Kent State University
2-1
Florida Gulf Coast
3-0
Hot-Shooting FGCU Hands Flashes First Loss
11/17/2017 9:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
AKRON, Ohio – Kent State held Florida Gulf Coast, the fourth-ranked team in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll, to a season-low scoring night in an 80-62 loss in Friday's opening game of the Akron Classic at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The Golden Flashes (2-1) surrendered 55 points in the first 20 minutes, which was more than they had allowed either of their first two opponents of the season to score over 40 minutes. The Eagles shot 20-for-35 (.526) overall and 9-for-18 (.500) from three-point distance in the first half with all of their points coming on free throws, three-pointers or shots inside of the paint.
Senior Jordan Korinek scored a game-high 19 points on 7-for-13 from the field in just 20 minutes of action after heading to the bench with 8:18 left in the first quarter with two fouls.
"Give credit to Florida Gulf Coast. That is a very good team that is well-coached," said Kent State head coach Todd Starkey. "They are a team that if you let get out and go, will go right past you. We let Jordan [Korinek] getting two quick fouls affect us, and we have to be better in that situation because we know teams are going to try and get early fouls on her."
Kent State put together a much better performance over the final 20 minutes and outscored FGCU in each of the final two quarters. The Flashes held the Eagles to just 9-for-27 (.333) shooting and 3-for-13 (.231) from the three-point line while forcing nine turnovers in the second half.
"We talked to them at halftime about how, no matter what the score was, we did not want to practice bad habits," added Starkey. "We practiced a lot of bad habits in the first half. We did not want to practice them again in the second half. I thought we did a much better job defensively and were able take them out of their rhythm. We didn't give up second-chance points. We took some charges on straight-line drives that we were reaching and missing at in the first half."
For the third time in as many games, Kent State made more free throws than its opponent attempted. The Flashes shot 19-for-25 (.760) at the charity stripe and drew 29 fouls, while FGCU was 10-for-17 (.588).
Graduate student McKenna Stephens pulled down 10 rebounds, just one off her career-high, to help Kent State to a 37-31 advantage on the glass. Korinek added five rebounds.
Sophomore Ali Poole scored 11 points to reach double-figures for the second time this season. Redshirt junior Tyra James had her best game of the year with eight points and four rebounds in 20 minutes. Senior Naddiyah Cross matched her season-best with six assists. Freshman Erin Thames was productive in her first collegiate action, totaling four points and three rebounds in six minutes.
Kent State will play Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday at 12 p.m. in its final game of the Akron Classic.
