Kent State University
4-14, 1-7
Northern Illinois University
8-11, 1-7
Lurken's Big Night Leads Flashes to First MAC Win
1/27/2016 9:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Larissa Lurken went off for a career night to lead Kent State (4-14, 1-7) to its first Mid-American Conference win in a 95-85 victory against Northern Illinois (8-11, 1-7) on Wednesday night.
Lurken got the scoring started on the night from deep with two in a row before the Huskies got on the board and tied the game at eight halfway through the first quarter.
The Golden Flashes took advantage of 50% shooting in the first quarter to get out to an early 16-12 lead; half of those 16 points were scored by Lurken.
Despite hitting just one three in ten attempts in the early going, a three from Northern Illinois tied the game at 22 nearing the halfway point of the second quarter. Lurken answered quickly with another trey of her own to put Kent State back in front by the second quarter media break.
Lurken hit five of her six three-point attempts to have 17 at the break as the Golden Flashes led the Huskies by a score of 39-31. The Golden Flashes were on fire from the floor, making 16 of their 31 shots, or 51.6% and owned the boards by a margin of 22 to 15.
An 8-0 run to ignite the third quarter proved Kent State was in it to win it. Lurken scored all eight in that stretch. They then went into a 6-0 run led by McKenna Stephens who had two jumpers.
The Golden Flashes led by as much as 20 into the 4th quarter, but the Huskies did try to make things interesting. They brought the lead within five but free-throws done the stretch by Naddiyah Cross and Lurken closed the game out.
Kent State finished the game at 52.4% shooting while sinking 22 of 24 free-throws percent. They outrebounded 43-33. Northern Illinois was 7-for-7 from the free-throw line with 21 assists on the night.
Lurken's 37 points ties for the 8th most scored in a game in Kent State history and is the most for any player since January 1995. Her seven made threes ties the Kent State single-game record. Lurken also ended with 11 rebounds to complete a double-double.
Jordan Korinek also had a big night with 22 points and six rebounds. Tyra James also reached double-figures in scoring with 14 points and eight rebounds.
The team remains home to face Western Michigan on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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