Kent State University
4-17, 1-10
University of Toledo
12-9, 7-3
Flashes Battle but Fall 67-64 Against Toledo
2/6/2016 7:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State (4-17, 1-10) took its opponent down to the wire in back-to-back games, but unfortunately fell to Toledo (12-9, 7-3) by a score of 67-64 on Saturday night.
The Golden Flashes got off to a scorching start, holding the Rockets to a 0-for-8 opening effort with three forced turnovers to begin the game.
Toledo got back into the contest at the free throw line, making 8-of-8 to tie the game at 11, despite just one field goal at the two-minute mark of the first quarter. They led 18-15 at the end of the opening period.
To end the half, Alexa Golden grabbed an offensive board and made the put back, also getting fouled on the play. That brought the game to 37-30 with the Rockets in front. A free throw on the other end made it a 38-30 score at the break.
Jordan Korinek and the Flashes had success inside in the opening half, as the team had 24 points in the paint and she had a team-high 11. The Rockets were able to collect ten of their points at the charity stripe due to 13 Kent State fouls.
A McKenna Stephens jumper followed by a three from Larissa Lurken made it a three-point game at 6:08 in the third quarter. Back-to-back threes by the Rockets then opened their advantage back up to five.
Korinek then made it close again with an old-fashioned three-point play as Kent State trailed just 46-44 with two minutes to play in the third. Later on, Tyra James sunk a jumper to bring the lead within one.
Korinek came up big again as she was fouled and made a free throw to tie the game at 49 with 36 seconds left in the quarter. A three at the buzzer did not fall to keep the teams knotted heading into the final ten minutes of play.
Toledo scored first to start the fourth but Kent State traded baskets back and forth to keep the game close, including a tie at 55. A layup by Korinek gave the Flashes the lead with 2:34 left, but the Rockets quickly answered on the other end.
With a minute remaining, a layup by Korinek rolled the entire way around the rim before narrowly falling off. Toledo converted free throws a few seconds later to lead by five. Paige Salisbury drained a shot from mid-range to force a visitor's timeout as they were up by three with 25 seconds left. A Rockets' foul shot made it 65-61 before another shot from the Golden Flashes barely rimmed out in the closing seconds.
The excitement was quite over yet, as Lurken grabbed a rebound, sunk her shot and got fouled, heading to the line with her team down by two and 11.9 seconds on the clock. She sunk her opportunity. Unfortunately, Toledo also had success at the line, and one last look from the Flashes bounced off the rim as time expired, giving the Rockets a 67-64 victory.
Kent State shot well at 45.2% in the game from the floor and had five more rebounds with 38. That went hand-in-hand with a dominating performance in the paint where they scored 42 of their points.
Korinek led all scorers with 23 points and seven rebounds. Lurken also had a nice night with 13 and six.
The Golden Flashes will have a midweek bye before facing Ball State at home on Saturday, February 13th in the team's annual Play4Kay game.
