Kent State University
Ball State University
Slow Second Half Results in Loss at Ball State
1/4/2017 10:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. – A tough second half for Kent State (6-8, 0-2) resulted in a 71-47 loss at Ball State (9-5, 2-0) in the first conference road game of the season Wednesday night.
The Cardinals opened up scoring on the night but then seven points by Jordan Korinek in the opening five minutes gave the Flashes an early lead. Ball State snuck ahead, 10-9, on a three, before Korinek was good again to put the visitors back in front by one.
Ball State sandwiched the first quarter media break with threes and hit a total of six from beyond the arc to lead 29-21 at the end of the first.
It took more than two minutes into the second quarter for either team to put points on the board. Ball State broke the drought with a layup before Merissa Barber-Smith answered with one on the other end. The Cardinals' lead shrank to six with two minutes to play. Larissa Lurken made two plays on defense then fed Ali Poole for a three to make it a 36-33 game at the half.
It took nearly two minutes again in the third quarter for either team to score. Ball State struck first, but Korinek answered and Lurken connected at the line to keep the deficit within a basket.
A 7-0 run in the middle of the third allowed the Cardinals' lead to slip back into double digits as the Flashes were forced to call a timeout down 47-37. Ball State strung together another 7-0 to close the third quarter and take its biggest lead of the night, 54-39.
That lead continued to grow as Kent State was only able to come up with eight points in the final ten minutes to fall 71-47.
Ball State grabbed 51 rebounds to Kent State's 43 while also sinking ten threes on twenty attempts. The Golden Flashes were just 4-of-19 from three-point range on the night.
Lurken led the team once again in scoring, finishing with 18 while also added in five rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocks. Korinek also reached double digits in scoring with 12 while tying for a team-high six rebounds.
The Golden Flashes remain on the road to play Eastern Michigan on Saturday in a matinee at noon.
