Kent State University
Northern Illinois
Flashes Look to Continue Winning Ways Wednesday vs. NIU
1/8/2019 4:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Riding a season-best five-game winning streak, Kent State will try to earn its first 2-0 start to Mid-American Conference play since 2010-11 when Northern Illinois visits the M.A.C. Center on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside of the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (8-4) improved to 5-1 at home on Saturday with a 71-64 victory over Eastern Michigan to open the conference schedule. Kent State jumped out to a 22-10 at the end of the first quarter but scored just 26 points in the middle two quarters and trailed by one entering the final 10 minutes. Freshman Asiah Dingle scored 13 of her career-high 29 points in the period to help Kent State lead by as many as 11. Dingle added career-high totals in rebounds (9), steals (5) and blocks (3) to stuff the stat sheet. Freshman Lindsey Thall drained a career-best four three-pointers and finished with 14 points. Senior Alexa Golden nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds to go with a team-high four assists. For the second straight game, the Flashes made a season-high three-pointers, shooting 12-for-22 from long range.
Guard Megan Carter (14.7 ppg) scored at least 14 points in all but two games this season and is second on the team in rebounding (4.8 rpg) and assists (2.7 apg). Freshman Asiah Dingle (13.5 ppg) has provided a scoring threat at the point guard position. Forward Lindsey Thall (10.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg) leads Kent State with 22 three-pointers to go with a MAC-best 18 blocks. Center Merissa Barber-Smith is the team's top rebounder at 7.1 per game and is right behind with 17 blocked shots. Guard Alexa Golden (6.5 ppg) is shooting better than 40-percent from beyond the three-point line.
Scouting Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois (9-4) defeated Miami, 82-71, on Saturday for its fifth straight win. All five of those games were played at the NIU Convocation Center, and the Huskies are winless on the road (0-4) this season.
The Huskies boast one of the high-scoring offense that ranks 12th the country with an average of 83.3 points per game. Northern Illinois has put more than 80 points on the scoreboard seven times, which includes three games with at least 98 points. The Huskies make are outstanding at the free throw line (.773) and take excellent care of the ball (13.2 turnovers per game), ranking among the top-20 nationally in both categories. Despite being third in the country in defensive rebounding (32.0 per game), NIU ranks 318th in scoring defense (72.7 ppg).
Guard Mikayla Voigt has emerged as one of the top players in the conference during her senior season, ranking 11th in the country in scoring (21.6 ppg) and 10th in three-point field goals (49) while draining 44.1-percent of her shots from long range. On Dec. 8, Voigt set MAC single-game records with 52 points and 11 three-pointers against Western Illinois.
Guards Gabby Nikitinaite (12.5 ppg) and Miya Starks (11.5 ppg, 3.2 apg) have increased their scoring over the past six games in the absence of 2018 MAC scoring champion Courtney Woods (20.1 ppg). Nikitinaite is averaging 18.5 points and Starks is averaging 14.0 points during this span. Forward Ally May (7.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg) has posted back-to-back double-doubles with averages of 13.0 points and 14.0 rebounds over the past two games.
Series History
• Kent State is 20-17 all-time vs. Northern Illinois.
• The Huskies have found success in recent years with four straight victories, which ties their longest win streak in the series, and wins in eight of the last 10 meetings.
• The Golden Flashes are 13-4 inside of the M.A.C. Center but have lost to NIU in each of the past two seasons.
• Kent State's last home victory in the series was a 95-85 victory on Jan. 27, 2016.
• Larissa Lurken tied the Kent State single-game record with seven three-pointers and poured in 37 points to lead all scorers.
• In the fourth quarter, the Flashes scored a program-record 30 points while NIU scored 37 points, which is tied for the most an opponent has ever scored.
• The Golden Flashes are 0-4 vs. NIU under third-year head coach Todd Starkey.
TV / Radio
Jacob Pavilack will be on the call on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel, while Dave Wilson and Mike Elkins bring the action on ESPN3.
Next Up for Kent State
The Golden Flashes will host Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Jan. 9 before playing four of the final five games in January on the road.
