Kent State University
5-17, 2-10
Ball State University
16-7, 8-4
Flashes Pull Off Big Win Versus Ball State
2/13/2016 4:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State (5-17, 2-10) battled all afternoon and would not let up as they outscored Ball State (16-7, 8-4) 59-50 on Saturday afternoon to come out with the big victory.
It took five minutes for the Cardinals to get on the scoreboard, as the Golden Flashes played great defense to start the game and got out to an 11-2 lead and a 15-7 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
Ball State put together an 8-0 run at the beginning of the second, but a three by Larissa Lurken silenced that and kept Kent State up by eight.
However, leading scorer Jordan Korinek ran into some foul trouble and the Cardinals were able to take advantage and edge closer to the lead. The Golden Flashes led 21-20 at the half by forcing ten turnovers. Both teams were 7-for-26 from field goal range at the halfway point with the Flashes making one more three.
Kent State scored the first four points of the second half, but Ball State came back and took its first lead of the day on an old-fashioned three-point play. After the game became tied 28, Tyra James drove the lane and a layup gave a two-point lead to the Flashes.
Lurken drained a three from the baseline to break another tie and allowed Kent State to stay ahead 37-36 at the end of the third. Teammate Paige Salisbury then sunk a three of her own to put the Flashes up by six early on in the final period.
After the final media break of the game, the Cardinals tied the game again, but another Lurken three kept the visitors at bay.
Down the stretch, the Flashes kept driving and connecting; plus, they made clutch free throws to grab the 59-50 win.
Kent State outshot Ball State 40% to 31.5% but the Cardinals won the rebound battle 37 to 29. The Flashes drained seven threes on 22 attempts whereas the visitors made just three treys despite taking two more shots from beyond the arc.
Lurken led the way offensively with 24 points and added in five steals on the day. Korinek finished with 11 points. McKenna Stephens led the team in rebounds with six while adding in seven points. Salisbury had an eight point performance with a team-high four assists.
Kent State gets its first taste of the Wagon Wheel Challenge for the season when it travels to Akron on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. contest.
