Kent State University
Miami
First-Place Miami Visits M.A.C. Center Wednesday Night
2/26/2019 4:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Kent State women's basketball team will aim for its 10th victory at the M.A.C. Center this season on Wednesday when it hosts Mid-American Conference leader Miami at 7 p.m.
The Golden Flashes (15-10, 8-6 MAC) had its three-game winning streak ended in a 69-67 setback to Ohio on Saturday. Led by 13 points from Lindsey Thall, Kent State fought back from a double-digit deficit entering the fourth to tie the game, but Ohio scored the go-ahead basket with 45.1 seconds remaining. The Flashes were unable to connect on a pair of shots on the ensuing possession. Thall shot 6-of-8 from behind the three-point line and finished with a career-high 22 points to go with six rebounds and three blocked shots. Megan Carter added 18 points, which included 3-for-3 on three-point attempts. As a team Kent State shot 11-for-25 (44.0 percent) from downtown. Merissa Barber-Smith led the effort on the glass with 11 boards in just 10 minutes off the bench.
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 60 assists. Freshman Asiah Dingle (12.5 ppg) has provided a scoring threat at the point guard position. Forward Lindsey Thall (10.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg) leads Kent State with 47 three-pointers and her 38 blocked shots rank second in the MAC. Center Merissa Barber-Smith is the team's top rebounder at 6.5 per game and has 25 blocked shots. Guard Alexa Golden (8.1 ppg) leads the team in steals (2.7 spg) and is second in rebounding (5.4 rpg) three-pointers (38) three-point field goal percentage (.376).
Scouting Miami
Miami (21-4, 12-2 MAC) has put together 11 consecutive victories following a 1-2 league start and sits in sole possession of first-place entering the final two weeks of the regular season. The RedHawks are No. 15 in the most recent CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
One of the best defensive teams in the conference, Miami allows 59.4 points per game and has held 13 opponents under 60 points. The RedHawks have the nation's second-ranked three-point field goal defense (.234). Offensively, Miami average 68.6 points per game, which ranks sixth in the conference. The RedHawks' 13.6 turnovers per game are the lowest in the MAC.
Point guard Lauren Dickerson leads the offense with 16.7 points per game and is the MAC leader in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.18). Dickerson who averaged 26.5 points during Miami's two games last week to earn MAC East Player of the Week honors, adds 5.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game. Savannah Kluesner (14.2 ppg) is fourth in the conference at 8.3 rebounds per game and is nearly averaging a double-double during league play. Guard/forward Kendall McCoy, Preseason All-MAC East selection, adds 12.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Series History
• Kent State is 44-46 all-time vs. Miami.
• The Golden Flashes are 26-13 all-time when hosting Miami at the M.A.C. Center, including victories in three of the last five home matchups.
• Prior to Miami's 79-63 win in Oxford on Jan. 26, Kent State had held the RedHawks under 70 points in each of the previous nine meetings.
• The Flashes are 2-3 vs. Miami under third-year head coach Todd Starkey.
