Kent State University
9-10, 2-5MAC
Ball State
15-3, 4-3MAC
Hot-Shooting Cardinals Build Early Lead in 79-58 Victory over Flashes
1/20/2018 9:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio — Kent State showed great fight over the final 20 minutes but was unable to overcome a 19-point halftime deficit in a 79-58 loss to Ball State in a Mid-American Conference contest Saturday afternoon at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (9-10, 2-5 MAC) were able to cut the deficit down to 12 in the opening minutes of the third period but could not get any closer. Kent State won the period, 19-18, and was outscored by just three in the second half.
Ball State, which is the 11th-ranked team in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll and has been ranked as high as No. 5 this season, shot 60-percent (9-for-15) and scored 10 fast break points to take a 26-14 lead at the end of the first period. The Cardinals (15-3, 4-3 MAC) missed their first three-point attempt of the game before making made seven in a row and finished with a 26-2 advantage in fast break points.
"Ball State is really good in transition, and you have to be able to find their shooters," said head coach Todd Starkey. "We have to get better and more consistent at not turning the ball over and playing hard on every possession. If we have the fight in the first half that we had in the second half defensively, then we are right in the game. Against a talented team, you can't get behind by 18 at halftime and hope for the best."
Kent State came out of the locker room by making five of its first seven shots as part of a 10-4 run to get within 53-41 at the 6:13 mark of the third quarter. Ali Poole made contributions in all areas during the spurt with two points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Ball State closed the quarter with a 14-9 run, however, to take a 17-point lead into the final period.
The Flashes started the fourth with a 6-2 run to make it 69-56 but failed to make a field goal over the final 6:20 of the contest. Kent State finished the game by shooting just 23-for-67 for 33.8 percent, its lowest of the conference season.
Jordan Korinek scored a game-high 18 points in just 24 minutes for a nice bounce-back game following her worst offensive performance of the season at Bowling Green on Wednesday. McKenna Stephens and Poole added 16 and 11 points, respectively. Poole played one of her most complete floor games in a Kent State uniform with six rebounds and a career-high five assists.
Both teams grabbed 37 rebounds in the game. Alexa Golden led the Flashes with eight boards, including six on the offensive end. Kent State led 16-9 in offensive rebounds but had just a 12-7 lead in second chance points.
Although Kent State drew 19 fouls while being called for 18, Ball State held a 26-13 advantage in free throw attempts. The Cardinals scored 29 points off 22 Flashes turnover compared to Kent State's 15 points off 20 Ball State turnovers.
The Flashes return to the road to take on Toledo on Wednesday at 7 p.m. as part of a stretch with four of five games away from the M.A.C. Center.
