Kent State University
Ohio
Women’s Basketball Heads to Athens Wednesday in Pursuit of Season Split with Bobcats
2/21/2018 10:27:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Kent State looks to win at the Convocation Center for the second straight year Wednesday night when it takes on host Ohio at 7 p.m. The Bobcats left the M.A.C. Center with a 78-65 victory in this season's first meeting just 11 days ago.
The Golden Flashes (11-15, 4-10 MAC) controlled play around the basket during Saturday's Play4Kay Game but came up short in a 65-59 setback to Miami. Kent State outscored the RedHawks 32-14 in the paint to go with a 37-24 rebounding advantage. The Flashes turned 12 offensive rebounds into a 14-6 lead in second-chance scoring. While Kent State accounted for nearly two-thirds of its points in the paint or at the charity stripe, Miami did a large portion of its scoring from long range, shooting 9-for-17 from beyond the three-point arc. Jordan Korinek and Megan Carter had 17 points apiece to lead all scorers. After combining for only four points in the opening half, the duo accounted for 30 of Kent State's 35 points over the final 20 minutes. Korinek made her final six shots and finished shooting 6-for-8 from the floor and 5-for-5 at the free throw line. The All-MAC forward also grabbed seven rebounds and had one steal. McKenna Stephens grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to go with nine points, three assists and two blocks. Alexa Golden added eight boards.
Kent State has found success when it has been able to get to the free throw line. The Flashes are No. 13 in the country in free throws made (411) and No. 28 in free throw attempts (552) for a 74.5 percentage that is second in the conference. Kent State's 5.1 rebounding margin is second in the MAC with 10 games in which it has outrebounded its opponent by double-digits.
Senior Jordan Korinek is the conference's third-leading scorer (20.5 ppg) and adds 7.0 rebounds per game. The All-MAC forward ranks fourth nationally in free throws made (168) and eighth in free throws attempted (200). Graduate student McKenna Stephens (9.9 ppg, 6.5 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 (5.1 ppg, 3.5 apg,) and junior Alexa Golden (7.1 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 made 67 free throws after combining to make only 37 in her first two seasons. Sophomore Ali Poole (7.9 ppg) leads the Flashes with 31 three-pointers in her first season as a starter.
Redshirt sophomore Megan Carter (11.3 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 376 assists and is seven 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 tied with Dawn Zerman (1997-00) for sixth on the all-time scoring list with 1,685 points and is just 43 points away from cracking the top-5.
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 711 to move ahead of Marvetta Froe (1987-90) and Ann Forbes (1989-92) and needs 27 rebounds to tie Carrie Templin (1995-98) for seventh.
Scouting Ohio
Ohio (14-11, 8-6 MAC) defeated Bowling Green, 69-58, on Saturday and is looking to win back-to-back games for just the second time during conference play. The Bobcats are 5-2 against MAC foes inside of the Convocation Center this season.
As a team, Ohio averages 67.5 points per game while allowing 66.6 points per game. The Bobcats are among the top 10 teams in the country in turnovers forced per game (22.92), steals per game (12.4) and turnover margin ( 8.24) while ranking third in the conference in three-point field goals per game (8.0).
Guard Cierra Hooks is Ohio's top scorer (14.1 ppg) and rebounder (4.9 rpg) while ranking ninth in the country in steals per game (3.44). Guard Amani Burke (12.8 ppg) matched her season-high 20 points in in this year's first matchup against the Flashes. Guard Dominique Doseck (9.8 ppg) is team's top shooting threat from the perimeter and averages 2.13 three-pointers per game to go with 2.12 steals per game. Point guard Taylor Agler (7.9 ppg, 4.7 apg) is third in the MAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.29).
Series History                                                          Â
• Kent State is 53-29 all-time vs. Ohio.
• The Golden Flashes snapped a four-game losing streak in the series by defeating the Bobcats in both matchups a season ago.
• Kent State is 18-19 in trips to Athens, which includes a 68-65 victory last season.
• The Flashes' 19-game winning streak from Jan. 10, 1996 through Jan, 28, 2004 is the longest for either school.
FLASHback to Last Meeting
• Kent State battled back from a double-digit deficit to make it a one-possession game on multiple occasions but was unable to complete the comeback effort, falling to Ohio by a score of 78-65 Saturday afternoon at the M.A.C. Center on Feb. 10, 2018.
• Jordan Korinek made a pair of free throws with 4:57 remaining to make it 60-56, but the Bobcats came down and buried another three-pointer for the first of eight straight points to push the lead back to double-figures.
• The Golden Flashes were 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.
• Kent State had a much-improved day from long range, connecting on 4 of 10 three-point shots after shooting 5-for-40 over its two previous games.
• Ohio edged the Flashes on the glass, 34-33, and led 26-24 in points in the paint, 16-15 in points off turnovers and 16-12 in fast break points.
• 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.
• Megan Carter scored nine points off the bench and matched her season-high with five assists.
• Ohio's four double-figure scorers combined for 63 of the team's 78 points.
• Amani Burke led the way with 20 points. Cierra Hooks (16), Gabby Burris (15) and Katie Barker (12) also notched double-digits.
TV / Radio
Dave Wilson will have the call on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel and 640 WHLO and Marty Bannister and Kristen Ronai will call the game on ESPN3.
Next Up For Kent State                     Â
The Golden Flashes host rival Akron for Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.
