Kent State University
9-4, 2-0MAC
Northern Illinois
9-5, 1-1MAC
Golden Flashes Use Big Fourth Quarter to Race Past NIU
1/9/2019 10:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Kent State closed with a 20-9 run to earn an 87-78 victory in a high-scoring contest with Northern Illinois inside of the M.A.C. Center on Wednesday evening.
The Golden Flashes (9-4) have won six straight games and are 2-0 to start Mid-American Conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Junior Ali Poole poured in a career-high 28 points to lead all scorers. Freshmen Asiah Dingle and Lindsey Thall added 17 points apiece, a new career-high for Thall. Redshirt junior Megan Carter was also in double-figures with 12 points.
"It was a great win," said head coach Todd Starkey. "It's great to get the monkey off our back with Northern Illinois, which has been a tough matchup for us the past couple of years. They keep coming at you, and you have to find ways to keep getting stops. Merissa [Barber-Smith] came up with a couple of deflections for steals and big rebounds late."
For the second time in as many games, Kent State trailed at the conclusion of the third period, as the Huskies held a 62-59 lead. Ali Poole scored on the Flashes first two possessions in the fourth for a brief 63-62 lead. Northern Illinois answered with a three-pointer go back in front and led 69-67 with just under seven minutes to play.
Senior Alexa Golden sparked a 9-0 run that put Kent State ahead for good with a three-pointer at the 6:06 mark, and then took a charge on the defensive end of the floor. Megan Carter and Poole combined for baskets on the next three offensive possessions to stretch the lead to seven. NIU sank a pair of free throws to get within 76-71 with 2:38 remaining, but Carter sank a three-pointer the ensuing time down the floor and the Flashes' lead never fell below six the rest of the way.
"We grew up over the last two games" Starkey said of his team that features four freshmen in the rotation. "The way we handled the fourth quarter the last two games has really showed a lot of maturity."
Kent State's 28 points in the fourth quarter are the fourth-most by the Flashes since the NCAA switched to quarters for the 2015-16 season. Poole scored 10 in the period, while Dingle and Carter each tallied seven points. The Flashes shot 9-for-15 (60-percent) from the floor and 8-for-10 (80-percent) at the foul line while dominating the glass, 14-5.
The Flashes went 10-for-23 on three-point attempts to hit double-figure triples for the third game in a row and fifth time overall this season.
Ali Poole and Lindsey Thall shared the team lead with seven rebounds each. Thall also had two of Kent State's five blocked shots. Alexa Golden led all players with five assists and four steals.
Kent State will play four of the next five on the road, beginning Saturday at Toledo. Tip-off from Savage Arena is scheduled for 2 p.m.
