Kent State University
3-1
Purdue Fort Wayne
2-3
Flashes Ice Game at Foul Line, Improve to 3-1
11/16/2019 3:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
AKRON, Ohio – Kent State was a perfect 14-for-14 at the charity stripe over the final 1:53 to stretch a four-point lead into a 75-67 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday in the team's final game of the Akron Classic.
Sophomore Asiah Dingle converted six of those shots and finished with a team-high 17 points to go with six rebounds and three assists in the victory. The Golden Flashes (3-1) turned in a 23-for-26 (88.5 percent) performance at the foul line for the game.
"Early in the season here, we're finding ways to win but definitely have a large margin for improvement," head coach Todd Starkey said. "This team is young, and we will be patient with it. I'm always happy to win, but we have to continue to grow in certain areas. We are a team that prides itself on getting to the free throw line and making them at a high percentage. They were trying to foul to cut the game and we took advantage of those opportunities."
Freshmen Nila Blackford and Katie Shumate scored 16 points apiece and helped Kent State to a 41-24 rebounding advantage. Blackford also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for her second collegiate double-double while Shumate had seven boards.
Sophomore Hannah Young provided a lift off the bench during the third quarter, going for nine points on 4-for-4 shooting over a span of just over five minutes to extend the lead from four to 12.
"Hannah played really well coming off the bench," Starkey noted. "You never know when it's going to be your opportunity. It certainly was hers today and she took full advantage of it. She's been working hard, and we need to make sure we get that kind of effort from everybody all the way around so that we're getting consistency."
Sophomore Lindsey Thall totaled eight points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots. Redshirt senior Megan Carter added eight points and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw stripe.
Kent State will open the home schedule against Ohio State on Thursday, Nov. 21. The first matchup between the programs since 1981 will tip from the M.A.C. Center at approximately 7:30 p.m.
