Kent State University
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Western Michigan
Women’s Basketball Hosts Ohio Saturday for MAC East Clash
2/22/2019 11:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Kent State will seek a split of the season series with Ohio on Saturday in a contest scheduled for 2 p.m. inside of the M.A.C. Center. The game marks the first of five against Mid-American Conference East Division opponents to end the regular season.
The Golden Flashes (15-9, 8-5 MAC) held off a late Western Michigan rally on Wednesday in a 56-52 road victory that improved them to 5-1 during the month of February. After going ahead by 13 with 6:32 to play, Kent State's lead was trimmed to three with 21.2 on the clock. Alexa Golden was then able to connect on three of four free throws to put the game away. Megan Carter was the only Flash in double-figures with a game-high 22 points. Carter shot 8-for-15 from the field and 6-for-7 at the foul line in posting her eighth 20-point performance on the season. Golden grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and finished with nine points.
Guard Megan Carter (16.5 ppg) has scored at least 12 points in all but three games this season and is second on the team with 59 assists. Freshman Asiah Dingle (12.6 ppg) has provided a scoring threat at the point guard position. Forward Lindsey Thall (9.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) leads Kent State with 41 three-pointers and her 35 blocked shots rank second in the MAC. Center Merissa Barber-Smith is the team's top rebounder at 6.3 per game and has 25 blocked shots. Guard Alexa Golden (8.2 ppg) leads the team in steals (2.7 spg) and is second in three-pointers (37) three-point field goal percentage (.378).
Scouting Ohio
Ohio (21-3, 10-3 MAC) had a scheduled bye during midweek action and defeated Western Michigan, 70-56, in its most recent game last Saturday. The Bobcats are ranked No. 10 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll and own an 8-1 record in road games. The lone loss came at Toledo, 76-50, on Feb. 13.
Featuring one of the top offenses in the country, Ohio ranks 13th in the country in scoring (82.5 ppg), seventh in three-pointers per game (10.6), 22nd in scoring margin (+15.0), 25th in three-point field goal percentage (.387) and 33rd in field goal percentage (.465). The Bobcats play an aggressive defense that ranks 10th in the country in turnover margin (+6.67), 21st in turnovers force per game (20.17) and 22nd in steals per game (10.7).
Five different Bobcats average more than 11 points per game. Guard CeCe Hooks ranks fifth in the MAC with averages of 17.4 points and 4.5 assists per game. She is also the catalyst of the Bobcats' pressure defense ranking ninth nationally at 3.3 steals per game. Guards Amani Burke (13.0 ppg) and Dominique Doseck (11.9 ppg) both average more than two three-pointers per game and are shooting better than 40-percent from long distance. Forward Erica Johnson (13.5 ppg) is one of the top freshmen in the conference and averages a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game. Forward Gabby Burris adds 12.6 points per game.
Series History
• Kent State is 52-31 all-time vs. Ohio.
• The Bobcats won the first meeting this season, 83-81, in Athens on Jan. 16.
• The Golden Flashes are 28-10 as the home team in the series.
• However, Ohio has left the M.A.C. Center victorious in five of its last six visits.
• Kent State's 19-game winning streak from Jan. 10, 1996 through Jan, 28, 2004 is the longest for either school.
• The Golden Flashes are 2-3 vs. Ohio 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 Henry Palatella bring the action on ESPN3.
Next Up for Kent State
The Golden Flashes will be back at the M.A.C. Center to host first-place Miami on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
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