Kent State University
15-11, 9-5
Ohio University
18-7, 9-5
Flashes Take Down Bobcats in Battle for MAC East Lead
2/18/2017 5:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – There was a lot on the line going into Saturday's game, as Kent State (15-11, 9-5) sat one spot behind Ohio (18-7, 9-5) in the Mid-American Conference East Division standings. The Bobcats were hungry for redemption after being beaten earlier in the year on their home court; the Flashes filled the M.A.C. Center with their biggest crowd of the year and had University President Beverly Warren speak before the game in honor of Play4Kay.
The atmosphere was ripe for a showdown, and both teams provided an intense battle into overtime. Defense was the difference in the end, as three charges taken by the Flashes in the final minute of overtime handed Kent State the 83-77 win and a share of the MAC East lead.
McKenna Stephens got things started by hitting a three early on to get the scoring started for the Flashes. After the media break, she hit a fade away shot from the right side to put Kent State up 7-6.
With less than a minute to play in the first quarter, Megan Carter made two free throws to give the Flashes a one-point lead. After an Ohio drive and basket, Carter was fouled again as the seconds winded down. Shewas successful at the line as Kent State led 16-15 at the end of the first.
In the second, a three lifted the Bobcats to a lead and started a 7-0 run. A layup by Jordan Korinek silenced it. Later, Stephens grabbed an offensive board and went back up to bring the deficit to two. With the shot clock almost expired, Paige Salisbury found Stephens who connected to tie the game at 24 with less than three minutes to play in the second quarter.
Kent State would trail Ohio 31-28 at halftime. The Flashes committed 13 early turnovers while the Bobcats protected the ball better and had just five at the midway point.
To start the third, Larissa Lurken made back-to-back shots and then Naddiyah Cross found Korinek inside to take the lead back, 34-33. Tied at 36, Alexa Golden blocked an Ohio shot but the Flashes couldn't get anything out of the next possession. The Bobcats would eventually break the tie with a layup and lead by one at the media break.
The Golden Flashes found Chelsi Watson inside out of the timeout to take the lead back. The Bobcats then earned the advantage and hit a three to take a four-point lead late in the third quarter. A last-second layup by Stephens made it a 46-45 game with one quarter left to play.
The two teams traded baskets for a bit to start the fourth, but Lurken pulled through with a basket and foul shot to put Kent State back on the good side of the score. Tied at 52, Megan Carter grabbed a rebound and was good on the other end to make it a 54-52 game. Carter broke yet another tied game to keep some momentum with the Flashes just before the final media break.
Kent State led by two with 4:35 left to play in the game. A Lurken offensive rebound was put back and pushed that lead to four. Golden followed that with a steal. Watson came up big with two offense rebounds and was able to go back up and sink one to keep the lead at four, 60-56, with two minutes to go.
Carter earned a trip to the line with 1:53 and made a shot to give Kent State its biggest lead of the night at five. Korinek later hit a layup and was fouled to convert on an old-fashioned three-point play to go up by six. However, the Bobcats crawled back in, stole the ball on an inbounds play with four seconds left and sent the contest to overtime, 71-71.
Ohio was able to go up by three in the extra period, but Kent State stormed back. Lurken made back-to-back shots and she, Carter and Naddiyah Cross made free throws to keep the Flashes in front. Most pivotal in the game, Golden took two charges and Lurken took one in the final minute to secure the victory on defense.
The Flashes won the rebound battle 43-39 and shot 47.3 percent on the day. Lurken finished with a team-high 31 points. Stephens had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Korinek also added in 15 while Carter scored a career-high 14.
Kent State now heads to the road to face Bowling Green on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The team will return home next Saturday to host Akron at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at kentstatesports.com or by calling 330-672-2244.
