Kent State University
Miami
MAC East-Leading Golden Flashes Visit Miami Saturday for First Divisional Matchup
1/17/2020 12:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The Kent State women's basketball team will conclude its week-long road trip at Miami on Saturday at 2 p.m. in its first contest against a Mid-American Conference East Division opponent.
The Golden Flashes (9-6, 2-2 MAC) have won two in a row after holding off a late rally to beat Northern Illinois, 79-71, on Wednesday. Kent State's 15-points with 2:19 was trimmed to four in less than 100 seconds, and three consecutive defensive stops were needed to pull out the victory. The Flashes used decisive advantages in points in the paint (42-22) and points off turnovers (33-18) to build a double-digit lead for the majority of the second half. Asiah Dingle led the way with a season-best 20 points to go with five steals, four rebounds and three assists. Nila Blackford had 19 points and career-high four assists, while Katie Shumate added 11 points and career-high four assists. Hannah Young provided a productive 20 minutes of action off the bench and matched her career-high marks with 14 points and team-leading eight rebounds.
Five Golden Flashes are scoring in double-figures for the season. Freshman Nila Blackford is posting team-leading averages of 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Redshirt senior Megan Carter (12.7 ppg) has scored in double-digits in each of her past eight contests against Division I opponents. Sophomore Asiah Dingle (12.6 ppg) leads the Flashes in assists (3.7 apg) and steals (2.1 spg). Freshman Katie Shumate (11.9 ppg) has displayed a versatile skill set and ranks in the top-two on the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg), steals (23) and blocked shots (15). Sophomore Lindsey Thall (11.2 ppg) is second in the MAC in blocked shots (1.7 bpg) and fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.393).
Scouting Miami
Miami (8-8, 1-3 MAC) is coming off a disappointing 80-53 setback at Eastern Michigan on Wednesday. The RedHawks matched their lowest scoring output of the season while totaling their second-most turnovers (26). Miami has been successful at home and in close games, owning a 4-1 record in both games played at Millett Hall and games decided by fewer than 10 points.
The RedHawks' defense has had its difficulties during league play. Opponents are scoring 76.5 points per game and connecting on 48.8-percent from the floor.
All-MAC guard Lauren Dickerson is the sixth-leading scorer in the conference at 15.5 points per game and is coming off a rare scoreless night at Eastern Michigan. The senior is third in the MAC in steals (2.5 spg) and three-pointers (44). All-MAC forward Savannah Kluesner, who averages 13.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, is second in the league with eight double-doubles and is the top shot blocker (1.9 bpg). Guard Peyton Scott adds 12.4 points and 2.0 steals per contest. The trio accounts for nearly 60-percent of the RedHawks' scoring on the season.
Series History
• Kent State is 45-46 all-time vs. Miami.
• The Golden Flashes are 10-31 on the road against Miami and have lost seven of their last eight visits to Millett Hall.
• Kent State has held the RedHawks under 70 points in 10 of the last 11 meetings, including a 67-58 victory inside the M.A.C. Center last February.
• The Flashes are 3-3 vs. Miami under fourth-year head coach Todd Starkey.
TV / Radio
Dave Wilson will be on the call on the Golden Flashes iHeartRadio channel, while Steve Baker and Carol Smith will bring the action on ESPN3.
Next Up for Kent State
The Golden Flashes will return to action on Saturday, January 25 when Buffalo visits the M.A.C. Center. Tip is scheduled for 1 p.m.
