Kent State University
1-7
Cleveland State University
5-3
Flashes Fight to Finish, But Fall in Final Minute at Cleveland State
12/7/2014 6:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Kent State (1-7) played a hard-fought forty minutes at Cleveland State (5-3) Sunday afternoon but lost the game in the final minute in a 69-67 defeat.
The Golden Flashes were right in the game with the Vikings from the start, trailing by just a point at nearly every media break of the first half. In the final five minutes of the opening twenty, though, Cleveland State was able to get a lead as large as 11.
Foul trouble hurt the Flashes in the opening half, as they committed 11. The Vikings made them count as they connected on 8 of ten of their free throws. Kent State also gave Cleveland State 15 points off of nine turnovers in the opening minutes.
A late surge in the form of a 6-0 run as Cleveland State missed its last four field goals brought the game to within five at the half, with Kent State trailing 31-36.
The Golden Flashes came out the break strong, as CiCi Shannon connected for two buckets, Larissa Lurken sunk a three and Jordan Korinek made a jumper to give the Flashes their first lead since two minutes into the first.
Down the stretch, both teams held possession of the lead, but Kent State was the team to come up with the big plays when needed, including two free-throws and a deep jumper by Naddiyah Cross to take the team to the 3:29 media break up by seven.
In the final minutes, the Golden Flashes kept doing what needed, forcing turnovers and making shots while both teams had bodies scrambling for loose balls on the floor. But Cleveland State started to edge back in. After a loud three from the Vikings, the Kent State lead was just one point with 1:07 remaining.
The game became tied at 67 soon after. The Cleveland State defense upped its intensity and forced a turnover to get the ball back in its hands with 22.5 seconds on the clock.
The Vikings sunk a basket to get the two-point lead before Krista White drove down the court and her shot bounced around the rim and off as time expired to narrowly miss sending the game into overtime.
The Golden Flashes shot 48.1% from the field in the loss and had 17 assists on 26 field goals. They outrebounded the home team 42-33. 28 fouls and Cleveland State's 26 points off of turnovers made perhaps the biggest difference in the game. The Vikings got to the free throw line 35 times and made 22 of those shots.
Shannon was the high scorer and rebounder for Kent State with 15 and nine, respectively. Lurken had 14 points on four three-pointers. Korinek also reached double digits in scoring with 13 points. Cross had eight of the team's assists.
The Golden Flashes have a short break with finals week before returning to action at home in the M.A.C. Center Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 7p.m. when they host Arkansas State. Tickets are available by calling 330-672-2244.
