Kent State University
Eastern Michigan
Women’s Basketball Battles Eastern Michigan Wednesday at M.A.C. Center
1/9/2018 9:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes Video Audio Live Stats
Kent State seeks to even its record in Mid-American Conference play when it hosts Eastern Michigan Wednesday at 7 p.m. inside of the M.A.C. Center. In doing so, the Golden Flashes would earn a season sweep of the Eagles and their first victory in the 2018 calendar year.
After closing out 2017 with its fifth road victory of the season, 67-60 at Eastern Michigan, Kent State (8-7, 1-2 MAC) led a late lead slip away and was unable to get a quality shot off in the closing seconds in an 81-79 loss at Northern Illinois last Wednesday and then was unable to overcome a slow offensive start in a 66-61 loss to Western Michigan in the first home MAC contest. After shooting more free throws than its opponent in nine of its first 13 games, Kent State attempted fewer free throws than both the Huskies and Broncos. The Flashes were terrific at the charity stripe, converting 31 of 34 attempts (.912).
Kent State has found success when it has been able to get to the free throw line. The Flashes are No. 24 in the country in free throws made (239) and No. 38 in free throw attempts (326) for a 73.3 percentage that is third in the conference. Kent State's +5.3 rebounding margin is second in the MAC with five games in which it has outrebounded its opponent by double-digits.
Senior Jordan Korinek was named MAC East Division Player of the Week on Tuesday after posting 24.5 points per game and going a perfect 15-for-15 at the foul line over the Flashes' two games last week. Korinek is the conference's third-leading scorer (19.7 ppg) and adds 5.5 rebounds per game. The All-MAC forward shoots just below 50 percent from the floor and has made better than 40 percent of her three-point shots. Korinek ninth nationally in free throws made (86) and 16th in free throw attempts (106).
Graduate student McKenna Stephens (9.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) provides a versatile frontcourt presence as Kent State's leading rebounder and second on the team in three-pointers (17). Junior Merissa Barber-Smith (2.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg) provides an interior presence on defense and is second on the team in blocked shots (11) in just 175 minutes.
The starting backcourt of senior Naddiyah Cross (5.8 ppg, 4.7 apg,) and junior Alexa Golden (8.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) are putting up career-bests in every major statistical category while playing more minutes than any other backcourt tandem in the conference. Cross enters the week with 356 career assists and in need of just nine to break into Kent State's top 10 all-time. Golden has already made 49 free throws after combining to make only 37 in her first two seasons.
Redshirt sophomore Megan Carter (16.0 ppg) has provided an offensive boost since returning to the lineup at the start of the conference season. Carter scored a career-high 16 points in her season debut at Eastern Michigan and then topped it with 17 at Northern Illinois in her next outing. She added 15 Saturday against Western Michigan. Carter is ninth in the conference in scoring in MAC games despite playing just 27.3 minutes per game, which is sixth on the Flashes' roster.
Scouting Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan (6-9, 2-1 MAC) is coming off an impressive 70-57 victory over 2017 MAC Tournament champion Toledo and has won four of its last five, with the lone loss coming to Kent State. The Eagles' defensive pressure has been a key during the stretch, as they have held opponents to 59.2 points per game and forced 24.6 turnovers per game while recording 14.6 steals per game. After losing its first six road games, EMU has been victorious in its last two (Detroit Mercy, Bowling Green).
On the season, the Eagles are No. 11 in the MAC in scoring (64.0 ppg), field goal percentage (.375), three-point field goal percentage (.273) and free throw percentage (.647). EMU is aggressive going after its misses and rank 24th in the country with 16.0 offensive rebounds per game. The Eagles have 163 second-chance points, which accounts for 18.2 percent of their scoring.
The trio of guard Courtnie Lewis (12.3 ppg), forward Danielle Minott (12.3 ppg) and guard Sasha Dailey (11.6 ppg) have combined for 135 of EMU's 184 points (73.4 percent) during conference games. Lewis is second among conference freshmen in scoring and is EMU's top three-point shooter with 19 makes at 37.3 percent. Minott adds a team-best 4.8 rebounds per game and 20 three-pointers to go 2.3 steals per game. Dailey scored a season-high 20 points against Toledo to join EMU's 1,000-point club and s averaging 17.3 points per game in MAC contests. The senior is 12th in the country with 3.43 steals per game.
Series History
• Kent State is 37-27 all-time vs. Eastern Michigan.
• The Golden Flashes are 3-0 under second-year head coach Todd Starkey after losing 11 consecutive to the Eagles.
• Kent State defeated EMU, 67-60, in the conference opener on Dec. 30.
• The Flashes are 21-7 all-time record vs. the Eagles in Kent.
• EMU last won at the M.A.C. Center on Feb. 4, 2015 (70-53).
• Kent State's 19-game winning streak from 1992-03 is the longest for either team.
• The Flashes have won both games that have required overtime. Most recently, KSU came out on top in double-overtime, 96-94, in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals on March 3, 2000 in Cleveland.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes will play four of their next five on the road, beginning Saturday at preseason MAC favorite Central Michigan.
