Kent State University
4-2,3-0MAC
Eastern Michigan
4-4,1-2MAC
Women’s Hoops Extends Win Streak to Four at EMU
1/2/2021 3:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Junior Mariah Modkins scored five of her career-high 16 points during the final seven minutes of Kent State's 67-61 win at Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (4-2) have won four games in a row and are 3-0 in Mid-American Conference play for the second time in the past three seasons.
Despite a subpar 17-of-31 performance at the free throw line that allowed the host Eagles to stay close, Kent State was able to convert its freebies down the stretch to leave the Convocation Center victorious for the fourth time in as many visits under head coach Todd Starkey. The Flashes' 11-point lead late in the third quarter was trimmed to one with 7:49 remaining in the fourth before converting 8-of-10 attempts from the charity stripe as part of a 15-10 run to end the contest.
For the third time in as many conference games this season, Nila Blackford posted a double-double. The sophomore forward totaled 14 points and team-high 13 rebounds. Sophomore Clare Kelly scored 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the floor and matched her career-high for assists (3) and steals (2) in her first starting assignment of the season.
Redshirt junior Linsey Marchese and senior Monique Smith were key contributors off the bench. Marchese had her best game in a Kent State uniform with 10 points and five rebounds. Although she did not attempt a shot, Smith grabbed five boards and helped the Flashes outscore Eastern Michigan by eight in just over six minutes of action.
The Flashes made more than half of their three-point shots for the third time in the past four games, as their 8-of-15 performance from long range helped offset struggles at the free throw line and a season-high 23 turnovers.
Mariah Modkins made a stepback jumper above the free throw line to make it 14-9 at the 3:26 mark to give Kent State its largest lead of the first quarter. Eastern Michigan went ahead 15-14 before Modkins sank a pair of free throws and Linsey Marchese scored on a post move in the paint for a three-point lead. The Eagles tied the game on the ensuing possession and added a layup off a turnover in the backcourt in the closing seconds to lead 20-18 after 10 minutes of action.
Trailing by five, the Flashes went on a 10-0 run over the final 4:49 of the second period to lead 34-29 at halftime. The Eagles missed their final seven shots and went 2-of-11 overall in the quarter.
Nila Blackford's three-pointer extended the lead to 42-33 and forced Eastern Michigan to take timeout at the 7:39 mark in the third quarter. The Eagles got within 42-39 before an 8-0 run by the Flashes that ended with a three-pointer by Casey Santoro and transition basket by Blackford. Eastern Michigan responded with the next six points, but Marchese scored a strong basket over her defender in the paint to make it 52-45 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Eagles scored the first six points in the fourth to get within one with 7:49 to play. After trading turnovers, Modkins went into attack mode. The diminutive point guard drove for a layup and then split a pair of free throws after being fouled on a take to the basket to make it 55-51. An Eastern Michigan basket was countered by a Clare Kelly three-pointer that put the Flashes head by five at the 5:50 mark.
Kent State's lead never dipped below four the rest of the way, as Blackford and Katie Shumate combined to shoot 6-of-6 at the foul line over the final 1:06 of the contest.
The Flashes will return to action at home against Northern Illinois on Wednesday, January 6 at 2 p.m.
