Kent State University
St. Bonaventure
Women’s Basketball Welcomes Bonnies for “Kids Day Presented by PSI” Tuesday at Noon
12/2/2019 12:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Kent State's three-game homestand concludes at noon Wednesday as the women's basketball team hosts St. Bonaventure. More than 1,000 elementary school students are expected at the M.A.C. Center for "Kids Day Presented by PSI".
The Golden Flashes (4-2) are one of several Kent State teams that found a way to rally for dramatic victories during the month of November, which concluded with an 82-81 win over Robert Morris a week ago Sunday. Megan Carter intercepted a deflected inbound pass and laid it in with 2.2 on the clock to complete a 13-point deficit over the 4:54 final of the contest. The Flashes tied the program record with 31 points in the final period in the process. Nila Blackford poured in a career-high 31 points, the most by a Kent State freshman since Ellie Shields in 2008, to lead all scorers. She added nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Katie Shumate also filled the stat sheet with 13 points, five rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks.
All five starters are scoring in double-figures. Sophomore Lindsey Thall (15.3 ppg) and freshman Nila Blackford (14.8 ppg) are the first Flashes teammates to have 30-point performances in consecutive games since Ann Forbes and Tracey Lynn during the 1990-91 season. Thall went for 32 and a school record eight three-pointers in the home opener against Ohio State and Blackford scored 31 against Robert Morris. Blackford leads the team with two double-doubles and ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference in rebounding (8.2 rpg). Freshman Katie Shumate (12.8 ppg) has displayed a versatile skill set and ranks in the top-two on the team in three-pointers (7), rebounding (5.2 rpg), steals (15) and blocked shots (8). Sophomore Asiah Dingle (12.0 ppg) and redshirt senior Megan Carter (10.6 ppg) round out the starting unit. Carter needs just seven points to become the 22nd member of Kent State's 1,000-point club.
Scouting St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure (1-6) has lost five in a row after a 78-67 setback to unbeaten Binghamton on Wednesday. The Bonnies' lone victory came in overtime, 71-67, against Niagara on November 7. St. Bonaventure led Akron by seven entering the final period in its following contest but shot just 1-for-13 during the final 10 minutes and lost 63-54.
The Bonnies are a dangerous three-point shooting team and rank in the top-50 nationally in three-point field goals per game (8.0) and three-point field goals percentage (.366). After a tough start to the year, St. Bonaventure has averaged 9.8 trifectas and shot 41.5-percent from downtown over the past five games.
Guard Asianae Johnson averages a team-high 12.9 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg), while guard Deja Francis is right behind at 12.1 points per game. Forward Emily Calabrese (8.4 ppg) is grabbing a team-best 7.0 rebounds per contest. Over the past two games, freshman guard Olivia Brown (5.9 ppg) has shot 6-for-6 from three-point range and averaged 15.0 points.
Series History
• Kent State is 6-7 all-time vs. St. Bonaventure.
• The Golden Flashes won on the road last season, 76-64.
• The Bonnies had won the previous five games in the series by an average of nearly 15 points.
• Kent State is 3-3 in games played at the M.A.C. Center.
TV / Radio
Dan Griffin will be on the call on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel, while Dave Wilson and Ben Pagani bring the action on ESPN+.
Next Up For Kent State
The Golden Flashes will play at Purdue on Sunday, December 8 in the first of three games away from home.
