Kent State University
3-2,2-0MAC
Duquesne
2-3,1-0Atlantic 10
Kent State Takes Down Duquesne, 73-66, in Non-Conference Finale
12/21/2020 5:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
KENT, Ohio – Another stellar three-point shooting performance and converting turnovers into points allowed Kent State to beat Duquesne, 73-66, in the final scheduled non-conference game of the season on Monday afternoon at the M.A.C. Center.
The Golden Flashes (3-2), which have won three games in a row, followed a school record 16 three-pointers in the home opener against Ohio on December 11 with a 12-of-22 performance from behind the arc against the Dukes. Junior Lindsey Thall showcased the type of shooter she can is capable of being with five makes on six attempts. Sophomore Katie Shumate connected on all three of her three-point shots. Both players finished with 17 points.
Sophomore Nila Blackford led Kent State with 18 points and nine rebounds to narrowly miss her third straight double-double. Thall collected seven boards to help the Flashes to a 33-30 rebounding edge and matched her season-high with four blocked shots.
Duquesne opened the game with a defensive stop and then a basket by Laia Sole for its only lead of the day. That lead was short-lived, as Katie Shumate found Nila Blackford on the wing for a three-pointer just under a minute later. A trio of three-point field goals by Lindsey Thall gave the Flashes their largest lead of the opening period, 12-4. A three-pointer and conventional three-point play by the Dukes in the final 1:30 of the quarter helped the guests get within 21-18 despite Kent State shooting 5-of-8 from long range in the first 10 minutes.
The Flashes made their first four three-point shots in the second period as part of a 16-1 run to push the lead to 18. Duquesne's first field goal in the quarter came at the 3:43 mark to get within 37-21. Kent State's offense stalled for the remainder of the quarter, missing both field goal attempts and splitting eight shots at the charity stripe, and took a 41-28 lead into the locker room at halftime. Nearly half (20) of the team's points were scored following a Duquesne turnover.
After their lead was trimmed to seven just over four minutes into the third, the Flashes pushed the lead back to 14 on Thall's fifth triple of the day with 1:31 left in the quarter.
The lead was 12 to start the fourth, but the Dukes scored 10 points on their first four possessions to make it 57-55 and force Kent State to take timeout. A turnover after the timeout gave Duquesne an opportunity to tie the game, but a pair of terrific defensive plays by Thall fueled a 7-0 run to lead by nine. Isolated in the port against the Dukes' Laia Sole, who had a game-high 23 points, the Mid-American Conference's top shot blocker was able to get a finger on Sole shot attempt and give the ball back to the Flashes. Mariah Modkins took advantage of an aggressive defender to drive to the basket and dish to Blackford for a layup. The next time down the floor, Thall closed a driving lane and swatted a shot attempt that she was able to grab. Relentless effort on the offensive glass resulted in another Blackford basket on her third attempt of the possession. Modkins added a three-pointer to close the run.
The Dukes countered with a their own 7-0 run to get within 64-62 with just over two minutes remaining. After Modkins split a pair of free throws, Blackford was able to contest a shot by Sole that was off the mark and rebounded by Katie Shumate. The duo added second-chance baskets on the Flashes' next possession to push the lead to seven. Blackford tracked down a missed three-point attempt and drove strong to the basket for a reverse finish while being fouled. Clare Kelly rebounded the missed free throw and Shumate was at the right place at the right time to catch a shot that came up short and lay it in with just a second on the shot clock to extend the lead to seven with just 38.7 seconds to play.
Junior Mariah Modkins led Kent State with five assists while committing just a single turnover in 28 minutes at the point guard position.
The Flashes will return to MAC play with a trip to Eastern Michigan on Saturday, January 2.
