Kent State University
2-0
Youngstown State
0-2
Flashes Grind Out 55-44 Victory at YSU
11/14/2017 10:40:00 PM | Women's Basketball
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Junior Alexa Golden poured in a career-high 17 points to lead Kent State to a 55-44 victory over Youngstown State on Tuesday afternoon at the Beeghly Center. The Golden Flashes, who start 2-0 for the second year in a row, had to come from behind in the second half for the second time in as many games.
After scoring just two points in the first quarter, Kent State outscored the Penguins 36-21 over the next 20 minutes and then used a 7-0 run in the fourth period to pull away.
Golden, whose previous career-high was 14 against YSU a year ago at the M.A.C. Center, shot 8-for-10 at the foul line and added seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. Graduate student McKenna Stephens also grabbed seven boards to share the team lead and added 16 points. Senior Jordan Korinek contributed 10 points and four rebounds before fouling out in just 26 minutes of action.
"I was really proud of the way we fought," said Kent State head coach Todd Starkey. "If we play defensively the way we did in the final three quarters, we are going to be in a lot of games. Youngstown State was really focused on taking Jordan [Korinek] out of the mix and other people had to step up. McKenna [Stephens] had a great game. Alexa [Golden] had an awesome game, getting to free throw line and playing great defensively."
Youngstown State scored the first four points of the contest before Alexa Golden drove in for a basket at the 6:50 mark in the first quarter. Those would be the Flashes' only points of the period however, as they shot just 1-for-8 and committed eight turnovers. The defense allowed the Penguins to make just three of their first 12 shots to keep it close, but a three-pointer by Indiya Benjamin with under 10 seconds to play gave the hosts an 11-2 lead.
"In the two scrimmages and the two games that we've played so far, we've really struggled in one quarter offensively," Starkey noted. "Being down 11-2 on the road is a lot to overcome, and we have to figure that out as a coaching staff. But I am really proud of how our players did not blink when they were down. They just kept on forging ahead. We got defensive stop after defensive stop, and things started break open for us a little bit offensively."
Kent State opened the second quarter on a 16-6 run to briefly take the lead, but trailed 20-18 at the break after going 1-for-5 from the charity stripe in the closing minutes. Freshman Monique Smith converted off a weakside rebound to tie the score at 17-17, but missed a free throw that would have put the Flashes ahead. After a YSU turnover, Golden drew a foul and split a pair of free throws for an 18-17 advantage. McKennah Peters answered on the other end with a three-pointer to end a run of seven straight Kent State points. Senior Naddiyah Cross was able to draw a foul with 2.2 to play in the half on an aggressive push in transition but came away without any points.
Five quick points by Benjamin on YSU's first two possessions out of the locker room made it a 25-18 game. After leading scorer Jordan Korinek had just two points in the first half, the Flashes went into the All-MAC forward, who converted traditional three-point plays on consecutive possessions to make it a one-point game. Kent State used a five-point possession at the 5:51 mark to take the lead for good. McKenna Stephens connected on a three-pointer, and a foul on YSU after the shot allowed the Flashes to maintain possession. Smith came through with her second putback of the night to take advantage of the foul, and Stephens added a mid-range jumper the next time down the floor for a 31-25 lead.
YSU then finally scored for the first time in 5:24, but Golden made big plays on the next three KSU possessions to extend the lead to nine. It started with a three-point field goal on a pass from Cross. Golden then delivered a back-door pass to sophomore Ali Poole, who finished the layup and drew a foul on the play. The next time down the floor, she crashed hard from the perimeter to keep a missed shot alive and knock it to a teammate before drawing a foul and burying two free throws.
Alison Smolinski drilled a three-pointer at the third period buzzer and then drove in for a layup to start the fourth and cut Kent State's lead to 38-34. YSU's Sarah Cash quickly scored after Korinek headed to the bench with four fouls to get back within four with 8:18 on the clock. Once again, the team's defense rose to the occasion and held the Penguins scoreless until 1:36 remained while building a 49-38 lead behind two baskets by Stephens and five free throws by Golden.
Kent State will compete at the Akron Classic inside of James A. Rhodes Arena this weekend. The Flashes play Florida Gulf Coast on Friday at 5 p.m. and Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday at 12 p.m.
