Kent State Women's Basketball Closes First Leg Of MAC East Play By Welcoming Buffalo

Golden Flashes look to feed off home crowd and capture second straight win at the M.A.C. Center.



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The Kent State women’s basketball team finishes the first stretch of games against Mid-American Conference East Division opponents by hosting Buffalo Thursday (Jan. 19) at the M.A.C. Center. Opening tip is slated for 7 p.m. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive foam talons while the M.A.C. Center concession stands will feature $1 hot dogs and drinks. Fans will once again have the opportunity to participate in the always intense Basketball Bingo during the game. Tickets start at just $5. For more information contact the Kent State Athletics Ticket Office at (330) 672-2244.

The Golden Flashes (2-12, 1-3 MAC) are looking to even their home record at 3-3 and seek their second MAC victory at the M.A.C. Center in 2011-12.

Thursday's game against the Bulls will feature live stats and free live web video. The provided links will activate at the start of Saturday's game.

Thursday's contest will be aired live on both ESPN Radio 990 AM and KentStateSports.com, with Dave Wilson providing play-by-play commentary for a second straight season. Click the link above to listen live on your computer.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

BUFFALO BULLS (5-13 overall, 0-4 MAC)

All-time series: Kent State leads, 23-3

Kent State Head Coach Bob Lindsay vs. Akron: 23-3

Current Streak: W4

• The Golden Flashes and Bulls lock horns for the 27th time, a series that Kent State has dominated since the Bulls joined the MAC in 1998-99. Kent State has won six of the last seven meetings over Buffalo -- including four straight and back-to-back regular season sweeps in 2009-10 and ‘10-11. Kent State’s lone home loss to Buffalo was a 78-71 setback on Jan. 22, 2008.

• Taisja Jones poured in a game-high 26 points, aided by a career-best 5-of-5 shooting from three-point range in Kent State’s 72-52 win over Buffalo on Feb. 19, 2011 in the last game between the programs. Joining Jones in double figures was Jamilah Humes, who had 15 points to go with game-bests of nine assists and six steals. Ellie Shields added 10 points for the Flashes. Jones just missed a double-double of her own with nine rebounds.

• Linda Hill-MacDonald is in her seventh season as head coach of the Bulls. Hill-MacDonald is coming off a 2010-11 season that saw Buffalo make its first-ever postseason appearance, making it to the Women’s Basketball Invitational.

• Senior guard Brittney Hedderson ranks second in the MAC in scoring, averaging 19.9 points per game for the Bulls. She has scored 20-plus points in each of the last four games.

IN THE AIR TONIGHT

A Kent State victory Thursday over Buffalo would:

• Improve Kent State to 303-197 all-time in MAC play. The Golden Flashes have won at least 10 conference games 18 times in 30 seasons of MAC action -- all of which have come Lindsay’s tenure.

• Improve Kent State’s all-time record in the month of January to 189-120. Kent State went 6-3 in the first month of the calendar year in 2010-11. The Flashes have posted winning records in January 26 times in 36 seasons -- including 20 times in the last 22 seasons under Lindsay.

• Improve Kent State’s all-time record in games played on Jan. 19 to 8-3. The Golden Flashes have won five straight and six of seven MAC games on the 19th day of the calendar year -- including a 68-66 triumph over Buffalo at the M.A.C Center in 2010.

FLASH BACK: JAN. 14 AT AKRON

Kent State could not overcome a late rally by archrival Akron, falling 68-62 last Saturday (Jan. 14) in a Mid-American Conference East Division showdown at Rhoades Arena.

The Golden Flashes led the Zips by as much as 10 points in the second half and held a 59-56 edge with just under four minutes to play, but Akron closed the game on a 12-3 run to earn the come-from-behind victory.

Junior forward Diamon Beckford (Upper Darby, Pa.) tallied a career-high 21 points to lead all scorers. She has reached double figures in scoring five times in 2011-12 – including in three of Kent State's last five games. Junior guard Tamzin Barroilhet (Sainte Maxime, France) reached double figures for the second time in the last three games, totaling 16 points. She also led the Flashes with eight rebounds and six assists.

BARROILHET'S BACK

After struggling through the first 10 games of the 2011-12 season, Barroilhet has emerged as one of Kent State’s top players through the first four MAC games. Barroilhet averaged 5.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in non-conference play, but is Kent State’s top scorer and rebounder in conference play, averaging 13.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. She scored a career-high 20 points in Kent State’s 68-65 win over Ohio (Jan. 7) and reached double figures for the second time in the last three games last Saturday (Jan. 14), totaling 16 points. She also led the Flashes with a career-high eight rebounds and added six assists.

FLASH FORWARD

Kent State plays host to Central Michigan Sunday (Jan. 22) at the M.A.C. Center in its first of six straight games against MAC West teams.