Kent State University
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Western Michigan
Golden Flashes Visit WMU for New Year’s Day #MACtion
12/31/2021 10:24:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Kent State aims to celebrate the New Year with its first Mid-American Conference victory when its battles Western Michigan in a road contest at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The Golden Flashes are off to the best start (8-2, 0-1 MAC) since 2008-09 and sit at No. 13 in the Mid-Major Top 25 but had a season-best four-game winning streak ended with a 69-60 setback to Toledo on Wednesday. The contest was tied with 3:50 remaining, but Kent State was outscored 14-5 the rest of the way. Hannah Young had a double-double for the second game in a row with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Bridget Dunn added 13 points and blocked a pair of shots. The Flashes struggled to connect on open looks from behind the three-point line and shot a season-low 25.0% (5-of-20) from long range.
Kent State has defeated a pair of Power 5 opponents this season. In addition to ranking fifth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage (.406) and 10th in three-pointers per game (9.7), the Flashes rank in the top 30 in rebounding margin (+10.8) and turnovers per game (12.3).
Sophomore Casey Santoro has been one of the nation's most productive non-starters and leads Kent State with averages of 13.8 points and 3.9 assists per game while ranking 10th nationally with a 3.00 assist-to-turnover ratio. Junior Katie Shumate adds 13.5 points per game and is tied with senior Lindsey Thall for the team lead with seven blocked shots. Thall is having the best season of her career with averages of 13.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Junior Nila Blackford (9.1 ppg) and senior Hannah Young (9.0 ppg) are each grabbing 7.4 rebounds per contest.
Scouting Western Michigan
The Broncos (6-3) will open conference play after Wednesday's contest at Ball State was postponed. Western Michigan lost at No. 10 Indiana, 67-57, in its last game on Dec. 19. All three of the Broncos' losses have been against Power 5 opponents. WMU's defense has been stellar and ranks second in the MAC in points allowed (60.3 ppg), steals per game (12.1) and defensive rebounding percentage (.709).
Lauren Ross (20.8 ppg), Taylor Williams (13.4 ppg) and Reilly Jacobson (13.1 ppg) give the Broncos the No. 3 scoring trio in the conference. Ross has scored at least 13 points in the eight games she's played and is shooting 54.0% from the field. Williams is averaging 9.0 rebounds per contest and had recorded four double-doubles. Jacobson, WMU's top scorer a season ago, has reached in double-figures in every game this season.
Series History
• Kent State is 34-27 all-time vs. Western Michigan.
• The Golden Flashes have a 14-16 all-time record in Kalamazoo, including wins in five of the past seven visits.
• Kent State has held the Broncos below 70 points in 16 of the past 19 meetings.
• The Flashes are 4-2 vs. Western Michigan under head coach Todd Starkey.
KSU on New Year's Day
• Kent State has played just once previously on New Year's Day, defeating TCU, 106-90, in the third-place game at the Central Florida Holiday Classic to ring in 1993.
• The Golden Flashes had five players score in double-figures, led by Rachel Larson's 23 points.
• Tracey Lynn (23 points, 10 rebounds) notched a double-double and Michelle Burden (15 points, 9 rebounds) just missed on joining her.
• Kyle Lathwell and Amy Sherry added 12 points each.
Broadcast Info
Evan Stockton, Wayne Hinton and Lexi Ayala will call the action on ESPN3, while Tyler Henry will be on the call on the Kent State Radio Network.
Next Up for Kent State
The Golden Flashes will play three of the next four games at the M.A.C. Center, beginning with a matchup against Miami on Wednesday, Jan. 5.
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