Kent State University
2-2,2-0MAC
Toledo
3-1,1-1MAC
Stingy Defense, Blackford’s Big Game Lead Flashes to 2-0 MAC Start
12/13/2020 6:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TOLEDO, Ohio – Playing for the third time in the past five days, Kent State grinded out a 61-57 victory at Toledo on Sunday afternoon to become the first team with two wins in Mid-American Conference play. Sophomore Nila Blackford had her second straight double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds, matching her career-high.
The Golden Flashes (2-2, 2-0 MAC) held the Rockets to 19 points below their scoring average coming into the contest and a season-worst 4-of-20 from beyond the three-point arc. The defense was especially superb during an 18-minute span in the middle of the game that helped spark a 27-9 run.
Toledo scored twice in the final minute of the first quarter to lead 19-17 through 10 minutes of action. Kent State scored the first 13 points in the second and held its host scoreless until the 3:25 mark in the period. The Rockets made just three of 12 shots in the quarter overall but scored the final six points to get within 32-27 at halftime.
The Flashes built the lead to 18 by preventing Toledo from making a field goal until just 1:48 was remaining in the third quarter, ending a stretch of 18:41 of game action in which the Rockets shot just 3-of-20 from the floor.
It remained an 18-point game with under 30 seconds left in the period when a turnover in the backcourt resulted in an open three-pointer for Toledo's Sophia Wiard. This was Wiard's only triple of the day, and she finished with a team-high 14 points on 15 field goal attempts. The sophomore tied the school record with 42 points and made seven threes during the Rockets' previous contest.
However, Toledo made its first five shots in the fourth as part of a 17-2 run to get within three points with 5:20 still to play. Nila Blackford then sparked a quick 5-0 run to give the Flashes some breathing room. After passing out of a double-team to an open shooter, Blackford got inside position for her fourth offensive rebound and easily laid it in for a 55-50 lead. She came up with a block on the defensive end and excellent ball movement led to an open three-pointer for Katie Shumate. The lead never went below three the rest of the game.
Kent State dominated the boards, 48-28. Blackford received help from frontcourt mates Lindsey Thall and Linsey Marchese, who grabbed seven and six rebounds, respectively. The Flashes allowed just two offensive rebounds and led 13-0 in second-chance scoring.
Junior Mariah Modkins provided stability at the point guard position. She logged a team-high 37 minutes and totaled 10 points, three assists and three steals while spending most of the day defending Wiard. Classmate Lindsey Thall had a career-high six assists.
The Flashes will break for finals and return to action against Duquesne in the non-conference finale at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 21.
