Kent State University
5-3
Detroit Mercy
0-6
Balanced Flashes Take Down Titans in Home Opener, 82-74
11/30/2017 11:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Career scoring nights from graduate student McKenna Stephens and junior Alexa Golden led a balanced scoring effort as Kent State took care of Detroit Mercy, 82-74, in Thursday's home opener at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (5-3) put a season-high 82 points on the board on 28-of-61 from the field for a season-best 45.9 percent. For the sixth time this season, Kent State made more free throws than its opponent attempted. The Flashes shot 21-for-30 (.700) while the Titans were just 11-for-17 (.647).
In the opening minutes of the contest, it looked like Detroit Mercy was the team that was on its way to its best offensive performance of the year. The Titans scored on their first four possessions for a 10-2 lead and made seven of their first nine shots to lead by as many as nine points.
"The first home game sometimes has a different rhythm and just feels different," said Kent State head coach Todd Starkey. "I think that may have contributed to our slow start. But I was proud of our intensity in the second half. It was much better than how we started the game. We still have to find a way to overcome some of lapses we seem to have for one quarter each game and clean up some of our turnovers in certain situations."
Kent State closed the opening period with a 9-3 run and outscored the visitors 21-17 in the second quarter to go into the locker room at halftime with a 38-37 lead. After blocking a three-point attempt on the defensive end, redshirt junior Tyra James converted a pair of free throws with 10.1 on the clock to put the Flashes ahead.
The third quarter saw Kent State extend its lead to six entering the final 10 minutes of play. The Flashes scored 18 of their 21 points from inside of the paint as they made 55 percent of their field goals in the period. Detroit Mercy went just 4-for-14 from the floor but had its most aggressive quarter attacking the basket and shot 6-for-8 at the free throw line to keep it close.
Golden and senior Jordan Korinek combined to score nine quick points to help Kent State's lead grow to 10 with seven minutes to play. After the teams traded baskets, the Titans scored seven unanswered points on their next three trips down the court to get within 70-67. Still leading by just three, Golden buried a wide open three-pointer from the right wing and the Flashes kept it a multi-possession game the rest of the way.
McKenna Stephens paced four Flashes who scored at least 14 points with a game-high 22. Most of her damage was done around the basket and she finished 10-for-17 from the floor. Alexa Golden scored 18 points on 5-for-9 shooting with six points from the charity stripe and grabbed nine rebounds, which is one off her career-high. Jordan Korinek had a big second half and finished with 17 points and season-best nine boards. One of the national leaders in free throws, Korinek shot 9-for-11 from the line. Sophomore Ali Poole added 14 points and matched her career-high with six rebounds.
"It's much better for us when we have that kind of balance," Starkey added. "McKenna made some great reads on slips to the basket and our guards did a good job of getting the ball there. We have to make sure that we don't make runs and then give it back like we did in the fourth quarter though."
Senior Naddiyah Cross did a terrific job of finding open teammates and registered a season-best seven assists. Cross also scored eight points.
Kent State continued to control play around the basket and led 36-22 in points in the paint, 37-31 in rebounds and 16-12 in second-chance scoring. Both teams committed 14 turnovers, but the Flashes turned them into 16 points compared to 12 for the Titans.
The Golden Flashes will play at Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, Dec. 5 and have a quick turnaround with Wright State visiting the M.A.C. Center on Thursday, Dec. 7.
