players scored in double figures, led by Niki DiGuilio's 20 points.
• Five players are averaging double figures for Central Michigan's offense, which is ranked second in the nation at 83.4 ppg. Senior forward Kaihla Szunko and senior guard Shonda Long lead the way with 16.7 and 16.0 ppg, respectively. Three-pointers are providing 28 percent of the team's offense with 7.8 three-pointers per game.
• Sue Guevara is in her fourth season at Central Michigan, where she owns a 51-62. Including a seven-year stint at Michigan, Guevara boasts a 169-143 career record as a collegiate head coach.
• Saturday marks the 52nd all-time meeting between Kent State and Central Michigan.
• Under Bob Lindsay's watch, Kent State is 9-6 in games at Mount Pleasant, Mich.
• For her career, senior Jamilah Humes is 25-of-44 from the field against Central Michigan for 56.8 percent. She is also 5-of-8 from three-point range in four games against the Chips.
• During her freshman season in 2007-08, current senior Chenel Harris tallied a double-double against Central Michigan with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
• In 51 games between the two teams, just four contests have been decided by five points or less.
