Kent State University
19-12 (13-5MAC)
Toledo
23-8 (12-6MAC)
#3 Flashes Edged Out by #6 Rockets 67-63 in MAC Quarterfinals
3/8/2017 10:54:00 PM | Women's Basketball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – No. 3 Kent State (19-12) gave everything it had Wednesday night in the Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals, but No. 6 Toledo (23-8) edged the team out in the final minutes to advance on a 67-63 victory.
The Rockets struck first with two baskets but Larissa Lurken and Alexa Golden both sunk threes to tie the game at six. Three-point shooting was successful early on as Megan Carter also sunk one to bring an 11-8 deficit to a 11-11 tie. Jordan Korinek joined the club on the next possession to give the Flashes their first lead of the night.
Toledo was able to put together a 7-0 run to lead 22-16 at the end of the first quarter of play. They extended that lead to ten a minute into the quarter, forcing a Kent State timeout.
Lurken fed Korinek for the layup and the foul during the next play to cut into the Rockets' lead. That turned into a 9-0 run. Lurken followed Korinek at the line and was good for two, then Carter made a nice spin move and connected on a layup. Korinek then fed Lurken who put one up and in.
Seven straight points would be scored by Lurken as she put her team back in front with a two-point lead later on in the quarter. However, Toledo went on another run of its own, this time 6-0 in the final two minutes. Carter sunk two shots at the line to send the game to halftime, Kent State trailing 39-35.
By the midway point of the third quarter, Kent State was able to grab the lead back. Korinek started the scoring in the span then an impressive 11-0 run shortly followed. Alexa Golden hit another shot from deep range, McKenna Stephens sunk a shot and Korinek connected again after Golden slipped a nice pass inside to put the Flashes up by one.
A technical foul was called on Toledo on the play so Lurken went to the line where she added to the tally. On the ensuing possession, Carter faked a pass and was wide open to drain a three and make it a 48-43 game. That run helped the Flashes outscore the Rockets by ten in the quarter and lead 56-50 with one left to play.
However, the Rockets outscored the Flashes by ten in the final ten minutes to edge out the win. At the eight-minute mark, Carter hit her third three of the night to take the lead to seven. But, turnovers allowed Toledo to make three straight layups and then take the lead on a three. Golden was able to earn a steal that resulted in Lurken driving and tying the game, but the Rockets followed with a steal, two free throws and another three-pointer to go ahead by five with two minutes to go.
Lurken made another layup with 1:19 on the clock for the Flashes last basket of the night. Those two points gave her 733 on the season, breaking the Kent State single-season record set by Bonnie Beachy in 1980-81.
Down by three after that basket, Kent State had two last looks thanks to a Toledo turnover, but two three-point shots didn't hit their mark. The Rockets were able to make one last free throw to close the game out at 67-63.
Kent State and Toledo both turned the ball over 19 times but the Flashes were able to get 24 points off those mistakes compared to the Rockets' 17. Toledo won the battle in the paint 36-20 and also won the rebound margin 35-24. The Rockets closed out the game shooting 62.5 percent in the fourth while the Flashes made just three of their 13 attempts, or 23.1 percent.
Lurken led all in scoring with 25 points on the night while added in a team-high five rebounds and three assists. Carter finished with a career-high 15 points. Korinek contributed with 13 points.
Toledo will now play No. 7 Buffalo in the second semifinal game on Friday in Cleveland. The winner of the championship game on Saturday will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The women's tournament selection show will air Monday night.
With 19 wins and a top-100 RPI, Kent State has hope to receive an invitation to the WNIT. That field will be announced Monday night after the NCAA bracket reveal. The first round of WNIT games will be played March 15-17.
