Kent State University
Detroit Mercy
Women’s Basketball Makes Home Debut Thursday Against Detroit Mercy
11/30/2017 12:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball
After playing the first seven games of the 2017-18 season on the road, Kent State women's basketball hosts Detroit Mercy in the 2017-18 home opener at 7 p.m. Thursday at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (4-3) started with two true road games before playing five games as part of neutral site tournaments the past two weekends.
Thanksgiving weekend ended in record-setting fashion, as Kent State held Memphis just to five points in the fourth quarter of a 70-55 win in final game of Play4Kay Showcase in Las Vegas. It marked the fewest points the Flashes have allowed since quarters were implemented prior to the 2015-16 season, as they held the Tigers to 2-for-13 (.133) shooting as part of a 40-14 run to close the game.
Kent State went 1-2 at the event, which is regarded as the best women's basketball tournament in the country during the early part of the season, and put together two excellent quarters in loses to #14 Stanford and CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll #7 Gonzaga.
Senior forward Jordan Korinek led the Flashes with 20.3 points per game on 22-for-31 (.703) shooting from the floor over the three games. Korinek showed improved long-range shooting by making 7 of her 12 (.583) three-point attempts. Senior guard Naddiyah Cross recorded her first double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) and led Kent State with averages of 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Ali Poole and graduate student forward McKenna Stephens both chipped in 9.7 points per game.
Detroit (0-5) seeks it first win of the season and enters the contest being outscored by an average of more than 20 points per game. The Titans averaged just 50.5 points in their two games last week at the San Juan Shootout, which included a 9-for-46 (.196) shooting performance in a 72-44 loss to Clemson.
Preseason All-Horizon League forward Brianne Cohen leads the way at 18.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Cohen has three 20-point efforts this season and has ranked 12th nationally in field goal percentage each of the past two seasons. Guard Anja Marinkovic has stepped into a larger role for the Titans after earning Horizon League All-Freshman Team honors last season and is averaging 10.0 points per game while shooting 40 percent from the three-point line.
TV/Radio
Dave Wilson and Brad Hamilton are on the call on ESPN3 and Ty Linder brings fans the action on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel 640 WHLO.
Next Up For Kent State
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.
