Kent State University
8-7, 1-2MAC
Eastern Michigan
6-8, 2-1MAC
Cross’ 24 and Korinek’s Double-Double Propel Flashes Past Eagles
1/10/2018 11:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio — Naddiyah Cross scored a career-high 24 points and Jordan Korinek notched her first double-double of the season as Kent State overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to take down Eastern Michigan, 76-69, on Wednesday at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (9-7, 2-2 MAC) put together their highest-scoring half of the season to erase a 34-27 halftime deficit. The Flashes shot 54.2-percent from the field (13-for-24) and 95.2-percent at the free throw line (21-for-22) to outscore the Eagles 49-35 over the final 20 minutes.
Cross and Korinek combined for 20 of the Flashes' 27 points in the final period, which started with a 49-49 tie. The senior duo went 13-for-14 at the foul line over the final 6:28 to close it out.
"This was a tough, gritty, and I'm proud of the way the team fought in the second half," said head coach Todd Starkey. "I didn't think we played very tough in the first half, so I really challenged our players in the locker room. I thought we responded and played with more passion in second half. We executed better and found ways to score against their trapping and zones."
For the game, Kent State shot 29-for-33 from the charity stripe to match its season-high in free throws made.
Scoreless in the Flashes' win at Eastern Michigan on Dec. 30, Naddiyah Cross shot an efficient 8-for-13 from the floor in a breakout scoring night.
Jordan Korinek shot 17-for-19 at the free throw line and finished the game with 23 points to go with a season-high 13 rebounds and career-high five assists. Her 17 made free throws are tied for the sixth-most by a NCAA Division I player this season.
Graduate student McKenna Stephens scored 17 points to match her total during the first meeting in Ypsilanti. Stephens keyed a third quarter run and had 10 points in the period.
The Flashes owned the glass with a 41-29 advantage and did a much better job taking care of the ball than in the first matchup with EMU. Kent State's 13 turnovers are the second-fewest this season and four fewer than any other EMU opponent.
Kent State begins a stretch with four of five games on the road when it visits first-place Central Michigan on Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip.
Notes
• Kent State improved to 4-5 when trailing at halftime.
• Senior Naddiyah Cross scored a career-high 24 points for her 11th career double-digit scoring outing.
• Senior Jordan Korinek notched her first double-double of the season and seventh of her career.
• Korinek posted her 21st career 20-point game. Her 17 free throws made rank fifth in Kent State single-game history and are the sixth-most by a NCAA Division I player this season.
• Korinek matched her career-high with 5 assists.
