Kent State University
Wright State
Women’s Basketball Hosts Wright State Thursday to Conclude Non-Conference Home Slate
12/6/2017 8:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
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The Kent State women's basketball team continues its busy week by hosting Wright State at 7 p.m. Thursday for the second game in three nights.
The Golden Flashes (6-3) have won three straight games and look to complete a four-game sweep of Horizon League schools.
On Tuesday night, Kent State overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat Eastern Kentucky in overtime, 65-57. Senior Naddiyah Cross drained a three-pointer with 5.1 to play in regulation and t Flashes scored the first nine points in the overtime period. Overall, Kent State outscored the Colonels 30-12 over the final 13:34.
Cross scored five points in overtime and finished with a career-high 19 points despite battling foul trouble throughout and playing just 23 minutes. Graduate student McKenna Stephens scored 11 points and senior Jordan Korinek had 10 points in just 21 minutes. Both players grabbed five rebounds.
Junior Merissa Barber-Smith and redshirt junior Tyra James provided major boosts off the bench in extended action due to foul trouble to Cross and Korinek . Barber-Smith set new career-highs with 15 rebounds, nine points and four blocked shots. Her eight offensive boards helped the Flashes lead second-chance scoring, 15-5. James scored all seven of her points in the second period to give Kent State the lead at halftime and finished with a team-high three assists. Â
Scouting Wright State
Ranked No. 23 in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, the Raiders (6-2) are also on a three-game winning streak following an 84-39 win over Chicago State on Sunday. Wright State has played just one true road game against a NCAA Division I opponent, an 82-80 loss to No. 23 Missouri on Nov. 16.
Wright State averages 81.4 points per game and has four players scoring in double-figures. Guard Chelsea Welch is a dangerous playmaker and averages 20.3 points and 4.9 assists per game to lead the team in both categories. The Pitt transfer was named to the All-Horizon League First Team in her first season at Wright State a year ago and scored a career-high 36 points at Missouri. Guard Mackenzie Taylor averages 13.1 points per game and has been the Raiders' top three-point threat at 21-for-43 (.488) on the season. Guard Emily Vogelpohl (10.9 ppg), guard Symone Simmons (10.6 ppg) and forward Lexi Smith (9.3 ppg) round out the starting unit. Simmons is Wright State's top rebounder at 8.3 rebounds per game, while Vogelpohl and Smith average 7.3 rebounds per game apiece.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes travel to Ann Arbor to take on No. 24 /21 Michigan on Saturday in a rematch of last season's WNIT first round matchup. The game will tip at 2 p.m. and air on BTN2Go.
