Kent State University
1-0
Northern Kentucky
0-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent State | 15 | 10 | 16 | 18 | 59 |
| Northern Kentucky | 18 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 54 |
Korinek Lifts Flashes to Comeback Victory in Season Opener
11/11/2017 4:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Senior Jordan Korinek scored nine of her career-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and Kent State closed on a 28-9 run to defeat Northern Kentucky, 59-54, in the 2017-18 women's basketball season opener.
Trailing 44-34 at the 4:53 mark in the third quarter, the Golden Flashes (1-0) prevented the Norse from scoring another field goal until 4:16 remained in the game, a span of 16 possessions, to take a 49-45 lead and then shot 7-for-10 from the charity stripe to secure the victory.
"We started to match their intensity in the second half, and I was pleased that we were able to gut it out and find a way to win a scrappy game," said Kent State head coach Todd Starkey. "We started to go more aggressively into Jordan [Korinek] in the second half, and she found a way to make shots or get to the free throw line. She was what turned it around for us."
After allowing NKU to shoot 12-for-25 (.480) in the first half, Kent State held its host below 20-percent shooting (6-of-33) over the final 20 minutes.
"I think our focus and intensity picked up and during the second half we became much tougher to grind the win out," said Korinek.
Sophomore Ali Poole opened the scoring with a three-pointer on the first possession of the game. Back-to-back three-balls by Poole and Korinek, followed by a layup by freshman Monique Smith put the Flashes ahead 13-9 lead midway through the opening period. NKU answered with a 9-2 run to pull ahead after one quarter, 18-15.
Kent State battled back for a 22-22 tie at the 5:46 mark in the second, but a three-pointer by graduate student McKenna Stephens accounted for the Flashes' only points over their next nine possessions, and the Norse went into halftime with a 34-25 lead.
NKU dominated the glass in the first half with a 21-7 advantage. The Norse had eight offensive rebounds.
Korinek accounted for six points early in the third quarter as part of an 8-3 run to get within four points. It was then NKU's turn to make a run, and the hosts extended the lead to 44-34, matching their largest of the game. Late baskets by Smith and redshirt junior Tyra James helped the Flashes get within 45-41 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Kent State stretched it to a 15-1 run by scoring the first eight points of the final period to go ahead, 49-45, before Mikayla Terry stroked a three-pointer to snap a field goal drought by the Norse that lasted 10:37.
With the Flashes hanging to a 50-48 lead, Korinek delivered back-to-back big plays on each end of the court. The senior swatted a shot and then drilled a three-pointer with 2:02 to play. NKU had a chance to tie with just over a minute to play but senior Naddiyah Cross hustled to bother the transition layup attempt, and junior Alexa Golden boarded the miss and then made a pair of free throws with 51.4 to play.
Jordan Korinek was efficient in leading all players with 29 points, going 8-for-15 from the field and 11-for-13 from the free throw line. The senior also made both of her three-point tries while adding four rebounds and two blocks. Ali Poole played a game-high 38 minutes and chipped in 12 points, four rebounds and two steals.
The Flashes were bested on the boards, 46-31. McKenna Stephens grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Naddiyah Cross led Kent State with six assists and four steals.
Molly Glick paced NKU with 15 points, while Grace White had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Kent State continues its seven-game road trip to start the season when it visits another Horizon League school, Youngstown State, on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 5:15 p.m.
