Kent State University
Miami
Flashes Visit Miami Saturday for Regular Season Finale
3/2/2018 10:29:00 PM | Women's Basketball
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Kent State looks to even its record in true road games and end the regular season on a winning note when it takes on Miami inside of Millett Hall on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Golden Flashes (12-17, 5-12 MAC) shot just 19-for-55 (.345) from the floor and 2-for-18 (.111) from three-point distance in an 81-51 setback to Mid-American East Division champion Buffalo Wednesday night at the M.A.C. Center. Kent State shot 12-for-25 (.480) from the floor in the opening 20 minutes and trailed by just eight at halftime, 34-26. The Flashes made just seven shots over the final two periods and were outscored 26-8 in the third. Jordan Korinek led the team with 14 points and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds to lead the Flashes to a 32-30 advantage on the glass. McKenna Stephens scored 10 points and Tyra James contributed nine points off the bench.
Kent State has found success when it has been able to get to the free throw line. The Flashes are No. 9 in the country in free throws made (458) and No. 26 in free throw attempts (611) for a 75.0 percentage that is second in the conference. Kent State's +5.7 rebounding margin is second in the MAC with 12 games in which it has outrebounded its opponent by double-digits.
Senior Jordan Korinek is the conference's second-leading scorer (20.3 ppg) and adds 7.1 rebounds per game. The All-MAC forward ranks fourth nationally in free throws made (185) and seventh in free throws attempted (219). Graduate student McKenna Stephens (10.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg) provides a versatile frontcourt presence as Kent State's leading rebounder and second on the team in three-pointers (28).
The starting backcourt of senior Naddiyah Cross (4.8 ppg, 3.6 apg,) and junior Alexa Golden (7.4 ppg, 5.9 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 74 free throws after combining to make only 37 in her first two seasons. Sophomore Ali Poole (7.7 ppg) leads the Flashes with 32 three-pointers in her first season as a starter.
Redshirt sophomore Megan Carter (10.0 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 ranks eighth in the record book with 389 assists and is one assist away from tying Jennifer Grandstaff (1985-88) for seventh.
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 fifth on the all-time scoring list with 1,741 points and 58 points behind Lindsay Shearer (2002-06) for fourth.
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 737 to move ahead of Marvetta Froe (1987-90) and Ann Forbes (1989-92) and needs one rebound to tie Carrie Templin (1995-98) for seventh.
Scouting Miami                                                                               Â
Miami (19-9, 11-6 MAC) enters on a four-game winning streak and winners in nine of the last 10. Since the first meeting with Kent State on Feb. 17, the RedHawks have outscored their three opponents by an average of 25.7 points per game.
As a team, Miami averages 70.6 points per game while allowing 64.9 points per game, which leads the MAC. The RedHawks are No. 25 in the country in three-point field goal percentage, draining the long ball at a .373 clip, and No. 46 in field goal percentage (.439).
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 27th in the nation with 20.3 points per game while making 3.29 three-pointers per game, which is No. 17 in the country. Dickerson's 5.5 assists per game ranks fourth in the conference and she leads Miami in steals per game (1.9). Forward Kendall McCoy (13.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg) is coming off back-to-back games with 20-plus points and is averaging 18.8 ppg over the last five games. Savannah Kluesner (7.9 ppg), Leah Purvis (7.5 ppg) and Kayla Brown (7.5 ppg) are also solid scoring options for the RedHawks.
Series History
• Kent State and Miami have split he all-time series, 44-44.
• The Golden Flashes are 10-29 on the road against Miami and snapped a five-game losing streak with a decisive 78-51 victory at Millett Hall last season.
• Kent State has not won in Oxford in consecutive seasons since 2010 and 2011.
• The Flashes have has held the RedHawks under 70 points in eight consecutive meetings.
FLASHback to Last Meeting
• Kent State was unable to make enough perimeter shots in a 65-59 loss to Miami inside of the M.A.C. Center on Feb. 17, 2018.
• The Golden Flashes outscored the RedHawks, 32-14, in the paint to go with a 37-24 rebounding advantage, and turned 12 offensive rebounds into a 14-6 lead in second-chance scoring.
• Kent State shot 1-for-13 from beyond the three-point arc and nearly two-thirds of their points in the paint or at the charity stripe.
• Miami went 9-for-17 on three-point attempts and made all eight of its free throws attempts.
• The Flashes trailed by seven at halftime and got within three with 6:24 on a free throw by McKenna Stephens. After being fouled attempting a three-pointer, Stephens connected on just one of three free throws and Miami answered with a three-pointer to extend its leads to six.
• Jordan Korinek and Megan Carter led Kent State with 17 points each. Korinek shot 6-for-8 from the floor and added seven rebounds, while Carter had a career-high six rebounds.
• Stephens pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to lead the Flashes to a 37-24 advantage on the boards.
• Five Miami players scored in double-figures and the RedHawks assisted on 17 of 24 field goals.
• Kendall McCoy led the way with 14 points and Lauren Dickerson totaled 13 points and eight assists.
• Savannah Kluesner (12), Kayla Brown (11) and Leah Purvis (11) also scored in double-figures for the RedHawks.
TV / Radio
Dave Wilson will have the call on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel and 640 WHLO and Scott Baker and Lindsay Justus will call the game on ESPN3.
Next Up For Kent StateÂ
The Golden Flashes will play a MAC Tournament first round game on Monday, March 5.
