Kent State University
Miami
Kent State Hosts Miami Saturday for Annual Play4Kay Game
2/16/2018 1:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes    Video    Audio    Live Stats   2018 Play4Kay Free Throw Challenge
Kent State women's basketball will host its annual Play4Kay game Saturday when Miami visits the M.A.C. Center for a 4:30 p.m. contest. The annual game helps to raise awareness and funding for women's cancer research and honor female cancer survivors.
The Golden Flashes (11-14, 4-9 MAC) seek their first victory during February and have not played since last Saturday's 78-65 setback to Ohio. Kent State battled back from a double-digit deficit to make it a one-possession game on multiple occasions but could not complete the comeback effort. Jordan Korinek made a pair of free throws with 4:57 remaining in the game to make it 60-56, but Ohio came down and buried a three-pointer for the first of eight straight points to push the lead back to double-figures. Kent State was forced to resort to fouling and Ohio converted 11 of 13 free throw attempts as part of an 18-9 run to close the game. Korinek led all players 21 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. McKenna Stephens added 14 points to go with a career-high three blocks and season-high four assists.
Kent State has found success when it has been able to get to the free throw line. The Flashes are No. 8 in the country in free throws made (403) and No. 19 in free throw attempts (541) for a 74.5 percentage that is second in the conference. Kent State's +4.8 rebounding margin is second in the MAC with nine games in which it has outrebounded its opponent by double-digits.
Senior Jordan Korinek is the conference's third-leading scorer (20.6 ppg) and adds 7.0 rebounds per game. The All-MAC forward ranks third nationally in free throws made (163) and seventh in free throws attempted (195). Graduate student McKenna Stephens (10.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg) provides a versatile frontcourt presence as Kent State's leading rebounder and second on the team in three-pointers (27).
The starting backcourt of senior Naddiyah Cross (5.2 ppg, 3.6 apg,) and junior Alexa Golden (7.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg) are putting up career-bests in every major statistical category while playing more minutes than any other backcourt tandem in the conference. Golden has already made 67 free throws after combining to make only 37 in her first two seasons. Sophomore Ali Poole (8.2 ppg) leads the Flashes with 31 three-pointers in her first season as a starter.
Redshirt sophomore Megan Carter (10.8 ppg) has provided an offensive boost since returning to action at the start of the conference season. Carter has set a new career-high scoring mark three times this season.
Record Book Watch
Seniors Naddiyah Cross and Jordan Korinek both broke into the top-10 in program history in statistical categories during Kent State's 62-55 victory at Toledo on Jan. 24.
Cross is tied with Darlene Wolfe (1978-81) for ninth for in the record book with 374 assists and is nine assists away from tying Denise Duncan (1981-83) for eighth.
Korinek passed both Mary Bukovac (1986-89) and Carrie Templin (1995-98) with 30 points in the contest against the Rockets. The Akron, Ohio native is now ninth on the all-time scoring list with 1,668 points and could crack the top-5 before her career ends.
Korinek added 11 rebounds against Toledo to pass Margie Zezulewicz (1976-79) for 10th in program history and bring her career total to 659. She has since increased her total to 704 to move ahead of Marvetta Froe (1987-90) and Ann Forbes (1989-92) and needs 24 rebounds to tie Carrie Templin (1995-98) for seventh.
Scouting Miami                                                                               Â
Miami (15-9, 7-6 MAC) had its five-game winning streak come to an end in a 64-49 loss to Buffalo last Saturday. The RedHawks had their worst offensive performance of the season, scoring 49 points on 20-for-70 (.286) shooting from the field overall and 2-for-21 (.095) beyond the three-point arc.
As a team, Miami averages 69.3 points per game while allowing 66.2 points per game. The RedHawks are No. 50 in the country in three-point field goal percentage, draining the long ball at a .359 clip.
Point guard Lauren Dickerson has been among the top players in the MAC this season. The sophomore has already eclipsed the 1,000-point mark and ranks 17th in the nation with 20.9 points per game while making 3.42 three-pointers per game, which is No. 15 in the country. Dickerson's 5.4 assists per game ranks fourth in the conference and she leads Miami in steals per game (1.96). Forward Kendall McCoy (12.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg) scored a career-high 21 points in the RedHawks' last game. McCoy is averaging 14.8 ppg in league play and has scored in double-figures in 13 of the last 14 games.Â
Series History
• Kent State has won three straight vs. Miami to take a 44-43 lead in the all-time series.
• The Golden Flashes are 26-12 all-time when hosting Miami at the M.A.C. Center, including victories in three of the last four home matchups.
• Kent State has held the RedHawks under 70 points in seven consecutive meetings.
• Last season, the Flashes earned their first season sweep since 2011 and won with an 81.0-58.5 scoring average.
• Jordan Korinek registered double-doubles in both contests and averaged 20.5 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 bpg vs. Miami.
• Larissa Lurken led the Flashes with 27.0 ppg to go with 7.5 rpg and 6.5 apg.
• McKenna Stephens averaged 11.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg.
• Lauren Dickerson paced Miami with 14.5 ppg and 5.0 apg.
FLASHback to Last Meeting
• A 20-6 run to end the first half allowed Kent State to pull away in a 78-51 wire-to-wire victory over Miami inside of Millett Hall on March 1, 2017.
• The Golden Flashes scored the first seven points of the contest and started the game with a 16-2 lead.
• Miami made eight of its next 10 shots as part of a run to tie the game, 20-20, with 6:15 to play in the second quarter.
 • Kent State then made eight of its final nine shots of the quarter to lead by 14 at halftime.
 • Alexa Golden gave the Flashes a 20-point lead at the 3:16 mark of the third quarter, and it never went below that the rest of the way.
• Kent State's lead reached as much as 29 points twice in the fourth period.
• The Flashes dominated the glass, 44-27.
• Larissa Lurken led the way with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
• Jordan Korinek stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and a career-high three blocked shots.
• McKenna Stephens added 14 points and eight rebounds for Kent State.
• Lauren Dickerson and Kendall McCoy each had 15 points to lead Miami.
Radio
Dave Wilson will be on the call on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel and 640 WHLO.
Next Up For Kent State                     Â
The Golden Flashes will head back on the road and visit Ohio on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
