Kent State University
1-0
Bradley University
0-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley | 13 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 52 |
| Kent State | 17 | 26 | 15 | 19 | 77 |
Starkey Era Begins With Impressive 77-52 Victory Over Bradley
11/11/2016 9:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Head Coach Todd Starkey began his Kent State career with a statement win, beating Bradley 77-52 for the program's largest win over a Division I school since December 21, 2010.
Last year's leading scorer Jordan Korinek got things started with a jumper for a 2-0 Flashes lead at the onset. That lead extended to 8-7 at the first media break, and it grew to a three-point lead right out of the huddle as Larissa Lurken drained a shot.
As time waned in the first quarter, Lurken worked in the paint, got fouled and made both her free throws to make it a 17-13 game after the opening ten minutes.
Lurken continued to lead the way as she sunk her first three of the season out of the break that helped the Flashes to a 9-0 run.
Freshman Ali Poole made an impact in the second quarter, forcing a Braves timeout after connecting from beyond the arc then dropping in a layup for the Flashes' first double-digit lead on the night. It became a 43-25 game by halftime.
Bradley was able to string together a 5-0 run in the second quarter, but it would be the most they would be able to put together due to a Kent State defense that made it hard for the Braves to sink shots.
As the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, McKenna Stephens took a quick feed and hit a step-back jump shot to keep the Flashes up by 18, 58-40.
The Kent State lead continued to grow as the home team cruised to a 77-52 victory.
The Flashes forced 19 turnovers while grabbing 14 steals and five blocks in the strong defensive effort. They limited the Braves to 31% shooting from the field. Lurken inched closer to the coveted 1,000-point career as she led the team with 22 points. Stephens finished with 12 while Poole had 11 points and six rebounds. Alexa Golden also helped lead the team in rebounding with six. Naddiyah Cross had six assists on the night.
Kent State will look to build on the strong start on Monday when it hosts Eastern Kentucky at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at kentstatesports.com or by calling 330-672-8419.
