Kent State University
1-0,0-0MAC
Northern Kentucky
0-1,0-0Horizon
Golden Flashes Beat Norse in Season Opener
11/10/2021 10:05:00 PM | Women's Basketball
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Sophomore Casey Santoro scored nine of her team-high 19 points in the final three minutes as Kent State rallied late to beat Northern Kentucky, 80-73, in the 2021-22 women's basketball season opener for both teams on Wednesday.
The Golden Flashes (1-0) led by nine with eight minutes to play but trailed 64-63 after the Norse connected on a three-pointer with 3:02 on the clock. Santoro gave Kent State the lead right back with a driving layup on the ensuing possession and then drained a triple for a 70-66 lead with 1:07 remaining. A parade to the charity stripe followed, with Kent State going 8-for-8 in the final minute to push the lead to as many as 10.
All seven Flashes who entered the scoring column finished with at least seven points. Senior Lindsey Thall stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, eight rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists. Senior Hannah Young had 11 points and six rebounds, while junior Nila Blackford also reached double-figures with 10 points. Senior Abby Ogle and junior Katie Shumate scored eight points each, and freshman Bridget Dunn had seven in her first collegiate game. Ogle provided great energy off the bench and tied for the team lead with three assists and three steals.
Kent State fell behind 7-0 to start the game, missing its first four shot attempts and committing a pair of turnovers, before Thall scored the first points on the season off a lefty drive across the lane. The basket started a 12-0 run that lasted nearly six minutes. NKU bounced in a shot at the buzzer to get within 14-11 at the end of the first quarter.
After falling behind by eight midway through the second period, Kent State scored 10 unanswered points to go ahead 31-29 with 1:10 left in the half. The Norse connected on a pair of three-pointers, including a banker in the closing seconds, to take a 35-32 lead into the locker room.
A personal 7-0 scoring run by Blackford put the Flashes ahead 49-42 at the 3:46 mark in the third quarter. It was still a seven-point advantage as the period neared a close, but an offensive rebound resulted in a foul with 1.6 on the clock, and NKU sank two free throws to get within 56-51 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Ogle made a runner in the lane on Kent State's first possession of the fourth, and Santoro extended it to a nine-point game with a driving layup at the 8:00 mark. The Flashes did not make another field goal, however, until Shumate converted a turnaround off a postup in the paint to make it 63-58 with 3:59 to play.
The Norse answered with three-pointers on their next two possessions to take the lead, 64-63. Santoro came right back down the court and put Kent State ahead for good with a layup. Young extended the lead to three with an up-and-under finish on the next possession. Santoro then took over, blocking a shot and then burying the dagger three-point shot with 1:07 to play. She added a steal and four free throws to help push the lead to 10.
The Flashes attacked the basket throughout the contest and finished with 60 points either in the paint or at the free throw line.
Kent State will be back in action on Sunday, hosting Saint Francis (Pa.) for the home opener at the M.A.C. Center at 2 p.m.
