Kent State University
17-11, 11-5
University of Akron
9-18, 2-14
Kent State Hangs on to Top Akron 73-69
2/25/2017 6:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Clutch free throws in the final minute Saturday afternoon allowed Kent State (17-11) to take a 73-69 victory over Akron (9-18, 2-14).
The Golden Flashes won both meetings this season to take the full Crystal Clinic Wagon Wheel Challenge point. The win also keeps the Flashes atop the Mid-American Conference East Division standings and in line for the four seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
The Zips got ahead by making three baskets before the Flashes made one and led 10-4 halfway through the first quarter. A five-point run by Larissa Lurken brought the lead to within four points but Akron was able to stay out ahead in the first. A three by Ali Poole with a minute to play in the opening quarter made it a 21-17 game. Akron scored right before the buzzer to make it 23-17 after ten minutes of play.
Akron got up by as much as ten in the second, but a three from another three from Poole, two free throws from Naddiyah Cross and a jumper by Lurken made it a one-possession game nearing the media break. Just before the break, Lurken drained a three to make it a 29-29 game.
An empty Zips possession turned into a free throw opportunity for Chelsi Watson. She was good on both her shots to give the Flashes their first lead of the night. After some good defense by Kent State, Akron was forced to call a timeout as Lurken connected on another shot from beyond the arc to put the lead at five. It was a 39-33 game at halftime.
Kent State maintained a six-point lead for most of the third quarter, until Lurken hit a three and made the lead nine with a minute to go. Megan Carter fed Merissa Barber-Smith inside to put the score at 53-44 with ten minutes left to play.
Neither team was able to improve on its advantage for much of the final quarter, as Kent State led by seven with 4:21 left on the clock. Akron came out of the break and went on a 5-0 run, but that was quickly stifled. Jordan Korinek hit a three and Lurken made two at the free throw line to turn it back into an eight-point game with two minutes remaining.
However, Akron was still not out of it. The Zips hit a three to make it a 69-66 game with 52 seconds on the clock. The Flashes had possession and hit clutch free throws in the remaining time to clinch the win. Stephens hit two with 14 seconds to go and then Cross hit two more with four seconds remaining to make it a 72-69 final.
Lurken led all scorers with 28 points while tying for a team-high eight rebounds. She also had four assists, one steal and one block. Korinek, Cross, and Alexa Golden all scored eight; Korinek and Golden also tied Lurken's seven rebounds.
Kent State will travel for its last road regular season game on Wednesday when they play at Miami at 7 p.m.
